Biologist Pedro Vaz Pinto’s First Trimester 2017 Report with photos of Angola’s Cangandala Park and Luando Reserve, in English and Portuguese, now on our Giant Sable page.

              Camping under the stars in the Luando Reserve.

A skillful drone pilot accompanied Pedro to the Luando Reserve which allowed for a careful survey of some herds. For example, they were able to count a total of 41 animal in Herd 5, see two videos below: 

“A most spectacular experience was flying a drone over a few sable herds. I confess that I had been sceptical about the feasibility of filming wild herds with a drone in the remoteness of Luando reserve, but I was proved wrong, indeed very wrong. I travelled to Luando with my good friend and professional photographer Kostadin Louchanski. We were able to film amazing behavioural scenes, including hierarchical interactions among three master bulls and pre-mating behaviour with females. Pretty unique stuff!”

“In Cangandala the breeding signs have been excellent with plenty of calving, and also with a notably increase of many young bachelor males.”

    Plenty of calves suggest a very successful breeding season in Cangandala.

 Yearling sable males.

And a look at some of the insects inhabiting the park:

               A hunting spider preys on a grasshopper.

                     Unidentified flying insect.

                   Unidentified insect.

Visit our Giant Sable page to read Pedro Vaz Pinto’s full report.