TANZANIA

Hunting for Dinner in Tanzania

AS NJEGELA-SAITOTI RAISED the bow over his head and pulled the arrow back, I was shocked by my atypically bloodthirsty thought: Kill the monkey. And when that arrow and a slew of others missed their moving mark in the canopy above, I was just as surprised by how my reaction differed from that of the chief elder and his companions. My husband and I had brought our sons, ages 13 and 11, to northern Tanzania to spend a day with the Hadza as part of our year traveling and homeschooling. The Hadza, whose homeland includes the Great Rift Valley, are one of the last functioning hunter-gatherer tribes in the world. They sleep in twig huts and eat only food they find or kill. They do not raise animals or grow crops, preferring to roam free to follow the chow. Because the land they’ve long ranged over is being lost to encroachment by the modern world, fewer than a thousand Hadza still adhere to the traditional lifestyle today.

Our day started at 6 a.m., when our guide brought us to a clearing in the bush near shallow Lake Eyasi, where marabou storks pace the shoreline like professors deep in thought. This was the camp of one Hadza clan—the elder, Njegela-Saitoti; his teenage son; two other men; and two women. The shirtless men were smoking the tobacco-like leaves from a khaki bush—a ritual to bring hunting luck—and making arrows out of twigs from a sandpaper tree. They whittled one end to a point and tied bird feathers to the other with the tendons of the kudu antelope. A secret ingredient—a gummy black poison made from the desert rose plant—was added to a few arrowheads for extra potency. With the early sun casting here-to-infinity shadows, the slim, muscular men trotted into the thicket of palm and acacia trees while we trailed behind like groupies. Suddenly, someone whooped. As the men took off, I hurdled fallen palm logs and dodged thorny branches to keep up with them, and my sprinting, grinning boys.

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Extremely Rare White Giraffe Spotted—What Would You Name Her?

Talk about a head-turner: An extremely rare white giraffe calf was recently spotted in Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park. Scientists at the New Hampshire-based wildlife-research group Wild Nature Institute originally reported the newborn Masai giraffe calf in 2015, around the time a local tour guide named her Omo, after a popular local brand of detergent. Staff at the Wild Nature Institute were happy to see Omo still thriving during a recent foray to the national park, located in the northeastern part of the country. “We were lucky enough to resight her again this January, almost exactly one year later. We are thrilled that she is still alive and well,” the organization wrote on its blog. It's also soliciting votes for a new name, or to keep Omo as her moniker. Omo isn't albino; she has a genetic condition called leucism, says Derek Lee, founder of the institute. Her skin cells don’t produce pigmentation, but soft tissues, such as her dark eyes, do. Though uncommon, leucism occurs in many species, including penguins, eagles, and hippos. (See more pictures of unusually white animals.) Omo has been especially lucky: More than half of all giraffe calves die before they’re six months old, as they're often targets of lions, hyenas, and wild dogs, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Not to mention, Omo’s obvious appearance could attract predators all the more, hampering her chances of survival. What’s more, Tarangire National Park is working to ensure that Omo’s rare coloration doesn’t put her in poachers’ crosshairs. The park already has a sophisticated anti-poaching program in place that relies on everything from unmanned drones to tracker dogs to defend its wildlife—including this one very special giraffe.

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Here’s what it takes to ice climb Kilimanjaro

On Kilimanjaro, most climbers go straight for the Tanzanian mountain’s famous summit. But those who take the more dangerous western route have found glaciers up to 100 feet tall. These ancient frozen masses are tropical anomalies—ice doesn’t often last long near the Equator. The sun’s rays cause the foot of a glacier to melt first, leading to calving, breakaways, and, sometimes, stand-alone towers of ice (pictured above). Kilimanjaro’s ice climbing can be some of the best on Earth, says climber Will Gadd. One reason to go soon: These glaciers—like glaciers everywhere—are melting. Any attempt on this mountain requires serious physical and mental preparation. To build fitness, starting at least half a year in advance, Gadd suggests daily weight and cardio workouts paired with a diet of whole foods and lean red meat. During training climbs, he advises, explorers should be alert to warning signs like sustained winds or impending rain. Essential packing list High-quality gear is the key to both enjoying ice climbs and surviving them, Gadd says. He’s adamant about taking the following: Sharp crampons that attach securely to boots Handheld ice claws A helmet, in case you fall or ice falls on you Gloves that are flexible and warm A jacket that repels water and blocks wind Rope and safety harness: “Never skimp on these.” Ready for launch Respect the porters with you on this climb: They’re likely dealing with the same altitude sickness that you are. When you arrive at the starting point, take an honest assessment of conditions. Is there too much wind? What’s the likelihood of rain? Climbing mountains and glaciers is dangerous even in the best of circumstances, so don’t push ahead in subpar conditions, Gadd says.

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