#508 Russell Gammon's Africa - Take A Virtual Walk on the Wild Side

Russell Gammon's Africa - Take A Virtual Walk on the Wild Side

The Not Old Better Show, Inside Science Interview Series

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, I'm Paul Vogelzang and this is episode #508. As part of our Smithsonian Associates Inside Science Interview series, we are joined today by the scientist, wilderness guide, and wildlife photographer Russell Gammon. Russell Gammon has been helping to fulfill such dreams, planning and leading private and small group safaris to some of Africa's most iconic destinations for 30 years.

Russell Gammon will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates program via Zoom, January 23, and the subject of his presentation is Russell Gammon's Africa: Take a Virtual Walk on the Wild Side. Please check our website for more details.

Who hasn't dreamed of glancing across a dry African savannah or standing beneath a jungle canopy, hoping to get a fleeting glimpse of a wild creature we've only seen in a zoo?

Today we'll discuss with Russell Gammon the virtual safari he'll take us on, through four of his favorite places on the continent. We'll stop first at Serengeti National Park to follow the greatest large-mammal migration as a megaherd of wildebeest and zebra chase the rains across endless grasslands. We will experience the unforgettable sight of the largest population of African elephants on Earth in Botswana's Okavango delta. We will be dazzled by the wild and unique inhabitants on the island of Madagascar, known as Africa's Galapagos. And, we'll visit Russell Gammon's favorite, the little-known Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. Nestled in the heart of the Lower Zambezi Valley, it is one of Africa's last true wilderness areas, where the Zambezi River meanders through a paradise that is home to large wildlife populations, including elephants, hippos, and crocodiles. After this unforgettable journey, just imagine what dreams you'll have.

Russell Gammon's family first arrived in Africa in the early 1820s. He is a popular wilderness guide with more than 30 years' experience leading expeditions and safaris throughout Southern and East Africa. Russell is also a gifted storyteller and an authority on the life of explorer David Livingstone. He has participated in an expedition with the British Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes that retraced the final portion of Livingstone's journey to the Victoria Falls and was featured in the National Geographic-PBS documentary The Lost Diary of Dr. Livingstone. For the past five years, Russell has been a Smithsonian Associate, lecturing annually at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., on a wide range of conservation-related topics. When not on safari, he lives in the small coastal town of Knysna on the southern tip of Africa, where we're are joining him today.

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