Birdwatching is one of those skills that becomes more rewarding the longer you do it. At first, all the fluttering wings and quick movements can feel overwhelming, but once you know what to look for, patterns start to appear. The GISS method is one of the best tools to help you get there. GISS stands for General Impression of Size and Shape. It’s a method used by guides, rangers, and birders around the world to identify birds quickly and confidently, even with only a short g

Every so often, someone spots a bright green snake sliding across a wall or sunning itself in a tree and immediately sounds the alarm — “Boomslang!” It’s an understandable reaction, but more often than not, what they’ve actually seen is the spotted bush snake. And despite the confusion, this sleek little reptile couldn’t be more different from its venomous lookalike. The spotted bush snake (Philothamnus semivariegatus) is one of the most commonly seen snakes in southern Afric

Spend a little time around safari chatter and you’ll hear people use the words African buffalo and Cape buffalo like they mean the same thing. It’s an easy mix-up – after all, they look pretty similar, they’re both part of Africa’s famous Big Five, and they both have that same “don’t mess with me” stare. But there is a difference. Let’s start with the basics. The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is the umbrella species – the big picture term. Within that species, there are a

This blog was written by Brandon Huxtable, a IFGA Safari Guide student. Each student takes a turn as camp manager, and writing a blog is...