In the dense forest of the Daxiangling Mountains in Sichuan Province grows the favourite food of giant pandas – various bamboo species including arrow bamboo. The slopes are usually covered with snow from the end of November to the end of March the following year. As in the wild, giant pandas generally live at relatively high altitudes and prefer cool places with rich food resources, rugged terrain and abundant water, making the mountain range an ideal habitat for them.   The…

THE resumption of service by ProFlight Zambia between Durban and Lusaka is poised to provide a much-needed boost trade and tourism between South Africa and Zambia. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the South African province, has welcomed the service by the airline that serves the business community and tourism industry. “This new air service will undoubtedly play a role in strengthening the business links between the two destinations,” said Siboniso Duma, KZN Member of the Executive Committee for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental…

VIVO has sealed a deal as the exclusive device partner of the Miss South Africa pageant. The ambitious Chinese smartphone maker has announced the partnership,coinciding with the launch of its new V27 flagship series in the country. Vivo unveiled the V27 5G and the V27e at an event in Johannesburg. The partnership with Miss South Africa is a giant leap in the Dongguan-headquartered firm’s mission to increase its market share in the Southern African country. Miss South Africa is one…

BEACH goers have been alerted to the danger posed by seals after the animals were spotted in Durban. “Over the last couple of days, there have been some seals that have visited sections of the south coast of Durban,” stated the KwaZulu-Natal Ezemvelo. “This is not a common phenomenon in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) so it has created quite a hype among the angling community and general public,” it added. Among precautions, people must not pose next to or close to a…

THE resumption of flights by Eswatini Air to South Africa is anticipated to boost trade between the two countries. The direct flight to Durban was opened early in May, with a maximum capacity of 50 passengers operated by an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft. It operates flights on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. There are plans to increase frequencies to seven times a week from this month, based on demand. The route is expected to facilitate trade between KwaZulu-Natal (KZN)province and Eswatini,…

GAUTENG, South Africa’s economic hub, has welcomed the commencement of flights into the country by Zambia Airways. The first flight touched down at the O.R Tambo International in Johannesburg on Thursday amid fanfare, as the aircraft was welcomed with the traditional water cannon salute. It will service the Lusaka-Johannesburg route with flights running twicedaily. Gauteng Air Access, in collaboration with the Gauteng Tourism Authority(GTA), has been working closely with Zambia Airways to make this route areality. “Now, we’re ready to…

Zhang Jiliang and Wang Youliang, two villagers from Baoxing County, Ya’an City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, came close to wild giant pandas on 12 May while working in the virgin forest at an altitude of 2,700 metres above the sea level in Liangzigou, the source of the Qingyi River.  “The giant panda drank river water for three full minutes before walking towards the direction we were hiding,” Zhang said. In order not to affect the giant pandas, they took the…

CLIMATE change, leading to reduced water levels, illegal fishing and poor methods are putting under threat the lives and livelihoods of fishers dependant on the Lake Kariba. Artisinal fishermen in the Siavonga district, south of Zambia, lamented the setbacks amid poor fish harvests. “Our source of livelihood as artisanal fishermen is under threat due to the diminishing water levels in Lake Kariba,” said Edward Kombe of Matinangala area. He depends on fishing to provide for his wife and three children.…

BECAUSE of its magnificence and its teeming wildlife as well as clear, mesmerising blue waters and cultural heritage, Kariba has vast potential to be a tourist hub in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc. Also boasting the largest man-made dam in the world, the northern Zimbabwean town has the capacity to match the more famous Victoria Falls if properly marketed. Thus, the Zimbabwean government is intensifying efforts to revive the city as a prime tourist destination. When tourism…

THE expansion and frequency of routes by international airlines into Zimbabwe is a boost to the country’s Open Skies policy. Nunurai Ndawana, Fastjet Zimbabwe spokesperson, said the new routes area testament to the airline’s commitment to the growth of tourism and the sustainability of air services in the markets. These planned additional routes to the airline’s domestic network will offer seamless connections for travelers from Harare and Victoria Falls to Zimbabwe’s top domestic tourism destinations of Kariba and Hwange, with…