Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here are some pictures from Masailand. We hunted a concesion called Longido (about 100 kms due north of Arusha). The concession borders Kenya. A few weeks before we arrived a PH and his client were arrested because they had mistakenly crossed into Kenya (there are no border markers). The US Ambassador to Tanzania made a call and got them released from jail. The US Ambassador had hunted in Longido twice this season.

The topography was of two types. Hilly with medium to heavy cover around Longido Mountain (where the camp is located). This was home for lesser kudu (absolutely beautiful animals), gerenuk, East African impala and dik dik.

As you drove away from the mountain, you got into grassy plains dotted with acacia. Here we saw Grant's and Thomson's gazelles, giraffe, zebra, white-bearded wildebeest and elephant.

Around the Masai villages there was nothing but dirt. All the Masai cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats had eaten all the grass. Masai boys did all of the herding. Several boys of 5 to 6 years would be herding the goats (not an adult in sight). Older boys would have the donkeys and still older boys, 10 to 12 years, would have the cattle. The women and girls would stay in the villages or gather firewood and water. They had to walk several miles to the nearest water, as did all of their animals. The adult Masai men did no work that we could see. They often would "catch a lift" with us. They weren't going anywhere, just liked to ride in the truck.

Much of the hunting was easy. The animals are so used to humans (being around the Masai) that they aren't very wild. Its not uncommon to shoot an animal in close proximity to a herd of Masai cattle.

We bought two big bags of hard candy in Arusha. We would pass the candy out to all the herd boys and the women and girls at the village. You are not allowed to take pictures of the Masai (unless you pay them). I heard the going rate was $10.

The weather was partly cloudy with highs in the mid 70'sF and lows about 60F. The sun is very intense. I would call it a "high desert" environment; cool temperatures, hot sun, dusty and very dry (low humidity).










Regards,

Terry

[ 10-02-2002, 07:50: Message edited by: T.Carr ]

[ 10-02-2002, 07:32: Message edited by: T.Carr ]

I love the Masiland, Serangetti and NWestern area, guess I'm just a desert rat at heart...I don't like bugs, Tetsi, Mosques and humidity, swamps and tall grass..I like the cool hills of the Selous in places where it is dry, but not in others...Nice pictures.

Terry-
I'll be there a year from now, but you are driving me crazy with these posts and pictures.
Lay off for a while.