Animal Kingdom Turns the Table

I felt fairly safe in my safari vehicle in the Serengeti where this male lion lives. However, in other parts of Tanzania, humans are not so fortunate. David Blair reports in the Telegraph that the number of lion attacks since 1990 have tripled in Tanzania. Blair indicates that about 100 people fall prey to lions today. Tanzania represents the last great bastion for lions in Africa. Of the 30,000 lions in Africa, over half roam Tanzania. About 8,000 lions in Tanzania are located in national parks and while the other 7,000 follow their prey just about anywhere they can find it, including people. In some regions where wild prey is down and human population is growing, lions seem to adapt quickly and pursue human prey as readily as they give chase to wildebeest in the Serengeti. Villages in the Mkuranga district just south of Dar-es-Salaam are visited regularly by lions. Dr Craig Packer, a known lion specialist is studying the problem to both limit risks of lion attacks on people and protect the lion from extinction.

Monkey Business

Monkeys are again receiving attention in Tanzania. Sometime last year, scientists reported that a new monkey species had been discovered in mid-eastern Tanzania. Earlier identification was established by analyzing photographs. When a dead animal was examined earlier this year, it turns out that the new monkey deserved its own genus with close genetic ties to the baboon. The new genus name is Rungwecebus kipunji. Source: The Register.

Over 400 Dolphins die on Zanzibar Coast

Biologists are still looking for answers to explain the death of over 400 bottleneck dolphins off the Zanzibar coast. Most of the dolphins washed ashore on Nungwi beach, located at the northern tip of Zanzibar Island. Preliminary examinations of the stomachs of the dead animals indicate that they had not eaten for some time or had vomited severely. More tests are planned to determine if toxic "red tide" algae might have contributed to their demise.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

In the spirit that pictures tell the story, I am providing a link to the BBC page "Africa in Pictures." The BBC encourages readers to send pictures and stories about Africa and other continents. The reader can browse the pictures and stories by category or by the week. Enjoy the views.