Malawian adventurer and nature explorer Mervis Mwai Maigwa, popularly known as Travel With Mervis, has set social media abuzz after sharing captivating photos from her exploration of Mumbo Island in Lake Malawi.

Among the images, one photo showcasing her striking figure drew significant attention, sparking conversations online.

In her post, Mervis wrote about her thrilling solo adventure on the island, saying:

“That one time I went on a solo exploration of the trails on Mumbo Island and almost got stung by friends of bees (mavu) in the cave.”

Mumbo Island, nestled within Lake Malawi National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is celebrated for its untouched beauty, clear turquoise waters, and abundant biodiversity. Known for its eco-friendly approach, the island boasts no permanent structures or electricity. Visitors are treated to simple yet comfortable accommodations that seamlessly blend with the natural surroundings.

The island offers a range of activities, including snorkeling, kayaking, hiking through lush trails and rocky terrain, and exploring caves. Its crystal-clear waters are home to colorful cichlid fish, found only in Lake Malawi, making it a hotspot for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts.

Mervis’ photos and vibrant storytelling have not only highlighted the island’s breathtaking scenery but also inspired many to consider eco-tourism and explore Malawi’s natural treasures. Mumbo Island remains a perfect destination for those seeking tranquility, adventure, and a deep connection with nature.

Her post has sparked increased interest in the island, underscoring the allure of Malawi’s hidden gems.

Photos:

The Kandewe Suspension Bridge in Rumphi, is a tourist attraction of historical significance of Malawi.

The pedestrian bridge, believed to have been established around 1904, remains operational today, with maintenance and upkeep overseen by the surrounding villages and communities as part of the Kandewe cultural heritage.

The bridge was constructed from a combination of wood branches, bamboo, vines, and steel ropes, the bridge spans the South Rukuru River in Northern region of Malawi.

The bridge is under Kandewe Heritage Center, Bale, Rumphi, Situated along the M1 road at Bale, Phwezi, Kandewe village which was initially settled by the Phoka communities, predominantly descended from the Nyika Plateau.

Meanwhile, other ethnic groups, including the Henga Tumbuka and minorities from across Malawi, have joined the Phoka people in the area.

Here Are some shots captured at the bridge courtesy of Adventures with Colby

See Photos

Kandewe Suspension Bridge In Rumphi Malawi

A bear has killed a 62-year-old hunter by crushing his skull after the man shot the beast.

According to Interfax news agency, the unnamed hunter is believed to have shot and wounded the bear from a platform in a tree in the Tulun district of Irkutsk region in Russia.

Believing the brown bear was dead, the hunter got down from the tree only to be attacked and killed by the bear.

The bear died soon after

Graphic pictures show the man’s body lying near the bear’s carcass.

“When a 62-year-old man climbed down, the mortally wounded bear attacked and killed him,” reported Interfax.

“The carcass of the animal was found 50 metres from the place where the man died.”

This is the moment a bull elephant on musth – when its testosterone levels can reach 60 times greater than normal – decided to get closely acquainted with a parked hatchback.

The two terrified occupants of this VW Polo found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time as a giant elephant stooped down to rub itself against the vehicle’s roof and bonnet.

The incredible images were taken by Armand Grobler, 21, a field guide and lodge manager, in Pilanesburg National Park in South Africa.

The elephant was thought to have been on musth – a period of time in which its testosterone levels skyrocket

There were two people inside the car at the time the massive bull elephant started playing with it

He said: ‘I was doing ethology – the study of animal behaviour – at the time, so I had a basic understanding of what was going on.

‘The elephant was presumably on musth, which is a time that an elephant male has an excess amount of testosterone, turning even the calmest Dumbo into a r.aging bull.

‘Yet even though it was in this condition, it displayed no signs of a.gg.ression or frustration and was in a more playful mood.’

Elephants frequently use logs, small trees and rocks to relieve an itch or remove p.arasites – but with the car so close to hand, it was a chance too good to pass up.

Mr Grobler added: ‘We were unsure of what to do in the situation when the elephant made contact with the car, and when the car was being c.rushed, we feared for the lives of the driver and passenger but our efforts were very limited as to what we could do.

‘The all-round emotion that was within our vehicle, as we watched in h.orror, was that we were rushed with adrenaline yet t.errified and helpless.

After the elephant had finished the car was left with four blown tires and a broken chassis

The photos were taken by Armand Grobler, a field guide and lodge manager in Pilanesburg, South Africa

‘The two passengers in the car, male and female, both in late 20’s or early 30’s, were not h.armed, only badly shaken up. They were both in s.hock but happy to be alive.

‘The car was not so lucky. From what we could see and hear, all the windows were smashed, the roof was badly dented and the entire top part of the car smashed.

‘All four tyres had been blo.wn and the chassis broken.’

As for the elephant, after giving itself a good scratch, it continued on its way itch-free – oblivious to the des.tr.uction it had left behind

The world’s oldest known wild bird, Wisdom the albatross has hatched a chick at the age of 70, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

The USFWS announced that the Laysan albatross hatched the chick on 1 February in a wildlife refuge in the North Pacific Ocean.

Laysan albatrosses usually only live for 12-40 years. But Wisdom was first identified by researchers in 1956.

Although Wisdom hatched her chick in February, the birth – which took place in the Midway Atoll national wildlife refuge, in a US minor outlying island in the North Pacific – has only been reported this week.

“Wisdom laid her egg sometime during the last few days of November,” the USFWS wrote in its statement announcing the new arrival.

“Soon after, Wisdom returned to sea to forage and her mate Akeakamai took over incubation duties. Albatross parents share incubation duties and once the chick hatches, share feeding duties.”

The father of the chick is Wisdom’s partner, Akeakamai, who she has been with since 2012, US wildlife officials said.

Albatrosses usually mate for life, but it wildlife officials believe Wisdom had other partners in the past that are now dead.

The USFWS believes she has had at least 30 to 36 chicks in her lifetime which is remarkable because Albatrosses only hatch one egg every few years.

Zimbabwe – Game Rangers and a professional hunter on Tuesday shot and killed a stray lion that had terrorised the farming community of Triangle since January 15.

Faceofmalawi has established from Masvingo based publication Tell Zim that agro-business giant Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe (THZ) hired a professional hunter to assist its Game Rangers to hunt down the marauding lion.

Rangers Gun Down Stray Lion That Killed Four Cattle In Triangle: Sergeant Mavhuni with the dead lion (Photo credit Tell Zim)

It is believed that the lion was first spotted on the 15th of January at Triangle business centre and since then villagers and workers of Section 8 had been living in fear.

According to an internal memo issued by Tongaat Hulett dated January 15, 2020, the company advised its employees and members of the public to be on the lookout for a stray lion.

Employees and all members of the community are strongly advised to keep away from the hill and avoid unnecessary outdoor movement on foot within the Triangle Area until the animal has been accounted for, reads part of the memo.

THZ Game Rangers led by Sergeant Muvhuni then started to track down the lion which had killed four cows in the area.

With continual rains making it difficult for the rangers to track down the lion, THZ then hired a professional hunter to assist them.

After joining Sergeant Muvhuni’s team the professional hunter took less than 24 hours to track down the predator.

According to Tell Zim’s source, the hunter was forced to kill the lion fearing that he could lose it in the rains.

The lion was killed at around 1900hours at plot number 1801 of section 26. They feared to lose track of it due to rains so they decided to kill it before it could take any human life, said the source.

With the promise of a vaccine in the near future, individuals across the globe have set their sights on their next vacation, with many nations anticipating a surge in tourism as travel becomes feasible once again. Some countries – France, Italy, and the Netherlands, to name a few – have been popular destinations for decades, but certain others are severely underrated when it comes to tourism. While these five nations tend to fly under the radar, each one is equipped with abundant natural beauty, a fascinating culture, and a rich history that will turn any visitor into a lifelong fan.

Eswatini

Located on the eastern edge of South Africa, this tiny nation gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1968 and is one of the few remaining countries on earth to be governed with an absolute monarchy system. Despite the country’s small size, Eswatini is home to a surprisingly diverse array of landscapes, ranging from the highlands of the northwest to the wildlife-laden southeastern grasslands. For those hoping to spot native African species in their natural habitat, few destinations can compare to Mkhaya Game Reserve, a protected region that’s rife with indigenous Nguni cattle alongside antelope, hippos, buffalo, and a surprisingly large amount of white and black rhinoceroses.

Saint Lucia

Dominated by towering volcanic peaks and lush rainforest, this Caribbean nation was once known as the “Helen of the West Indies” thanks to its spectacular beauty. While the island’s interior is largely pristine wilderness, the perimeter of Saint Lucia is lined with blissful sandy beaches and fascinating settlements, including the capital city Castries as well as the former French capital, Soufrière. An ideal destination for those in search of fine drinking and dining experiences, Saint Lucia is home to a blended food scene that incorporates British, French, and Caribbean elements as well as a booming rum industry.

North Macedonia

A former Yugoslavian nation, this country draws its name from Macedonia, a historic region that’s best known as the birthplace of Alexander the Great. The national capital, Skopje, is a particularly interesting destination thanks to its high concentration of historic relics, ranging from the 6th-century Skopje Fortress to the Skopje Aqueduct. For a truly idyllic experience, pay a visit to the western reaches of North Macedonia, where Lake Ohrid lies in wait for eager travelers. One of the oldest lakes in all of Europe, this scenic body of water is lined with traditional architecture, picturesque beaches, and a wealth of opportunities for hiking and wildlife spotting.

Malawi

A nation dominated by water, roughly one third of this African state consists of Lake Malawi, the fourth-largest freshwater lake on earth by volume. This titanic body of water is a particularly prominent tourist destination, coming equipped with idyllic beaches as well as a spectacular snorkeling scene thanks to the lake’s large number of colorful endemic fish. After spending time lounging lakeside, visitors should make the trek south to Liwonde National Park, a prominent reserve that was established back in 1973. Though the park is best known for its high concentration of elephants, there are also opportunities to spot buffalo, rhinoceroses, cheetahs, and a vast array of native bird species as well.

Vanuatu

Home to roughly eighty volcanic islands, the Pacific nation of Vanuatu gained independence from both France and the United Kingdom in 1980. This idyllic archipelago is rife with incredible snorkeling experiences, allowing visitors to spot sea turtles, tropical fish, colorful reefs, and even the elusive dugong, a close relative of the manatee. Be sure to spend an ample amount of time on land as well – Vanuatu is packed full of steaming jungles and jagged peaks, with many ambitious hikers choosing to trek to the ridge of Mount Yasur, an active volcano located on Tanna Island.

Source: Forbes

Zoo visitors at the Chinese Shanghai Wildlife Park had the worst day of their lives on Saturday after a Zoo worker was attacked and mauled to death by bears in the zoo’s “wild beast area”.

In a video that has since been taken down on the microblogging site, Twitter, terror-stricken tourists can be heard yelling as they watch in full view, several bears crowded in one spot and tearing down a man attending to them.

The unidentified man reportedly died from the attack.

The video quickly went viral and stirred debate about the existence of zoos and lack of security for workers.

In response to the public backlash, the Shanghai Wildlife Park said it was “extremely distressed that such a tragedy occurred”, adding that it also “apologised to tourists for any inconvenience caused”.

NOTE: The video could not be uploaded due to its graphic contents that are against our reporting standards.

The zoo has since temporarily closed the area to strengthen its safety operation.

While deaths arent that common from zoo attacks in China, such accidents are not entirely uncommon.

Netizens have argued that due to such trends, the only solution to eradicate the accidents was to “just close zoos….(and) let animals free”.

It is reported that the worker had gone into the “wild beasts area” to feed the animals. The area is only accessible to tourists by bus.

The park has since expressed its condolences to the worker’s family.

There are such huge numbers of assorted kinds of Snakes we’ve on Earth today, yet this Titanoboa is definitely outstanding in all areas and is understood for it’s enormous amount of size.

Titanoboa is a 40 foot long, to allow you to what extent the snake is. This bizzarre creature or animal could be a cross between a board constrictor which of a boa.

This snake we are discussing, called Titanoboa existed over 60,000,000 years prior, Titanoboa’s tallness is about 2.500 ibs. It’s size is big, when it’s on the ground resting, its group could hit a midsection of an individual.

Since it’s Extinction simply because after the vanishing of the dinosaurs, this Titanoboa could have gotten the best and furthermore without unreasonable doubt.

it can be the foremost Dangerous animal on Earth. it’d seem that a boa, the modus of it absolutely was increasingly like that of a boa.

See Some Photos Below:

The Titanoboa is Currently the Most Longest and Largest snake in the World due to it’s Enormous and Gigantic Nature in Size and Complexity.

That was the main Reason why it was Sculptured and Preserved in a Museum for Future purpose and references.

A Mexican animal rights activist has been praised as a hero by animal lovers around the world after it was reported that he sheltered around 300 stray dogs and many other animals in his home to protect them from a hurricane.

On October 7, at around 5:30 in the morning, Hurricane Delta made landfall in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Hours before, Ricardo Pimentel, an animal rights activist from the town of  Leona Vicario, was busy making sure that the facilities at the Tierra de Animales animal shelter he founded were prepared for the strong winds and heavy rains that were about to hit the region. The most radical thing Pedro did was fill his own house with over 300 hundred dogs, as well as some cats, chickens, rabbits and even a hedgehog, to make sure they were safe from the hurricane.

“If I could put more than 300 dogs, a s**tload of cats, some chicks, a hedgehog, some baby bunnies and who knows how many more animals in my house, don’t be a coward and shelter even one stray dog ​​or cat on your block until the hurricane passes,” Pimentel wrote on his Facebook page.

Photos of Ricardo Pimentel surrounded by a sea of stray dogs in his home immediately went viral on Latino social media, and the animal rights activist was hailed as a hero. Celebrities and influencers from around the world shared the photos and commended him for his dedication to the animals’ wellbeing.

After Hurricane Delta, which was downgraded to a category 2 storm, passed, Pimentel used his new-found fame to appeal to animal lovers for help. He asked for  dog and cat food, cleaning materials, fruits and vegetables, cash donations, or whatever people could spare to help him keep the animals at Tierra de Animales well-fed and healthy.

Researchers at the Powdermill Nature Reserve in Pennsylvania recently came across a “once in a lifetime discovery” – a half-male, half-female rose-breasted grosbeak.

Annie Lindsay and her colleagues at Powdermill Nature Reserve were catching and banding birds with identification tags on September 24, when a fellow researcher called her over via walkie-talkie to supposedly see something extraordinary.

The moment she saw her colleague’s find, Annie knew what she was looking at, an extremely rare half-male, half-female creature known as a gynandromorph. The rose-breasted grosbeak exhibited male-characteristic plumage on one half of its body, and female coloration on the other.

“It was spectacular. This bird is in its nonbreeding [plumage], so in the spring when it’s in its breeding plumage, it’s going to be even more starkly male, female,” Annie Lindsay, banding program manager at Powdermill, said. “The bird’s colors will become even more vibrant, and “the line between the male and female side will be even more obvious.”

https://www.facebook.com/PowdermillNatureReserve/photos/a.603279613104188/3156585397773584/?type=3

Photos taken by the researchers show that the gynandromorph rose-breasted grosbeak has black feathers and a pink armpit characteristic of males, on one side, and brown feathers and a yellow-colored armpit, on the other. It even has a line that runs roughly down its middle, separating the two halves. Scientists say that if the bird is like previously-studied gynandromorphs, its male-specific separation appears on the inside as well, meaning the bird has a half-male, half-female brain as well as reproductive organs.

https://www.facebook.com/PowdermillNatureReserve/photos/a.603279613104188/3156585324440258/?type=3

Unlike hermaphrodites, which have both male and female reproductive organs, gynandromorphs are male on one side of the body, and female on the other. Because of how rare these specimens are, there are many things that scientists don’t know about them, such as if they are able to reproduce.  In 64 years of bird banding, Powdermill’s Avian Research Center has only recorded less than 10 gynandromorph sightings.

https://www.facebook.com/PowdermillNatureReserve/photos/a.603279613104188/3156585274440263/?type=3

“The entire banding team was very excited to see such a rarity up close, and are riding the high of this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Lindsay wrote on Facebook. “One of them described it as ‘seeing a unicorn’ and another described the adrenaline rush of seeing something so remarkable. They all are incredibly grateful to be part of such a noteworthy and interesting banding record. Bilateral gynandromorphism, while very uncommon, is normal and provides an excellent example of a fascinating genetic process that few people ever encounter.”

A wildlife photographer recently captured one of nature’s most extraordinary camouflage masters on camera – a moth larva that looks like a mossy twig on a moss-covered tree.

Over they years we’ve featured a bunch of natural camouflage artists on Oddity Central, from the butterfly that looks like a dead leaf, or the moth with a disgusting scene painted on its wings, to the terrifying assassin bug, but the larva captured by wildlife photographer David Weiller in the Madagascar rainforest is definitely up there with the most impressive. Looking like a bulbous patch of moss and lichen with a twig-like body attached to a moss-covered tree, this fascinating creature looks like part of the tree, not a living thing.

Although the wildlife photographer doesn’t offer too many details about the critter, he does mention that it is a Camouflage Moth Larva (Superfamily Tineoidea) from the rainforest of Andasibe, in Madagascar.

It’s unclear how the larva covers its body with this natural debris, or if at least part of it is in fact its body, but one thing is for sure – it’s almost impossible to spot on that tree. In fact, when it’s not moving, the only way to tell it’s a alive is to see it poop. Luckily, David Weiller got that moment on camera as well.

The assassin bug is a fascinating insect for many reasons, but the one that really stands out is its gruesome camouflage, which consists of the carcasses of its victims glued to its back.

There are around 7,000 known species of assassin bugs in the world, ranging from 4 to 40 mm in length and sharing the same formidable weapon – a sharp, curved, needle-like structure called a “rostrum”. It’s this rostrum that they use to stab their prey – usually other insects – and inject them with a poisonous saliva that liquifies their innards. When the victim stops moving, the assassin bug will start slurping away at its inside, until only the shell remains. That shell is used by some assassin bug species as camouflage, and some specimens have been observed walking around with a mound of insect carcasses glued to their backs.

But in order to get close to their victims, assassin bugs need to live up to their name and catch their prey off-guard. Some species are known for mimicking the subtleties of leaves that move when the air rustles them, and making no sound when approaching unsuspecting insects. Once in range, the assassin bug pounces on its victim and impales it with its rostrum. As the digestive enzyme is pumped through the rostrum, it takes up to 15 seconds for the prey to succumb to its grim fate.

Scientists can’t yet explain how exactly assassin bugs are able to glue the shells of their insect prey to their backs, seeing as they don’t seem able to reach their backs with their limbs. What is known is that the carcasses are glued onto its back using a sticky secretion.

Apparently, this gruesome camouflage helps some species of assassin bugs to more easily approach unsuspecting victims, by blending into the surroundings more easily as well as by adopting their scents. This exoskeleton also works as armor against the bug’s own predators, like geckos or jumping spiders.

“What happens when a gecko tries to capture one of those, is it might actually end up with a mouth full of ant carcasses rather than a juicy assassin bug,” biologist Christiane Weirauch told WIRED Magazine.

In an experiment designed to test the camouflage against jumping spiders, which are known for their great sense of sight and their poor smell, both “naked” and camouflaged assassin bugs were placed in glass cages with the spiders. results showed that the spiders attacked the naked bugs roughly ten times more often than the masked ones.

The macabre disguise of assassin bugs is just one of the many types of natural camouflage we have featured on Oddity Central. This dead leaf butterfly, and this moth mimicking flies feasting on bird droppings, are among the most interesting examples.

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Four foreigners comprising of two Congolese, one Zambian, one Malawian national were arrested yesterday by Zimbabwe National Parks officials after they were found trafficking 26 monkeys from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to South Africa without documentation.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management intercepted a truck carrying monkeys from DRC to South Africa.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo confirmed the case and told 263Chat that they are working on returning the animals to DRC.

He said the four are expected to appear in court today or tomorrow. Farawo said:

Four men were arrested yesterday for animal tracking without traveling documents and we are expecting them to appear in court today or tomorrow.

He added that they are working with the Zambian Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in repatriating the monkeys. He said:

We are working in hand with Zambian Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and everyone because we have many areas in which we work together. We have intercepted with a view of repatriating the Monkeys back to DRC but we are still investigating the issue.

Wildlife trafficking is the third most valuable illicit trade in the world, after drugs and weapons, and is worth an estimated $10 billion a year, according to the US State Department.

Meanwhile, Parks authorities are still investigating the mysterious death of 22 elephants at Hwange National Park.
Farawo further explained that they are still waiting for blood samples which they took to a laboratory for analysis to determine the cause of their deaths.

He stated:

We are still waiting for the blood results but there was a suspicion that it might be a bacterial infection and we are yet to confirm.

The Euglossines, aka Orchid Bees are often described as the world’s most flamboyant bee tribe, and looking at their brilliant metallic coloration, it’s easy to see why.

Orchid bees are probably the closest thing to real living jewel. Sporting bright metallic colors – with green, blue and gold being the most common – and very few hairs compared to other families of bees, these pollinators really stand out as some of the most visually striking insects on Earth.

But it’s not just their bright, shiny exterior that sets them apart from other bees. Euglossines don’t make honey, they don’t build hives, most species of the tribe are solitary, and perhaps most fascinating of all, males collect and mix fragrances which they then use to impress females.

Orchid bees number around 200 different species, all of which can only be found in the Americas. Most of them inhabit forests from northern Mexico to southeastern Brazil, with only one euglossine species recently introduced in Florida.

Apart from their flashy appearance, orchid bees are easily distinguished from other bees by their extremely long thin tongues, which can stretch twice the length of their bodies. It’s these long appendages that allow the bee reach deep into flowers to collect nectar and pollen. This is a specialized tool, so it’s safe to say that orchid bees are critical for pollinating rare and dispersed species of orchids.

But while the euglossines’ pollinating techniques are fascinating, they pale in comparison to the bees perfumer abilities. Over their three to five-month lifespan, male of this bee tribe will concentrate most of their time and effort to collecting various fragrances and create their own unique perfumes, which they then use to impress females. So these living jewels not only look cool, but smell good too!

Male orchid bees use their forelegs to collect fragrances from all kinds of surfaces, from orchids to vanilla pods and even scented pieces of paper, and then store them in specially designed pouches on their hind legs. When they are ready to mate, males gather in special display sites on tree trunks where they release some of their stored scents while buzzing, flying out from the tree, and then returning.

Scientists long believed that males collected and used volatile compounds as pheromones to attract females, but that has never been demonstrated to be true in behavioral experiments. It is now thought that the perfume is used as a way to impress females and as proof of the male’s “genetic quality”. Collecting strong fragrances and putting together a complex perfume isn’t easy, so only the best males can come up with impressive mixes.

Interestingly, while males are often baited by scientists with single synthetic compounds, female orchid bees are not impressed by single fragrances, regardless of their intensity, but rather by olfactory cocktails. If no female wants to mate with him, the male orchid bee knows he just has to collect more scents and create a better perfume.

Female penguins Electra and Viola have become parents after adopting a baby penguin.

At the Oceanografic Aquarium in Valencia, Spain, these two female penguins adopted an egg from another couple and incubated it themselves. The gender of the baby penguin is not yet known as a blood test cannot be completed until the penguin is at least six weeks old. UNILAD explains that the couple’s baby is one of the three chicks “to have been born into the colony of 25 gentoo penguins this breeding season”. However, it is the only one in the aquarium with homosexual parents.

The same-sex couple had begun showing typical penguin behaviours prior to reproduction.

Staff at the aquarium had given a fertile egg to Electra and Viola after they had seen them start to build a nest out of stones. UNILAD has explained that the aquarium’s bird-keeper Carlos Barros has said that ‘they put two eggs each inside, obviously without knowing they were not fertile, so we put one of the eggs from a different couple into their nest so that they could take care of it’.

Electra and Viola are not the first homosexual couple to raise a baby.

Daily Mail reported that homosexuality is common in penguins and there have been other cases in zoos and aquariums where same-sex couples have raised chicks. Like Electra and Viola, male penguins Skipper and Ping had adopted and raised an egg at Berlin Zoo last year. However, unlike Electra and Viola’s egg, this one had been abandoned by its birth mother. What is more, the penguin seen in the above image had been adopted by two female penguins in London’s Sea Life Centre last year and is now “being raised as gender-neutral by its keepers”.