July
9
2010
By Dan Achber
Selous… the name conjures childhood imaginings of what I believed the wildness of Africa would be like. For old safari hands, the name seems to make them go doe-eyed and misty, gazing longingly into the middle distance as if remembering an old lover.
The Selous Game Reserve is vast; four times the size of the Serengeti, and the largest game reserve in Africa, in fact. The rub is that more than 80% is devoted to big game trophy hunting and herein lies the problem. The government of Tanzania unfortunately believes that hunting provides more revenue than photographic safaris. Great Plains Conservation aims to prove them wrong.
This then is a story about Great Plains Conservation, the company behind Lukula Selous (and incidentally, Zarafa in Botswana). Their aim is to conserve the concession’s wildlife by demonstrating that the medium and long-term benefits of photographic tourism are far greater to both the country and neighboring community than hunting. Lukula Selous is their project in Tanzania, part of a larger movement that they hope to spread worldwide by showing that a well planned and executed conservation effort can not only be successful but also profitable, in the hope that the remaining truly wild places on earth can be saved.
Great Plains’ concession, in which Lukula Selous is located, is 300,000 acres and located deep in the southern Selous, a remote and stunning area. The government hunting quota totals $150k per year for this area and places limits on most species except elephant. Elephants have no quota because of the belief that there are “plenty of elephant” to go around, and that $7,500 per elephant is just too juicy a prospect to limit.
To secure the concession, Great Plains began paying the government of Tanzania $150k a year. Rather than shoot, they decided to show that there is more (sustainable and actual) revenue to be had from photographic tourism.
The whole thing started three years ago and today the wildlife is coming into Lukula at a steady pace, finding peace and quiet. At present, there are at least two African wild dog packs and two lion prides which have established Lukula Selous as their home ranges. Prior to the inception of the photographic operation, African wild dog had not been seen in the concession in approximately a decade. Lion sightings were restricted to a few lone nomadic males passing through. I’m told that the presence of apex predators is a scientifically proven indicator of improved habitat and wildlife density.
Thirty-six people are employed at Lukula Selous camp. Thirty-two of those come from the local community on the concession’s western boundary. In these remote rural areas it is estimated that for every person who has a paying job, he/she supports another 10 people in his/her home village. This is nearly three times the number employed by the previous hunting operation. They are also all employed year round, another departure from the hunting model.
To my mind, what Great Plains is doing is the way forward for conservation in Africa. If my pontificating doesn’t convince you that you should go, have a look at the pictures above and tell me with a straight face that you’re not tempted.
Dan Achber is a trip planner with a keen eye for sustainable safaris. If you're looking for a travel experience that is as responsible as it is memorable, get in touch. And check out our trip planning site for some more eye candy.