Tales From Tanzania

Thanks to Jay and Fran for these wonderful exceprts, full of vitality and wonder:

Close Encounters
Although we see numerous Elephants countless times in the Ranch during our sat camps and it’s always a treat to see them close up at our base camp of Emunyani. Whilst returning from a scouting hike into the Esilalei mountains above camp I began to notice that all around me were signs of destruction, downed trees, bark stripped from trunks and car size highways cut into the thickest bush. These tracks could only be caused by one animal. Presuming these signs were old, as I hadn’t visited this area of the hills for a good few weeks, I carried on home. On closer inspection though it could be seen that the trunk underneath the stripped bark was still moist and with it being the dry season and nearly 38 degrees in the shade this meant that they were only a few hours old. Now proceeding with a little more caution I followed the tracks to a clearing a little further down to the valley to find the large Matriarch and her two daughters continuing on their path of destruction.
Normally I could sit and watch these magnificent creatures for hours but the light was already beginning to fade and the path back to camp meandered conveniently through the legs of the Matriarch leaving me no choice but to climb back up the hill I’d just negotiated, much to my displeasure, and head back through the next valley.
Upon my return to camp I was all ready to relay this exciting news and tell everyone how I’d outsmarted 3 elephants when a dishcloth was unceremoniously pushed into my hand. Seeing as I had ‘intentionally’ made my walk long enough to avoid helping to prepare dinner it was given the treat of washing up solo. Only after I’d finished regaling my story did people understand why I had such a smile on my face whilst washing up the leftovers of Bean Curry and Chips.
This experience got me to thinking about some of the close encounters we’ve been lucky enough to have recently.
Whilst on a Game drive with students from Derby Grammar school we had our first recorded sighting of a cheetah within the Ranch’s boundaries, a beautiful young female resting during the heat of the day. She was, oddly, nowhere near where we had had reports of cheetah previously which is to say she was not in the open plains of the south and North east of the ranch which are teeming with gazelle but in the Acacia woodland which lies between the two riverbeds a mere ½ kilometer from Ranger HQ. Nevertheless it was a spectacularly exciting sighting which clearly got the better of me as I was told to ‘calm down and grow up’ by students 6 years my junior.
Elephant encounters are the most frequent occurrence with the Greenforce team, and these are always incredible however sightings like this stand out in my mind forever.
A 6.30am transect started badly with a volunteer, who shall remain nameless, forgetting their bag and holding up the walk. Normally this would be have been met with annoyance had not 30 seconds later a large bull elephant crashed out of the bush, down the slope and across the path we would’ve have been on if the transect had started on time. Many beers were bought in thanks of nameless volunteer’s forgetfulness.
During a transect north of Zambezi we were forced to change direction rather rapidly by another large bull elephant as we emerged from thick bush to find ourselves just 20m from the bull. We were surprised by not only a stroppy elephant coming directly towards us but also strangely, a half naked man wearing only red underpants just in front of the angry bull. Presumably, after a night on the bottle, the man had woken up in the ranch not only to a charging elephant but also to a very bemused bunch of Wazungus claiming to be a Wildlife survey team. The most shocked of us all though seemed to be the Ranger guiding us who already had his rifle neatly sighted on the man in red underwear instead of the bull elephant.
A few more include Fran and Sebs morning fire watch awakening by a lonely male elephant charging past the tents and cars at Amazon camp and Sadi, our driver, using our Toyota Hilux as what can only be described as a battering ram to move 4 belligerent males from our camp site in the southern plains.
Snake encounters on phase are rare but always cause much excitement and needless to say a little cautiousness. Apart from the occasional Puff adder or baby cobra setting up home within our boma we have relatively few encounters. During one sat camp at Zambezi a mamba was spotted in the grass between the camp and the loo prompting most volunteers to refuse to ‘go’ until we got back to Esilalei……sat camp lasted 3 days leaving us with a very unused pit, one or two very uncomfortable volunteers and a very amused Grass Snake masquerading as a Black Mamba.
Whilst out on a moon hill climb, again with Derby Grammar School (who had by now become wildlife magnets) I spotted my first honey badger, and definitely not a glorified weasel as one student declared. It was soon thought of with a little more respect when said students were informed that as a defense the honey badger rips off the testicles of its attacker leaving it to bleed to death. The remainder of the walk was spent with one hand on the walking stick and the other as an improvised cup, much to the amusement of the lone female hiker who was ordered to lead the walk from them on.
Perhaps the most spectacular sighting came early one morning at Amazon camp just as the sun was rising. After an uneventful fire watch the area seemed to come alive with the sound of hooves, one staff member and a volunteer investigated westwards from camp to see a herd of wildebeest stampede by only to followed seconds later by a pack of lionesses and much later by an out of shape male lion, clearly doing the most important job of bringing up the rear.
These are the types of experiences never forgotten by volunteers and staff alike and I’m sure we will have more to report after next phase, none too close hopefully!

Recent News
- Ras, our camp Guard dog, has recently given birth to puppies. 11 huge, eating machines whose sole purpose seems to be to tear the Achilles tendons from the closest human leg. We are left with only one now with the other 10 diligently guarding the majority of the surrounding bomas.
- Elections have taken place in Esilalei recently to decide a new secretary for the district. The Greenforce vote going to Malunga who promised an end to corruption and cheaper mangoes. Take notes Obama.
- The dry season is reaching its peak with no rain in Esilalei for over 4 ½ months. Waterholes are running low but life persists even in these conditions. The rains are expected mid to late October however they are becoming increasingly erratic along with the rest of the worlds climate. We hope for some relief for the land shortly and eagerly await the eruption of green which is bound to occur as soon as the rains begin.
- Drilling has started within the month in Eluai to secure clean drinking water for the entire village using funds raised from the London Marathon. More details will be posted as and when they take place. See www.maasaimarathon.org for more information.