Tanzania Safari in Ruaha National Park August 2011

See http://www.nature-explored.com for more videos, photos and information Safari in Ruaha National Park in Tanzania during late August 2011. This is mid way through the Dry season. The Great Ruaha River is still flowing slowly but will soon stop due to vast amounts of over abstraction of water in the catchment area by rice farmers. Prior to 1993 the River flowed ALL YEAR and never ever dried up. After the expansion of Rice Farming it started to dry up every year for longer and longer periods. In 2010-2011 It was not flowing in sections from October to Mid March, that's five and a half Months. Despite various reports and recommendations to alleviate the problem by regulating water off take in the dry season, and still allow rice farming, very little is being done and huge amounts of water are wasted. The environment is seriously degraded as the wildlife depends on the river in the dry season. The Govt said they would restore flow by 2010; they only managed it ONE year. This is the most beautiful park of the many we have visited and the wildlife is truly amazing. Never seen so many lions, buffalo, kudu, impala and elephants. It needs protecting from greedy business interests.