A Wildlife Holiday On My Wild Africa

December 31st, 2020

During the holiday season in 2020, WildlifeDirect continued to bring to Kenyan viewers wildlife documentaries into their homes. The films aired every Sunday at 5:30 PM EAT via Citizen TV. The films aired focused on giraffes, the African Penguin – the only penguin species found in the continent, the life journey of elephants in Botswana, wildlife in Namibia, and how predators have formed special skills that allow them to take on everything from a buffalo to a baby elephant.

Giraffe: Up High and Personal

In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources declared the giraffe “vulnerable to extinction. Giraffe populations are challenged because of poaching and shrinking habitat. This film followed the extraordinary lives of the Watch Towers of the Savanna; giraffes. The film, Giraffe: Up High and Personal, explored a giraffe’s pattern and color of its coat which allow it to camouflage in the bushes. A giraffe can maintain speeds of up to 60 km/h outpacing a lion. An interesting fact from the film was a giraffe’s long tongue which allows it to reach the highest, tastiest leaves while avoiding the sharp thorns. Its tongue also features a thick, tough layer that protects it from being cut by the thorns. Giraffes often get water from the leaves that they eat. Acacia is considered to be a good source of water.

.

Penguins- The African Chaplin

This film followed the extraordinary lives of African Penguins found on Algoa Bay which make up 50% of the whole African Penguin population. The African penguin population has declined by over 95% since the 1900s and by nearly 65% over the past 30 years. One of the main reasons for the African penguin population’s decline is the depletion of their primary food source; anchovies and sardines. Another reason for the penguin population decline is habitat destruction. Guano, which African penguins use to build burrows, lay eggs and raise their chicks, was harvested at an industrial scale to be used as fertilizer.

.

.

.

Soul of the Elephant

This film was an up-close adventure to investigate one of the largest herds on the planet as they wander freely through the wild landscapes of Botswana. Two filmmakers discovered two skulls of bull elephants with their tusks intact and go on a journey to discover their life. In this film, we encountered a dead elephant as the starting point for a journey back in time: Who was this elephant – and what was his life like? As the largest living land mammals, elephants are usually considered survivors under even the most extreme climatic conditions.

.

.

.

Namibia Sanctuary of Giants

This film followed the extraordinary lives of wild animals in Namibia as they face different challenges on their journey to survival. Due to the competition for resources in Namibia, about 40 lions are shot or poisoned each year. The magnificent desert lions survive with little to no water. The flesh they eat provides them with the water they need to survive. Namibia’s desert lions face challenges with human-wildlife conflict and trophy hunting. Hunters prefer male lions because of the mane and this creates a disparity between female and male numbers. Other than lions, the film followed the lives of elephants and also cheetahs.

.

.

Predator’s Playground

This film followed the animals of a spring that runs from the Zambezi who are on a journey to survival and take advantage of the steep banks to capture prey during water drinking time. The lions at the spring always lead the animals on the slippery slope when chasing them in order to have an upper hand. Tune in to #MyWildAfrica happening now on @citizentvkenya and tell us what you think. Other wildlife featured in the film includes impalas, buffaloes, hyenas, and baboons. As the season becomes drier, the animals travel more kilometers to get food and so they arrive at the spring tired which makes them easier to hunt.

We are grateful to our donors for their generous contribution that has allowed viewers the chance to learn more about Africa’s majestic wildlife and nature. We look forward to a continued partnership with Citizen TV Kenya to bring My Wild Africa films to more Kenyans in 2021.

If you would like your film to be featured on My Wild Africa, reach out to Victoria Wangui at victoria@wildlifedirect.org.