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“The Luando river just before sunrise…”
The shepherds of the Luandos Reserve with their project booklets
“But the most worrying factor were insisting reports of poaching, brought to us by the shepherds. Poaching does seem to be closely linked with several diamond operations established along the Kwanza river, as they create an increasing demand for bushmeat, and this remains unchallenged. And of course, well armed poachers, not only are a permanent threat to the animals, but they put the lives of our shepherds in danger…”
Magnificent Mercury, the first born of our “new” Cangandala
Visit our Giant Sable page to read biologist Pedro Vaz Pinto’s Second Trimester 2013 Report with photos from Angola’s Cangandala Park, in English and Portuguese.
Angola Field Group 
November 1, 2013 at 1:02 am
To Senhor Pedro Vaz Pinto,
As a foolish young man I journeyed to Angola in 1974 and took photos of the giant sable in Cangandala. Our guide was Fernando da Silva. At the time there was suppose to be about 2000 sable in the two preserves. It was a smoky August afternoon when we spotted a herd of cows and calves; many exciting moments followed. Ten minutes later Silva pointed ahead, and standing just behind one of the miombo trees was a huge black bull. As he started the vehicle forward the bull charged past us, and into the herd, scattering the others in all directions.
Silva turned the vehicle round and shut the motor off, his mouth wide open. Through our interpreter, Antero Pacheco, he told us that he had never seen a giant sable with horns that big. Only after that event and several more aggressive displays by the bull did we translate millimeters into inches. His estimate was that the sable’s horns were 65 inches, equal to the world record. (Photos were lost by my wife of the time, who during in her endless moves from one place to the next tossed them out.)
Since I then I have been to Africa eight times to eight different countries, and have photos of about 45 species of African antelope. These include numerous majestic sables taken in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia. But none are equal to palanca real.
It is my intention to read your website journal from beginning to end over the next two weeks. Don’t suppose you have anything useful in your preservation efforts for an American guy approaching seventy years age. I’m still pretty strong with a lot of stamina, but like my beer in the evening.
Best, Christopher Burchfield
November 4, 2013 at 5:17 pm
Thank you for your very interesting comment, which we’ve passed on to Pedro Vaz Pinto.
January 6, 2016 at 2:05 pm
I enjoy and look forward to your reports! When can we expect the third and fourth trimester report of 2015?
January 26, 2016 at 6:02 am
The third one will be posted within the next two weeks!