Adventures in Niger

Just wanted to let you all know about my latest adventures in Niger. A couple of weeks ago I went to visit a villager in the bush. We took an hour bush walk to this village near the river which is known for its bird sanctuary. The birds migrate during the dry season looking for water in the seasonal lakes beside the Niger River. We were able to take a pirogue (dug out canoe) ride at sunset on one of the lakes and saw thousands of birds on the water. After getting near them, the entire flock took off in what seemed like a cloud, it was incredible!

Last week I went to see another volunteer at her village which is on the bank of the Niger River. In the evening we took a pirogue ride on the river and went on foot into the national park with one of the guides. Elephants! We turned a corner and saw five elephants grazing on the other side of a canal. After watching them for a bit, we headed further into the bush on a path beside one of the canals searching for another heard of elephants. After about a twenty minute walk, we spotted some elephant dung, kept walking and found a herd of eighteen elephants on the opposite bank of the canal! They were amazing to watch. One of the best things about it was the fact that we were able to see them grazing in their natural environment. We were only about twenty feet away from the herd and they were not at all worried by our presence. We sat on the edge of the river and watched them for some time, grazing at the water's edge and reaching up with their trunks to reach the foliage in the trees. At sunset we left the elephants and rode around a bit more on the river before heading back to the village. It was an unforgettable day in Niger. Hopefully next time I will be able to spend longer in the bush and see a variety of animals- there are supposed to be baboons and a wide variety of birds. A few people have also come across lion dung so we'll see how it goes. All is well in Niger and hot season is here. Much love, Jah Bless