Bert Uyttenbroeck

Bert Uyttenbroeck

Belgium

16-08-11

Kasanka, zambia - The great migration of ... fruit loving bats!

There are a few wildlife phenomena that really stand out as extraordinary events. The wildebeest migration in East Africa, the monarch butterflies arriving in Mexico come to mind. Well this is amongst those top events in the wildlife calendar. Up to ten million “straw-coloured fruit bats” converge upon Kasanka National Park as the fruits of a local tree ripen. These bats roost in a specific woodland and literally cover the trunks of the trees like thick icing. Then at sunset they all take off and fly out to forage. The sky is thick with bats. You can view all this from the 60 ft high hide, in a tree top, next to the woodland. And from this hide, during the day you will see many sitatunga antelopes in the swamp below.

Every year at the end of October thousands of “straw coloured fruit bats” congregate in the trees of the Mushitu swamp forest near the confluence of the Musola and Kasanka rivers in Kasanka National Park. The bats come to feed for a short six weeks on the abundance of seasonal fruit including wild loquat and waterberries. By mid November their numbers reach into the millions. These migrations happen in other parts of Africa, but they tend to occur in urban areas, and with the growth of cities, bat numbers seem to be on the decline. To see millions of bats dispersing at dusk against the setting sun is one of the wildlife wonders of Africa, and one that definitely shouldn’t be missed.

The Bangweulu wetlands, just north of Kasanka are one of Africa’s most spectacular wildlife secrets with over 100,000 black lechwe antelopes and the world’s most visible shoebill storks. Kasanka is famed for having over 400 bird species, as well as both the tsessebe and sitatunga species of antelope. The South Luangwa River adds to the wildlife experience with the chance to see wild dog and explore the lush, colourful landscape at this time of year. The safari will continue at Nkwali Camp, where you will get to relish in the splendors of the Emerald Season in South Luangwa.

Enjoy 7 nights of Bat Safari, with 4 nights in Wasa Camp in Kasanka and 3 nights in Nkwali Camp in South Luangwa. From 25th to 29th of November 2011 price per person starts at 3.165 USD, exclusive of intercontinental flights. Detailed personalised price quote on request.

Afrika,  Zambia,  Safari

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