Thursday, September 29, 2011

Congo Hippos Face Extinction





In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) is rapidly shrinking the population of hippos. Long-term armed conflicts have caused irreparable harm to the wildlife of this country. According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund, WWF), the hunting of hippos doing almost everything here, without limitation, soldiers and rebels and poachers. The carcass of the herbivore and can be purchased today for just $ 50, and his teeth are the subject of illegal trade and are valued on a par with ivory. To reduce the population affected by the fact that on the shores of Lake Edward, which is located inside the reserve, had settled thousands of fishermen. The lake is very attractive for Congolese: it is teeming with fish owing to hippos, saturating the water with nutrients.

Aerial view of the Virunga National Park has shown that once the world's largest population of these animals is on the verge of extinction. Virunga park covers an area of ​​about 790 000 hectares and is characterized by an exceptional variety of habitats - from the swamps and steppes to the plains to the savannas and valleys of lava on the slopes of volcanoes. In the tropical forests of the park inhabited by mountain gorillas and Siberian birds come here to winter. In a special study, organized by WWF, the European Union and the Congolese conservation institute, found that in the park there are only 887 hippos, despite the fact that two years ago, there were 1309 individuals. And in 1974, in the rivers in the reserve 29 000 hippos lived.

These animals have long been included in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, but not cut it does not help. Poachers do not stop even the risk of never returning from the hunt - a wounded hippo becomes very aggressive, attacking his pursuers, and can easily bite a person in half.

Reserves and National Parks - Virunga, Upemba, Garamba, Kahuzi-Biega, Salonga North, South Salonga and others - account for nearly 15% of the Congo. The humid climate of the country's lush jungles to keep alive - the latest in the world of vast tropical forests, inhabited by a variety of wildlife. Only in the Congo, for example, are found okapi - a small forest animals of the family of giraffes, which became a national symbol of the country. In savannas south of the country inhabited by lions, leopards and antelope. Destruction of hippos cause irreparable damage to the local ecological balance of nature.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Rwanda - the most popular country in East Africa



According to research experts from the World Economic Forum in Rwanda - the only country in the whole of East Africa receiving the highest marks among tourists. This is the result of hard work, tourist authorities of the state. Besides the natural attractions of particular value to travellers, Rwanda stands out neighbours infrastructure. It has expanded and improved road network, constantly opening up new national parks.

Program for the Protection of Forests conducted in Rwanda was also useful. Now tourists are attracted to the country not only an opportunity to see the gorillas, but also visit the national parks in general. The most popular nature reserve today is open a few years ago, Nyungwe Park. In addition, the country has visa-free relations with many countries in the world. Accordingly, the tourists do not need to spend time getting visas, and they begin to feel the hospitality of Rwanda still at the planning journey.




In the second place in popularity in the region is Kenya. 2010 became its "best of all time in the tourism sector." Its success with the tourists Kenya owes a massive advertising campaigns for a long time as both existing and emerging tourism markets in the world.

Not as stable and comfortable in the position of Uganda in the field of tourism in East Africa. While national parks and attractions in it than in Rwanda, a country can not boast of a developed tourist infrastructure.

The government does not work to improve their tourism offices and does not invest enough money in the sector. The crisis has touched and the Society for the Protection of Wildlife of Uganda (UWA). Several years ago, the government invested in a massive advertising campaign on CNN, which lasted 6 months and has been quite successful. But the effect of the campaign is long over, and Uganda are still in dire need of tourists.