Where the Wild Things Are

Thanks to my fabulous friend, Laurie McKay, this NPR story on the wildlife conservation/eco-tourism efforts in Southern Sudan can now be heard by you all! Boma National Park in Southern Sudan is one of the largest and most populated parks in Africa and you too should come visit us here! Many researchers (as well as the local people) thought the animal population had been wiped out or displaced to other parks during the war, however, this story paints a different picture. It seems that the wild things have returned and the government (with heavy push from Western conservationists) are hoping to bring about a new era of eco-tourism to promote both the well-being of the Southern Sudanese and the animals that inhabit the vast land, which is almost the size of California. Clearly, all this hinges on maintaining the peace between the North and the South.

I will be honest and say that while the idea sounds wonderful, I have my doubts about the legitimacy of the conservation efforts here...It's much more likely that the wealthy land investors in Dubai will be much more successful at creating a high-end hunting camp.

Listen for yourself and the let me know if I can make some reservations for you! I hear Easter in Sudan is beautiful!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113503170

Favorite quote: "Quite frankly, nothing brings down a zebra like an AK47"