Program Description

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute Ornithological Club is presenting an illustrated lecture by Berke Adams for the February meeting. Meetings are open to all interested individulas and are free of charge.

In july of 2009, Jill and Berk Adams spent 10 days on safari in Zambia and Northern Botswana. They traveled via Amsterdam and Johannesburg to arrive at Livingston, Zambia, and returned home from Maun, Botswana. Berk will present a slide-illustrated discussion of their travels, focusing on the wildlife they encountered. 40% of Botswana is set aside as wildlife reserve, and over 100,000 elephants roam freely in the north of the country, safe from poachers and hunters. Berk is not an expert birder: if a bird is at least the size of a cardinal and cooperates with an extended pose, he has a reasonable chance of identifying it. Nonetheless, he was able to add over 200 birds to his life list.

Brief Biography

Berk Adams is a retired professor from Jamestown Community College, where he taught psychology and honors courses, one of which dealt with the Arctic. Since 1994 he has been traveling to remote locations, including a dozen trips to Canada's far north. Before any of these journeys, he has studied thoroughly his intended destinations in order to fully appreciate the travel experience and understand the local culture. For him, such travel is seen both as an adventure and an opportunity for learning.

What is it like to stay in tented camps in a place where not only elephants are commonplace, but also hippos, lions, baboons and many species of antelope? What did they do on a typical safari day? What was the weather like? What gear was needed? Most people who have the safari experience describe it as life-changing due to their close encounters with wildlife, but such a journey can also provide a new understanding of Africa. For Berk, this trip broke down stereotypes he had about this huge continent which has so much unrealized potential. Some final comments: Botswana has been popularized by the bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels of Alexander McCall Smith. Mr. Smith has a deep knowledge of the country, and Berk and Jill found his descriptions of the country and its people to be both accurate and insightful. If you can't attend the Feb. 24 presentation and are considering a trip to Africa, put Botswana at the top of your list. This stable democracy with its low crime rate and kind and friendly people is well worth the journey.