Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania (June 23 - July 22, 2006)

Well, what can I say? This summer I undertook my first ever backpacking trip! This is an attempt to reconstruct the events of the last 4 months using my fragmented memory and some cool photos. I wish I was in the habit of maintaining a proper diary! My trip to JFK on June 22nd was frought with danger. Danger of missing my flight. I had to PAY mi hombre to take me to the airport with just under 3 hours to spare would have left. I knew that I can always corrupt the Mormon with moolah.

I spent just a month at Amani Nature Reserve, a sub-montane rain-forest nestled in the East Usambaras, part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania, but it feels like an eternity and it was probably the highlight of my summer travels. I was involved in TBA's tropical biology course. I truly gained an appreciation for natural history and it gave me a chance to think outside of birds. As it is, tropical forest bird densities birds are low, but coupled with winter and high elevation (~1000m), any hopes of working on birds for a project was "shot". The hornbills were conspicuous but too high up in the elevation, the barbets, always heard but seldom seen and the abundance of sunbirds depended on sunshine which was ephemeral. So I ended up working on vocalizations and territoriality of some cool frogs (Bufonidae: Nectophrynoides tornieri).


Sisal plantations en route to Muheza from Dar


If you know the nomenclature of any unidentified organism on this page, please post it as a comment.





Usambara soft-horned chameleon (Bradypodion tenue)? Most of the Chameleons that occur at Amani are supposedly endemic to the Usambaras.


Our brave nightly frog-walkers! Unfortunately, the waters in the swamp came chest high at places and or the waders had holes right at the toes. You were guaranteed to get wet one way or the other.



P. A. R. T. Y!!


The endemic African Violet (slightly out of focus)





Contemplating Life or watching Hornbills as they swoop across the expanse quite prehistorically!


Daniele in his rare burst of ecstasy upon the quite undeserved Italian World Cup victory, thanks to Zinedine Zidane!


Silvery-cheeked Hornbills in silhouette.


White-chested Alethe (Alethe fuellebornii )


Sunset from Mbomole hill viewpoint (1090 mASL).



A skeletonized leaf, shows the extent of leaf herbivory and detritivory are characteristic in a tropical rainforest!


You herp people out there! Is this Cecil the Caecilian or a deceptive legless skink?


Another beautiful sunset from Mbomole hill.


Ah! Some action from Amani Premier League - Amani FC vs TBA Wanderers. Notwithstanding the penalty awarded to my challenge, we lost overall, but by a single goal.


The Amani locals teaching us a few step-dancing tricks!


Drunkenness!


The 2006 TBA Gangstaz and Wankstaz!