Schwarz Afrika Safaris

26/05/2024

The third Friday in May is recognized as Endangered Species Day, and this year its theme is "Celebrate Saving Species ".

A salute, therefore, is in order to our APHA members who engage in essential African rhino conservation efforts by maintaining their privately-owned rhinos, both the white (pictured here) and black species. And/or by supporting those landowners who do.

A 2022 scientific paper by 't Sas-Rolfes et al, published in the journal Conservation Letters states that case studies of African rhinos, "suggest that appropriately managed and regulated legal hunting (with trophy exports) can reinforce (rather than compromise) species and habitat conservation". It further states that the removal of a small number of specific males can enhance population demographics and genetic diversity, encourage range expansions, and direct the flow of socioeconomic benefits to locally relevant levels, thereby providing a source of finances necessary for rhino security and positive incentives for communities and private landowners to support more conservation efforts in general.

The current IUCN status of the black rhino is Critically Endangered. The white rhino, as a species is listed as Near Threatened. The northern subspecies of the white rhino, however, became extinct in the wild in 2018, in Kenya, a country that banned safari hunting in 1977.

Photo Credit: Hank's Voice, on location in Namibia, with APHA members Gysbert and Danene Van der Westhuyzen, of

17/05/2024

A claim that is sometimes made is that a common goal shared by both hunters and anti-hunters is that we both want more wildlife. But that shouldn't universally be true.

What we should all agree on is that we want to sustain healthy wildlife populations, in accordance with the habitat resources we have available for them. In which case, less wildlife of some species can result in so much more of others. Yet still be robust and biodiverse.

Photo Credit: Hank's Voice, photographed in Botswana, on location with APHA Member Johan Calitz.

09/05/2024

The sun's passage overhead marks two notable events each day on every hunt. Sunrise begins a new day afield, full of promise and anticipation of what the day might bring, an eagerness to experience what might await with every new step traveled. Sunset begins an earnest time of reflection, recapping the indelible memories made that day, strategizing for the next day's hunt, and savoring the camaraderie of the entire hunting experience, fully present in the here and now, on safari.

Photo Credit: APHA President Paul Stones,

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22/08/2023

18/08/2023

The red lechwe, a wetland-loving antelope whose hindquarters are indeed higher than its fore ones - an adaptation allowing it to run more swiftly and efficiently in the marshy soils of its preferred habitat.

In their native ranges, red lechwe are only legally huntable in certain areas of Zambia and Namibia. Botswana's Okavango Delta is where the majority of them occur naturally, but currently there are no quotas available for them there. Although South Africa and arid areas of Namibia are outside their natural ranges, they do offer some ranch hunt experiences for them.

Photo Location: Botswana -- Johan Calitz Safaris

Photo Credit: Hank's Voice

07/06/2023

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Anti-hunters often say that hunters deserve the same treatment they give to animals.

In that case, responsible hunters deserve to be respected and valued, to have their required wildland habitats maintained, and to not be persecuted out of sheer hatred.

Photo Credit: Hank's Voice