The Selous in Africa: A Long Way from Anywhere

Lion fending off hyenas from its zebra kill in the Selous - photo by Robert J. Ross

These exciting photos are from a new book about the Selous Game Reserve by Robert J. Ross, whose amazing shots of this little known wilderness in southern Tanzania add a new dimension to observations about the area. David and I feel privileged to be allowed to post these shots from this exquisite tribute to the Selous.

Flying over the Luwegu River, a tributary of the Rufiji in Selous - photo by Robert J. Ross

In late 1979, the writer and naturalist Peter Matthiessen and the wildlife photographer Hugo van Lawick joined a safari into the Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania, one of the largest yet least-known strongholds of wild animals left on earth. Sand Rivers is their beautiful account of a remarkable trip into this quintessential East African wilderness. I remember reading it at the time – I still have a copy on my bookshelves.

Borassus palms dot the Selous landscape - photo by Robert J. Ross

Hippos in Selous - decked with the ubiquitous, invading water lettuce - photo by Robert J. Ross

It is clear that Matthiessen’s work is a source of great inspiration for Rob Ross. The book features nearly 400 photographs of this extraordinary place. Not only the large mega-fauna typically seen in a photographic book on African wildlife, but also the fantastic and often overlooked smaller creatures, birds, insects, and dramatic landscapes are captured in these breathtaking images. The first edition is already sold out and a new edition is being released.

African wild dog takes a drink while keeping a wary lookout - photo by Robert J. Ross

Lioness watching a lone impala - photo by Robert J. Ross

Original essays on the history and ecology of the Selous are complemented by extensive excerpts from Sand Rivers, used with generous permission from Peter Matthiessen. But the story of the Selous Game Reserve is best experienced through Ross’ photography. Culled from over 100,000 photographs shot over four years, the images featured in the pages of The Selous in Africa offer readers an intimate glimpse into the diverse landscapes, flora, and fauna to be found in this cherished reserve.

A water-buck stands on a sandbank in this aerial shot of the Luwegu River - photo by Robert J. Ross

Added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1982, the Selous is Africa’s oldest and largest protected area and remains one of the continent’s greatest undisturbed ecosystems. Teeming with life—including one of the largest elephant populations remaining on the African continent, more lions than any other protected area on the continent, large packs of wild dogs, and vast herds of buffalo—the Selous is a crown jewel of biodiversity and wilderness preservation.

Elephant eating the fruit of a Borassus palm in Selous - photo by Robert J. Ross

Dramatically increased poaching and other threats to the Selous which have emerged in recent years have resulted in efforts being implemented today to preserve the reserve’s unique resources and withstand future threats. As Kishore Rao, Director of UNESCO/World Heritage Centre writes in the book’s Foreword, “The Selous World Heritage Site is our common heritage. Its magnificence is captured through Robert J. Ross’ great pictures. We cannot let the Selous die, it is our common responsibility to save it. Together we can make it happen.”

Robert J. Ross is a native New Yorker who has spent the past fifteen years capturing colorful moments in Africa and elsewhere around the world after wisely leaving a career in property finance and development. Rob’s work has been published in National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic Traveler, Conde Nast Traveler, Getaway Magazine, Africa Geographic, Islands, Travel Africa, GQ, House & Garden, and in many other leading travel and environmental journals. Rob has also undertaken photographic assignments for the Wildlife Conservation Society, the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Global Fund for Children.

DETAILS

The Selous in Africa: A Long Way From Anywhere

by Robert J. Ross

Published by Officina Libraria

276 pages; hardcover; $75;

ISBN: 978-88-97737-64-3

The book can be purchased from book sellers worldwide and on Amazon.Signed copies as well as the limited edition are available from the author at this link

You can e-mail Rob from the Contact page on his website if you have any comments about his work or if you are interested in purchasing prints of any of the images on this site or from the book. Rob also has an extensive library of other images that can be reviewed upon request.

Find the author on Facebook at: Robert J Ross

And on Instagram

REVIEWS

“Rarely written about and rarely photographed, the Selous is a vast wild place in southeastern Tanzania. A stronghold of large animals, it is the largest wildlife sanctuary on the African continent (larger than Switzerland). It is also one of the least accessible and the least known. With Robert J. Ross’ The Selous in Africa, this is about to change. Ross has travelled to this extraordinary wilderness numerous times documenting its great array of wildlife with some of the most beautiful photographs ever taken there.”

—Peter Matthiessen, National Book Award-winning author and naturalist

“The Selous is one of the largest wild areas left on earth. Robert J. Ross is a dedicated conservationist and tenacious photographer—just the combination needed to bring this wilderness to the light. Rob’s book appears at a critical time when the attention it brings is most needed.”

—Michael “Nick” Nichols, photographer, conservationist, and editor-at-large, National Geographic

RC AMINA MASENZA AZINDUA OPERESHENI KOMAZA

Na Esta Malibiche, Iringa

MKUU wa mkoa wa Iringa Amina Masenza amezindua Operesheni Komaza,ambayo takribani Wanamgambo zaidi ya 200 wameshiriki katika zoezi la oparesheni komaza mkoani Iringa .

Mafunzo hayo yataenda sanjali na zoezi la kulenga shabaha ambalo litachukua siku nne porini likihusisha mazoezi ya ukakamavu pamoja na mazoezi mengine ya kijeshi kwa wanamgambo hao.

Akizungumza wakati wa kuzindua zoezi hilo lililofanyika katika viwanja vya shule ya msingi Mlandege Manispaa ya Iringa Mkoani hapa likiwa limekusanya vijana toka vijiji vya Mboliboli, Wasa, Idodi na kwingineko wilayani Iringa Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Iringa Amina Masenza amewataka viongozi wote wa siasa waache mara moja kuingilia shughuli yeyote inayohusishwa na jeshi la Mgambo,na kusema kuwa jeshi la mgambo kwani jeshi halina itikadi yoyote ya kichama

.

Masenza alisema kuwa lengo la mafunzo hayo ni kuwajengea vijana uwezo wa kuwa Imara kiafya, waweze kupambana pamoja na kuwaandaa kuwa vijana wazalendo katika jamii na kwa taifa kwa ujumla.

"Jeshi la mgambo lina msaada mkubwa sana katika ulinzi wa taifa hivyo ni muhimu sote tukachukulia mafunzo haya kama chachu ya maendeleo, ulinzi na usalama hivyo," alisema Masenza

Katika kuhakikisha zoezi linaenda sawa Mkuu wa Mkoa Amina Masenza alitoa gunia la mahindi ili likasaidie chakula kwa wanamgambo wakiwa mafunzoni na akatoa shukrani kwa wadau na kusema kuwa sasa kuna uhakikia kuwa vijana hawatapata shida kwenye suala la chakula.

Awali akimkaribisha Mkuu wa mkoa wa Iringa, Mkuu wa wilaya ya Iringa Richard Kasesela aliyataka makampuni ya ulinzi kuanza kutoa ajira kwa vijana waliopitia mgambo ili kupunguza idadi ya vijana wasio na ajira mtaani.

"Tumeamua kuwa na kikosi mahili ili kisaidie kupambana na majangili pamoja na wahamiaji haramu ambao wamekuwa tishio katika wilaya yetu," alisema RC.

Kwa upande wake mshauri wa mgambo wilaya ya Iringa Afande J.M Kita amewashukuru baadhi wa wadau kwa misaada waliyotoa katika kuhakikisha zoezi hilo linafanikiwa. 

Kita aliwataja baadhi ya wadau waliochangia kuwa ni pamoja na ndugu Salim Asas aliyetoa shilingi milioni moja ambayo imeziingizwa moja kwa moja katika kughalamia chakula kwaajili ya vijana hao, naye meneja wa TANROAD wilaya ya Iringa ametoa Mchele kwaajili ya vijana hao. Kisha Afande KITA akatoa rai kwa wadau ambao wataguswa kusaidia maana bado kuna uhitaji wa msaada wa hali na maali ili kufanikisha ziezi hilo.

Anti-Trump protesters gear up for weekend demonstrations across the US

More than 10,000 have signed up for a Saturday march from New York’s Union Square to Trump Tower, as unrest continues following his victory.

Thousands have taken to the streets across the country in the days since Donald Trump was elected president. Photograph: Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

Jon Swaine and Guardian Staff

@jonswaine

Protesters across the US were gearing up on Friday for weekend demonstrations over the election of Donald Trump, as other activists began work on plans to disrupt the Republican’s inauguration in Washington early next year.

Rowdy protests against Trump and his divisive campaign have spread to cities all over the country following his victory on Tuesday, leading to dozens of arrests and a complaint from Trump in one of his first public remarks as president-elect.

More than 10,000 people have signed up to attend a noon march on Saturday from New York’s Union Square to Trump Tower, the future president’s home and corporate headquarters, while several other actions are planned for other cities.

“Join us in the streets! Stop Trump and his bigoted agenda,” the organizers of the New York event said in a Facebook post.

The media playback was aborted due to a corruption problem or because the media used features your browser did not support.

FacebookTwitterPinterestProtests against Donald Trump continue across US – video

Trump complained in a tweet late on Thursday that “professional protesters, incited by the media” were tarnishing his electoral success, which he said was “very unfair”. Amid intense criticism, Trump said hours later in a second post that he appreciated the “passion for our great country” shown by demonstrators.

Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!

Love the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud!

Activists expressed determination to build momentum for major activity on 20 January, when Trump will officially enter the White House.

A “million women” march on the capital is being planned for the day of Trump’s inauguration, amid intense anger that the next US president allegedly sexually assaulted multiple women and boasted of doing so in a leaked recording.

A timeline of Donald Trump's alleged sexual misconduct: who, when and what

Left-wing and anarchist groups were also making plans for protests in Washington on inauguration day, according to flyers circulating online, raising the prospect of chaotic scenes as Trump takes the oath of office.

Other activists were biding their time before mounting a response to Trump’s election. Patrisse Cullors, one of the founders of Black Lives Matter, said their movement was “grieving and mourning” following the result.

“We are bringing folks together to imagine what kinds of organizing we will need to do under a Trump presidency,” said Cullors. “I do think we can organize as we have been, and build something bigger and stronger than the hate Trump and his team have exhibited towards marginalized communities.”

From Thursday night into Friday, thousands of people took to the streets in Denver, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Portland, Oakland and several other US cities, as well as Vancouver, Canada. The protests were mostly peaceful and orderly, though there were scattered acts of civil disobedience and damage to property.

The rowdiest scenes were in Portland, Oregon, where about 4,000 people marched into the city centre late on Thursday. At least 29 people were arrested after protesters threw objects at officers, smashed shop windows and damaged a car dealership, the Portland police department said, declaring the demonstration a riot. Officers used pepper spray and rubber projectiles to disperse the crowd, the department added.

FacebookTwitterPinterest Protesters in Portland, Oregon, on the night of Thursday 10 November. Photograph: STRINGER/Reuters

In Minneapolis, dozens of people marched on to Interstate 94, blocking traffic in both directions for at least an hour as police stood by. A smaller band of demonstrators briefly halted traffic on a busy Los Angeles highway before police cleared them off.

Anti-Trump protesters take to the streets for the third night – live.Follow along for the latest news from the day in politics, as the election vote count continues and Donald Trump gets to the work of being president-elect

Baltimore police reported that about 600 people marched through the Inner Harbor area, with some blocking roadways by sitting in the street. Two people were arrested, police said. One of the largest demonstrations was in Denver, where a crowd estimated to number about 3,000 gathered on the grounds of the Colorado state capitol and marched through the city centre.

Earlier in the day, high school students staged walkouts across the country, including in Los Angeles and San Francisco

Elsewhere on Thursday, hundreds protested in Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco, California; Houston, Texas; and in Washington DC, where about 100 protesters marched from the White House to Donald Trump’s newly opened hotel several blocks away.

At least 200 people rallied there after dark, many of them chanting “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and carrying signs with such slogans as “Impeach Trump” and “Not my president”. 

“I can’t support someone who supports so much bigotry and hatred. It’s heart-breaking,” said 25-year-old Joe Daniels from Virginia.

There were further protests in Miami, Atlanta and Portland on Friday night.

While protesters marched against Trump, at least one group was preparing to take to the streets in celebration. The Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan said on their website they would be holding a “victory parade” in North Carolina next month. Men in KKK-style white hoods were seen walking in the state on the morning after Trump was elected.

Since you're here ...

…we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian than ever but far fewer are paying for it. And advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. The Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our perspective matters – because it might well be your perspective, too.

Fund our journalism and together we can keep the world informed.

Mugabe gives Tsvangirai cash

DESPITE long-standing rivalry with President Robert Mugabe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, currently battling cancer of the colon, received a shot in the arm from an unlikely source — the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) — when he got US$70 000 to meet part of his medical bills, the Zimbabwe Independent can reveal.

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai

Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC-T and ex-prime minister in the coalition government with Zanu PF from 2009 to 2013, has in recent months reduced his public appearances due to his condition.

In a surprise gesture, the Zanu PF government, according to sources, extended the financial aid to the MDC-T president sometime in June to help cover part of his medical expenses in neighbouring South Africa. He is now undergoing chemotherapy to fight the disease.

It is understood that the money from the OPC was collected from government offices by his relatives.

Tsvangirai disclosed he is battling cancer of the colon in June after he looked frail and unwell when he participated in a demonstration in Harare which saw thousands of his supporters marching to demand the resignation of Mugabe over corruption and economic mismanagement.

The MDC leader then failed to attend political rallies in Mutare and Bulawayo despite his party saying he would lead from the front, fueling speculation over his health.

Opening up on his fight against cancer, Tsvangirai, in a recent interview with the Independent, said the medical costs were beyond his means. However, he declined to disclose the exact costs or source of funding.

According to sources in government, negotiations for the money were arranged by third parties between Tsvangirai and state officials.

“When Tsvangirai fell ill a lot of people sympathised with him over the costs of chemotherapy and other medical and travelling costs. The arrangements to help secure US$70 000 were mainly between third parties from Tsvangirai’s side and some senior government officials. After the request was heeded, Tsvangirai’s relatives collected the money,” said the source.

Efforts to get a comment from Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba were in vain as his mobile phone went unanswered while a message sent to him was not responded to.

Senior MDC-T officials confirmed off the record that Tsvangirai received money from government to pay some of his medical bills.

Some sources in the MDC-T claimed that the cash from the government was his pension money for serving as prime minister during the inclusive government whose tenure ended in 2013 after which Mugabe controversially won elections held during the same year.

“Most MDC-T officials who served during the unity government were given pensions. The understanding is that Tsvangirai was given his pension money,” said a source in the opposition party.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said: “You spoke to the president (Tsvangirai) and he gave you his response. I am not going to dignify your story by giving it any legs.”

In an interview with this newspaper on September 28, Tsvangirai declined to divulge how he was coping with medical bills, saying the information was confidential.

When further asked to comment on allegations that part of the payment for his cancer treatment has been paid by Mugabe’s office, Tsvangirai neither confirmed nor denied the claims.

“I cannot confirm that so and so has given me money. I still say that the expenses of my treatment are confidential and I am grateful to whoever has made contributions and continue to make contributions, because this is really expensive and far beyond my capacity to sustain,” Tsvangirai said.

“… It is an expensive exercise, that is where I think that for other Zimbabweans it’s something that is a sure sign of a death sentence, if you don’t get the help that is necessary and that is timely. It’s something that the state should definitely set as a priority. This issue of cancer is now so prevalent we don’t know whether it’s our food or working conditions.”

Tsvangirai said he had no problems seeking medical treatment locally but his only worry is confidentiality.

“The biggest problem we have in this country is confidentiality. Two years ago I was treated at a local Trauma Centre and I have no problem in getting treatment here. My biggest problem is confidentiality. Why should my state of health be subject to public debate and scrutiny?”

(CREDIT: ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT)