Planet Afryca

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Planet Afryca

Online digital publisher of educational, entertaining and interactive media for children (and adults) in English and Mandarin.

Planet Afryca was founded by two close friends, Rowena Paxton and Dr. Sue Hart. At the heart of their friendship, and business relationship, was a mutual passion for nature. They believed that no other part of the planet is as beautiful or as diverse as wild Africa. Planet Afryca provides access to a virtual world that enables children to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the African

wilderness, in the hope that they too will learn, understand and ultimately respect the natural beauty of the world around them; environmental awareness and the importance of conserving and respecting nature.

16/09/2024

Sue Hart found herself drawn into the ancient mystery of the spiritual realms of the African wilderness. For her, the animals are voices of the planet, doing everything they can to show the human family that life represents oneness: one spirit, one force, one extraordinary realm combining beauty, colour, scent, shape and movement. There is so much to be learnt from Mother Nature.

19/05/2024

We remember the one and only "Daktari Sue", who would have celebrated her 97th birthday today. A pioneer and woman ahead of her time, through her life's work she inspired many and had a profound impact on so many lives.

One of her autobiographies, "Life with Daktari" was a bestseller translated into many different languages. She is deeply missed but her memory and the inspiration she provided continue to live on.

Join us in celebrating the life of this remarkable woman and the incredible work she accomplished. HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear Sue!

20/08/2023

REMEMBERING GEORGE ADAMSON who sadly lost his life, aged 83 years of age, on 20.08.1989. George was killed by Somali bandits when he went to the rescue of his assistant and a young European tourist near his camp in the remote Kora National Park.

George lived in harmony with nature and had a great affinity for animals of all kinds. He sleeps in a sand "lugga" next to his brother, Terence, close to his favourite lion Boy's grave a stone's throw away ,their spirits floating over Kora, as free as the soaring Bataleur eagles in the area.

RIP dear George.

19/05/2023

19.05.23 We celebrate the birthday of the late Sue Hart who would have turned 96 today. Sadly, Sue is no longer with us but we remember her many and varied "hats" she wore: veterinarian, best-selling author, environmental educator, broadcaster, poet, humanitarian and wildlife conservationist.

A woman ahead of her time and a pioneer.

She is greatly missed - her legacy lives on.

20/08/2022

George Adamson was killed 33 years ago in an ambush a few miles from his isolated camp in northern Kenya. He was on his way to pick up visitors at his dirt airstrip when his Land Rover was attacked by gunfire from three Somali bandits.

He wrote of lions "Like people, they can look impressive, beautiful, curious, ugly or plain. The best are adventurous, loyal and brave." George always claimed that lions have a sixth sense; in an uncanny foretelling of his death, the whole pride of lions and lionesses gathered outside the camp the night before he died - as if paying their last respects to the man who had always been their protector.

RIP Father of Lions also known as Baba ya Simba. Your enduring legacy lives on.

21/06/2022

Today we celebrate the world's tallest animal: the giraffe.

A giraffe uses its long tongue to select the tender leaves from amongst the thorns of an acacia. It can reach greener shoots that are unavailable to other browsers which means they can survive in waterless areas and only drink every other day when water is available.

19/05/2022

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the one and only "DAKTARI SUE". Today we celebrate what would have been Sue Hart's 95th birthday.

Sue loved her work as a vet in Africa - here she is holding Bibi Kali, a leopard cub, at two weeks old. "The fierce lady" was entrusted into Sue's care as a very new-born. Abandoned by her mother, she had a nasty tear wound across her shoulders. Sue wrote: "It was three days before we dared to give anything but superficial treatment to the cub's shoulder wound. By then she was taking milk from a bottle and was making her presence felt. She seemed gradually to take shape, coming to life with an infant bawl rather than a feline cry, her body - now well nourished - taking on the supple rippling movement of the adult leopard."

Sue dedicated her time on earth to "all of life" in Africa and was an inspiration to many. She is sorely missed.

25/04/2022

George Adamson was given the Swahili name, "Baba ya Simba" (Father of Lions) and Joy Adamson was known as Memsahib Kilele which means Mrs Noise! Below is a photo of Joy and George, on this occasion together, though living separately in their own camps - discussing the condition of an injured young cheetah called Whity who was suffering from radial paralysis - paralysis of the nerve which controls forward movement of the leg.

Daktari Sue and her husband, Dr. Haarthoorn put the leg in a plaster bandage and Joy nursed Whity lovingly back to full health.

22/04/2022

Today, EARTH DAY is being celebrated around the world.

"However often you journey into the wild, each experience brings new impressions, new kindships and renewed astonishment at the marvellous beauty and intricate pattern of Nature's realm. As you listen to the night under a bushveld sky or lie hidden in the sun-scorched grass, the dynamic vibrant world around you engulfs and enchants so that you long to return again and again, as I did, to search to listen and to absorb." Sue Hart

29/03/2022

Daktari Sue and her husband made wild animal surgical history by performing a pioneering operation on Ugas of "Born Free" fame. Sue wrote "Neither Toni nor I had ever removed a lion's eye before, but we supposed that the method would be no different from that practised on a cat or a dog. The deep anaesthetic and moment by moment observation would be the most difficult part of the operation. Here in the bush there would be no extra hands, no nurses, no control of wound sterility when the wind raised the dust."

George Adamson assisted throughout the operation that took two hours and helped Daktari Sue remove the stitches: 14 in total. Four months later George sent a final case report. Was it possible that Ugas' one-eyed appearance had made him even more attractive to females? "The loss of the eye does not appear to inhibit Ugas' activities in the very least. Frequently he goes off for 3 or 4 nights at a time. At least twice, if not 3 times, he has mated with wild lionesses. He seems just as alert as ever. Only difference being that he is constantly turning his head to the right to enable his left eye to take in the lost view on the right side. His judgement does not appear to be impaired."

Ugas, the one-eyed lion, thrived for many years in the wilderness, even after George had left Meru Park and moved further north-east. It was easy to spot him among his pride, and you can guess why. Although his empty eye socket was covered with hair, he was quite unmistakable, for he had the darkest mane, the most curious face, and the most ENORMOUS feet!

27/03/2022

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Humans aren't the only ones who take extraordinary steps to protect, nurture and raise their young. In the bush world, there are wonderful mothers who are fiercely protective of their offspring. They cherish, love and display affection, teaching the little ones how to find food, and the ways of the wild, in preparation for adulthood.

26/03/2022

Households and landmarks across the world will be switching off their lights between 8.30pm - 9.30pm to celebrate EARTH HOUR. The hour of darkness aims to highlight the impact humans are having on the planet through climate change, pollution, plastic and food production.

Its a chance to gaze at the night sky and contemplate the astounding natural beauty of our planet and all the mesmerising wildlife that comes alive after dark.

20/03/2022

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS is being celebrated today. Happiness for Joy Adams was having a siesta and a long stretch in the midday sun with her best friend beside her. Elsa never lay on the ground if she could find a camp bed. She loved swimming in the Indian Ocean and walking along the beach, where she chased the coconuts bobbing in the surf getting splashed and swamped by waves in the process.

Sheer "JOY"!

18/03/2022

Lions spend between 16 and 20 hours each day resting and sleeping. They have few sweat glands so, wisely, tend to conserve their energy by relaxing and lazing around during the day. As its cooler at night, they become more active.

Test your "lion" skills by downloading our AFRYCANIMALS APP. Great fun for the family!

16/03/2022

March is the month when it is a common sight to see the impressive, robust webs of the golden orb spider in the bush. Usually suspended between trees, a perfect trap for catching and feasting on insects (note the cache of stored prey at the upper left of the image), their webs have even been known to stop small birds. They weave a golden-yellow silk which is regarded as some of the strongest spider silk in the world.

The photo is of a female banded-legged golden orb web spider.

Photo credit: KRUGER EXPLORER APP

13/03/2022

A male Saddle-billed stork scavenging for fish tails in an empty river bed. How to tell the difference between a male and female? Males have small yellow wattles under the base of the distinctive bill and dark brown eyes. Females lack the wattles and have yellow eyes.

It is the tallest stork in the world but not the heaviest and are known as the silent (except for the bill-clacking noise they make at their nests) bird as it doesn't have a syrinx, which is the vocal organ of birds.

08/03/2022

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY 8.03.2022

Dr Sue Hart and Joy Adamson were two remarkable women of their time. Both pioneers in their field, their contribution to wildlife conservation in sub-Saharan Africa during the 50s/60s/70s was invaluable.

Below is Joy keeping Boy company who had been injected with an anaesthetic by Daktari Sue. A buffalo, hunted by Boy, inflicted serious damage on the lion and a six hour operation subsequently took place.

Daktari Sue, airborne, is checking on an anaesthetised Boy, inside a light aircraft bound for Lake Naivasha where the lion spent a year convalescing. After two months, Boy sent our his first roar of dominance echoing across the lake ... he went on to make a wonderful recovery.

03/03/2022

WORLD WILDLIFE DAY is celebrated today to bring awareness of endangered species of wild fauna and flora, sustaining all life on earth.

How can we implement solutions to conserve the natural and precious treasures of our world for the benefit and delight of future generations?

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Elephants are integral to the ecosystems in which they exist. They function as landscape gardeners, transporting seeds, clearing thick bush and digging wells helping other animals to survive. Without these majestic, sentient beings, Africa's landscapes rapidly become more hostile for other species. #StopthePoaching #Ivorybelongsonelephants

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Our Story

Planet Afryca was founded by two close friends, Rowena Paxton and Dr. Sue Hart. At the heart of their friendship, and business relationship, was a mutual passion for nature. They believed that no other part of the planet is as beautiful or as diverse as wild Africa. When Sue passed away in 2010, Rowena set about continuing their joint vision of sharing the magic of the African wilderness and the enchantment of the bushveld with children around the world.

Rowena has brought Sue Hart’s collection of short stories, “Tales of the Full Moon” into the 21st century, through a range of educational, entertaining and interactive media for children (and adults) in the form of short films, apps, audio books and ebooks. They are now available in Mandarin, not only providing an opportunity for English speakers learning the language to hone their skills but, importantly, opening children in China up to the vital lessons which Planet Afryca is trying to teach.

Sue Hart’s legacy lives on and her ambition to “share the intrinsic quality and meaning of Africa’s natural kingdom and bring viewers/readers closer to the kaleidoscope of Africa’s PULSE” has now become a reality.