08/22/2002:
Only since one month the North Luangwa National Park is open for self-travellers - before it was reserved for two safari-companies. We take the chance to visit the wild park, in which the "Frankfurt Zoological Society" supports a "Conservation Project" since 1991. To our disappointment we had to find out that day-visitors are only allowed in the dense bush and not in the area around the Mwaleshi river. This part - in which most of the animals can be seen - is still reserved for the safari companies. That means for us: hardly any game to see (the few Zebras and Impalas we saw were very shy) and at the end an adventurous crossing of the Luangwa river. As we later heard, the crossing which we were advised to use was only intended for trucks. Luckily our Landrover made the three meters trough one meter deep water without hitting a hippo or crocodile. These were lying to the right and left in the water ... |
08/19/2002:
On a short visit to the Bangweulu Swamps we learn to know the Black Lechwe. It definitely likes living in this huge plain where a lot of water is found even long after the rainy season. Except them, we see between the high reed that dominates the area some fishermen of the Bisa-people which try to hinder the fish in swimming back to the lake Bangweulu after the rains.
"Bangweulu" - meaning something like "where the water meets the sky" - was given to the lake in the North which covers in the rainy season a surface of 11.600 km². The mostly in the South joining swamps cover additionally 15.000 km² and create an unique huge living space where over 200 species of birds and many antelopes and other animals live now mostly undisturbed. |
08/17/2002:
After the hectic of the capital, we enjoy the quietness of the Kasanka National Park. After years of poaching the park is now (since some years) under private management - visibly the best for the wildlife. We spend the whole afternoon hidden at the Fibwe Hide and watch Sitatunga, Pukus and lots of birds.
In the 390 km² "small" National Park live a lot of game (Elephants, Sitatunga, Puku, Waterbucks, Reedbucks, and some other) but these are still very shy because of the past poaching. Nevertheless, surrounding the eight small lakes we have chances to watch quite a lot of the animals - with enough patience. |
08/15/2002:
We do like the citys population and visit the targets for a day-visit closed to Lusaka: In the south there is a zoo called Munda Wanga which keeps beside two Benglean Tigers mainly animals from within the country. For example Ostriches, the Lichtenstein Hartebeest or Bushpigs in love.
Kalimba is a Reptil-farm in the North, where we see poisonous snakes and huge crocodiles very close. |
08/12/2002:
Today we are in Lusaka. The capital of Zambia, where about 1 to 1.5 million people live (80% of them in "compounds" at the edge of the city) is home to about 10% of the whole Zambian people. It's the centre of the country - in means of industry, commerce and administration.
1905 a train station was built here, catholic missionaries and the first dealers followed 1908. From 1910 on Lusaka had its own local administration. In the year 1929 the city counted 282 Europeans and 1596 Africans.
The charm the city once had (it was also called "The Garden City" and 1960 Queen Elizabeth honoured its style) is far gone today. The chaotic traffic and the industry bring with them clear visible the pollution, the city centre is loud and overcrowded and criminality is frightening. |
08/09/2002:
We enjoy two days at the Kariba-Dam. Unfortunately the fish don't join us, but sardines also exist in tins!
The building of the dam was already 1956 a much discussed project. 57 thousand people - mainly of the Tonga - were forced to laeve their grounds and were settled in new, state-given areas. Also the rich fauna in the former Zambezi-valley was caised away - and thousands of animal were first crowded on new islands and had to die later when these islands were flooded.
The building of the 617 m wide and 128 m high dam Took in three years time 125 million US$ and 86 human lifes. In the heat in the gorge (temperaturen rose up to 50°C) and with the lots of Tsetse-flies the building in the up-to-then unrechable area was a technical masterpiece which up to today supplies both neighbouring states - Zambia and Zimbabwe - with electrical power. |
