Baby rhino “George”, born in about the same month as his namesake, Prince George

September 2013, Chairman of Lowveld Rhino Trust, Clive Stockil, was awarded the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa by the Prince himself, who has been the Royal Patron for Tusk Trust since 2005. This was the first time that this award was presented. Read the full story in previous blogs…https://wildlifeandwilddogs.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/clive-stockil-winner-of-the-tusk-trust-prince-william-award/

At about the same time as Prince George was born to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a baby rhino was born in the Save Valley Conservancy. His mother  Chiyedza, (meaning “Dawn” in the native shona language) was a clever young black rhino who kept to thick bush, and sheltered her newborn very carefully….so carefully that even when Clive and rangers discovered her with the baby, they could not get close enough to identify whether it was boy or girl!

Now at last we have fully confirmed that young “George” is in fact a boy and can be officially named so  in honour of the young Prince George, who we hope will follow in his families’ footsteps as champions of endangered wildlife and cultures!

Clive has recently helped with Lowveld Rhino Trust operations in the Save Valley Conservancy, and has reported to me that Chiyedza has been tracked, ear-notched, and monitored and little George is happily thriving, protected by her canny intelligence in keeping to thick bush…. He is old enough now to have been given his own tracking number- 1445.

Chiyedza

Chiyedza and little George

Posted in African Safari, african wildlife, animal rights, anti poaching, bio diversity, Black rhinos, Chilo Gorge, clive stockil, community conservation, conservation, conservation news, Duchess of Cambridge, Duke of Cambridge, eco-tourism, elephants, endangered species, gonarezhou national park, great limpopo transfrontier conservation Area, Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, London, Lowveld Rhino Trust, Poaching, predators, prey, Prince George, safari, Save River, Senuko, Tusk Trust, tusk trust conservation awards, White rhinos, wilderness, wildlife trade, Zimbabwe Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Kenya, traditional handcrafts meet conservation

beads beads and more beads…

the Northern Rangelands Trust is not just about wild animals…although the area has successful populations of iconic African Wild Dogs, and rhino, but about community projects and empowerment. Look at the gorgeous craft produced by these Samburu women…

In Kenya, traditional handcrafts meet conservation.

Samburu artisans working and sharing a gossip in Sera Conservancy, Northern Kenya. (Photograph by Erin Moroney)

Samburu artisans working and sharing a gossip in Sera Conservancy, Northern Kenya. (Photograph by Erin Moroney)

Posted in adventure travel, Africa, African child, African Safari, art, beauty, bush camps, community conservation, conservation, crafts, culture, eco-tourism, education, endangered species, fashion, lewa conservancy, Northern Rangelands Trust, photography, Tom Lalampaa, Tusk Trust, wilderness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Zimbabwe Wild Dogs, Dressed for Success!

African Wildlife Conservation Fund….Dressed for Success!

Ezekia and Anesu, our proud and excited community education officers.

Ezekia and Anesu, our proud and excited community education officers.

Have a look at our revamped vehicle for our Gonarezhou Predator Project education team. Taking wildlife to the people!

elephants, community and chilojo cliffs...

elephants, community and chilojo cliffs…

Not only is the vehicle fun and exciting for the children, but it depicts much of the local wildlife from Gonarezhou National Park, including the iconic Chilojo Cliffs. Ezekia and Anesu, our community education officers for the project, are definitely going to draw the crowds in as they move through the communities, and as such, have plenty of opportunity to educate, empower, and encourage the local people to help conserve!

read the link below for more AWCF news………

Zimbabwe Wild Dogs.

Posted in Africa, African Safari, African wild dogs, african wildlife conservation fund, animal rights, anti poaching, art, birding, birds, bush camps, chilojo cliffs, community conservation, conservation news, conservation publication, culture, dogs, eco-tourism, education, elephants, endangered species, family, Frankfurt Zoological Society, gonarezhou national park, great limpopo transfrontier conservation Area, landscape, Painted Dogs, painted wolves, Poaching, poison, predators, prey, rabies, SAVE, Save Valley Conservancy, Two Oceans Marathon, Uncategorized, VAWZ, wilderness, wildlife trade, zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Edward Ndiritu Honoured with Wildlife Ranger Award | Northern Rangelands Trust

Edward Ndiritu Honoured with Wildlife Ranger Award | Northern Rangelands Trust.

Edward Ndiritu

Edward Ndiritu

The Northern Rangelands Trust was established in 2004.

WhatisNRT

 

Its mission is to develop resilient community conservancies which transform people’s lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources.

PLUS, More NRT news:

On Sunday 26th July, NRT Chief Programmes Officer Tom Lalampaa opened the discussion on wildlife trafficking in a Civil Society meeting with US President Barack Obama in Nairobi. President Obama arrived in Kenya on Friday 24th July for a busy weekend that included the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.

Tom stated that “Getting conservation to drive peace and conflict resolution in northern Kenya… has been possible by the support of the US Government through USAID” and urged President Obama to help crush the demand for ivory internationally. USAID are one of NRT’s biggest supporters.

Tom must be the only Samburu to have met and addressed HRH The Duke of Cambridge and US President Barack Obama in the space of a few months! Tom was in London in May to celebrate the Tusk Trust’s 25th anniversary, of which the Duke of Cambridge is a patron.

Tom Lalampaa and Prince William at Windsor Castle

Tom Lalampaa and Prince William at Windsor Castle

Tom is a Samburu from the West Gate Community Conservancy. While he could have followed in the pastoralist footsteps of his family and neighbours, it was with the support of his entire community that he completed his schooling and went on to receive a BA in social work and an MBA in strategic management at the University of Nairobi. Tom has ten years’ management experience gained from working with community-based organizations in Kenya and brings invaluable experience and skills to the Trust with his background in community development, conservancy management and fundraising. He was appointed as Community Development Assistant for NRT in April 2006, and since then has won the trust and respect of countless members of the diverse communities he works with. In September 2013, Tom was awarded the Tusk Conservation Award by the Duke of Cambridge at a ceremony in London, which recognised his outstanding contribution to northern Kenya’s communities and wildlife. Clive Stockil won the Prince William Award for a Lifetime of dedication to Conservation at the same time.

Posted in adventure travel, Africa, African child, african wildlife, anti poaching, bio diversity, Black rhinos, community conservation, conservation, conservation news, Duke of Cambridge, elephants, endangered species, lewa conservancy, London, Northern Rangelands Trust, Prince William, Prince William Award For Conservation, Tom Lalampaa, Tusk Trust, tusk trust conservation awards, White rhinos, wilderness, wildlife trade | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mahove Camp, and the Junction are spectacular wilderness areas to explore from Chilo Gorge Lodge,

The trip across the Save River from Chilo Gorge Lodge and and into Gonarezhou is always exciting…

IMG_6046 lo res

with fabulous water birds to be spotted on the sand, such as this little Pratincole……

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and many vultures still to be seen…thank goodness…Vultures generally are threatened world wide, so we treasure sightings such as this…

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Birdlife Zimbabwe are a dynamic force for the good of Zimbabwe’s and Southern Africa’s Birds….here is their recent poster..

Birdlife Zimbabwe Vulture Poster

Birdlife Zimbabwe Vulture Poster

Clive Stockil is now President of Birdlife Zimbabwe, committed as ever to the bigger picture of Conservation!

BLZ logo4

As so rightly said, keeping “common birds common!”… well done Birdlife Zimbabwe!

Here is Clive’s photo of a Lilac Breasted Roller, a commoner for us at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge,  but sooooo beautiful….

lilac breasted roller

lilac breasted roller

Safari vehicles from Chilo are into adventure as soon as they ford the great Save River, the contact zone between striking tri-coloured Nguni  cattle…

Nguni cattle

Nguni cattle

and numerous elephant herds…

elephants in the dust

elephants in the dust

with  the lure of the wilderness promising African Buffalo, complete with Ox Peckers….

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Majestic kudus…

kudu bull

kudu bull

a posing klipspringer…

klipspringer

klipspringer

and of course many many elephants, such as this gentle giant. Cows who are protecting babies tend to be less relaxed, but we are finding that they are becoming more and more approachable as they get used to increased tourism traffic….

gentle giant

gentle giant

sadly, these giants are eating away at those other giants of Gonarezhou, the baobabs, which are such icons in this park.

double baobab

double baobab

In one season elephants can destroy a thousand year old monster with ease….

elephant damage

elephant damage

The pan systems around the Junction area host amazing numbers of diverse waterbirds at any time of year, as long as water remains, and Clive delights in the “Garden of Eden “as he calls it…

garden of eden

garden of eden

After a glorious drive through the park we head back to the banks of the Save for a well deserved sundowner, hosted by Lionel Muzengi, learner guide…

Lionel at Sundown with guests

Lionel at Sundown with guests

Snacks galore….

yummy...

yummy…

to be enjoyed around the attractive campfire created by Lionel and the Chilo team…

pretty campfire

pretty campfire

Lionel admires the view while guests investigate the scenery and relax…

fire and Lionel

fire and Lionel

A magnificent log provides instant drama..

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and I take my glass of wine to do a photoshoot  as the sun sets…

Full moon, wine and poop...

Full moon, wine and poop…

when we leave the sand bank, a full and gorgeous moon lights our way…

full moon on the Save River

full moon on the Save River

and back at the lodge dinner awaits, under the stars…

a busy evening at the lodge

a busy evening at the lodge

I get up really early the next morning to catch the full moon sinking to the horizon, an ethereal experience…………

full moon setting through the rails

full moon setting through the rails

framing our resident hippos in its light…

full moon setting

Posted in Africa, African flora, African Safari, african wildlife, beauty, bio diversity, birding, Birdlife Zimbabwe, birds, Chilo Gorge, clive stockil, community conservation, conservation, culture, full moon, landscape, moonrise, Save River | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Elephants, Sabi Stars and Aloes go well together in the garden at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge…..

Over the last weeks our young bulls have been munching trees nightly around the rooms, looking down their long trunks at me in disdain as I try to shoo them away…

naughty bull....

naughty bull….

……..and for the last few nights at Chilo, two of them have raided the gardens right outside the main reception area. These gentle but naughty bull giants are youngsters, part of a group of seven who regard the lodge as safe haven and yummy food take away…..Luckily they don’t partake of the gorgeous Sabi Stars at the entrance to the lodge!

Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge Entrance

Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge Entrance

their latest pruning effort involved stomping all over my bird watching garden, to get at the delicious Albizia trees above…and in the process they “sat”on my special birdwatching bench (constructed to an Aldo Leopold template), tilting it madly and leaving calling card droppings as free manure….Aldo would have been impressed……

Elephants prune the bird garden....

Elephants prune the bird garden….

Luckily the Sabi Stars in the gardens seem unpalatable to these naughty boys….

pink and cobalt

pink and cobalt

Sabi Stars and cobalt sky...

Sabi Stars and cobalt sky…

Surviving to set fly-away seeds for next season…..

Sabi Star seeds

Sabi Star seeds

Our elephant control now consists of a string tied with streamers of plastic, which gets stretched around the gardens nightly. This will work for a while, but if you were an elephant would a string stop you from getting to your favourite snack?! I don’t think so…..

elephant control!

elephant control!

Kiana Milner, Anton’s niece, all of four years old, and, together with my grand-daughters Jade and Rayne, set to be one of the three little flower girls for Kelli Barker and Anton Milner’s wedding at Chilo in November, has this advice for me:

.”put your plants in a vase and put them in the house, so the elephants can’t get them!”

As Anton’s Mum, (Kiana’s Granny), Jackie says, “out of the mouth of a babe….”

Jackie and Kiana

Jackie and Kiana

For my previous blog on the engagement of Kelli and Anton, please visit https://wildlifeandwilddogs.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/flowers-fit-for-a-wedding-indeed-an-announcement-has-been-made/

Meanwhile the front gardens of the lodge are ablaze with pink and orange, my favourite colour combo at this time of year…

looking down the Save River from Chilo Gorge Lodge

looking down the Save River from Chilo Gorge Lodge

I wish Kelli could share this with me, such beauty, especially this, the week of her birthday, which she is celebrating far away, without any family or Anton…

They continue to sail their separate oceans, she in Alsaka and he in the Caribbean.

To keep my mind busy, and to try not to miss Kelli and Anton too much, (apart from the hectic challenge of preparing for their wedding at Chilo in November!), I must focus and put paint to canvas…

colour, colour galore

colour, colour galore

here is one of the paintings I will display for the Art Escape…

Aloe arborescens, acrylic on stretched canvas, 100 x 130 cm

Aloe arborescens, acrylic on stretched canvas, 100 x 130 cm

my  “Colourburst” exhibition that I am doing at Inn on the Vumba with friend Gordon Addams soon….!

Art Escape at Inn on the Vumba....exciting!

Art Escape at Inn on the Vumba….exciting!

I am keen to catch these colours…..

Aloe chabaudii

Aloe chabaudii

We will host guests at a full weekend of Art, Vumba landscapes and flowers, and good wines, including yummy Painted Wolf Wines of course….

Gordon enjoys a glass of wine....

Gordon enjoys a glass of wine….

So, the views at Chilo are a real inspiration, and it is apt that I am painting here since the Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge is part of Best of Zimbabwe group, mentored by Gordon…

(If only the elephants don’t get to the plants before I paint them….)

chabaudii colours

chabaudii colours

stunning Sabi Stars are impossible pinks against the lovely Chilo lodge architecture…

Adenium multiflorum

Adenium multiflorum

Visit my Lin Barrie Art Page for updates on my latest work….

My partner Clive Stockil muses on the meaning of life in the aloe garden….

Clive bird-watching in the aloe garden...

Clive bird-watching in the aloe garden…

(actually, while surrounded by at least six stunning Scarlet chested male sunbirds and their dowdy wives in the aloes, Clive has just watched a fish eagle soar over us, to drop into the Save River and haul out a pan sized bream!)

Hungwe, the Fish Eagle..

Hungwe, the Fish Eagle..

Birds galore at Chilo Gorge…

scarlet chested sunbird

scarlet chested sunbird

visit the Chilo Gorge facebook page for more lovely bird photos…

Posted in adventure travel, Africa, African flora, African Safari, african wildlife, aloes, animal rights, art, art exhibition, beauty, bio diversity, birding, birds, bush camps, Chilo Gorge, community conservation, conservation, conservation news, cooking, culture, eco-tourism, elephants, flowers, gardens, gardens and flowers, gonarezhou national park, landscape, Lin Barrie Art, photography, Rivers, Sabi Stars, safari, travel, wilderness, zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The local community take action again to help save painted dog’s – linbarrie@gmail.com – Gmail

The local community take action again to help save painted dog’s – linbarrie@gmail.com – Gmail.

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Of Elephants, Wild Dogs and Full Moons, Good friends, Venus and Jupiter…..

A full moon rising tonight…and the close,  very close, proximity of Venus and Jupiter will be spectacular… hanging over the deck at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge, where Clive and I are at the moment. We have just come from Senuko where the Nyarushanga Pack have denned and I have been delighted with being able to be close to my favourite African wild dogs again, and to share them with good friends Alastair Pole and Neil Birnie, our granddaughters and staff… special sightings indeed…here are some of Al’s photos:

Mase- white as milk

Mase- white as milk

Look at this gorgeous photo of “Mase” , a  young male dog whom I have named so because he is as white as milk….

Mase poses...

Mase poses…

Such a beautiful boy…..

Mase- portrait

Mase- portrait

Pups are apparent at the den- we can hear them but not see them, carefully shielded from view by the clever Alpha female…they are still only a few weeks old… With the full moon growing, I have noticed again this year that the dogs hunt very late from their den, with a waxing fullish moon, relying on the bright moonlight to enable to hunt far and fast in the cool of the night…

thinking wild dogs….soon we will host a Wine and Wild Dog weekend at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge- with African Wildlife Consrvation Fund and Jeremy Borg of Painted Wolf Wines…see my blog at:

https://wildlifeandwilddogs.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/wine-and-wild-dog-weekend-great-tastes-and-conservation-at-chilo-gorge-safari-lodge/

Wonder what the Wild Dog packs in the Save Valley Conservancy and Gonarezhou  will think of gorgeous Jupiter and Venus?!….will they and the elephants notice the changing configurations of stellar bodies? The answers might surprise us… This imaginary artwork shows the close-up beauty of both Jupiter and Venus, two bright naked-eye planets that will be visible close together in the skies this week. 01venusjupiter.adapt.1190.1 Last night under that spectacular sky, a naughty bull elephant trampled the garden bed round room 10 last night- and I woke up to hear him chewing! Went to the balcony and growled at him, then he walked to my door, still chewing – so I went to the door and saw the Sabi Star he had just bumped over- grrrrr….I told him how bad he was, beautiful tusks gleaming silver above me in the nearly-full moonlight, and he just lifted his trunk gently in the air to smell me, then walked casually and delicately down the narrow path to the garden tap where he sipped from the drips- before melting away! Gorgeous……Chilo Gorge Lodge truly is Elephant Paradise…

Elephant in the moonlight....

Elephant in the moonlight….

Posted in Africa, African Safari, African wild dogs, african wildlife, african wildlife conservation fund, animal rights, anti poaching, bio diversity, Chilo Gorge, community conservation, conservation news, cooking, eco-tourism, education, elephants, endangered species, Lin Barrie Art, Painted Wolf Wines, Senuko, taste, wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Seattle, Kelli’s port for the next few months; Home of Jimi Hendrix and High Tech!

Seattle, on Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest, is surrounded by water, mountains and evergreen forests, and encompasses thousands of acres of parkland (hence its nickname, “Emerald City”). It’s home to a thriving tech industry, with Microsoft and Amazon.com headquartered in its metropolitan area. The futuristic Space Needle, a legacy of the 1962 World’s Fair, is its most recognizable landmark. The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, a landmark of the Pacific Northwest, and an icon of Seattle.
The Seattle area was previously inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers.[
Logging was Seattle’s first major industry, but by the late 19th century the city had become a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. By 1910, Seattle was one of the 25 largest cities in the country. However, the Great Depression severely damaged the city’s economy. Growth returned during and after World War II, due partially to the local Boeing company, which established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing. Amazon.com, Microsoft, and T-Mobile US based in the area. The stream of new software, biotechnology, and Internet companies led to an economic boom. Since then, Seattle has become a hub for green industry and a model for sustainable development.[citation needed]

Seattle has a noteworthy musical history. From 1918 to 1951, there were nearly two dozen jazz nightclubs along Jackson Street, from the current Chinatown/International District, to the Central District. The jazz scene developed the early careers of Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson and others. Seattle is also the birthplace of rock musician Jimi Hendrix. One of Hendrix’s mentors, BB King, has recently died- the passing of an icon-
In B.B. King, aspiring rockers discovered a profound emotional expression lacking in the era’s other great influence, Chuck Berry. With his admirable work ethic, snappy clothes and positive disposition, King modulated the blues’ roughest rural elements into an optimistic urbanity. He was both a fabulous entertainer and a real human being, self-effacing with a refreshing sense of humor. (Championed early on by Paul Butterfield and Eric Clapton, King found the audience he deserved following the release of Live at the Regal in 1964. He modeled the blues as a viable way to earn a living onstage).

A voracious musical sponge, Jimi Hendrix absorbed B.B. King’s urban blues alongside a panoply of more aggressive stylists. Hendrix covered “Every Day I Have the Blues” as a member of the Rocking Kings early in his career, and was known to turn up the bass on his amplifier to emulate King, whom he would interrogate for tips during run-ins on the package-tour circuit. Little Richard, with whom Hendrix played for several months, even criticized Hendrix for sounding too much like King. Leading his own trio, Hendrix would mimic B.B.’s sound by way of introducing King’s “Rock Me Baby,” and then took the Experience in another wild direction entirely. Yet “Hey Joe,” the trio’s hit single from Are You Experienced, is unimaginable without King’s single-string inspiration, and Hendrix’s unison guitar-vocal work in “Voodoo Chile” is straight out of King’s playbook

B.B. King, Eric Clapton wrote in his autobiography, is “without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced.” The man who brought electric blues to the masses absorbed King’s vocabulary during stints in the Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Mayall hired him specifically for the resemblance). As a member of Cream, Clapton left the lion’s share of writing to Jack Bruce and instead brought a handful of tasty blues covers to the trio. Clapton sped up King’s licks and gave them a loud, fluid psychedelic twist on his stack of Marshall amps. His more soulful sound in Blind Faith honed closer to that of King, with whom he’d jammed memorably at New York’s Cafe au Go Go in 1967. The two bluesmen finally collaborated on Riding With the King in 2000.

Pre-teenaged Carlos Santana fell under the influence of B.B. King as soon as he heard him on the radio in Tijuana. “I thought, ‘Man, that’s the stuff — this is the sort of music I want to do when I grow up,'” he recalled.

B.B. King was part of the package at the first rock show that Florida teenagers Duane and Gregg Allman ever attended. “Little brother,” said Duane to Gregg, “we’ve got to get into this.” Recording as the Hour Glass at Muscle Shoals’ FAME Studio in 1969, Gregg and Duane combined “Sweet Little Angel,” “It’s My Own Fault” and “How Blue Can You Get” from King’s 1964 Live at the Regal into the “B.B. King Medley,” with Duane unabashedly appropriating King’s bends and sustains. Equally significant was Regal’s influence on the Allman Brothers Band’s expansive double-set shows. Live at the Regal, Gregg Allman says in One Way Out, “is like one big long song, a giant medley. [King] never stopped. He just slammed it.” Records like Regal, Allman continued, “are what got me into doing everything so meticulously — paying attention to arrangements, the order of the songs.”

Food:
salmon to be one of the most interesting species of fish in the world. Salmon will travel up to 2,400 miles from the ocean without eating to the exact tributary where they were born. Along the way, they face waterfalls, beaver dams, bears, eagles and humans. Of the 10 percent that achieve the opportunity to spawn, their glory is rather short, as they all die soon afterwards. Talk about determination! Salmon rely on their strong sense of smell to help guide them to the tributary where they were born. They also use ocean currents, tides, and the gravitational pull of the moon while in the ocean.

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Tusk Trust and Prince William; real rhinos, knitted rhinos, wooden rhinos….!

Tusk Trust and Prince William are a force to be reckoned with….!

A toast to Tusk Trust- 25 years of Conservation efforts

A toast to Tusk Trust- 25 years of Conservation efforts

25 years of tireless efforts on behalf of endangered African wildlife such as rhinos, elephants and wild dogs culminated in a glittering dinner event hosted by Prince William and Tusk at Windsor Castle recently.

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

After his acceptance of the 2013 Prince William Award for a Lifetime of Conservation in Africa, Clive Stockil and I were invited to attend this heartwarming event.
In preparation for the trip, Julie Hagan, founder of  Gogo Olive, kindly sent me three elephants – mum and baby, plus dad, all hand-knitted by the ladies of the Gogo Olive team in Mutare.

gogos

gogos

This little family travelled with me from Chilo Gorge Lodge into Gonarezhou National Park, through the junction of the Save and Runde Rivers…..

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taking in the spectacle of the magnificent Chilojo Cliffs, from below,

GOGOs at Chilojo Cliffs....

GOGOs at Chilojo Cliffs….

and from above!!!….

The high view....

The high view….

and on to London, where they were given as a gift to the newly born Princess Charlotte.

Prince George and Baby Charlotte, Taken by Princess Kate

Prince George and Baby Charlotte, Taken by Princess Kate

A complimentary trio to the Gogo Olive rhino family that we gave to Prince George in 2013…..

gogos, packaged for a Princess.

gogos, packaged for a Princess.

Artemis, ably represented by Dick Turpin, hosted a special cocktail party the night before the main dinner, and it was wonderful to be able to network with friends, new and old, from the Conservation and corporate world.

Our gift to Tusk Trust and Charlie Mayhew on the occasion of their 25th Anniversary, was a carved wooden rhino by master craftsman Lambert, from Senuko, in the Save Valley Conservancy.

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The night of the dinner we were picked up and taken to the Castle along with Tom Lalampaa from Northern Rangelands Trust in Kenya. Wonderful to see old friends again.

Tom Lalampaa and Prince William at Windsor Castle, with Charlie Mayhew in the background…

Tom Lalampaa and Prince William at Windsor Castle

Tom Lalampaa and Prince William at Windsor Castle

 

Jeremy and Emma Borg of Painted Wolf Wines in front of Windsor Castle….

Jeremy and Emma Borg at Windsor Castle

Jeremy and Emma Borg at Windsor Castle

Peter And Catherine Blinston of Painted Dog Conservation joined us….

kat and pete at windsor

kat and pete at windsor

 

I wore a green dress embellished by beading from our Mahenye Ladies beading Project, and the beads were much noticed…well done ladies….

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The evening was a feast of stimulating conversation, elegant canapés, (delicious food exquisitely constructed from tasty and simple produce, I noticed), superb Champagne and great wine….

Walking into that awesome and venerable castle was an amazing experience, layer upon layer of history and fascinating decor, what a building!

Catherine and Peter Blinston looked the part in those fantastic surroundings…Catherine wearing a creation by Joyce Chimanye, of Zuva….proudly Zimbabwean!

the gorgeous Zuva Dress

the gorgeous Zuva Dress

Heartfelt Speeches inspired the listeners to deeper understanding of issues-and challenges for protecting wildlife and empowering communities in Africa.

The evening spent at Windsor Castle was superb, heartwarming and forever memorable –
Saint George’s Hall:

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Posted in adventure travel, Africa, African Safari, African wild dogs, african wildlife, african wildlife conservation fund, animal rights, anti poaching, art, bicycle rides, bio diversity, Black rhinos, bush camps, community conservation, conservation, conservation news, conservation publication, cooking, culture, dogs, Duchess of Cambridge, Duke of Cambridge, eco-tourism, education, elephants, endangered species, family, food, food culture, Gogo Olive, home grown food, Lin Barrie Art, London, Lowveld Rhino Trust, Northern Rangelands Trust, painted dog conservation, Painted Dogs, Painted Wolf Wines, painted wolves, Poaching, poison, predators, Prince George, Prince William, Prince William Award For Conservation, Princess Charlotte, Save Valley Conservancy, Senuko, travel, Tusk Trust, tusk trust conservation awards, United for Wildlife, White rhinos, wilderness, wildlife trade, wine, wood sculpture, world rhino day, zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments