Flora and Fauna: Miombo Woodland

Miombo leaves putting out their leaves

One of the more unique features of the south is the Miombo Woodland ecosystem. Miombo is actually a non-scientific vernacular term but usually references the oak-like trees, typically dominated by the genus of Brachystegia (though also Julbernardia and Isoberlinia). The trees typically shed their leaves in the dry season before producing a flush of new leaves right before or after the first rains. These leaves are a mix of yellow, gold, and red, which really look like the "fall foliage" of forests in temperate climates.

The Miombo woodlands here are characterized by having a long dry season and poor, sandy soils. Although wildlife density is low, elephants, lions, and other large mammals exist in the landscapes. There are also quite a few species of animals that are adapted to specific Miombo habitats.

We've enjoyed the visits to Miombo woodlands and they truly have a remarkably different feel. They are a bit eerie in the dry season when there are no leaves but when the rains come they are visually stunning. A well preserved Miombo woodland has a relatively clear understory so one can view wildlife from quite a distance away. Ana had worked in an area around Singida with a very nice miombo woodland and we'd hiked through a patch on the plateau in the Udzungwa mountains but I was surprised I wasn't very familiar given the vast expanse miombo woodlands cover. I suppose it's not too surprising given the low wildlife density and lack of tourism.

Typical Miombo forest

Ruaha National Park: African Wild Dogs

Photo credit to our friend who took these great pics!

One of the most difficult and sought after mammals to view in Tanzania is the African Wild Dog. Not only is it endangered with very few remaining in the wild but its movements are also unpredictable. There aren't any spots that have a high chance of viewing year round (unlike, for example, the rhino) and seeing them often comes down to luck. We are lucky because Ruaha National Park is one of the places with a relatively high chance of seeing them, especially when they are denning.

There are only around 6,000 African Wild Dogs left in the wild with habitat destruction and disease largely contributing to their decline. They need a huge territory and with habitat loss much of their historical range is now fragmented. There were a few that were equipped with satellite collars and their movements took them throughout Tanzania thousands of kilometers before the collars battery died. As a result, they can be sighted in strange places and usually only for a short duration of time. One was even seen near the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro!

We had heard there were some African Wild Dogs in Ruaha National Park and decided to take a trip to try to see them. We spend the night and woke up at 5:30 to try to take advantage of the first light as the dogs are most active in the mornings and evenings. We drove to an area of the park where they had been seen and I was a bit discouraged because the area was dense with bush and thus we couldn't scan very far. Right when I was giving up I saw a few dogs moving on the side of the road.

I couldn't believe our luck. The dogs, in true canine behavior, approached us with curiosity and got within 10m of our car! We watched them play for about a half hour before we heard a lion roaring quite close! The dogs took notice and casually moved back towards a hill in denser bush. We were in awe to have such an intimate time with the dogs and watching them relax and play in the morning all alone is one of the top wildlife experiences I've had in Tanzania!

Each dog has a unique coat pattern

Chillin in the grass. 

I was in shock as Ana tries to get her phone out for a quick picture. 

East of the Ruaha River Trip II

Great view of the dry Great Ruaha River

Having had such a great time exploring the land adjacent to the national park, we decided to head north and explore a similar area. We didn't have as much information as we did in our previous trip and the road was in worse condition, but it felt great to get out and explore!

The first half our day was quite miserable as the surrounding area was dense thicket with poor visibility as well as loads of tsetse flies. We pushed on and eventually reached a better habitat with acacia woodland and large baobab trees. We started to see wildlife like zebra, giraffe, and kudu, though everything was very skittish. We had heard there is/was quite a bit of poaching in this area and the shyness of the animals certainly supported this theory. 

In the evening we camped in the bush without a soul around. About an hour after the sunset we heard the familiar growl of a lion, somewhere closer than one km. I made sure the fire was going pretty good before we went to sleep. We were nearing a full moon so there was quite a bit of visibility and we spotted a pair of Black-backed Jackals inquisitively investigating our site. 

The next day we continued to explore the area and had a great view of a hundred plus elephants and buffalo from a distance. We saw elephant tracks and signs everywhere but we didn't see any from our car. Once again this reflects the likely tense interactions that they have with humans. 

We passed through some really cool grasslands and hugged the east side of the Great Ruaha River, which is the border to the national park. We tried to cut back east towards another village but we found the road blocked by a tree fall. We decided to go back the way we came, which was fine since we were prepared to drive quickly to avoid the tsetse flies!!

Great Ruaha River with an elephant skull

Campsite with the moonrise