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Z Im B a B W E 2 0 Mana Pools, Zimbabwe... with Michael Francis — July 31 - August 5, 2013 This adventure is an optional addition to the Chobe/Mala- Mala trip as requested by several trip participants. During the dry season, Mana Pools National Park has one of the highest concentrations of wildlife on the continent. The park is located on the southern side of the Lower Zambezi River downstream of Lake Kariba and Victoria Falls. Mana Pools is one of the best places in Africa to see wild dogs. Species commonly seen in the park include elephant, hippopotamus, leopard, buffalo, greater kudu, zebra, eland, impala, bushbuck, lion and crocodile. We will do walking safaris as well as canoe, and game drive on this trip with Professional Guides. Just think photographing elephants from ground level!! Accommodations will be at Little Vundu Camp. A traditional luxury tented camp situated in the heart of the park. At present I am limiting this trip to 5 photographers but I may be able to expand a bit depending on demand. Your guides will endeavor to cover all aspects of the African bush and use their local knowledge of the park that you visit to concentrating on the animals, the birds, the vegetation, and the regions ecology. Mana Pools covers a section of the Middle Zambezi Valley. During the summer months, shortages of food and water force the animals back towards the Zambezi - a prime time to game view by canoe, foot and vehicle. From a canoe and on foot you will experience the thrill of approaching close to elephants and other wildlife. Sign up now for the photographic opportunity of a lifetime! Our Itinerary... July 31 On arrival in Johannesburg, South Africa you will connect with your scheduled inter-Africa flight to Harare, Zim- babwe. Transfer by scheduled charter flight to Mana Pools National Park. Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and driven to camp. There is a luggage limit of 44lbs (20kg) per person on the charter flight so pre -pack in soft-sided luggage accordingly. August 1-4 Mana Pool National Park covers a section of the Middle Zambezi Valley, extending from the Zambezi River in the north to the escarpment in the south. The Zambezi Val- ley is a western extension of the Great Rift Valley. The pools of Mana are lakes that mark former courses of the Zambezi. They are refilled by the swollen river during the rains and ar e home to populations of hippo, crocodiles and birds. During the winter months, shortages of food and water force the animals back towards the Zambezi River. This is prime time to game view. ZIMBABWE 2013 Wildlife is excellent in the area, and there is diverse game activities offered, including wildlife-viewing drives in 4x4 vehicles, boats, canoes, and fishing. Daily nature walks are available with a professional guide. Kudu, zebra, impala and waterbuck can be seen on the surrounding plains, and elephant take advantage of the plentiful Albida (Ana) trees in the area. Predators including lion, wild dog, leopard, and cheetah, are often sighted, and large concentrations of buffalo can be found along the river’s edges. Bird watching tends to be very good, with the river att racting large numbers of waterbirds. Little Vundu is a traditional luxury tented camp is situated in the heart of Mana Pools National Park. The intimate camp offers a personalized service for the discerning adventurer who wants a real bush experience. The five en suite tents are nestled in a grove of sausage trees and tall ebony trees and overlook an inlet of the Zambezi River . The bathrooms are open-air with flush toilets and bucket showers. The dining room is across a picturesque channel linked by a foot bridge, it is shaded by the acacia trees that Mana Pools is famous for. The elephants especially stop by to feast on the pods which are an important part of the animal’s diet. The activities are varied, walks, drives, canoeing and fishing. The activities are planned to fit you and what -ac tion is going on in the bush at the time, so you get to experience the best out of what is happening in Mana Pools. August 5 You will game view en route to the airstrip and connect with your scheduled charter flight to Harare. On arrival you will connect with your scheduled inter-Africa flight to Johannesburg. Trip Details... Dates: July 31 - August 5, 2013 Cost: $5,295 Price includes double room accommodations, meals and in-country flights, air fare not included. Please contact us for availability. Deposit: $1,000 About Your Guide... Michael H. Francis is a full time internationally pub- lished wildlife and scenic photographer whose 500,000 plus images express his admiration for all of nature. Mike brings his background as a biologist and entomologist to his photos which show extraordinary mammal, bird, reptile and insect behavior as well as striking and beauti- ful images. Mike is a member and former president of the North American Nature Photography Association and a member of The Outdoor Writers Association of America. He has been published in over 35 single photog- rapher books including Elk Country, Mule Deer Country, Yellowstone Bears in the Wild, Into the Wind … Wild Horses of North America, Bison for Kids, Yellowstone Memories, and many more. Mike’s credits also include thousands of images published in a broad variety of magazines and books including Sports Afield, Audubon, Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, Ranger Rick, Natural History, Outdoor Photographer, and National Geographic Books. His images are also published in hundreds of calendars, post cards, greeting cards, mugs and even on the sides of Frontier Airline planes. ZIMBABWE 2013 In addition to taking photos throughout the world Mike leads photo tours to Alaska, Africa, Yellowstone, Texas, North and South Dakota and other locations. He enjoys sharing his love of wildlife with experienced and begin- ner wildlife photographers of any age. His insights into animal behavior and broad experience make for a rich photography tour experience. .
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  • Mana-Pools-A3-Leaflet.Pdf
    CHECKLIST OF SOME OF THE FLORA AND FAUNA IN MANA POOLS These are some of the animals and plants you can see in Mana Pools. How many can you spot? MAMMALS BIRDS MANA African elephant Southern Carmine Bee-eater Burchell’s Zebra White-fronted Bee-eater Warthog African Hoopoe POOLS Hippopotamus Southern Yellow-billed Buffalo Hornbill NATIONAL The Mana Pools National Park and World Heritage Site Kudu Southern Ground Hornbill is one of many important areas of special interest and Nyala Cardinal Woodpecker PARK attraction in the Zambezi River basin. Others include the Bushbuck Pied Kingfi sher Barotseland Floodplains, the Victoria Falls and Batoka Eland Giant Kingfi sher Gorge, Lake Kariba, the Matusadona National Park, Common Duiker Meyer’s Parrot A UNESCO World Heritage Site the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve, the Zambezi Waterbuck Emerald Spotted Wood & Core Area of the Middle Zambezi Escarpment, Lake Cahora Bassa and the Zambezi Delta. Impala Dove Biosphere Reserve Sharpe’s Grysbok African Skimmer Suni Goliath Heron Lion Grey Heron Leopard Hamerkop Cheetah African Openbill Serval Marabou Stork Honey Badger Saddle-billed Stork African Civet Egyptian Goose Water Mongoose Spur-winged Goose Selous’ Mongoose African Jacana Slender Mongoose White-backed Vulture GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR STAY Dwarf Mongoose Lappet-faced Vulture Banded Mongoose African Fish Eagle This leafl et and the Zambezi Society’s RESPECT THE Aardwolf Bateleur Eagle WILD Code of Conduct for Visitors in Wild Areas (posted The Zambezi Society’s mission is to promote the Spotted Hyena Yellow-billed Kite outside Parks offi ces) are intended to help you to get the conservation and environmentally sound management of Antbear Pel’s Fishing Owl most out of your stay in the Mana Pools National Park the Zambezi River and its catchment area for the benefi t Pangolin Crowned Guineafowl while ensuring that your tourism footprint is minimal.
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  • Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
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    Journal of Environmental Management (1997) 49, 355±366 Tree loss in the Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe) between 1970 and 1983 C. Tafangenyasha Gonarezhou National Park, P. Bag 7003, Chiredzi, Zimbabwe Received 14 October 1995; accepted 2 January 1996 Photopanoramas were used to study tree loss in the Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, between 1970 and 1983. The tree population declined, because of low recruitment and the loss of trees at 30´1% in 13 years with nearly 2´3% per annum at panorama points not close to water. There is an obvious but not simple relationship between tree mortality rate and temporal changes in elephant density. The association between elephant density and tree mortality is more evident in the 1977±1983 period when, by coincidence, excessive woodland destruction and elephant densities increased, and, in the same period, loss rates were probably exacerbated by dry spells. The main factors in¯uencing tree loss are probably elephant density, ®re and droughts. Because ®re is probably a secondary factor in the consumption of woody vegetation, elephant density and drought are probably the main factors that in¯uence tree mortality. Other environmental factors that can in¯uence conditions in the Park are highlighted. 1997 Academic Press Limited Keywords: tree loss, photopanoramas, Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, elephants. 1. Introduction The vegetation of the Gonarezhou National Park, which is representative of the semi- arid Colophospermum mopane zone (Rattray and Wild, 1955), is protected from over- utilization by large animals especially elephant (Loxodonta africana Blumenbach) and is well preserved. However, over-utilized patches do occur at some watering points in the Gonarezhou.
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  • Mana Pools National Park General Management Plan Part 1
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