#adventuresforacause

We were so lucky to see lots of elephants on the trek. But Tanzania has become the epicentre of the poaching crisis, losing around 60% of its elephant population since 2009. It’s a crucial cause, and we’ll be walking there again next year, raising funds to save these magnificent and endangered animals. #savingelephants #100milesforelephants #adventuresforacause #tanzania #serengeti #walkingforelephants #spaceforgiants #honeguidefoundation #hiddenplacestravel #hiddenplacesadventures @malibranks @yamsiol @ginaberko

While wildebeest are the main stars of the Great Migration, their companions the zebra play a really important role. The two species have a symbiotic relationship: the zebra eat the longer grasses, opening up the shorter grasses preferred by wildebeest. Zebra are also smarter than the adorable but sometimes goofy wildebeest. They play a key role in remembering the course of the migration and they are keenly attuned to the sounds and sights of predators, sending up fast and loud warnings. But zebra also rely on the wildebeest, who have an incredible sense of smell for water and are skilled at finding drinking sources. Our trekking group in Tanzania were lucky enough to witness these zebra leading the way across a river. And - watch for the next post - they had some great up close zebra encounters. #zebra #africa #tanzania #100milesforelephants #adventuresforacause #symbiosis #wildlifephotography #walkingsafari #rivercrossing #hiddenplacestravel #hiddenplacesadventures @malibranks @yamsiol @ginaberko #honeyguidefoundation #spaceforgiants

When you are walking across the Serengeti and you come across a family of giraffe….just one of the many incredible sightings on our 100 Miles for Elephants trek. . . . #tanzania #100milesforelephants #walkingsafari #adventuresforacause #africa #serengeti #giraffes #wild #liveyourdream #hiddenplacestravel #hiddenplacesadventures #giraffefamily

Quick, get the binoculars out! Our 100 Miles for Elephants group had great wildlife sightings on their trek. One of the group just wrote that ‘we saw amazing numbers of various antelopes, giraffes ,elephants, zebra - and the wildebeest migration - while walking. On game drives (to get to and from the start and end of the walk) we also saw a lot of lions and even a leopard.” The groups’ photos are arriving now and I’ll be posting some of them this week. #adventuresforacause #100milesforelephants #tanzania #africa #wildlifesighting #serengeti #wayouthere #wildwalks #hiddenplacestravel #hiddenplacesadventures #honeyguidefoundation #spaceforgiants @malibranks @yamsiol @ginaberko

Our interactions with elephants have taught us that humans are no different to other animals. We are not at the top of a pinnacle and superior to other species. Instead, we are part of a huge delicate web and our actions have repercussions for all other living things. Elephants are endangered: by poaching, by human elephant conflict, by climate change, by politics. We continue our efforts to help conserve them and improve their lives. In few weeks we will be walking 100 miles across the Serengeti in Tanzania, raising funds for anti poaching efforts – to date we have raised over $100,000 for this vital work. And we support initiatives to introduce humane training and handling methods for captive elephants. Let’s make sure these beautiful giants prosper – the world would be a very sad and diminished place without them. . #elephants #conservation #keystonespecies #worthmorealive #stopthetrade #adventuresforacause #spaceforgiants #honeyguidefoundation #wildaid #elephantfamily #hiddenplacestravel #hiddenplacesadventures

So why do we care so much about elephants? There are so many reasons and over the next few days we will share some of them. First: in ecological terms elephants are a keystone species, playing an important role changing the environment and maintaining the biodiversity of ecosystems. On the savannahs of Africa, they feed on trees and bushes, helping to maintain up the grasslands that support other animals. In the forests they create gaps in the vegetation, allowing a diverse number of plants and other organisms to grow. During dry seasons and in dry areas they dig with their tusks for water, opening up watering holes that other species – from bees to baboons – can access. Most of the plant matter they eat passes through them, and their dung is full of seeds that grow into new vegetation. Some species of trees rely solely on elephants to spread their seeds. Without #elephants whole landscapes would transform and other species would disappear. #keystonespecies #savetheelephants #racingextinction #jointheherd #spaceforgiants #adventuresforacause #hiddenplacestravel #hiddenplacesadventures #wildlifephotography

Trekkers' rest stop in the land of snow leopards. #hiddenplacesadventures #hiddenplacestravel #adventuresforacause #snowleopard #himalayas #india #trekking #wild #mountains