Raquel Barrio Recio
Elephants in Ranch Nazinga
This natural park isn't very big, but as 800 elephants live in it adventure is assured! Especially in the dry season, when water is scarce, by the lake observatory enjoy the spectacle of the largest animals in Africa bathing. You can see cracks in the dried mud on their backs, the short-haired coat of their trunks and almost feel their breath. Elephants roam the camp looking for fresh leaves, so if you're out at night, take a flashlight and don't crash into one! There are not only elephants here, the 94.000ha is home to more than 20,000 animals, including 39 species of mammals and about 275 species of birds.
There are over 500 buffaloes, thousands of antelope, 5,000 warthogs, crocodiles, over 10,000 primates and hyenas. We didn't see lions but we did see their tracks. Created in 1979 by Clark Lungren, a Canadian who grew up in Burkina. Poaching had killed most of the animals and the survivors weren't eager to return, despite the fact that there's water here in the dry season. Together with his wife Carol and his brother Bob he started a conservation project encouraging local people to take care of the animals and their environment. Using local materials and workers he built a dam, a camp and constructed 600 km of roads. Poachers were hired as guides and guards. Once it was a reality Lungren ceded the Ranch to the Burkina Faso government.
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