The Wild Source Blog

Luxury in Ruaha – Jabali Ridge The debut of a new luxury camp in remote Southern Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park A new camp is coming to Ruaha National Park in September, 2017. Jabali Ridge will stand alone at a luxury level that, till now, didn’t exist within the 20,226 km2 sq park–an area the size […]

Advantages to Traveling in the Botswana Green Season Go Beyond the Price Break I’m sitting at a swanky cafe that actor Heath Ledger opened just before he succumbed to a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs. It’s a narrow brick building with French bistro tables and a long bar that serves the various needs of the […]

Within one of the greatest human densities on our planet lie sanctuaries for wildlife where the relics of Gondwanaland endure. Although separated by the Middle East, the Red and Arabian Seas, and the Indian Ocean, there remains an incredible parallel between the wildlife of the Indian Subcontinent and Africa. Rhinoceros, elephant, wild dog, lion, leopard, […]

Meeting with Mariam and Eva I had the fantastic opportunity this past June to meet our team in Arusha, Tanzania: Deo and his son Fadhil, who not only guide the majority of our Tanzania clients but also run The Wild Source business on ground, along with Mariam and Eva who handle the office. I also […]

Botswana Safari Trip Overview I have always been a big proponent for safaris during Botswana’s green season. I love the value; anywhere from 40 to 60% less than high season pricing. I also love that it is the growing season offering many a shade of lovely green. All the grazers are at their best with […]

The best moments on safari are when we can witness the natural behavior of the animals. Among the big cats leopards are unique for their trait of carrying their kills up into trees. This definitive behavior is a critical one as it provides the leopard with a chance to safely cache food and consume as […]

In July at Kwando Lagoon Camp I had what was likely my most interesting leopard sighting ever. We found a young female leopard stalking through the grass and then exploding up into a tree. She was very intent on hunting birds and often made big leaps between trunks and major branches. The leopard would then […]

Bill’s Message Today at the invitation of the Kenya Wildlife Service I gave a presentation on conditioned taste aversion (CTA) to the KWS top level scientists including the KWS Director, Julius Kipng’etich and many senior scientists that serve as department directors. I was very impressed with the discussions we had and the overall interest in […]

Applying my Research to Restore Mighty Predators Africa or America, it’s the same story worldwide. People own livestock, predators eat livestock, people destroy predators. My research attempts to break this universal truth by removing a key factor from the equation. Through Conditioned Taste Aversion (CTA) we can tap in to an evolutionary defense mechanism and […]

Photo of Hyenas during a night drive on the Big Cat Safari In my early safari days, Kenya and the Masai Mara was not appealing as I’d heard stories and seen photos of huge numbers of vehicles at a sighting, to the point where it prevented the behavior of the animals. I subsequently have learned […]

Observing a lioness hunt successfully in the mid-afternoon was one of many behavioral highlights on my Big Cat Safari. I have recently returned from the best big cat game viewing safari (view .pdf) that I have ever had! It came at the perfect time as I had promoted this itinerary for its potential to observe […]

African wild dogs on Sosian Ranch in pursuit of a scrub hare. Photo courtesy, ©Marc Mol, a client of The Wild Source Observing African Wild Dogs in Kenya In recent years those wanting to see African wild dogs were smart to head to Botswana, as it has been the most reliable location. In fact, this […]

One of the three impressive Mapula Boys photographed in September by a client of The Wild Source. Courtesy and © BF. Mapula Lions as Elephant Hunters We frequently plan safaris to Botswana for our clients, and the interaction between Elephants and Lions can fascinating there. It appears that the Mapula lion pride has learned to […]

A polar bear jumps from ice flow to ice flow as it searches for seals to hunt. ©Bill Given I am writing this from virtually as far north on the planet as one can go with the exception of using a nuclear ice breaker. I am on Lindblad’s National Geographic Explorer and we have smashed […]

Humpback whale lunge feeding Last week I was in Alaska, the first stop on a quest to find some Out of Africa exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities that would be of interest to my African safari clients. All of the principles of The Wild Source still apply and my search is for magnificent wildlife and wilderness […]

Lions on the Hunt: A Thrilling Safari Experience from Chindeni Camp In Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park A lioness begins the hunt in South Luangwa. Observing social animals like lions hunt is fascinating and in darkness you have to depend on all your senses to capture the experience. © Bill Given In October while on […]

Encounter with an African Wild Dog at Grassland Bushman Lodge Unique Predator Encounters Available at Grassland Bushman Lodge Grassland Bushman Lodge (also known as Grasslands Safaris) provides a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about predator/livestock conflict in a very dramatic way – up close and personal. An Eye to Eye Look at an African […]