When It All Comes Together For Wildlife

Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park marks the end of the Great Rift Valley, is a world-renowned wildlife haven and home to a dazzling array of fauna and flora. The wide, meandering Luangwa River, with its oxbow lakes and lagoons, plays host to huge concentrations of game— amongst the densest in Africa. The river, teeming with crocodiles and hippos, provides a lifeline for a huge diversity of habitats and wildlife, supporting more than 60 species of mammals and over 400 bird species.

South Luangwa is home to elephants and buffalo, often in herds numbering hundreds strong. There are large populations of the beautiful Thornicroft’s giraffe, with their white legs and faces. Crawshay's zebra (a subspecies of plains zebra) and Cookson’s wildebeest are particular to the Valley and easily spotted here. Antelope, especially impala, puku (rarely seen outside Zambia), bushbuck and waterbuck wander the wideopen plains, and hippos and crocodiles are hard to miss along the river banks. The main predators in the Luangwa Valley are lion, leopard, spotted hyena and wild dog. Of these, lion are probably the most common, and their prides are often seen roaming the park. Leopards, with a density here among the highest in the world, hunt in the thick woodlands. The park’s birdlife is tremendous, including everything from sombre-looking ground hornbills to colourful carmine bee-eaters.

South Luangwa was founded as a game reserve in 1938 but was officially declared a national park in 1972 and now covers 9,050 square kilometres. But it has not all been smooth sailing. The park faces widespread poaching of big game (for ivory and game meat) and there is also the never-ending challenge of snaring, which is not only a direct threat, but also represents a danger to non-target species such as elephants, lions and wild dogs. Tragically, the consumption of bush meat and trafficking in wildlife products is reaching an all-time high.

Writer: Sarah Kingdom Photography: Patrick Bentley

Enter Conservation South Luangwa (CSL)…

CSL is a Zambian, non-profit, wildlife protection and rescue organisation whose mission is ‘to work with community and conservation partners in the protection of the wildlife and habitats of the South Luangwa ecosystem’. In an attempt to hold back the current onslaught on wildlife, CSL’s projects include the following...Wildlife rescue and de-snaring: CSL works with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the Zambian Carnivore Project to mount regular patrols and rescues, working to combat the snares, wildlife’s ‘silent killers’ that are responsible for the deaths of thousands of animals in the Luangwa Valley annually.

Human/wildlife conflict mitigation: CSL has a large-scale programme centred on the use of chillies as a mitigation measure, to help alleviate the damage experienced by communities living in the areas surrounding the park, when elephants, unable to resist temptation, raid farmers’ crops and fruit trees.

Law enforcement support: CSL funds salaries and provides technical support, equipment, rations, training and transport for 65 community-based scouts. In addi-

tion, they assist with aerial surveillance and monitoring in the park.

Detection dog units: in 2014 CSL set up Zambia’s first ‘sniffer dog unit’ working to detect illegal wildlife products and firearms. Conservation does not come cheap and CSL is reliant on funding and donations to maintain its presence in the park and continue protecting the precious wildlife of South Luangwa.

Enter Patrick Bentley… Patrick Bentley is an award-winning fine art nature photographer from Zambia. He creates images using a variety of techniques and creative ideas to provide a fresh perspective on the natural world, with a particular emphasis on black and white, infrared and aerial photography—sometimes in combination. Valley’s fertile soils and lush vegetation create a wildlife haven like no other in Africa. It is a place of unparalleled beauty and dramatic seasonal variations— an environment that demands protection.

Patrick has collected together a stunning selection of his photographs in his book, TIMELESS. The images in this book are a celebration of South Luangwa in all its beauty and glory. Many of the images are hauntingly beautiful, others strikingly dramatic and yet more seem magically ethereal; this is a book that captures the true soul of African wildlife in all its many moods.

The subjects of Patrick’s images are the iconic wild animals of the Luangwa Valley, each one a character with a defined role in his photo narrative of life in this unspoilt corner of Zambia. Patrick’s photographs provide an insight into their exclusivity and individuality. Through his work, an observer cannot help but feel an emotional connection with the magnificence of this region, where the untamed Luangwa River and the

The introduction to the book was written by Rachel McRobb (CEO and founder of Conservation South Luangwa). US$20 from every book sold will go directly to CSL to support its commitment to the conservation and preservation of the local wildlife and natural resources in South Luangwa. An excerpt from the introduction reads… ‘TIMELESS is a book that fills me with hope. Such an important emotion in the preservation of wild spaces, it is hope that drives us on. Hope that despite the seemingly endless fight against the destruction of nature, others will be inspired to join our cause and that the Luangwa Valley and the magnificent animals that live here will endure’. Enter Lion Camp… Lion Camp in South Luangwa was Patrick’s base for a considerable time and the majority of the images in his book were taken in the vicinity of this special camp. Set in a unique location in the remote north of the park and surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, Lion Camp is the epitome of luxury, whilst still allowing guests to feel wholly immersed in the bush. Game viewing from the stunning swimming pool area or from the privacy of your own beautifully appointed tent is something to be savoured. Herds of zebra, impala and puku graze nearby as you enjoy champagne and brunch on the deck, while elephants and warthogs take mud baths mere metres from your personal verandah. Delicious dinners, served with fine wines, are accompanied by the distant calls of lion and hyena. Drives through the park, escorted by your experienced and professional guide, are a experience never to be forgotten. Totally refurbished and recently reopened, Lion Camp is the perfect place to witness Patrick’s photos come to life and to experience the wildlife that CSL works so hard to protect. South Luangwa National Park, Conservation South Luangwa, Patrick Bentley and Lion Camp… all coming together for wildlife.

Website: www.patrickbentley.com Facebook:www.facebook.com/patrickbentleyphotography Instagram: @patrickbentleyphotography Order the book here: http://www.patrickbentley.com/ timeless Conservation South Luangwa: https://cslzambia.org Lion Camp: https://lioncamp.com