Description:
In Tanzania’s great Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire national parks there are no fences, no jet trails high overhead, no paved roads, just seemingly endless savanna punctuated with kopjes (some of the oldest granite deposits on Earth), ancient euphorbias, and thorn trees. I was struck by the sheer numbers and varieties of birds, many of which we had not seen before except, perhaps, on a previous trip to Uganda. Mammals in great herds were constantly moving, enjoying their freedom from humans and just following the water and vegetation within the huge national parks. The big cats were there too, to keep the herds in check. It struck me as a healthy ecosystem – but just a snapshot of what Africa was like millions of years before humans came on the scene and enacted our will over nature. There are incredible photographic opportunities every day as well as wonderful people and guides showcasing their home.
My talk will center on the rich tapestry of birds, mammals, and people and trace their interactions over the past century or so. It’s a very complicated picture but well worth a closer look.
