JULY 2025 NEWSLETTER

SUMMER NEWS FOR TRUE WILD SAFARIS

Greetings from Africa! We are writing this Newsletter to you from the southern tip of the African continent - it is our summer safari season (winter in Southern Africa). What an exciting year it has been with so much to share. We will start this Newsletter off with an update on the North Bay mountain lions, followed by news on our conservation efforts, ending with safari anecdotes and updates. 

WILDLIFE CONFERENCE

Quinton attended the 14th Mountain Lion Workshop hosted between the 17-20 March by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This workshop has a strong agency focus and as a result, statewide updates across mountain lion ranges in North America played a big role. Two talks included True Wild/Audubon Canyon Ranch as contributors. Quinton had the following to say about his experience: "Despite some difficulties we experience working with mountain lions in California, things are so much better here as it was an eye-opener to see how other states in the US manage these iconic carnivores. Texas has always been one state where mountain lions are afforded no protection, and there is no limit to the number of lions that can be killed. No reporting is required if a lion is killed either. Utah has now followed by dropping mountain lion harvest quotas - you can kill as many as you like whenever you like. Reporting is required though. There were some hunters who killed as many as 5 lions in one year. It was astounding to learn that these new regulations were implemented despite population modelling in the state showing a clear decreasing population trend. Colorado issues 2,500 mountain lion permits a year - approximately 500 lions are killed. A permit to hunt a mountain lion costs a mere $61 for a resident in Colorado. Whether you like hunting or not, this apparent lack of value attributed to wildlife still astounds me. 

COMMUNITY CONSERVATION

True Wild’s work includes using safaris as a key way of supporting conservation initiatives in California, as well as contributing to conservation projects in Africa. One such project, Chipembele, based on the border of South Luangwa National Park in Zambia, is doing incredible work towards wildlife conservation and benefiting communities. True Wild, together with a few wonderful True Wild safari participants, were recently able to contribute $20,000 towards a four-year university scholarship for a dedicated young Zambian man, Philemon Njobvu. Philemon has a love for studying and conserving hyenas, and we were thrilled to be able to contribute to his career by offering this scholarship at the University of Zambia. We are receiving regular updates from Philemon and look forward to seeing him excel in his field.

Philemon Njobvu (aka - The Hyena Man) - 4 year university scholarship through Chipembele

TRUE WILD SAFARIS

2025 has seen True Wild safari guests visiting Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe so far and the experiences and stories shared with us have been amazing. Quinton has led one family/friends safari in Zambia in June and has two more before heading back to California. The game viewing has been extraordinarily good and we have included a few photographs from his recent trip. Quinton shared one of his experiences from this safari: "We had just been out on our first afternoon activity in the Lower Zambezi National Park, a sunset boat cruise. As we were docking the boat by the lodge, a radio call came through saying a leopard had just killed an impala right by tent #5. The jeep track from the boat to the lodge went right by this. As we drove to the lodge we saw the impala carcass, and later the leopard was seen returning to feast  with a very young cub while we dined on our own delicious 3-course meal. The guests in tent #5 couldn't get much sleep for the crunching sounds below. Incredible!" Quinton's next safari in July is back in Zambia visiting awesome camps we love to include in our itineraries: Old Mondoro and Kaingo Camp.

GUEST SAFARI FEEDBACK Absolutely amazing trip!  Totally a trip of a lifetime…So many amazing places…everywhere we went was so beautifully curated and took us on a journey to so many places that each offered its own special nuances… Really really special and wonderful memories that Angie and I will always have together. 💗🐆. - Steve

Private Concessions

Botswana is in many ways the quintessential wildlife destination. One of the things that is special about it is that vast areas are protected privately, through concessions - designated conservation areas that are leased (often from local communities) by safari operators. Safaris in these concessions provide an incredible experience because guests have exclusive access to huge wilderness areas, with very low numbers of other guests. While the price matches the exclusivity of the experience, the benefits for both your safari experience and the wildlife itself, which is treated with great respect and not harassed, is worth it. We also know the secrets of special seasonal deals! Having an exclusive safari experience, away from the crowds, is what we focus on with all our safaris. 

Volunteering for communities and conservationTravelers often ask us if they can include some interactions with local communities and/or do some meaningful volunteer work. While we like this idea, it is actually often hard to arrange as communities usually don’t live inside the areas conserved for wildlife. While guests have a chance to connect with local people through the incredibly warm staff at safari camps, one isn’t able to get a sense of community life or the challenges of subsistence living and co-existing with large and potentially destructive wild animals. We now have a really good option for guests to add on to their safari if they are wanting to gain more insight and offer something back to local communities. We recently visited Imvelo Safaris’ volunteer camp, Mlevu Rhino Camp, in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. This camp connects you to the rhinos and the rhino conservation work they are doing, as well as allowing guests to assist with a whole variety of activities, both wildlife/research focused and community focused, depending on the needs at the time and guest’s interests and skills. 

Reach out to us for more on this unique experience that could be included in a broader safari itinerary. 

Booking a safari with True Wild is a special personalized experience. We are focused on providing you with all the attention to detail and care you will need, tapping into over 30 years of safari experience to find just the right journey for you and your family or friends. Contact us if you have any interest in traveling on safari as we would love to help set up a unique experience that will suit your needs and budget. 

For more information on our safaris, or booking a safari, contact quinton@truewild.org

More photographs in our June 2025 - Zambia Safari Gallery