Cheetah with an attitude?

He looks menacing but in a fleeting moment I caught him as he looked straight at us. He was really non-threatening and posed nicely.

From our February 2012 trip to Serengeti. As usual, it was a great trip and we had a wonderful bunch of people with us. A couple of them were repeats from one of our photo tours of a few years ago. We'll be heading back in February 2013.

Presentation and Book Signing December 8 in Denver

I'll be giving a presentation about our battle to save Serengeti at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver on December 8, 7:30 PM. In case you don't know about it, the Tattered Cover is ranked as one of the great independent bookstores in the country. Fabulous people and a great place.

http://bit.ly/tbwjTM

Serengeti: The Eternal Beginning

Serengeti: the Eternal Beginning from Boyd Norton on Vimeo.

Wow - more comments. Thank you Richard Engel and Jane Goodall.

“Preserving the Serengeti is as much about saving our humanity, our link to nature and our own ancient past, as it is about stopping an environmental tragedy. Boyd's book, Serengeti: The Eternal Beginning covers it all very well.” Richard Engel, Chief Foreign Correspondent, NBC NEWS

"Boyd Norton has captured the magic of this ancient and majestic ecosystem. Through superb and deeply sensitive photographs and compelling accounts of his experiences there he introduces its animals and people. Serengeti: the Eternal Beginning is profoundly moving – you will understand why it is so important to preserve this place for generations to come." Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE. Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

A Few of the Great Pre-Publication Comments on My Serengeti Book

We've gotten some nice comments from folks who have seen some of the pre-publication layouts and pages.

"What manner of insanity would lead us to destroy our own cradle. A cradle that still brings forth so much life.
That is the Serengeti. And its richness and wonder are under great threat.
Boyd Norton's book, Serengeti, shows us this magical land in all its splendor, and demonstrates how we might better know it and preserve it". Ed Begley, Jr., actor, eco-activist

"Boyd Norton, who over the past fifty years has proven himself one of the world's finest wilderness photographers, immerses himself in the world's ultimate wilderness--the Serengeti--and produces his masterpiece: the capstone of his splendid career. Visually stunning, evocatively written, Norton's Serengeti brings us back to our common birthplace and makes a compelling argument for the need to protect and preserve it. Norton has convinced me: the Serengeti is the one place on earth I must experience before I die."
Joe McGinniss, author of Going to Extremes, Fatal Vision and (forthcoming) The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin.

"The Survival of the Serengeti and its mass migrations of animals is of critical importance for the world. This book of Boyd Norton's photographs conveys the whole magical essence of these great plains and animals."
Ian Player, Founder, International Wilderness School, South Africa

"On the eve of human and animal extinctions, on-going and those still to come, Boyd Norton's exquisite images of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro shock us back into East Africa's "eternal beginnings," its thundering migrations, and the nourishment of its stillness. This book is a gift, a piece of hope. Grab it now." Gretel Ehrlich, Author The Solace of Open Spaces

"A pictorial and poetic tour de force. " Kathi Anderson, Executive Director, The Thoreau Institute Walden Woods Project

"Boyd Norton's spectacular new book about the Serengeti comes at a crucial moment. His brilliant photography and compelling writing remind us of this incomparable place where life unfolds with unparalleled scale and drama, just as the Tanzanian government is uncovering plans for a road (and perhaps a railroad) that would disrupt the fabled migrations that define life in this grand landscape. I hope that this book will mobilize the lovers of the Serengeti to save it." John A. Knox, Executive Director, Earth Island Institute

And a whole bunch more - thanks to all.

Tickling the Dragon's Tail

During the 1960s I was a nuclear physicist conducting research on nuclear reactor safety at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho. It was exciting cutting edge science. In November of 1962 I sat at the controls of a reactor, operated remotely from a half mile away, and ran a super-prompt critical power excursion of such magnitude that it blew up the reactor. It was goddamn fun! The Atomic Energy Commission eventually killed all nuclear safety research. Knowing what I do about the various aspects of reactor safety, I feel we should not build anymore nuclear power plants. Reinforcing that viewpoint are the accidents at SL-1, Fermi, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and now Fukushima. Here's the video of my blowing up the reactor.

Evolution Today
In my 26 years of travel in East Africa I have never witnessed anything like this. This baboon appears to be very comfortable with bipedalism. One wonders if others in his troop will adapt and adopt this form of locomotion. Paleoanthropologists suggest that bipedalism played a key role in human evolution.

The Next Step in Saving Serengeti

We've started Serengeti Watch as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and part of Earth Island Institute. SW is designed to monitor the Serengeti ecosystem long-term and to alert the public of imminent threats - such as the currently proposed commercial highway. Information here:
http://www.savetheserengeti.org/home/#axzz14cuYoxP6

Join (and donate if you can) and pass it on. Thanks.

Save the Serengeti

What is This "Mama Grizzly" Crap from the Wicked Witch of the North

So Sarah "Wicked Witch of the North" Palin is trying to organize her right-wing loonies with the Mama Grizzly mantra?

When governor she promoted the slaughter of grizzly bears, along with wolves.

Click on image to enlarge.

Survey Ribbons for Proposed Serengeti Highway

The graffiti of the destroyers! Photos courtesy of Nikki Waterhouse. Shots made between Klein's Gate and Maasai village of Ololosokwe in western Loliondo.

Click on photo to enlarge.

Important Documents Related to the Serengeti Highway Threat

Serengeti General Management Plan

This is an in-depth study with important information on various impacts on the Serengeti ecosystem.

And

Loliondo-Serengeti Road Report

This last is a complete whitewash of the situation, written by engineers with no input from researchers or conservation groups. It's only 10 pages long, with no meaningful content except to rubber-stamp approval for the project.

The Impact of the Proposed Serengeti Highway

This photo was made 6 days ago (May 31, 2010) in very nearly the exact place where the proposed Serengeti highway would bisect this part of Serengeti and Loliondo. We must stop this madness. The greatest wildlife migration on earth will be severely impacted by this road.
Not far from this spot there are survey ribbons hanging on trees - the graffiti of the engineers!
Email: info@tanzaniaparks.com
Let them know that this is a totally stupid idea and could destroy the great wildebeest and zebra migration.

The Serengeti Highway - A MAJOR Disaster!

Is this how you want to view wildlife in Serengeti??
The proposed northern highway across Serengeti (see blog post below) will result in a major increase in poaching in the region that is now difficult to access. Tanzania National Parks is re-introducing black rhinos in this region with plans for up to 32 rhinos in the next few years.
This is how they will end up!
Serengeti is a World Heritage Site.
If this highway goes through, it may be re-classified as an Endangered World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Don't let this happen. Email Tanzania National Parks: info@tanzaniaparks.com
Also email the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington: ubalozi@tanzaniaembassy-us.org
Get involved to save the greatest animal migration on earth!
Click on image to enlarge, if you can stand it.

A Major Threat to the Greatest Animal Migration on Earth

I just returned from leading one of my photo tours in Serengeti and discovered a major tragedy in the making. This is the biggest threat to the Serengeti ecosystem in decades. A major highway (in red on the map) is planned to cut across the migration path of millions of animals. (The migration paths are the colored arrows) This high speed highway could have hundreds of trucks each day. Imagine the wildlife carnage from these speeding trucks. The road would also be the perfect pathway for a huge increase in poaching in the Serengeti.
Big money interests appear to be behind this.
There is a safer alternative route (in light green on the map) that bypasses Serengeti altogether.
If you care about this incredible ecosystem, email the Tanzanian Embassy right away and let them know that this would be one of the greatest wildlife disasters in history.
Email: ubalozi@tanzaniaembassy-us.org
Here's another address, Tanzania National Parks: info@tanzaniaparks.com
They probably won't do anything, but may pass it on to higher ups and it may make them realize this is a major international crisis that could have great impact on tourism!
Suggest to them that the effect on tourism alone would be enormous if the great migration were to be altered or destroyed!
We are setting up a special Facebook page dealing with this - check here for details.
Help Save the Serengeti. Click Here
Click the map to enlarge.