NEW BAT SPECIES FOUND IN SOUTH SUDAN EXCITES CONSERVATION FRATERNITY
Information was received from a source in Juba, the capital of South Sudan that a new bat species was discovered recently in the country and was subsequently named ‘Niumbaha Superba’.
Similar to a bat discovered in 1939 in the then Belgian Congo, now the Congo DR, according to a report sent from Juba, the newly discovered specied however varies enough to warrant a new categorization, different from the discovery in 39 which was named ‘Glauconycteris Superba’.
The small, black and white striped bat, was discovered in Western Equatoria State of South Sudan by a team from Bucknell University which led a scientific research expedition together with UK based Fauna & Flora International to the Bangangai Game Reserve which borders the Congo DR.
Conservation sources from within South Sudan used the opportunity to reiterate the rich biodiversity of the country and the magnificent national parks, which hold one of the world’s greatest migrations moving between Boma National Park, the Sudd and Bandingilo National Park, where once a year, around July and August, up to 2 million white eared Kobs, the Tiang and Mongalla gazelles congregate before returning to the places they set out from. An animated map of this migration can be found via www.bahr-el-jebel-safari.com. The largely underexplored country has inspite of such massive attractions, found it difficult to attract growing numbers of adventure travelers and upmarket clientele, mainly for the negative publicity South Sudan has been getting as a result of North Sudan’s constant aggression and fueling of conflict through proxies. Additionally however it is also for the lack of lodges and permanent safari camps, easy road access, scheduled light aircraft flights to the parks and bureaucratic obstacles like compelling visitors with cameras – who does NOT go on safari with camera and video recorder – to obtain photographic licenses, a costly and time consuming procedure singled out, besides other ‘registration requirements’ as the most off putting aspects of visiting South Sudan.
Mexico based Bahr el Jebel Safaris is arguably the best bet to explore the South Sudan’s 5 national parks and 10 game reserves, offering to facilitate such requirements, against a cost of course and organizing scheduled departures for their expeditions into the great wilderness areas, in the past described by this correspondent as ‘Africa’s last frontier for safaris’.
