Hunted to the brink of extinction, the African elephant is making a dramatic comeback - thanks to an amazing example of nature's adaptability.
It is the elephant's tusks that have been its downfall. Ivory, once prized as highly as gold, is still a commodity to kill for.
So many elephants have been massacred by poachers that in the African bush the very balance of nature has come under threat.
But now the poachers are being foiled by nature. A genetic reaction to years of slaughter is producing a dramatic increase in the number of elephants born without tusks.
Fort the poachers, no tusks means no profit, and no reason to kill. Thus, tuskless elephants survive and increase their numbers; those with tusks continue to diminish.
It is the elephant's way of saving itself from extinction - and they are already being allowed to trumpet their success.
The natural fightback against decades of illegal and uncontrolled poaching has brought about a remarkable recovery in once - dwindling numbers.
At one national park in Uganda, for example, there were 3,500 elephants in 1963. Thirty years later there were just 200. Today the population is 1,200 and growing rapidly.
The tuskless phenomenon has been chronicled by researchers at Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. A survey in 1980 recorded that only one per cent of elephants were without tusks, as a result of a rare genetic mutation.
Now Dr Eve Abe, a Cambridge educated elephant specialist with the Government of Uganda, says that 15.5 percent of female elephants and 9.5 percent of the males in the park are tuskless.
Evidence is coming in that the tuskless elephant is occurring all over Africa, and particularly in southern Tanzania, where poaching levels are high.

"HEART OF WILDNESS"
(Conde Naste Traveller - January 1999)
(Prior to refurbishment of the Lodge)

Here stood the Mweya Safari Lodge, suspended in the sky between two bodies of water. Porters ushered us through the lobby, past a giant pair of elephant tusks and onto a veranda that commanded one of the most spectacular views in Africa - Lake Edward on one side, the Kazinga Channel on the other, and before us, the Mountains of the Moon, their flanks clad with mysterious forests, their snowcapped peaks lost today in cloud. We collapsed into wicker chairs, struck dumb by the sight of an alpine landscape on the equator. Waiters brought tall glasses of passion fruit juice. A lanky, bearded fanatic sat down beside us and started jabbering about birds.
Malcom Wilson spent his asthmatic boyhood staring out of fogged-up windows at shivering sparrows in rainy English gardens. From such beginnings grew a lifelong obsession that eventually landed him here, where he was trying to establish a bird-watching center. "It's a gold mine, if you understand birding," he said. "We hold the world record for a one-day species count - 397 species in a single day. There are 558 species in this park alone." He began to enumerate them: fish eagles, palearctic ospreys, Goliath herons, the papyrus gonolek, the bare-faced go-away bird, and the legendary shoebill, a huge pterodactyl like creature with yellow eyes and an imbecilic expression, almost impossible to see on account of its preference for impenetrable swamps.

MWEYA ENJOYS FRUITS OF CHANGE
(The New Vision - 24th February 2000)

"This is heaven on earth" wrote a family from Kisumu in the Mweya Safari Lodge visitors' book. "Lovely!! Excellent service and hospitality," Lilian Acom's scribbling reads. "What a nice place you have got here. Lovely is the word," a couple's message states. And the writings go on and on.
Forget the times when the place was under Uganda Hotels. Mweya has recently been renovated to standards that can hardly be matched in Uganda.
The lodge boasts of a breathtaking panoramic view overlooking Lake Edward on one side and the Kazinga Channel on the other. One does not have to venture from the hotel to view the whole area that is teeming with game and bird life.
"This is a beautiful place. It is a very good first impression of Uganda," says Janine Rosmalen, a journalist from the Dutch National Radio KRO.
"This is a very different scenery. It is a more breathtaking view than some of the places I have visited," chips in Faharen who is enjoying the water of Lake Edward with a group of six people.
"I have never been to a place like this. You can swim and still view the game! That is the best thing," she adds with ecstasy.
"It is a pity this image of Uganda is not catered for. If my mother knew that I was here, she would faint," Rosmalen says.
The Lodge has a unique character provided by its traditional architecture. The traditionally designed single storey structures of the main building and the separate guestroom blocks, all constructed from local materials, are reminiscent of a different era.

'MWEYA SAFARI LODGE'
(Travel News - August 2000)

'I was pleasantly surprised to see the 'new' Mweya, when visiting it recently. As we approached the lodge towards the peninsula on which it is located, it presented itself with a new 'face', very much improved from the old days.
Rooms now have an airy feeling and all are air-conditioned. The roofs are thatched, giving a more indigenous feeling, and the car parks behind the rooms have been substantial new landscaping.
Much to my surprise, there were no buffets or set menus for lunch or dinner, but guests place a'la carte orders to their own liking. I found the menu just extensive enough to cater for all tastes. Mweya also has a very decent wine list, reasonably priced, with most of the good stuff coming from prime South African vineyards. The portions for dinner were on the large side, which left little room for the 'Crepe Rwenzori', a local variation of the indestructible Crepe Suzette, ably transformed by Mweya's German chef Thomas Gerasch.
Silver cutlery and crystal glasses are almost over the top for my feeling, but the Madhvani Group has spared no expense in transforming Mweya into a first class safari lodge. The selection of brands at the bar and the well stocked cigar box underline this assessment.
The scenery is of course fantastic, with Lakes George and Edward and the Kazinga Channel at ones fingertips and the Mountains of the Moon (Rwenzori Mountains) and the rift escarpment ever in the background. When leaving the tarmac to start the drive into the park (24 km from tarmac to the lodge on good murram) we immediately saw warthog, buffalo, water buck, Uganda kobs galore, and, half way to the lodge, a group of elephants with several very young calves. A bush buck bolted across the road just in front of us and later on spotted a giant forest hog, running into cover and then disappearing in the thick vegetation.
There is much to be done during a stay of Mweya, other than game drives. The launch ride along the shores of Kazinga Channel was spiced up by sightings of several large crocodiles, which in the past were rather uncommon and seem to have made their way into Lake Edward and parts of the channel. Hippos were ever present, both in the water and on land, where we observed many during the morning game drive.
Bird watching was as usual excellent, with five types of kingfishers seen in rapid succession. In the park there are over 560 species of birds recorded, and the bird count is still going up with other species being recorded in Maramagambo Forest and towards the southern part of the park (Ishasha sector). For bird watchers, rarer species to be seen here include papyrus canary, papyrus gonolek, white winged warbler, white tailed lark, black bee eater, African skimmer, blue breasted kingfisher and the shoebill stork. During the migration season unusual migratory birds can be found. And Mweya also lays claim to be single day spotting record of 397 species in one place - making it, even on an ordinary day, a gold mine for twitchers.
Primate fanatics can book a tour to Kyambura Gorge, where a chimp habituation project allows one to see these intelligent animals in their natural habitat.

'A WALK IN THE WILD DREAMS'
(The New Vision - 28th April 2001)

"Wow!" whispered Sidsel Kjolleberg, a Norwegian I had travelled with. This would have been the kingdom of The Lion King of Walt Disney. This is a place your child will enjoy.
Over 20 years ago, they had been hunted. Those that survived had made their way to the Congo, then called Zaire. Now the elephants are returning to Queen Elizabeth National Park in large numbers. The herd that we were seeing had over 20 elephants, most of them young. We were yet to see bigger herds.
I later learnt from Richard Hodgson, General Manager of the luxurious Mweya Safari Lodge where I was staying, that elephants are intelligent animals. If their lives are threatened, they move on to safer places.
We waited until they had moved on before following. I gasped. In a field surrounded by thickets, were over 40 elephants. The young played with their mothers. The adults massaged each other. These giants were so gentle they could not have broken an egg.
Earlier on, we had met a pride of 11 lions enjoying the morning. A distance away was the oldest of the pride, fondly called grandfather Abraham. Around the pride were antelopes grazing, which further reminded me of the move The Lion King.
This was our day in paradise. We had set out at 6.30 am, while it was still dark, to see the animals as day broke. Along the game drive were buffaloes, the shy bush-buck, hyenas and wart-hogs that looked like Pumba roaming between beautiful crater lakes. "This is perfect. I have been places, and not a few, but I have never seen a place like this. It is so quiet, so wild, so beautiful," Kjolleberg said.
The park covers over 1,900 km square. Set on a peninsular in the heart of the park, Mweya Safari Lodge commands a picturesque and breath-taking view of Mt.Rwenzori and the plains, home to generations of elephants. Almost everything in Mweya is about the elephants. In the compound stands a life size statue of George, an elephant that once lived here and ate from children's hands.
"It is so peaceful here. I have never had such an experience," Thelma Kraft, a friend I made on the safari said. I slept without a worry. The only fear was not having enough of the wildlife. At Kyambura George, a signpost read: "Take only photographs, leave only footprints."
For me, the elephants of Queen Elizabeth National Park had taken my heart. And in the words of Kraft, "If there is a heaven, this is it,".

"BIRD WATCHING IN UGANDA: MORE SPECIES, MORE FUN"
(The East African, 14-20th May 2001)

With an extra 54 species counted in the Queen Elizabeth National Park over the past five years, bird watching in Uganda is set to become even more exciting.
Experts say that for its size, Uganda has the largest bird species diversity per square kilometre.
By the last count, Queen Elizabeth National Park, which has the largest bird population in the country, had some 603 known birds. Little research on birds has been carried out in recent years and experts say the number could be higher. Malcolm Wilson, an ornithologist, has spent the past five years studying the Queen Elizabeth National Park and is credited with identifying the extra 54 species.
Annually, Uganda also plays host to some 114 species of migrant birds which fly down when it is winter in the northern hemisphere and go back in the summer.
Uganda has attracted 10 per cent of the world's 10,000 bird species because it is situated in a climatic convergence zone. The swamp belt that runs from Lake Victoria down to the north is one of the most prolific habitats. Its dwellers include the Papyrus Yellow Warbler, the White Winged Warbler, the Papyrus Gonoleck, and of course, the Shoebill Stork, arguably Uganda's proudest possession.
With its shoe-like beak, from which its name is derived, it is one of the most bizarre birds. The only bird in its family, it is large with non-birdlike eyes and a tuft of feathers rising from the back of its head.
The Shoebill's eating habits are a marvel to watch. It stands still, listening out for sounds of the lungfish, its favourite food. Once it spots its prey, the shoe-like beak opens and ploughs through the water taking in the fish along with water and weeds.
Uganda is the best place to see it, for among the countries in which it is found - Congo and Rwanda also have it - Uganda, with its extensive swamp network, remains its biggest habitat.

MUSEVENI HAILS MWEYA
(The New Vison - 20th July 2001)

President Yoweri Museveni has commended Mweya Safari Lodge for the excellent services and the beautiful renovations at the lodge.
Museveni hailed the lodge during his recent visits to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Western Uganda.
He also recognised the long standing guest at Mweya. De-Haer Bowman, who has stayed at the lodge for the last 28 days.
Museveni, accompanied by the Director of Tourism for Madhvani Group, Mani Khan, signed in Mweya visitors' book on Tuesday saying, "Thanks for persevering. You are now winning. Blessed are the steadfast."
Bowman came to Uganda a month ago and this is his third visit to the country after visiting Kenya and Tanzania.
Bowman explained his return due to the fact that the Ugandans are most hospitable and friendly.
Henk commended the excellent service at the lodge, the world class facilities and the rich game, flora and fauna within the park.

"MWEYA RATED THE BEST"
(The New Vision - 10th December 2001)

Mweya Safari Lodge emerged Friday 'Overall Investor of the Year'. The annual occasion is organised by the Uganda Investment Authority to recognise outstanding achievements in different categories of local investment.
Amid loud applause, the Chief Guest, Vice President Specioza Wandira Kazibwe presented Mayur and Pratap Madhvani the Gold award, bringing to an end widespread speculations concerning the overall winner.
Tourism oriented investments this year overshadowed other sectors. Then notably followed by floriculture and education among others.

ALL IS WELL WHEN YOU ARE OUT IN THE WILD
(The New Vision - 19th January 2002)

I have always thought the Kazinga Channel is a narrow, straight strip of water that simply connects Lake George to Lake Edward. At least that is what it looks like on the maps. Not so I discovered; the Channel is huge, wider than the Nile in places and more winding than the roads on the hills.
Seen from the restaurant patio at Mweya Lodge the Channel lies blue sky. Queen Elizabeth National Park, in which Mweya is situated, is presently in the throes of a very dry season and the ground is dusty beige under dull green vegetation. The magnificent landscape shimmers and moves restlessly in the heat wave, high above Fish Eagles soar on the air currents without moving a wing.
You do lazy laps back and forth, because you cannot have a care in the world when you are part of that stellar panorama. It is hippo-mania all right, everywhere you look there are schools of hippos lazing about. There was even a Television crew from Canada on a mission to document the habits of the fat, hideously ugly Jurassic beasts. Lucky buggers.
The bird life is obviously some of the most vibrant in the world. Swifts, Sparrows and Swallows dipped about. Terns, Kestrels, Fish Eagles, Storks and Cormorants. The guides tell you of mouse-tailed birds, wagtails and weavers. Black-billed this and red headed that. White-winged this and blue-throated that. Pied Kingfishers, Saddle-billed storks (very rare) and migrant birds on holiday from Europe.
By the time you are done with the wildlife, a King's dinner awaits you on the patio, as dusk falls gently and without any hurry. Lights wink across the Channel, from the ghost town of Katwe. Animal noises join the racket from the crickets; bulls bellow in the dark, the grunts of the grazing hippos and the eerie gurgling of the hyenas.
All is well in the world when you are out in the wild, living in the lap of luxury. Mostly because you cannot feel the world - far away where the intrigues behind election fever burn more wildly than a bush fire.

'MUTEBI HAILS MWEYA SAFARI LODGE'
(The New Vision - 24th April 2002)

The King of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, has hailed the Madhvani Group of Companies for refurbishing Mweya Safari Lodge to suit international standards.
Mutebi, accompanied by the Nabagereka and the Kingdom Prime Minister, made the remarks on Saturday during his weekend private visit to Mweya in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kasese district.
"You have done tremendous work at this place" he informed the Management of the Lodge.

"FEEL MWEYA'S GLOBEL IMAGE"
(The New Vision - 23rd May 2002)

Following its successful privatisation in the late 1990s and a massive renovation undertaken by the Madhvani Group, its owners, Mweya Safari Lodge has been regarded by a team of international scholars as a world-class faculty and now in position to compete for recognition in the global market.
In an exclusive interview with Business Vision at the Lodge on Tuesday, a Member of the Executive Committee of the Earth University, Costa Rica, Latin America praised the Lodge for the standards exhibited by their staff.
They described the lodge as "inspirational." "Frankly speaking, I never expected a place so hidden to be as beautiful as Mweya Safari Lodge. Besides the landscape and the opportunity to see wildlife, everything was very well taken care of and we felt at home."
"It is the first time in Uganda for most of us, but we are very impressed by the level and standard of services offered by the staff here. They are special and open minded, making Mweya the ideal place for any tense conference. You get so much relaxed at the end of the day," said the Rector of the Earth University Dr. Jose Zaglul.
Mweya offers modern convenient meeting rooms, uniquely designed for customised seating arrangements to suit all conferencing needs.
"The conference place was excellent, we had enough room. Mweya has a very nice setting and we never expected their food to be so excellent. We even got an extra package of touring the park at no extra cost. With $85 per person, they are reasonably cheap," Decano Earth University's Dr. Daniel Sherrard told Business Vision.
Mweya Safari Lodge located in the western region of Uganda belonged to the Uganda Hotels, and by early 1990's was almost destined to total collapse. It was salvaged by Madhvani Group in the late 1990s.