3 Unconventional Safaris Leading the Way in Wildlife Conservation| Andres Manuel Olivares Miranda

3 UNCONVENTIONAL SAFARIS LEADING THE WAY IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

ANDRES MANUEL OLIVARES MIRANDA

WHEN GOING TO AFRICA, MANY VISITORS PLAN TO GO ON A WILDLIFE EXCURSION. These tours help travelers see the beautiful lands as well as the creatures that inhabit them. A safari is more than just an attraction. Many safaris serve as a sanctuary for wildlife and are major leaders in conservation. Below you will find three unconventional safaris that go above and beyond when it comes to protecting the amazing animals of Africa.

TACUGAMA CHIMPANZEE SANCTUARY, SIERRA LEONE Over the course of 25 years, the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary has helped hundreds of endangered chimpanzees.

Many of which were rescued from poachers or hunters looking for bushmeat.

Any proceeds go straight back into the sanctuary and into other conservation projects. Tacugama has been working relentlessly with the Sierra Leone government, the World Bank, and Interpol in order to protect wildlife from trafficking, establish stricter laws on bushmeat hunting and add environmental lessons into the schools’ curriculum.

MAGASHI CAMP, RWANDA

Rwanda is known for its gorilla trekking, but the Magashi Camp shines a light on the Akagera National Park. The park protects one of the last savannah ecosystems is home to over 500 bird species and the threatened eastern black rhino.

Magashi works alongside the conservation nonprofit African Parks, to help the park continue to thrive through tourism.

Guests to the parks can take a ride through the open plains, the woodlands, or mountains to see the wildlife. Guests are even involved in the documentation process of the park's big cats, by using telemetry equipment and snapping photos.

BUSHMANS KLOOF WILDERNESS RESERVE & WELLNESS RETREAT, SOUTH AFRICA In the foothills of South Africa’s Cederberg Mountains, you can find Bushmans Kloof, a sanctuary for hartebeest, springbok, ostrich, and Cape mountain zebras. Here there are no large predators, so guests are free to mountain bike on the reserve, canoe in the lake, or picnic in the grass.

The reserve is partnered with TreadRight Foundation and provides local farmers with Anatolian shepherd dogs. The dogs not only heard the farmer's sheep but help to keep other wildlife alive.