Thanks to Abraham Banda who got these great photos of the unfolding drama……

The family herd desperately trying to help the screaming Mum and baby escape, but they were completely stuck in the deep, rapidly drying mud with no chance of getting out:-

The brave and skilled SLCS team manages to slip a rope under the baby, narrowly avoiding mums thrashing trunk – and starts to haul her out …..
‘

Nearly there – the whole team is hauling as hard as they can…..But the baby is terribly frightened and won’t leave mum’s side

Again – she’s out and we think we’re almost there…..But despite frantic waving and shouting – she won’t leave her mum

One more try – the team pull her further away from mum this time…..They unwrap the ropes and help her to her feet

This time – thanks to a young herd cousin calling her to safety…..she makes a dash for it as the rest of the herd scream for her to come to them

Now back to mum who is dehydrated and exhausted – they’ve been pouring water over her to try to protect her from the scorching midday sun. SLCS staff carefully slip a rope under her…

and the tractor starts to pull and pull – inching her out of what would have been a muddy grave – she seems to sense that there’s a chance of escape and begins to struggle for her life.

With us all shouting encouragment and just willing her to keep going “come on Mama, come on Mama”……. to the delight of us all – she makes it! Weak and wobbly she drags herself out

she runs to find her baby and the rest of her waiting herd! The happiest possible ending!

The SLCS team all share a celebratory drink on the Kapani deck with their relieved guests!

This is all in a day’s work for the amazing Rachel McRobb and her outstanding team at The South Luangwa Conservation Society. Go to www.slcszambia.org - it’s a fantastic site and well worth a visit. You will be amazed at what this relatively small group can achieve – their dedication and commitment to wildlife is inspiring.

Together with their local wildlife authority – the South Luangwa Area Management Unit of the Zambia Wildlife Authority, they are extremely effective at anti-poaching activities including anti-snaring and patrolling in vulnerable areas of the National Park. Rachel and her team are also skilled at darting snared animals, removing the snares and treating the horrific wounds they cause. Their awareness raising activities and work with other local conservation groups are incredibly effective. Of course – this all takes money so they are always looking for people to consider becoming regular supporters.

My friend Christina wrote “It was extremely heartening for us all to see how many local people joined in the efforts to free these two elephants – the cheers of joy, first when the baby ran to his cousin and then when Mum was finally released from the jaws of the sticky, cloying mud were wonderful! Everyone seemed to identify with the mum’s plight – we all saw the incredible emotional bond between the worried herd members and mum and baby.

Thank you SLCS and ZAWA and also all the NCS staff who bravely fought to make this a happy ending!”

Thanks to Abraham Banda who got these great photos of the unfolding drama……

The family herd desperately trying to help the screaming Mum and baby escape, but they were completely stuck in the deep, rapidly drying mud with no chance of getting out:-

The brave and skilled SLCS team manages to slip a rope under the baby, narrowly avoiding mums thrashing trunk – and starts to haul her out …..
‘

Nearly there – the whole team is hauling as hard as they can…..But the baby is terribly frightened and won’t leave mum’s side

Again – she’s out and we think we’re almost there…..But despite my frantic waving and shouting – she won’t leave her mum

One more try – the team pull her further away from mum this time…..They unwrap the ropes and help her to her feet

This time – thanks to a young herd cousin calling her to safety…..she makes a dash for it as the rest of the herd scream for her to come to them

Now back to mum who is dehydrated and exhausted – they’ve been pouring water over her to try to protect her from the scorching midday sun. SLCS staff carefully slip a rope under her…

and the tractor starts to pull and pull – inching her out of what would have been a muddy grave – she seems to sense that there’s a chance of escape and begins to struggle for her life.

With us all shouting encouragment and just willing her to keep going “come on Mama, come on Mama”……. to the delight of us all – she makes it! Weak and wobbly she drags herself out

she runs to find her baby and the rest of her waiting herd! The happiest possible ending!

The SLCS team all share a celebratory drink on the Kapani deck with their relieved guests!

This is all in a day’s work for the amazing Rachel McRobb and her outstanding team at The South Luangwa Conservation Society. Go to www.slcszambia.org - it’s a fantastic site and well worth a visit. You will be amazed at what this relatively small group can achieve – their dedication and commitment to wildlife is inspiring.

Together with their local wildlife authority – the South Luangwa Area Management Unit of the Zambia Wildlife Authority, they are extremely effective at anti-poaching activities including anti-snaring and patrolling in vulnerable areas of the National Park. Rachel and her team are also skilled at darting snared animals, removing the snares and treating the horrific wounds they cause. Their awareness raising activities and work with other local conservation groups are incredibly effective. Of course – this all takes money so they are always looking for people to consider becoming regular supporters.

My friend Christina wrote “It was extremely heartening for us all to see how many local people joined in the efforts to free these two elephants – the cheers of joy, first when the baby ran to his cousin and then when Mum was finally released from the jaws of the sticky, cloying mud were wonderful! Everyone seemed to identify with the mum’s plight – we all saw the incredible emotional bond between the worried herd members and mum and baby.

Thank you SLCS and ZAWA and also all the NCS staff who bravely fought to make this a happy ending!”

Zambia is truly amazing – abundant wildlife, majestic scenery, tranquil lakes, vibrant culture, friendly people, bush adventure and home to the famous Victoria Falls – one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World”.

My elephants live in Zambia:-

We stayed here:-

The Challenge…

The Zambia Tourism Board needs your help in creating a new brand for marketing Zambia as a tourism destination. This will include a slogan and logo to replace the existing “Zambia – the Real Africa”. The slogan should be in English and appeal to a broad, global audience. There are no word limits on the slogan but short and snappy is recommended. Visit www.zambiatourism.com to explore what Zambia has to offer and make your entry as soon as possible!

Closing date is 25 February 2011 so you don’t have long.

Go to www.zambiatourism.com/competition to make your entry.

Good Luck!!

I have learnt over the last few years that it is quite satisfactory to cut out the middle man and buy yourself something you really want. It leaves no room for disappointment.

This year I have bought myself two things.

The first is twenty two sets of football kit to be sent out to Lusaka via an airline pilot for the Bank of Zambia’s two football teams and the other present I will show you tomorrow….

Off to teach now.

Here’s one of mine:-

And here are some of theirs:-

During our drive around the city taking photos of my father’s old houses and my Grandfather’s grave and checking out all his old haunts, we drove past the main entrance of State House, where the current president of Zambia, Rupiah Banda resides. There were some very smart guards, wearing plumed headgear that my father wanted to get a picture of.

On our way back, the soldiers were no longer there, but my father wanted a picture anyway and so I took a photo from the back of our moving car. Thirty seconds later we were rapidly overtaken by three armed soldiers who made us pull over by the side of the road. We nodded at them through the open window.
“YOU IN THE BACK. Your camera has an illegal photograph of our president’s home. THIS IS NOT ALLOWED”.

We are told to get out of the car. They are all wearing uniform and have big guns.
“You have committed an offence against our country. This is extremely serious” said one of the soldiers. “Let me see your camera”.
My father tells me not to let my camera go and so he and I wrestle with the camera and I refuse to let it go.
“It’s not a problem” I told them, “I’ll just delete the photo immediately and everything will be fine”.
“DO NOT DELETE THE PHOTO” one of them shouts. “You must come in our car immediately to see our boss”.
“Don’t get in their car” says my father.
I am beginning to feel very scared.
We refuse to get in their car.

So instead, the younger and more officious soldier of the three climbs in the front of our car and instructs us to get in.

We are then driven to the army barracks to meet with a plain clothed officer who is not at all happy.

The same points are made very loudly, by all four of the men at the same time. My father is grilled about where we are staying and what we are doing there. In our car on the front seat is a weird looking map of the city with red dots all over it that I am worried they might misconstrue. It identifies all his old houses and other landmarks he wants to go and look at. They talk about my picture being passed on to bombers. I am beginning to worry even more.

I am shaking at this point. They want to see our passports. Want our names. Want more details.

It begins to feel somehow more threatening. They don’t seem to want to let the incident pass. Possibly this is due to bored apathy rather than a genuine concern for a major crime committed. We do not know how to play the game. Or indeed if there is a game to play.

They want to take my camera as evidence and I don’t understand why they don’t want me to delete the picture. We don’t seem to be getting very far.
In the end I say “Look guys. I am really, really sorry. It was entirely my fault. I had no idea that I wasn’t allowed to take the picture. But PLEASE don’t take my camera. I’ve just taken pictures of my grandfather’s grave and we’ve come all the way from the UK for these pictures and they’re really important to me”.
They go quiet for a minute and then suddenly everything seems to change. I’m not sure why.

The plain clothed guy says “Oh. Ok. Well then. God Bless You, Sister. We forgive you this time. Delete the photo and we’ll let you go. But please understand the severity of your actions and do not do it again”.

Shit.

I showed my children my pictures. They were not particularly interested having got bigger and better ones themselves but my youngest son was very impressed with the sausage tree. I explained that there were loads of them and to me the terrain was vast and easy to get lost in. Our guide however could probably have got himself home with his eyes shut. He knew every landmark and at one point was directing another guide to a pride of lions:- “turn left at the sausage tree” he said, which was to me the equivalent of saying turn left when you get to Australia”. My 9 year old said “WOW, I didn’t know that sausages grew on trees”.