A delegation of African leaders is in Australia - on safari!
As strange as it seems, twelve officials from Tanzania are this week visiting South Australia and New South Wales to see creatures from their homeland.
The delegation got up close to rhinos, chimpanzees and lions – closer even than they would on safari in the Serengeti.
Australia has internationally renowned breeding programs which are funded in part by savvy tourism programs. Tanzania hopes to draw on both to help preserve critically endangered species like the black rhino.
"Something which is always feared for is inbreeding, so we need to learn how inbreeding is controlled so that these animals can continue maintaining their species," said Ezekiel Dembe from the Tanzanian National Parks.
In many places there's concern tourists are putting pressure on fragile environments; in Tanzania visitors are seen as saviours.
"In fact tourists are not endangering these animals," Mr Dembe said. "By coming, they are supporting the conservation work."
Tourism accounts for a third of Tanzania's GDP, but Australia tourists are seen as a largely untapped market.
"The number has been increasing, we had about 4,800 of you back in 1995, but last year we had 11,000 Australians coming," said Salome Sijaona, Tanzanian High Commissioner to Australia.
"So we feel working with Australians promoting tourism within Australia will also enable us to increase the GDP."
With Tanzania ranked a world biodiversity hotspot, it's hoped its proximity to Australia will foster joint eco-ventures that may help preserve endangered animals for generations to come.
