World Wildlife Fund news - protecting sub-Antarctica

The South African government has announced it will create a vast protected area around the remote Prince Edward Islands in the Southern Ocean – and WWF is taking a lead in providing technical and management advice.

At 180,000km2, the Prince Edward Islands region will become one of the biggest Marine Protected Areas in the world. It’s an environmental achievement of global importance, which will help protect a suite of spectacular wildlife. WWF’s director general, Jim Leape, says: "South Africa has made a globally significant commitment to our oceans."South Africa plays a key role – along with countries such as Australia, France, UK and New Zealand – in protecting the amazing biodiversity and commercially important fisheries of the sub-Antarctic."

Located almost 2000km south of Cape Town, in the Southern Ocean, the islands are home to:

• 450,000 King penguins (and two other penguin species)

• 33% of the world’s sub-Antarctic Fur Seals (and two other types of seal)

• 44% of all Wandering Albatrosses (and four more kinds of albatross)

• 14 species of petrel

The islands have been threatened by illegal and irresponsible fishing practices in the past – for instance vessels targeting Patagonian toothfish have often killed albatross as bycatch.

Wildlife Discovery Voyages in the Antartic region - click here

Newsflash: Madagascar Visas

Please be aware that the Embassy of Madagascar in London has announced that tourist visas will be issued free of charge for the foreseeable future.

This is not an official change and it is likely to be withdrawn without prior notice.

Madagascar Wildlife Holidays - Click here

Customer Reviews: Mr Wood in Belize

REPORT ON VISIT TO BELIZE, April 2009

It always seems extraordinary to me how difficult it can be to travel from one country to another in a region, even to neighbouring countries. As you grow older time seems to accelerate exponentially; this is an illusion of course but for older folk time relates more to what is left than what is past. Now we know we can only travel to other continents for a relatively short number of years, we are inclined to twin or triplet the countries we visit.

This year we were returning to Venezuela and wished to marry it to a wildlife experience in another nearby country in Latin America. Guyana looked like a good choice for the Kaieteur Falls, the possibility of jaguar at Iwokrama and giant otter on the Rupununi River. But there are no direct flights between these immediate neighbours and travel by road would have taken us away from our dogs for too long. Combining Venezuela and Guyana involves using Trinidad as a staging post. To get the best air fares, the trip demands 4 local flights to and from the island. Maybe next time the call of steel bands will be enough to seduce us.

We turned instead to Belize, a lot like a Caribbean ‘island’ except it is landlocked. Getting to this charming country from Venezuela, and then home, is even more complicated than combining Venezuela and Guyana. It involved a flight from Caracas via Panama City into San Salvador for an overnight stop, before a further two flights to take us to the lodge at Gallon Jug in Belize; with two flights via San Salvador to Guatemala and a flight home from there, exiting the plane at Panama City, changing in Madrid for London. Exhausting, yes, and not recommended. The first time we went to Belize we flew direct to Cancun in Mexico and took a simple, easy and interesting road transfer from there.

The lure in Belize was the real possibility of an encounter with puma, jaguar and ocelot at Chan Chich, a terrific lodge located in the heart of 125, 000 acres, most of which is tropical forest. The small plane journey was a dream. We were whisked by our pilot through Godson International Airport, Belize City, like VIPs, and flown in to Gallon Jug, 2000 ft over jungle as dense as a forest of broccoli. Effects of the two day transfer started to fade with the onset of delicious anticipation in searches and sightings to come.

We had our first night drive that very evening, not wholly productive as heat and travel were taking their toll. We relied entirely on Luiz, our driver, for spotting and to awaken us if we nodded off. During the following seven days we fell into a routine of rising at four thirty to catch the dawn on our morning drives and departing two hours before sunset for pre-dinner drives. On two of the days we varied the routine so that we could stay out longer, taking a breakfast picnic on the escarpment one morning and a picnic dinner by Laguna Seca one evening. In between drives, we walked the nine trails that surround the lodge.

There were lots of howler monkeys roaring to get us up before dawn and, each evening, an entertaining troupe of spider monkeys swung in near the lodge to take up residence for the night. As we travelled, we marvelled at the display and colours of the ocellated turkey, every bit as impressive in its shimmering, many coloured feathers as a peacock. Apparently these large birds have been ‘disappeared’ in most places outside Gallon Jug because they make such good eating.

Gallon Jug provides a variety of habitats and some great places to observe birds and butterflies, not forgetting frogs and crocodiles. Our quest was centred on the big cats; we had to rely on them to make an appearance in the open areas as the jungle is so dense, a jaguar would be lost to sight a few metres into it. The road and trail systems together with the 3000 acre clear area around Gallon Jug village and farm, offers the best possibility of a sighting. On our first day, one member of staff saw a puma on the Logger’s Trail within a kilometre of Chan Chich lodge. On day three there were two puma sightings by the lodge manager and, on day four, a jaguar was seen at 200 ft. crossing the road, apparently on its way to slack it thirst in Laguna Seca.

Next morning, an hour after we had driven our golf cart to Sylvester Village, there was a close encounter there with a large puma by staff man, Jorge, who came back to lodge with a photo in his camera. That night we staked out a spot where the farm had laid a dead calf to be naturally re-cycled by vultures and, we hoped, the big cats. No luck there, so we headed off to Laguna Seca keeping our eyes peeled as it grew dark so suddenly. On our way back from the lagoon, I was picking out the eyes of deer and cattle with the spotlight, when I lighted up something that was too low down to be either: the green eyes reflecting back at me were only two or three feet off the ground on a hill in a large field fenced off for the cattle.

We moved right next to the fence and continued to stare through the binoculars until we could be sure the colour, shape and size meant we were looking at a puma. It was 80 metres away but identifiable in the spotlight, although out of camera range. We squeezed through the barbed wire and tried to get a better view but it shrank away over the hill and out of sight. We drove down an adjacent road still trying to catch it in the light. As we cast about, our guide saw a different pair of green eyes lurking in a mango orchard on the opposite side of the road to the first sighting, this time about 120 metres away. We saw the eyes and a faint suggestion of a body as it moved along the base of the trees but we could get no closer. So we had two distant, night sightings to go down in the book, our first ever of puma, and therefore a special thrill.

The Chan Chich Lodge at Gallon Jug is situated in an old Mayan site. Both the main lodge and the cabanas are beautifully appointed: our bathroom alone was 15 sq metres, with his and her showers and washbasins. The forty odd staff come from about 6 families who live nearby in service areas or the village. Most of them have grown up in Gallon Jug or worked there for years, all part of a Chan Chich community which gives the place a very special feeling. There is a school, where almost 80 of the community’s children are taught, located near the airstrip and farm, along with a shop and post-office.

There are lots of activities both on and off the Chan Chich reserve, which itself borders two other large areas of forest, including the 260, 000 acre Rio Bravo Nature Reserve. You can visit the impressive Mayan ruins at Lamanai or trip next door to seek out the wildlife. We had more than enough within the reserve to keep us fully engaged, with visits to the Jacuzzi, swimming pool and massage parlour to help recover from all those drives and walks. You can also hire a golf cart (make sure its battery is fully charged!), go bike riding or take a canoe out on Laguna Verde, another pretty lake on the property. All of which makes Chan Chich a great place to visit.

"Female collared peccary"

"Peccary and 'Peclet' "

"Bigger than my hand, Tarantula"

"Ocelot, Hato Pinero"

"Is it a Space-ship orbiting the moon?"

Alan Cantrell Wood, April 2009

Customer Comments: Christine in Zambia's Green Season - March 2009

Dear Sarah,
"We got back from South Luangwa on 24th March and this is the first opportunity I have had to email you, so apologies for lateness. As you know, this was our third visit to Norman Carr Safaris in Zambia, but our first in the 'emerald season', and what a great visit it turned out to be.

We had expected rain, and by golly we got it. However the thunderstorms were absolutely fantastic, with huge forks of lightning piercing the dark grey clouds and adding another
dimension to being out in such a wild and wonderful place. It was great to catch up with staff that we had met previously, and everyone of them seemed genuinely pleased to see us and welcome us back.
It was quite an experience to turn off the engine of the boat and slowly and silently float into the ebony groves and across areas where we had previously walked or driven. On one occasion we moored the boat on top of a bridge and were able to walk along the actual road for a short space before the water was lapping at our feet again. We did manage one walk in the bush and were very excited at being able to track and find a large group of buffalo.

We saw many animals, far more than we expected in fact, including a pack of eight wild dog that were still on their kill. Also hyena, elephant, giraffe, plenty of hippo and crocodiles and from the boat a pride of eight lion (including two cubs), who had very conveniently plonked themselves close to the river bank.

The birds were fantastic and there was much excitement at seeing a palm nut vulture, which are apparently quite rare within that area. We saw so much wildlife that it would bore you rigid if I listed it all, and I think that this was one of the surprises of the whole trip. We had not thought to see so much. The experience of seeing 'green Zambia' was one we will always remember, along with that wonderful feeling of being the only people there, in the middle of such a wild place - a priceless emotion that only Africa seems to satisfy somehow.

Thanks to you, the arrangements, flights, pick ups etc went without a hitch and made the less enjoyable part of a holiday that much easier to cope with. Pioneer Camp was an interesting place and managed to have the largest spiders I have ever seen in a bath!!!

So as a summary, I would suggest to everyone who has not visited South Luangwa at this time of year to make a special effort to get there. It is truly breathtaking and makes a wonderful contrast to seeing the area when all is 'brown' and 'baking' during the summer months. A truly memorable holiday in a truly memorable place.

Thanks to you and all at Wildlife Worldwide for a really great time."

Christine, March 2009

Visit Zambia's Luangwa Valley in Green Season for Less

African Safari Holidays

Staff Report: Mexico - A whale of a time! By Clementine Gent

Deciding where to go on holiday is never easy and with four people, each with differing demands, this trip was going to be no different. Getting away in the depths of winter the destination definitely had to be warm, adventurous if possible, good food (very important if travelling with the French!) and (my demand) some good wildlife encounters! Mexico managed to tick all the boxes!!

British Airways fly direct several times a week to Mexico City but to get to Baja California it is actually easier, quicker and cheaper to go via the States. Immigration was actually relatively painless when entering the US (much to my surprise) and after a few days of exploring northern California I was eager to reach Baja.

We flew two hours from LA and landed in Cabo – surrounded by brown desert, cacti and the heat. I was slightly nervous as I had made all the arrangements and knew two of the group were wildlife virgins – fingers crossed they were going to enjoy it!

We travelled north to the city of La Paz – actually the capital of Baja California Sur – which has a pleasant seaside-town feel with a large waterfront promenade and plenty of good shops and restaurants. Mardi Gras celebrations had just finished but many of the fair rides and entertainments were still there and the local people were out in force, enjoying the evening.

We had an early start the next morning – the group met in the hotel lobby (10 Americans, 2 French, 1 Finn and myself) and we were transferred three and a half hours by road to Magdalena Bay on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula. Our camp was perched on the side of the bay on a white sand beach – nothing luxurious but perfect for easy access to the Whales.

The days consisted of breakfast, morning whale watch, back to the camp for lunch, afternoon whale watch or other activity, sundowners at the camp and then dinner.

Grey Whales calve in three bays on the Baja California Peninsula of which Magdalena (Mag for short) Bay is probably the quietest as it is furthest away from the US. The whales enter the bay in December and stay there until early April when they start their long migration to the feeding grounds of northern Canada and Alaska.

In Mag Bay the mothers and calves generally remain in the shallow water whilst mating adults congregate at the mouth of the bay. Our guides JJ and Carlos (both fantastic!) also showed us dolphins, Frigate birds, Sea Lions, pelicans and cormorants to name a few.

We must have seen 30 or so different individuals over the three days we were there. The mothers and calves tended to keep a little distance from the boats although a number of the calves we saw breached seemingly to get a closer look at us. We were able to have closer contact with the mating adults – perhaps because they were rather distracted?! It was not uncommon for us to see between three and five whales in a mating group and every so often one would break off to inspect our boat – perhaps to assess his chances.

Other activities were available when we weren’t whale watching; one afternoon we took the boat to the opposite side of the bay and walked across the sand dunes to the Pacific coast. Large shells by the thousands had been deposited high up by the winter storms, along the never-ending beach we found giant Mussels, Sand dollars, desiccated Trigger and Puffer fish and the skulls of dolphins and pelicans. On another afternoon we went kayaking in the mangrove swamp close to the camp. No prior experience is necessary as the waters in the mangroves are shallow. Paddling through the waterways we got up-close and personal with herons, ospreys, grebes, Whimbrels and had the privilege to see a school of dolphins herding a shoal of fish onto the sandbanks.

Sadly our three magical days in “Mag Bay” came to and end but all was not over as the next half of the trip was based on an island in the Sea of Cortez. We travelled back to La Paz and from there by boat to Isla Espiritu Santo.

Our camp in the island was on the beach in a beautiful bay surrounded by towering red cliffs and green cacti. The camp was more basic than the one at Mag Bay – thermorests rather than cots and torches rather than a generator but the setting was so stunning that no one minded at all.

Our activities here were very flexible – the emphasis was on kayaking but it was optional and there were plenty of other things to do. We started the stay with a dunk test in order to kayak out on the open sea. There were rock stacks going out into the bay which were covered by birds and ringed in coral and we could snorkel to them easily from the camp.

We could hike in the canyon behind the camp where Turkey vultures flew overhead, Rock lizards sunned themselves and Ant lions waited for the unsuspecting to walk into their traps. We kayaked around to an adjacent bay where we saw the archaeological evidence of human habitation some 12,000 years ago. On one morning we went by boat to Los Islotes – a group of islands just off the northern point of the island. Here there is a large Sea lion colony where you can snorkel with them. There are also large colonies of Brown and Blue-footed Boobies. Snorkelling with the playful Sea lions, despite a large swell, was a fantastic experience. The Sea lions were very inquisitive and were eager to inspect (i.e. chew on) anything within their grasp.

The days passed too quickly and soon it was time to return to La Paz and civilization. A final hour adjustment to the homeward plans however meant that our wildlife extravaganza was not over yet…Whale sharks had been spotted in La Paz bay – incredibly early as they usually arrive in May! JJ and Carlos were very helpful in organising an additional tour so, on our final morning, instead of last minute present shopping; we were to be found cruising the shallow waters in desperate search of the biggest fish in the sea.

Three hours into our four hour trip and not a dickey bird or indeed a very large spotted fish. We turned around to head for home and suddenly came across a baby (15 foot!) and shortly after another and then another. The boat dropped us to the side and slightly in front so we were able to have some incredible snorkelling with these gentle giants. I am actually still lost for words at how amazing this experience was and as we rushed from the boat straight to the airport we ended the holiday with gigantic grins on our faces!

Clementine Gent, Wildlife Consultant, March 2009

Click here for our wildlife holidays with Whale Watching in Mexico

Customer Profiles Booklet: Find out why you should travel with Wildlife Worldwide

We have just published a colourful booklet with some good reasons from our valued customers why you should travel with us:

• For freedom and flexibility


• For superb wildlife


• For exceptional guides & lodges


• For the personal touch


• For something unique

Click here to view our customer profiles booklet online!

New Wildlife Worldwide Calendar

Have you ever wondered when is the best time to visit some of the world’s most spectacular locations?

When do the ravenous brown bears congregate in Canada to catch salmon?

Where is the best place and time to see the largest mammal on our planet – the magnificent blue whale?

When do you stand the best chance of sighting the spectacular Blue Wildebeest crossing the Grumeti River in Kenya’s Masai Mara?

With the guidance of our team of experienced wildlife specialists we can now help you to select the optimum time to visit some of the world’s most impressive destinations and enjoy the amazing wildlife at its best. Visit the new Wildlife Worldwide Calendar to find out more!