Latest news with #Zambezi

TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Body of missing Mfazazana fisherman recovered after suspected shark attack
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has confirmed the body of a 37-year-old fisherman who went missing in a suspected shark attack off Mfazazana near Hibberdene on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast has been recovered. 'On Sunday during ongoing search and recovery operations, police K9 search and rescue and water policing and diving services (WPDS) located and recovered the body of a man believed to be that of a man who went missing in the sea on Friday afternoon in an apparent shark incident,' said the NSRI. While the body showed 'obvious shark wounds that are being investigated' formal identification processes are under way. The man was reported missing on Friday after a dramatic incident in the ocean involving three fishermen. The group had been in the water near a school of sardines when a shark reportedly surfaced where the missing man was fishing. According to the NSRI, one of the friends tried to intervene but was forced to retreat when confronted by at least two sharks. 'It is believed the sharks were feeding on the school of sardines,' the NSRI said. This prompted police and diving teams from WPDS with K9 search and rescue units to launch a search on Friday but were unable to locate the man. The search resumed on Saturday, with assistance from the NSRI Shelly Beach crew and culminated in the recovery of the body on Sunday. An inquest docket has been opened by police. Shark Spotters, a marine safety and conservation group, said the incident highlights the real but rare danger posed by sharks in South African waters. 'Since records started for South Africa in 1905, there have been a total of 248 unprovoked attacks. Of these, most have occurred in the Eastern Cape with 103 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 90 cases and the Western Cape with 55 cases,' the organisation said. They noted three species, the great white, bull (Zambezi) and tiger sharks, are responsible for most shark attacks in South African waters. '2015 saw the highest number of unprovoked shark attacks recorded in a year, with 98 attacks and six deaths. Though shark attacks occur throughout the world, the US, Australia and South Africa remain the main hotspots,' said Shark Spotters.
Travel Weekly
26-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
Natural Selection sets date for a Namibia safari camp debut
Natural Selection is developing Nkasa Linyanti, a six-room safari camp set to open in May 2026 in Namibia's Zambezi region, situated within a critical wildlife migration corridor. The property will occupy a private concession on Nkasa Island within Nkasa Rupara National Park, a conservation hot spot central to the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. As the only accommodation on the island, the camp will operate in a region known for supporting significant elephant migration routes and hosting Namibia's largest concentration of buffalo. For the bird-lovers Guest activities will include game drives, night drives, guided walks, mokoro safaris and boating excursions through the wetland ecosystem. The region's status as Namibia's premier birding destination, with more than 430 recorded species, makes it a particular draw for bird enthusiasts. Cultural interactions with local communities will also be offered. The contemporary under-canvas camp will feature six tented suites raised on wooden stilts above the floodplains, connected by pathways to a central lounge and dining area. Each tent will feature canvas walls that open to panoramic views across the wetlands, with both indoor and outdoor showers in the en-suite bathrooms. A vital role in conservation Jennifer Lalley, co-founder and chief impact officer at Natural Selection, said: "This park provides a crucial corridor for regional elephant movement and supports breeding herds of buffalo, the full carnivore guild and an incredible diversity of species within its savannah, riverine and wetland habitats. Its position in the very center of an important transboundary conservation area means that it's protection, or lack of protection, has cascading effects on all surrounding areas. It is for this reason that we are investing here and devoting a significant portion of our conservation funds to support the park's warden and rangers." • Cover story: A safari for every budget Seasonal flooding from Angola creates ecological conditions similar to Botswana's Okavango Delta, transforming the landscape into a network of reed-fringed channels and lagoons. The unfenced nature of the park enables wildlife to move freely across national boundaries. The camp's facilities will include a fire pit, swimming pool and bar area. Solar-powered with water treatment systems, Natural Selection said the camp's operation reflects the company's sustainability commitments. Access options include FlyNamibia connections from Windhoek to Katima Mulilo with light-aircraft transfers; road transfers from Katima Mulilo, Kasane and Victoria Falls; and self-driving to the park entrance followed by a game drive transfer to camp.