Signs of recovery

Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park

A secretary bird was sighted by safari guide Jeff Trollip from Explore Gorongosa.  Birders and safari enthusiasts of East Africa have seen many of these birds throughout excursions to Kenya and Tanzania.  Not so for Gorongosa. These birds were relatively easy prey for the hungry soldiers inhabiting the region during the 12-year civil war.  We have seen plenty of snakes, lizards and grasshoppers that should be supplying food this specimen and relatives who may be on the way. This is an excellent sign that life is returning to Gorongosa.

Secretary bird foraging in Gorongosa National Park (photo by Jeff Trollip)

The cheetahs we observed last year in the quarantine boma were released into the park several months ago.  Yesterday one of the males and was spotted this morning taking down a reedbuck.  He is clearly healthy and presently well fed.  Additionally there is plenty of food available for his stay in this park.  Hopefully he will be hanging around the place.

A major component to the re-wilding of Gorongosa National Park is the Sanctuary.  This is a large fenced-in refuge for animals that are being introduced to the region, mostly from South Africa.  The Sanctuary provides a region free of predators, well-protected from illegal hunting, and with adequate food for the rapid population growth of these key animals that were eradicated in the war here.

Giant kudu (above) and waterbuck (below) in the Park.

Today was the Sanctuary census day. The count was done in order to understand the productivity within the Sanctuary and to plan the introduction of the animals into the Park.  The chief scientist of the Park, Marc Stalmans, along with pilot Mike Pingo led the count. 

372 Blue wildebeest

193 Cape buffalo

68 Sable antelope

364 Common reedbuck

112 Impala

38 Waterbuck

9 Lichtenstein’s hartebeest

140 Kudu

482 Warthog

116 Oribi

8 Nyala

58 Bushbuck

11 Grey duiker

4 Red duiker

There was general excitement around these numbers. There are likely more individuals than the above numbers because of the large size of the Sanctuary and trees within which provide cover for the animals.   The plan is to start releasing some of these animals into the larger Park to boost the restoration process.