Big Bai!

On his last trip to Cameroon, NC Zoo veterinarian Dr. Mike Loomis and his team found a huge clearing (bai) in the dense forest of Nki National Park. (Link - click on "CARPO Focus April - June 2006", then go to pages 18 and 19.)

The clearing may be the largest in the "sub region", according to Peter Ngea writing for WWF (World Wildlife Fund) CARPO (Central African Regional Programme Office) Focus, on page 18 of the pdf at the link above. Dr. Loomis reports having seen 21 elephants and 16 buffalos in the bai, page 19.

Ikwa Bai seems to "draw" many other species of animals, causing Dr. Loomis to consider it a potential eco-tourism destination.

On pages 11-13, Peter Ngea reports on the dangers of tagging African elephants in Cameroon, retelling some of the bad experiences of the last two tagging efforts, in an 8-year program of many successes.

There is another photo of "Dr. Mike" on Page 9, before page 10's story by Pegue Manga: "African Elephant - One of Nature's Remaining Wonders". There are quotes by another member of the elephant tagging team, Dr. Michael Kuwong, WWF veterinarian and biologist.