Fathala Wildlife Reserve in Senegal is almost 15,000 acres of protected forest land that was originally a Mandinka village until 1996. Since 2000 the owners have fenced, developed watering holes, and imported some of the animals from South Africa to create a safari experience in West Africa. This eco-resort is dedicated to preserving endangered species and has been successful in helping to save the rarest and most beautiful of all antelopes from extinction: The Western Giant Eland, also known as the Lord Derby Eland is the largest antelope in the world.

Fathala is located just across the Gambia-Senegal border near Barra where the River Gambia enters the Atlantic Ocean. After passing through customs, a staff member was waiting for us in an air conditioned van for a short drive to the facility. Upon arrival at the resort we were given a cold glass of wanjo juice, as we were welcomed into the beautiful lodge that only had a handful of other guests. Our luxurious air conditioned safari tent was shaded by majestic African Mahogany Trees. We were fortunate that the two days we were there the weather was delightful, with a light cloud cover to protect us from the harsh sunlight, and a constant cooling breeze that kept the insects away. We didn’t need to use the air conditioning in our tent, we just opened all the screened windows and enjoyed the beautiful environment.

Fathala means “don’t touch” and acknowledges the sacred aspects of this beautiful historic location. After a delicious lunch I had a private tour, riding in the back of an open truck to see the flora and fauna. One inspiring aspect of this preserve is the amount of impressive trees, because in The Gambia almost all old growth trees have been harvested for timber or firewood. Many of the trees were full of a wide variety of bird species, especially Hooded Vultures, Osprey, Abyssinian Rollers, and Little Bee Eater. Unfortunately, my iPhone doesn’t take good photos of fast moving or far away critters.

My two hour private tour was an amazing experience. My tour guide was very knowledgeable and shared many facts about the history of the area, the animals I was viewing and how Fathala cares for them. Conservation and wildlife preservation are a top priority for the managers of this eco-resort. The staff is very proud of their ability to create a protected place for the flora and fauna to thrive. My guide was very concerned about me having a great time, and initially we had a difficult time finding the giraffes and zebras, but he knew where to look and we were eventually successful.

Most of the animals are able to sustain a healthy diet with what is available on the preserve. I was impressed with how healthy all the animals were, especially compared to the poor condition of the livestock roaming around The Gambia. It was obvious that given a natural environment that has not been abused, the many animals are capable of thriving. The exception was the rhino that had his diet supplemented with peanut straw. This was fed out each evening near the pond that was next to resorts swimming pool deck, and was enjoyed by other animals also. They had also erected a couple of scratching posts for the rhino to play with. There used to be a female rhino also, but several years ago she had a fatal accident, and Fathala is currently looking for a replacement mate.

Our first day was truly special with wildlife viewing, swimming in the beautiful pool, relaxing on the deck reading, chatting with the staff about this special place, eating delicious food, watching the sunset through the majestic mahogany trees, and sleeping in our luxurious tents. We were up early the next day for another outing that included walking in the bush as the birds and monkeys were becoming active.

I was at first hesitant to go on the “Walk with the Lions” tour, thinking that perhaps they were being exploited. After speaking with the manager and learning about how this tour came about, I decided to go. Evidently, about three years ago Fathala acquired six young lions from two different blood lines with the plan to start a natural breeding facility. After raising them to the stage they could be released into the wild, it became apparent the lions were too socialized and did not want to live independently. I’ve had a lot of experience raising and training animals, and was very impressed with how the lions were treated by their handlers.  The object of this experience was for the staff to get photos of people close to the lions. We did not touch or interact with the lions, which I was grateful for so they weren’t confused about who was incharge, and it fun to spend time with them in their environment. All the animals at Fathala were very well cared for and I was happy to support this endeavor.

Taking vacations and short breaks from my PC service has been the balance I need to stay healthy both mentally and physically in this very challenging environment. My last vacation will be to the UK where I’ll arrive in London and meet up with my son Irion, daughter-in-law Min and granddaughter Hazel. We’ll be in London for six days, then take a train to Scotland and enjoy the remaining ten days visiting a couple of cities and touring the highlands. I return to The Gambia in early September to finish my agriculture projects, so I can return to Portland the beginning of December when my two years are complete. Stay tuned to stories about our UK adventures.