The diversity of the Selous Game Reserve

(From The Arusha Times)
By Elisha Mayallah

My friend and I were surrounded by the descriptive wilderness of an African dawn - Selous Game Reserve - when we visited there recently. With over 50,000 square kilometres, it is the largest game reserve in Africa, representing nearly over 5% of Tanzania's total land area. Its landscape is flat, with a few distant hills on the horizons.

Selous Game Reserve was first set aside as a wildlife reserve in 1905. The reserve takes its name from renowned hunter and soldier Frederick Courtney Selous, one of a small band of men who became legends in their own lifetimes back in Victorian times, when tales of their adventurous exploits in "darkest Africa" showed the spirit of the time.

One of the most attractive aspects of the Selous is the incredible diversity of the environments within its ecosystem ... Miombo woodland, open grassland, rocky acacia clad hills, palm woodland, seasonally flooded sand rivers and swamps, lakes and riverine forest. As such the reserve is ecologically one of the most important habitats in Africa and was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1982.

The open grassland is dotted with hyphaene (palm) and terminalia thickets and is a good place to see all the plains species as well as their predators, it is also good for walking at all times of year because of the visibility. Walking safaris are the preserve of the cooler early mornings, but game-drives are unanimously considered better later in the morning as the animals come to drink water once the day starts to heat up.

Rocky, acacia clad hills occur to the north and west of the area in a transition zone between the miombo woodland and the lakes. The acacia species zanzibarica (whistling thorn), nigrescens (knob thorn) and Senegal dominate the area with mimusops trees which provide good shade during walks. These hills are also good for walks because of the many pathways and the breathtaking views over the lakes, river, and grassland and palm woodland. There are often lions, hyenas and wild dogs to be found as they lay in wait for their prey.

The Rufiji River which rises to 16 feet during the wet season (March and April), and floods an enormous area including lakes and swamps which then slowly dry out until the next rains. These are fed by the sand rivers. These are stunning areas to walk or drive along, particularly in the evening when the light is spectacular. They, and the lakes and swamps are extremely popular with giraffe (herds of up to 80 have been sighted) as well as buffaloes, elephants, hippos and lions. The lakes also have stunning birdlife and a few crocodiles.

One of the most notable features of this largely flat landscape is a place called Stigler's Gorge, where the great Rufiji River squeezes through a narrow granite gulley. The gorge was named after a German hunter who was killed by an elephant there in 1907 and until now it remains a place where the narrowness of the river can lead to some pretty close encounters with animals.

Indeed one of the lakes, Tagalala has the highest density of Nile crocodiles on record. This lake is fed by a hot spring, which is a beautiful oasis of wild date palms and trickling waterfalls that can be swum in as a break from a game drive throughout the year.

The Rufiji River is flanked on both sides by riverine forest that is always lush green, and contains a great variety of vibrantly coloured flowers and birds. It is also teeming with monkeys, baboons, elephants and hippos. There are also some beautiful trees that stand out in this forest, sterculia, sausage trees, fever trees, erythrina and baobab.

There are an astounding 50,000 to 60,000 elephants, around 50% of the total in Tanzania and maybe 10% of the total world population. Most of these elephants spend their time in the inaccessible swamps which occupy most of the reserve. As well as 3000 - 4000 lions, there are also wildcats, servals, caracals and leopards. Apart from the rarely seen lions, the only big cat not found in the Selous is the cheetah.

Even more interesting is the presence of about 1300 wild dog, which is the biggest surviving population anywhere. Previously considered vermin and systematically exterminated from much of their previous range, to be honest, wild dog do actually look like mangy old mongrels. But as you get to know them, see them hunting and how the pack interacts, you get to understand how special these dogs are. Every bit as interesting as the big cats and even more elusive. The dogs here are regularly sighted at watering holes in the dry season.

The Selous is a gentle place, whose pace is slowed by the heat and humidity of the coastal region. Safari here is a slow-paced, relaxed affair, of short morning walks, long lunches and late afternoons spent birdwatching from the boat. It is the place where people enjoy dosing off to the sound of a fish eagle as much as they do chasing around the bush in search of big game.

Such is the diversity of the Selous Game Reserve that all these wonderful habitats can be enjoyed in a single walk or game drive.

quote:

Such is the diversity of the Selous Game Reserve that all these wonderful habitats can be enjoyed in a single walk or game drive.

...or hunting safari.

Thanks for the post Kathi, not a day goes by that I don't think about the Selous.