Siyafunda Conservation Project

  Hoedspruit, South Africa
Monday, January 14, 2008

We know it's only been a week, and we're volunteering at the Siyafunda Conservation Programe for two weeks, but so much has happened, we thought it only fair to let you share in all the fun :o)

'Siyafunda' means 'we are learning' in Afrikaans. Very apt for the journey we are on, 'learning' to adapt to a world so different from 7 months ago. Siyafunda is a research centre for many scientists looking into management of large game, ethical elephant and lion population management (to avoid the inhumane culling operations), and it allows people like us to learn about conservation of wild animals, their movement and their habitat.

When we landed at Hoedspruit airport we immediately felt the difference from Cape Town. We felt as if we had discovered the real Africa, as opposed to the 'tourist' Africa. This sentiment was further enhanced when we learnt that the airport encourage cheetahs to run wild nearby, to chase the warthog off the runway. At first thought, very intelligent, but on second thought, what do they use to keep the cheetah off the runway? I didn't ask...

After a night in relative luxury (we stayed at a beautiful guesthouse where hippopotamus are found in the swimming pool and David Attenborough stayed while filming Planet Earth), we were picked up in an old truck and taken to Twines, the research base within Makalali Game Reserve. There are a few basic buildings, and wild game all around, but this wasn't to be our home. We were driven 20 minutes to 'Bush Camp', our home for the next two weeks. Now when i say 'Bush Camp', that's really what is is. Camping in the African bush. It's an open camp, with no fences, nor any alerts to any animals being close by. You just have to listen, and keep a torch with you at all times (apparently, at night, when you shine your torch, if you see red eyes, it's a bush baby, green are antelope, yellow and orange are lion, hyena and leopard. Not many to avoid then). The camp is very basic: no electricity, no hot water and a camp fire to cook on. But we do have Patson, our ranger who sleeps in camp with us. He has over 30 yrs experience in the bush, and is one of the best trackers in Africa, so he does put out minds at rest (most of the time). We are joined by Layne (a woman from San Fransisco) and Jeff (a New Zealander) in our bush camp 'experience', and wow, what an experience!

White Rhino

Lions

On our first day, we were lucky enough to find Rhino tracks. Patson, turned off the engine and used his skills to follow the tracks, to the right of our car, into deep bush. He left us with strict instructions not to leave the vehicle for our safety. Imagine our surprise when, while looking to the right, ears straining to hear Patson following the tracks, we hear a large 'crack' behind us. As one, we slowly turn our heads to the left of the vehicle, to find a rhino nonchalently making his way over to us. It's our first day, w have no idea what to do, so we hold our breath, go slightly blue and hope it loses interest. Luckily a rhino has poor eyesight, so he turned along the side of the car and slowly walked behind it. We all steadily breathed out. Mistake. The rhino turned on a sixpence (key learning: rhino can turn very quickly, and have acute hearing), and looked directly at us. I got a fantastic picture before he trotted off after Patson. It was very rare to see a rhino so close, we were very privileged (so we were told). Imagine our surprise the next night then, when, after hours of tracking a female leopard and her cubs, finally finding her (such a beautiful animal, but very rare to get a sighting), we return to camp after dark. We're making cheese sandwiches, when Patson calls us outside with a squeal. A male leopard has made an uninvited visit to our camp. He sat there so relaxed, but refused to leave. He prowled the camp for many hours (with us 'safely' zipped up in our tents - what canvas will do to stop leopard claws i have no idea, but i don't think it'll do much). Again, this was something that had never happened in Makalali before, in fact, it was a leopard they didn't recognise. Given many people who live on the reserve have never seen a leopard, and we saw 4 in about 2 hours, we were very lucky.

The Leopard in Camp

elephant

We thought that our 'luck' would run out, and that we couldn't possibly have any more adventures... but we were wrong. We then found the elephants. There are 72 elephant on Makalali, and they are closely monitored for various conservation projects. We didn't count on getting stuck in the middle of the herd though, luckily in the vehicle. Being charged (only mock charged though, it looks horrific, but it only a warning) from one direction, then reversing out of the way, only to see tusks in the rear view mirror and pissing that one off too... it wasn't part of the plan. They are such majestic, beautiful creatures, but are very aware of their size, and don't like you to get too close (understandable, we are in their back yard after all). We were reminded of this fact only last night. While getting ready for bed, we heard branches crashing, realising that elephant were nearby. It's remarkable, how unfazed we are to this now, after only one week. We sat in bed, in the dark, and we realised the sounds were getting quite close. Too close. When our tent shook and we heard elephant farting (yes farting), we realised that the wild elephant was actually next to our tent, leaning on it, having a good scratch, while we sat petrified within, with only thin canvas separating us. The elephants (4 or 5 of them according to Patson) stayed all night (although, they did move away from our tent eventually). About 1am, we were woken by the call of lions and hyenas... then the baboons joined them at about 4am. So we're pretty tired this morning!

giraffe

bush walking

We have so many other stories... we've been horse riding in another game reserve (and got so close to the giraffe you could almost touch them), have had 4x4 training, had talks on approaching dangerous game (although most of the time it seems to approach us), lion management and general conversation of the reserve. We've also had many bush walks, on foot, learning survival skills, tracking game, Shangaani and Zulu medicines, and the names of many birds and trees vital in the conservation of such a large reserve. So far, a massive learning experience, and we're only half way through.

I know we came away looking for adventure.... but this is ridiculous.... i wonder what'll happen next week :o)

xxx

in the 4x4

 

sunset