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I must start with an apology to all our supporters for the long time which has elapsed since the last newsletter and website updates. This has been entirely due to the author being too busy to find time to sit down and write and not at all due to a lack of news! The Kasanka project continues to grow in strength.
KASANKA CONSERVATION CENTRE
The Trust has been very fortunate to secure
funding from the Beit Trust in the amount of GB£30,000 towards the cost of
building the centre. This will pay for construction of staff houses, visitor
accommodation, offices, library, laboratory, and a large central building for
meetings, lectures, displays and dining. Included in the budget is solar
powered electricity and water reticulation. Construction work is underway on 8
structures already with local artisans being given contracts for completing
buildings. We hope to have the centre finished by the end of 2005. KASANKA TRUST BRINGS THE DARWIN INITIATIVE TO ZAMBIA
The Trust is delighted to announce the
approval of an application made in conjunction with the The Darwin Initiative project in Kasanka is
getting under way at this time and will fund one or two post doctorate experts
to study the hydrology, grazing ecology and fire management of Kasanka national
park. The expert(s) have not yet been appointed and a job advertisement can be found
on the The project will also sponsor 2 graduates
to attend the Durrel Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at Thirdly the Darwin Initiative project will fund training for local staff on site in Kasanka particularly to improve the skills and knowledge of local guides. As the project gets fully underway we hope to bring you regular news updates on its progress. ZEBRAS BROUGHT BACK TO KASANKA
In July 2004, 9 Zebras were transported
from Arriving at night they were released in the dark to minimise the time in captivity. Zebras are highly strung and particularly difficult to manage and transport, and was sad but not unexpected that one of the animals was released injured, and died a couple of days later. The good news is that the others seem to be settling in to their new home - there always has to be a high risk when releasing animals in an unfenced national park that they will wander off and never be seen again! The buffalos translocated into Kasanka in 2001 appear to be settling in well and breeding with the residual buffalos in the park. It’s particularly encouraging to be seeing a herd of 13 together now. The status of the Tsessebe on the other hand is uncertain as there have been no confirmed sightings for some time. CHALILO CLINIC
Many of you will have been following the (sometimes painfully slow!) progress of the Chalilo Clinic. This project has been a flagship of the Kasanka Trust’s community support and was championed by the late Dr. Tim Ashworth secretary of the UK Trust. I am pleased to be able to report that the clinic is now functioning and providing treatment for residents. It is staffed by an experienced male nurse Mr. Mulenga who has proved very committed and dedicated to the job. At present he is living in a temporary house built by the community but which has iron sheets and solar lighting. However one standard house has just been completed by the community building team. The materials have been supplied by Kasanka Trust who received funding for 2 houses from the Dutch “Stitching” charity FIDES. Work is continuing now to complete the second house at which point the clinic will be complete for now. Kasanka Trust is still paying for a watchman Mr. Kaheha and an assistant health worker Elisha Mwape to complete the clinic staffing. Meanwhile the Trust is looking for a sponsor to provide ongoing support for the running and maintenance of this much valued facility.
In
July 2003 Sky Trails Ltd. was granted an Air Service Permit by the ministry of
Transport to operate an air charter service based in
Possible expansion plans include adding a twin engine aircraft, or a smaller plane suited to spotting work for anti-poaching. There’s a definite vacancy for an
experienced commercial pilot who wants to work in conservation as well as
charter flying. It could also be a business opportunity for a partner to invest
in the growing business which is turning away work for lack of a second pilot!
Contact Edmund Farmer by email if you are interested. IMPROVEMENTS AT
SHOEBILL ISLAND
Recent visitors to Shoebill sightings were excellent in 2004 with most visitors seeing these amazing rare birds even in September. The best time though is earlier in the year just about everyone seeing them up until the end of July.
COMMUNITY
PROJECT FUNDED BY DUTCH
In 2003 the Holly Hill Trust funded, amongst other items, the production of a video film to sensitize the community on issues of conservation and resource management. This film has been shown at many centres around the community using a mobile video unit. The response was very positive and it is planned to have further screenings to reach more people. The Kafinda Community Resource Board is a body formed under the wildlife act and democratically elected to represent the community in matters of resource management. The Trust gives 5% of all tourism revenue to the community resource board. This funding has been supplemented in 2003 and 2004 by a generous grant from DED (German Development Service). The CRB uses this money to sponsor numerous local development and conservation initiatives and receives technical and training support from the Trust’s extension staff. CAMPING SITES IN KASANKA NATIONAL PARK
By popular demand camping facilities have been expanded in Kasnaka to provide for the growing number of self-sufficient travellers. A site near the pontoon has sites for several groups to camp at the same time and the Fibwe site near the sitatunga hide remains available on a restricted basis by prior booking. Work is slowly progressing to open a camping site at the Kabwe camp on the lower Kasanka. This should be operational for 2005. The two Lodges, Wasa and Luwombwa have been busy and received some routine maintenance and re-thatching prior to the coming rains. Wasa lodge now has 6 ensuite chalets and 4 non ensuite, whilst Luwombwa has the three large ensuite chalets (2 with a second family bedroom) and 2 simple older chalets. SCOUTS ON PARTOL
The Kasanka Trust’s scouts continue to patrol the park and fight the scourge of poaching. Despite their hard work, poaching levels remain high. In 2003, 29 suspects were arrested, 500 wire snares recovered and 9 illegal firearms seized. Between January and September 2004, scouts had already arrested 39 suspects, seized 12 guns and picked up no less than 936 wire snares! This shows that the problems are not lessening and we cannot afford to let up on our effort if we are to retain and build on the successes of the project to date. In July 2003 the Trust sponsored 2 of its
senior scouts and a ZAWA officer to attend a special advanced training course
in TOURISM INCOME GROWS
Income from visitors to Kasanka and Bangweulu has continued to grow and now covers the majority of the costs of managing the park. However there is a still a funding gap that needs charitable support, and operating costs have been growing at a considerable rate. It is worth considering that whilst most of the Trust’s income is pegged US $ terms, the US $ had been static in its exchange rate to the Zambian Kwacha for 2 years but local Kwacha inflation has been running at about 30% p.a. We need to thank all those who have visited for their support and remind them that all surplus generated from tourism activities goes directly to conservation and community development work. A new full colour brochure covering Kasanka and Bangweulu is in production and should be available within a week or two. Contact us for more information. BRIDGE OVER THE KASANKA
The long awaited bridge over the Kasanka river, at the pontoon site, should be completed by the end of 2004. We have been lucky not only to receive some funding from a UK donor for its construction but have also had the generous offer of a pile driving team at bare cost price to sink the necessary foundations. They should be starting work any day. Those of you who have fond memories of the old pontoon crossing will be pleased to learn that we plan to reposition the pontoon at another Kasanka crossing point at Kabwe! NEW MULEMBO AIRSTRIP
At the end of 2003 work finished on a new airstrip near to Wasa Lodge.
Being only 5 minutes drive from the park headquarters makes it very convenient for management purposes as well as tourists visiting Wasa.
Some gravel has been laid down and it is hoped to have the airstrip operational throughout most of the rainy season. FRUIT BATS
Yes it’s that time of year again! The
incredible fruit bat colony is returning to
Kasanka as I write. As usual they arrived within one day of 22nd
October, but this year they are grouping up faster than last and there are
already a lot of bats to see! For anyone who has never seen the spectacle of
the Kasanka fruit bats, I can only say come and see it for yourself before you
can believe it. The world’s bat experts continue to describe it as the largest
gathering of fruit bats in the world. They usually stay at least until
Christmas, although some years the last bats have gone by Christmas day and
other years there are still good numbers in January. To be sure of seeing them
at their peak you should plan a visit between November 5th and
December 15th. Last year the
Trust hosted a successful visit by a group from Bat Conservation International
let by Merlin Tuttle, and This year the Trust has a special offer on fully inclusive accommodation during the bat season at the Kasanka Lodges. Enquire for details.
Professor “Every year at about this time, thousands of straw coloured
fruit bats Eidolon helvum arrive at Kasanka and take up residence in trees in
the Mushitu swamp forest. The numbers
build up to a peak in November when several million individuals are thought to
be present. They remain until late
December or early January and then depart.
Such large roosts are known in other parts of Africa, often in urban
areas as for example in
Fruit bats such as Eidolon are important pollinators and
seed dispersers in To see the millions of bats at Kasanka dispersing at dusk
against the setting sun is one of the wildlife wonders of P.A. Racey Regius Professor of Natural History Department of Zoology
The Trustees and staff of Kasanka Trust would like to thank all those who have contributed to the work inside Kasanka and the surrounding communities over the past 2 years. All contributions however small or large are warmly appreciated. In addition to the many individual supporters we would like to thank the following organisations: The Holly Hill Trust The Beit Trust FIDES Stichting The DED (German Development Service) Royal Luawata Conservation |
Work has started to build a new
Conservation Centre just outside the park near the Mulaushi entrance gate. The
centre is intended to fulfil multiple roles and be a base for all the
activities which don’t need to be based inside the park at the lodges. In
particular:
DONORS TO THE
KASANKA TRUST