africa

Rescuing baby elephants

During the Covid lockdown, I helped Save the Elephants rescue two baby elephants in Northern Kenya. The first, Bule, was found by locals wandering on the main road near Archer’s Post. She was extremely vocal and strong, even trying to knock me over in the process! The second, Lomunyak (Lucky in Samburu) was not in such great shape. Rescued from the croc-infested Ewaso river by staff at Elephant Watch Camp, Lomunyak was covered in cuts and bites which we assume were from a lion attack. Both babies were taken to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in the remote Mathews Rangers in Namunyak[…]

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Lost baby elephant wanders into research camp

The team at Save the Elephants’ research centre in northern Kenya got the surprise of their life when a lost baby elephant walked into the middle of their camp recently. The team are used to monitoring and occasionally rescuing wild elephants in the field but this was the first time an elephant had ever approached them for help! The 300kg baby’s unannounced visit came just thirty minutes after a nearby tourist facility, Samburu Lodge, reported seeing a small calf alone on the river bank. STE immediately dispatched a team to investigate. While the team were still in the field, a[…]

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The Land Of A Thousand Hills: Rwanda in Black and White

Some of my favourite photos taken during my trip to Rwanda in 2017 to see the endangered mountain gorillas … (main image: This gorilla structure is located at the site of Kwita Izina -a centuries old Rwandan tradition for giving a name to a new born baby gorilla. The structure was blown over in a storm but has since been rebuilt.)   Innocence – this tiny fluffy baby would wander up and stare intently  SaveSaveSaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave

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Travelling on the Lunatic Express

In May last year, the colonial-era metre-gauge Lunatic Express sleeper train from Nairobi to Mombasa, which used to last anything from 16 – 24 hours, ended. It was replaced by a new fast standard-gauge line (SGR) taking only four hours and 30 minutes. I’ve yet to travel on the new line but needless  to say, travelling on the Lunatic Express (that really was its name) is an adventure I’ll never forget. The train travelled through the middle of the most expansive slums I’ve ever seen and cut a swathe through acres of new development where the remains of villages clung[…]

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World Ranger Day

Today is World Ranger Day where we remember all those courageous men and women around the world who put their lives on the line every day to protect our natural heritage.  I’ve been fortunate to go on patrol with local rangers and to witness them in action in Samburu and to spend time with them in Rwanda during a recent trip to photograph mountain gorillas. Here are some of my images of rangers from the Nasuulu conservancy and STE’s Security Liaison officer Chris Leadismo on patrol in Buffalo Springs and of rangers who work in the Virungas in Rwanda protecting[…]

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Up close and personal with Africa’s wildlife

Some of my favourite moments as a wildlife photographer have been when I’ve been able to get as close to my subjects as possible (without getting eaten of course!) and capture their facial expressions.  There’s nothing like spending several hours just quietly observing animal behaviour on your own whether it’s a haughty leopard staring at you from a tree stump as seen in the above photograph, or a curious baby baboon hanging precariously from its mum’s fur. As long as it’s safe and I’m not too close, I’ll switch off the motor, sit quietly, camera ready and wait to see[…]

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One Kiwi’s journey from PR maven to wildlife photographer

I’m so thrilled and humbled to have been profiled in Your Weekend Magazine in New Zealand and to have had my image of the mournful female gorilla in Rwanda featured on the cover! The interview was written by acclaimed author Kelly Ana Morey, whom I once shared a room with in Sixth Form at New Plymouth Girl’s High boarding school, and published in print in New Zealand’s Dominion Post, Waikato Times and Christchurch Star and online.  Reading the piece over the weekend I still can’t quite believe it’s me! Read the full story here.   SaveSave

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Cheeky thieving monkeys

The vervet monkeys in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya are such characters … I love watching them at play – they jump all over the elephant collars on the branch outside, chase each other all over the river bank and swing off tree branches. They’re also opportunist thieves and since I’ve been here, they’ve swiped a banana from my hand, a bounty bar off the table and an entire bacon sandwich from a friend of mine as he was about to take a bite! It’s also not uncommon to find a monkey or two sitting in the wall of your outdoor shower[…]

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David M

My journey to Rwanda – an awakening

This sweet young Rwandan boy pictured above with the expressive eyes and shy glance is David Mugiraneza. David used to love football, enjoyed making people laugh and hoped one day to become a doctor. At the age of ten, he had his whole life before him and was no doubt the apple of his mother’s eye – from all accounts a caring and sweet son. In 1994 before he’d even had the chance to see the world, experience his first love, marriage, have a family of his own, or even pursue his dreams of becoming a doctor, David’s short sweet life came to[…]

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