GOOD NEWS FOR THE KARURA FOREST IN NAIROBI

IT WAS A FANTASTIC MOMENT WHEN I DESCOVERED A NEW NESTING SITE OF THE RARE CROWNED EAGLE IN THE KARURA FOREST OF NAIROBI.

THIS FOREST IS NOW WELL PROTECTED AND, DESPITE TO BE SURROUNDED BY THE BUSY NAIROBI METROPOLIS, IS SLOWLY RECOVERING HIS ORIGINAL WILD STATUS.

THE CROWNED EAGLE NEST IS A POWERFUL SIGNAL OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS IMPORTANT ENVIROMENT.

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HUMPBACK WHALES IN MADAGASCAR

EVERY YEAR A LARGE POPULATION OF HUMPBACK WHALES MIGRATES FROM ANTARCTICA TO THE WARM WATER OF MADAGASCAR. THE WATERS OF THE THINY ISLAND OF SAINT MARIE BECOME THEATRE OF ONE OF THE GREATEST SHOW IN NATURE, WITH MALE WHALES FIGHTING FOR A MATE, AND FEMALE GIVING BIRTH TO IMPRESSIVE ONE TON “BABY WHALES”.  BY NOW THEY ALL  STARTED THE LONG JOURNEY BACK HOME.

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GREAT MIGRATION STARTED

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A VERY EARLY MIGRATION THIS YEAR FOR THE MAASAI MARA. THE WILDEBEEST ARE ALREADY ROAMING THE PLAINS OF THE FAMOUS NATIONAL RESERVE.

THE BEST MOMENT FOR NATURE ENTHUSIASTS!

GLOBAL WARMING, OR WHAT ELSE?

THE LAKES OF THE RIFT VALLEY IN KENYA ARE CHANGING SHAPE. WATER LEVEL IS RISING IN LAKE NAIVASHA, LAKE NAKURU, LAKE BARINGO AND BOGORIA LIKE NEVER BEFORE IN RECENT TIMES.

THESE TWO PICTURES ARE FROM LAKE NAKURU. I TAKEN THE FIRST ON 2011 WHEN IT WAS NORMAL TO DRIVE ALONG THE SHORE OF THE LAKE, WATCHING FLAMINGOS.  I  TAKEN THE SECOND PICTURE , FROM THE SAME POINT OF WIEW , ONLY FEW WEEKS AGO ( 2014). THE ACACIA FOREST IS NOW WELL INSIDE THE LAKE, WITH HUNDREDS OF TREES NOW FALLING DEAD IN THE WATER.

SO FAR, NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION IS BEEN GIVEN ABOUT THIS ECOLOGICAL DISASTER.

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TSAVO-MKOMAZI ELEPHANT AERIAL CENSUS

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15 PLANES  AND 48.000 SQUARE CHILOMETERS OF BUSH.

ONE WEEK OF COUNTLESS OURS OF FLYGHT WITH THE PURPOSE TO COUNT WHATEVER IS ON THE GROUND. THE MAIN TARGHET WAS  A FRESH COUNT OF THE ELEPHANT POPULATION OF THIS VAST ECOSYSTEM. SADLY THE RESULT IS NOT THE BEST ASPECTED: 11.000 ELEPHANT COUNTED, COMPARED WITH THE 12.573 OF THE LAST CENSUS  THREE YEARS AGO.

IF IT IS TRUE THE FACT THAT THIS AREA IS HAVING A CERTAIN KIND OF STABILITY, IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT A LOSS OF ABOUT 1.500 ELEPHANT  IS  SHOWING HOW BADLY AFFECTED IS THE ELEPHANT POPULATION BY THE OUT OF CONTROL POACHING AND ILLEGAL  IVORY TRADE.

SEE THE PICTURES OF THE EVENT ON MY PHOTO GALLERY PAGE.