DAY 15: OVER THE EDGE NEAR BUNDUKI GAP
Today we grabbed an early breakfast and hit the road for Bunduki Gap, an area that had been a small but critical unprotected zone between the Uluguru North and Uluguru South forest reserves.
During the CEPF investment period, grantee CARE International conducted a study of ecological and socio-economic factors related to a possible reforestation project in the area, and a WCS project found the Endangered Uluguru bush shrike extending its range from Uluguru North to the Uluguru South reserve, adding to the significance of the connecting Bunduki Gap, which is about 1 square kilometer in size. These projects provided evidence to support improved protection of the area.
The guides we had employed to take us through Mikumi park found themselves first driving us through the unfamiliar and challenging terrain of this part of the Ulugurus as our last stop before going to the park. It proved to be a long, extremely bumpy ride.
On the counsel of Elisa, we stopped at the mountainside Bunduki village government building to sign in—each one of us, in triplicate—and to ask one of the town officials to serve as our guide to the gap. Elisa thought the official’s presence would be especially helpful because of the potential tension a visit from an obvious group of outsiders could bring to the Bunduki Gap area where villagers have only recently agreed to halt their agricultural practices and receive compensation to give up the land to the reserve.
The official directed us even further up the mountain, on roads that were progressively narrowing, until we seemed to be driving on something more like an, overgrown hiking trail than a road. The bumps, ruts and mud made the driving treacherous, and got us into a dicey situation. The vehicle that held the town official, me, Kristina and Kellee, as well as our driver, hit a muddy spot or something and one wheel veered dangerously to the edge of the “road” and left the vehicle leaning over a steep drop. Those of us in the vehicle didn’t really understand what was happening until a few moments after we heard panicked shouts directing us to get out—“NOW.” We jumped out, and one of the more experienced drivers then raced up to take the wheel, while most of the rest of the group got behind the vehicle to push it away from the edge. After a few nerve-wracking attempts, the group succeeded in moving the vehicle to safety. 
It was around this time that John decided we were close enough, as we had a good view of Bunduki Gap, and we halted forward progress. The points John wanted to make about the site were clear enough from that distance—the incredibly obvious difference in forest cover between the protected and previously unprotected areas, and the farming that had taken over former forest area through most of the surrounding landscape. It was easy to understand why many concerned with conservation in the Eastern Arc consider the protection of the corridor critical to maintaining what healthy forest is left. And because these mountains are a crucial source of fresh water for huge swath of the country’s population, including Dar es Salaam, it’s also clear that maintaining some of the natural ecosystem should be an urgent matter to more than just conservationists.
Through the efforts of the U.N. Development Program and Global Environment Facility, and with support from CEPF, the Tanzanian government has recognized the need to preserve the area. It paid farmers to stop cultivation in Bunduki Gap, and designated it part of the recently created Uluguru Nature Reserve that also includes the former Uluguru North and South forest reserves. The nature reserve designation is internationally recognized and offers more stringent protections to the area.
After having a look around, we got back in the vehicles and slowly, carefully made our way back down the mountain, dropped off the official with many thanks for her help, and continued on our way to Mikumi.
The park is home to many of Africa’s best-known mammals as well as an abundance of its lesser known wild things. The mere drive in to our accommodations became a de facto game drive as we passed large numbers of impala, giraffe, and zebra, as well as a few elephants.
We were supposed to have camped in tents at the park, but the rains had made it too wet, and we were forced indoors to bandas run by the park. Previous: DAY 14/Next: DAY 16