South Africa: 12 "Through the Lens" short films

Back in February 2013 we told you about South African Tourism's & National Geographic Channels' "Through the Lens" campaign, which follows the journey of 3 award-winning National Geographic to 3 iconic South African destinations: Cape Town, Durban and the Drakensberg. It took us, for some reasons, some weeks to find out that the three vignettes are actually part of a series of short videos which already started in 2008. Anyway, in meantime the "Through the Lens" campaign consists of 12 one-minute videos. Here we go:

1. Stephen Alvarez - Drakensberg
2. Lola Akinmade Akerström - Durban
3. Heather Perry - Cape Town
4. Mattias Klum -  iSimangaliso Wetland Park
5. Karen Kasmauski - Nieu Bethesda (Karoo)
6. Peter Magubane -  traditional Ndebele homestead in Mthambothini
7. Kim Wolhuter - Kgalagadi National Park
8. David Doubilet - Cape Town
9. Landon Nordeman - Johannesburg
10. Jodi Cobb - Johannesburg
11. Joel Sartore - Madikwe Game Reserve
12. Annie Griffiths Belt - Townships of Cape Town

South Africa: 227 rhinos killed by poachers so far in 2013

According to the latest statistics released by the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa has lost 227 rhinos to illegal poaching since the beginning of 2013. Of the rhinos poached, 163 rhinos were killed in the Kruger National Park, 20 in North West, 18 in KwaZulu-Natal, 16 in Limpopo and 10 in Mpumalanga.
Despite the increase in poaching, the Minister also notes with appreciation the work done by various law enforcement agencies that led to the arrest of 60 people since the beginning of 2013, 36 of them in the Kruger National Park.

Latest rhino poaching figures (as of 12 April 2013):  

• Kruger National Park (SANParks) - 163 rhinos poached
• Mapungubwe National Park (SANParks) - 0 rhino poached
• Gauteng - 0 rhino poached
• Limpopo - 16 rhinos poached
• Mpumalanga - 10 rhino poached
• North-West Province - 20 rhinos poached
• Eastern Cape - 0 rhino poached
• Free State - 0 rhino poached
• KwaZulu Natal - 18 rhinos poached
• Western Cape - 0 rhino poached
• Northern Cape - 0 rhino poached

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is urging members of the public to report incidents of rhino poaching or any tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.

Billabong drops annual "Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay" surfing contest

The annual Billabong Pro surfing contest at Supertubes in South Africa's surfing Mecca, Jeffrey's Bay, has been canceled for the first time in 25 years. Billabong, the event's main sponsor, had to withdraw all its funding as the surf and skatewear brand is currently facing financial troubles. The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay event, which usually attracted some of the biggest names in international surfing, used to take place in Jeffrey's Bay every July. Due to the cancellation of the surfing event, the coastal town stands to lose an estimated 15 to 20 million rand in potential revenue. Last year Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay was already downgraded from World Championship Tour status and to a 6-star rated World Qualifying Series event. The good news is, that, according to Billabong SA marketing manager Chad D’Arcy, there are very serious discussions taking place at international board level to ensure that big time surfing does return to Jeffrey's Bay, either in 2014 or in the year thereafter. Hopefully!

Video: Zambia Tourism's new TV advertising campaign

Turner Commercial Productions (TCP), CNN International’s commercial department, has produced a new advertising campaign for Zambia Tourism designed to showcase Zambia's rich culture, wildlife, history and beauty. The campaign is being broadcast to CNN audiences in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South Asia and will also play across more than 50 airport screens in the US. How do you like it?

Air Mauritius to resume flights to Durban

Air Mauritius, the flag carrier of the island nation of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, is set to reintroduce flights between its main base at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU), located southeast of Port Louis, and King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban. As from 05 July 2013 the airline will operate two weekly flights onboard an Airbus A319 between the two destinations.

• 09:00 MRU > 11:20 DBU
• 12:10 DBU > 18:00 MRU

With the reintroduction of the twice-weekly flights to Durban, Air Mauritius decided to discontinue its night flights on the Mauritius <> Johannesburg route from 02 May 2013. Operations to Johannesburg at daytime will remain unchanged at a frequency of 7 flights a week. During peak periods, Air Mauritius may operate supplementary flights on Johannesburg and Durban to cater for additional demand. As part of the airline’s cost-saving plan, Air Mauritius dropped its direct route to Durban in October 2012.

Air Mauritius presently flies to eighteen destinations in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Indian Ocean.

What if... Africa's wild animals ate fastfood? (video)

Kudos ROLLIN' WILD! Rollin' Wild is a transmedia project by the Flying Stone GbR and the Institute of Animation, Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany).

Overland trips in Africa >>

LAM Mozambique to expand its Johannesburg services

The flag carrier of Mozambique, Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM Mozambique), will expand its services to Johannesburg in South Africa. From 28 April 2013 the airline will add a total of 10 weekly flights to its current schedule, including a daily service from Nampula in northern Mozambique.

• Maputo (MPM) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
  from 21 to 25 weekly flights
• Tete (TCX) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
  from two to five/six direct services (LAM currently operates two direct services per week and one weekly 1-stop service)
• Beira (BEW) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
  from three to five weekly flights
• Nampula (APL) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
  NEW - one daily flight three weekly flights

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >>