MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
The overgrown slopes of an extinct Volcano range in Rwanda and Uganda are the evocative backdrop to one of the most life-changing safaris on earth. Hidden amongst the dense, mist-shrouded forests, you can discover the highly endangered giant mountain gorillas. With only a little over 700 left in the wild, gorillas face threats such as habitat loss, poaching, pet trading and illegal hunting. Their home is limited to a volcanic range spanning three countries, of which only two are accessible.
Years of conservation have made them completely habituated and they are one of the few wild animals that you can get close to on foot without interfering with their normal behaviour. After hiking to reach their location, a handful of tourists have the opportunity to observe these magnificent creatures as they go about their daily life just metres away: feeding playing, resting and raising their young. Coming face-to-face with a Silverback, the patriarch of the gorilla troop, is an experience that will live on long after your trip has ended.
AFRICAN WILD DOGS
Wild Dogs or Painted Dogs as they are sometimes called for their iconic and varied markings, are one of the continent’s most endangered predators with less than 5500 left in the wild. Found in central and Southern Africa, the overall population of African wild dogs has declined mainly due to conflict with human activities, loss of range and infectious disease.
Energetic and enigmatic, they are characterised by typical canine playfulness, making them engaging and rewarding to watch. They are dedicated members of a pack with an alpha pair, all working as a hunting unit. Larger packs need to hunt twice a day and they can travel a vast area, which makes them difficult to track.
The South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is one of the few places where their numbers are reversing the trend and increasing due to tireless conservation and research efforts. April is the best time to catch a glimpse of these highly social hunters.
MADAGASCAN LEMURS
Madagascar is truly like no other place on earth and its many varieties of Lemur are one of its many peculiarities. Lively and engaging, sadly Lemurs are also the most endangered mammals in the world.
Once part of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing plants and animals to evolve in complete isolation. Most of the wildlife found on the island of Madagascar evolved nowhere else, making for a unique travel experience.
Lemurs are endangered because of environmental problems such as deforestation and climate change. They live in heavily wooded areas that have been cut in recent years for goods manufacturing. They are also hunted for bush meat and captured for the exotic pet trade. Ninety-one percent of the 103 known lemur species are threatened. Wildlife-related tourism emerges as one of the best chances these animals have of gaining the support they require to come back from the brink of extinction.