Biome Africa

07/19/2024

Surfing Nicaragua!! Awesome land and people.

06/17/2024

Happy Father's Day to all you father figures. Its the best journey!!

05/13/2024

I forgot about this afternoon in the park. So fun to bump into Chris or "Mr Science" with his wild posse of beautiful creatures, bringing the wild closer to our community, fostering curiosity within our young minds. Keep up the wonderful work!

12/30/2023

If you come to the Mother City at the South Western tip of Africa, where the warm Agulas current meets the cold Bengula current, you will find a delicious mix of people, weather and geologic theater. This December we have experienced Fire, Wind, Sun, Rain and bliss. Its all here!!!

12/30/2023

Our favorite son..... hanging in one of Cape Towns many awesome markets

10/02/2023

I was inspired to find this book after learning about how the Varty brothers turned an old cattle farm into one of today's great success stories, the Londolozi Game Reserve. The land had been ruined due to old school land management, cattle farming and hunting, the young Varty brothers (John & Dave) inherited the land and decided to risk everything and turn this legacy into a Safari destination. One catch...there was barely any wildlife to show anyone. So, with no resources they dug deep and found Ken Tinley who taught them how to partner with the land, animals and local people. This Thesis of the Gorongosa biome tells the story of how and why a self sustaining environment exists in balance. Nature can teach us all we need to know. Thank you for spontaneously meeting with me a few years back to help point me in the direction I needed to go in. Biome Africa is just a sprout but I hope to grow it into a tree of conservation and education.

09/26/2023

Platinum Rhino

Platinum Rhino confirms that an agreement has been reached for the African Parks Network to become the new custodian of the project.

John sincerely thanks the Platinum Rhino team for their devotion to the project and he wishes them well as they continue to protect and breed these special animals. Platinum Rhino’s vision to take the project into the next phase of rewilding the surplus animals will now become a reality, and we hope that Africa will long benefit from the contribution John has made to ensure the survival of the species.

5 September 2023.

Photo Credit: Dr Michelle Otto, Wildlife Veterinarian Platinum Rhino

09/26/2023

https://youtu.be/7ZJ83sZF5h4

Register to Bid: https://auctions.swiftvee.com/partners/platinum-rhino-auction-zMP/redirect Know More: https://platinumrhino.co.za/ Watch More: ...

09/26/2023

We are looking forward to hosting 2 groups at Pafuri Hutwini Trails Camp in August 2024. We have two dates available: August 1st-7th and August 7th-13th. Please reach out to Rich Radford by emailing [email protected]

07/06/2023

Biltong is the only way to eat dried meet. Forget about Jerky....it doesn't come close.

03/03/2023

When life challenges your paradigm, go for a walk and imagine a new paradigm.

12/31/2022

The Pafuri region of the Kruger National Park is unmatched in Fauna & Flora diversity. Its magic land!! I'm organizing couple of On Foot Trails for 2023. There will only be 7 spots for each trip. email me at [email protected] if you are keen.

06/06/2022

Please support National Park Rescue to help ensure the future of African Wildlife. Inaction is the leading cause of wildlife die off....please support this cause today.

01/18/2022

Joshua Tree...so much space to explore.

12/29/2021

Tracked a deer and found it had been taken and eaten by a pack of Coyotes. They may have lost the carcass to a larger carnivore (i.e.Mountain Lion) as I noticed drag marks but the wet grass did not reveal the animal.

11/15/2021

Bumped into an Elephant in Covent Garden, London....she was friendly!

11/02/2021

Please show support in fighting the good fight against Oil Drilling within the Okavango Delta, one of Africa's most pristine wildernesses.

https://rewild.org/reshare/save-the-okavango

10/05/2021

Here is another article published by Africa Geographic which outlines the current Elephant Management Plan within the Kruger National Park. As i mentioned previously, it is a complex subject with many conflicting opinions and counter arguments supported by Scientific & Non-Scientific case studies.

A brief summary and understanding of Kruger's strategy for elephant management.

10/05/2021

The topic of Elephant management within South Africa & Botswana brings in both very emotive and controversial reactions from a broad spectrum of people. Most of these reactions come from animal rights activists who truly don't understand the complex challenges faced within large conservancies, this results in “Non-workable ideas that have been imposed on Africans by people who are neither properly informed nor accountable for the costs that their actions impose.”

In the last two decades whilst exploring areas such as the Kruger National Park, Medikwe Reserve, Selati Private Game Reserve and Mashatu to name a few, i have discussed the visible decline of large mature trees and forested areas with Conservationists on the ground. The people who live with their boots on the ground, who make their job to study and protect these environments have made it clear that the unsustainable increase in Elephant populations within most of these conservancies has led to major declines in not only tree canopies but also a general decline in overall biodiversity. Most Biologists/Conservationists/Safari Camp Owners/Game Rangers living within these areas agree that Elephants do play an extremely important Bio-Engineering role when populations are in equilibrium, the benefits of healthy herd populations is immeasurable. However, when reserves are surrounded by human populations (many who rely on Eco-Tourism) and are fenced in to protect both people and animals, measures have to be put in place to keep all biomes healthy. Unfortunately, Africa is no longer the continent of endless open space, large herds of Elephants cannot move freely (the Transfrontier Park not withstanding) which means large breeding herds will denude the landscape of large amounts of biomass, and without room to grow and move they will return to these impacted areas until the landscape can no longer support them. The result of which has far reaching impacts on biodiversity which at the end of the day impacts eco tourism which in turn raises funds to support ongoing conservation within these parks. Now of course Climate change is placing more pressure on these conservancies and the surrounding human settlements.

The topic of Elephant Culling in some of these parks specifically The Kruger National Park is one that is extremely hard to grapple and is a very a polarizing subject. African Game Rangers & fellow African Conservationists agonize over the thought of having to cull elephants, there is no desire or pleasure here. If you speak to the people on the ground, it is clear that it is a last resort and all other measures would be exhausted before considering culling.

I personally just want to see sound actions supported by scientifically proven methods. These methods should be decided upon by field professionals who have actual field experience, not imposed measures forced upon by people who don't have the field knowledge to make far reaching and very consequential results.

The elephant is a pleasure to watch on game drives, but conserving destructive species and ecosystems can be a complex matter.

06/07/2021

Almost stepped on this small Gopher Snake in San Francisco this morning.

05/18/2021

Following up on the case of the strip mine planned for the Selati Game Reserve in South Africa. If this mining operation were to be given the green light by the South African government it would be one of the largest open pit mines in Southern Africa. A Reserve that currently harbors some of the world's most endangered wildlife and Flora would be gone...for ever! Black Rhino, Cheetah, Lion, Elephant to name but a few. Not to mention the Lilly Cycad that grows no where else in the wild. Here is part two : more to come no doubt....

In early April, Daily Maverick published a report that left many conservationists appalled – one of South Africa’s most successful private game reserves, set in a part of the country with irreplaceable fauna and flora, was under attack by a company called Tiara Mining. Although there were major ...

05/13/2021

So happy to have finished my Trails Guide Theory Exam are awesome !!! Can't wait to get into the bush and complete my training with Eco Training crew.

05/04/2021

- we need to ask ourselves...what can we do to protect our most endangered environments? Its a complicated effort when considering climate change and the effects it has on many socio-economic groups. The endless need to dig up the earth and mine for mineral resources, which in turn are used to manufacture our goods and technologies (such as the one im using currently to write this message) are a huge contributing factor to habitat loss. We must consider population growth and resource extraction and how we can keep our planet from tipping into a downward spiral.

If we lose all our great natural habitats and the Fauna & Flora that inhabits these spaces....we as a human race will no longer have a place in the natural world. All we will have are the stories of the natural wonders that once lived on this planet.

Unique species in ‘the world’s most biodiverse desert’ are at risk from a warming planet and the lucrative plant poaching trade

04/30/2021

Celebrating endemic flowering Flora within South Africa...here are but a few of my favorites.

04/24/2021

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/?post_type=article&p=876446

04/09/2021

If anyone has access to someone who has a huge social media pull to make this go viral please let us know. We will personally organize and guide a safari of your dreams if you can make this post go viral and end Tiara Mining's intent to destroy this conservation area.

The owners of Selati have spent so much time, effort and economic resources to make this conservancy what it is today. The reserve supports young environmental researches, Eco Training courses and community outreach projects to help the surrounding community. All of this could be destroyed for what....Emeralds & Diamonds. Selati is home to endangered Black Rhino, Elephant, Cheetah, Lion and one species of Cycad that grows no where else on earth.

Please help us fight the good fight here. Contact us at [email protected] if you can help or reach out through Facebook.

In August 2020, out of the blue, the owners of the 28,000-hectare Selati Game Reserve received word that a company called Tiara Mining had plans to excavate a series of open-cast pits on their land. The mining application was at an advanced stage, it seemed, which was strange — no one from Tiara M...

02/20/2021

The place that I called home when growing up is calling out to be found again. I am missing these wild places where the human sprit was born.

10/04/2020

Hi All,

Please help save over 100 Elephants and the surrounding ecosysyem by donating whatever you can to this cause.

Hi Friends,I'm reaching out to ask for help in raising funds for a very important Elephant conservation project in the Selati Game Reserve in South Africa.  If this project is successful it could literally save the entire population of over 100 elephant along with the codependent ecosystem!Through ...

10/02/2020

Hi Friends,

Please hit the link below to help save over 100 Elephant. This is a very important project and every $250 raised will save the life of an endangered Elephant. These funds will go directly to boots on the ground conservation efforts.

Hi Friends,I'm reaching out to ask for help in raising funds for a very important Elephant conservation project in the Selati Game Reserve in South Africa.  If this project is successful it could literally save the entire population of over 100 elephant along with the codependent ecosystem!Through ...

09/12/2020

Deep down we all know something is wrong. We know this when we walk down the street, visit natural areas, swim in rivers, lakes and oceans. We know that there is a lurking insidious bi-product of our human condition. Trash...and specifically plastics.

How can we escape this mounting debris field, its everywhere! Every time we buy something that is manufactured it is pretty much either made of plastic or is wrapped in plastic. There has to be a better way to live, there has to be a smarter way to consume resources.

I'm not a scientist/chemist/petrochemical professional but they do have the answers, they owe us answers as they created this mess that was pushed upon the consumer. We are all part of this mess and we all owe it to ourselves and the natural world to fix this mess we are all in.

Let's move towards biodegradable products, they are out there. Unfortunately there are powerful petrochemical empires that don't want us to be educated, they expect us to just keep consuming.

Perhaps we can work together to create a movement of change. We all need a clean planet, because without clean food systems we will be eating our own waste.

An NPR and PBS Frontline investigation reveals how the oil and gas industry used the promise of recycling to sell more plastic, even when they knew it would never work on a large scale.