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We woke up to have breakfast again at 7am, like any other ordinary morning here in Africa. Although we can hardly call these ordinary days, considering what we’ve had the opportunity to do so much here, from seeing lions up close and meeting a hand-reared Kudu, to getting to handle some pretty wicked reptiles and do many other things. All of us spent the morning catching up on some much needed journaling, or doing our final day of stressful data collection, or even starting our statistical data analysis and brief presentations for Sunday. The entirety of our day was spent fairly sedentarily in the main tent, plugging away at all aspects of our independent projects. Albeit a informal schedule today, the mathematical content that filled our notes and laptop screens was stressful and tiring to wrap heads around. Totally #StudentLife

Some pictures from the camera-trapping project:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was nice to be able to not have a full schedule today though, and we could actually take some time for ourselves. The kitchen staff gifted us with another scrumptious round of milk tart for dessert after supper, since it was a such a smash hit the first time Janine introduced it to us before we even left Canada. Following our supper tonight is our second night game drive, and we are all anxiously awaiting the reveal of these mythical Hippos that Brad continues to rave about! Apparently, a couple of students out collecting data today got the privilege to see them, but we still think they’re pulling our legs, or in our words, they’re Bert-ing us. So fingers crossed that we actually get to see these hippos tonight, and it’s not another game of impossible hide and seek.

This is compliments of: Morgyn, Jenna and Janessa

They have just returned from their night drive, the hippos are real although I am waiting for photographic evidence!!!

 

Today we were all awake, eating breakfast, and on the move even before the sun was, but not without good and exciting cause. Our group was very lucky as we were able to participate in a rhino procedure at another reserve in the Eastern Cape. The procedure is carried out to try prevent poaching of these awesome animals just simply to get the horn, which is made up of hair.

We met up with the veterinary team, and were briefed on the procedure and the process, and we were each assigned various tasks that we could help with to get a once-in-a-lifetime hands-on experience. It wasn’t too long before we were on the move. We got to watch as the vet flew by in a helicopter to track, find, and dart the rhino, and we followed close behind in the game cruisers. Once the rhino was darted, the team moved in and everything got underway. The procedure included changing the VHF tracking collar, and collecting samples and parameters/vitals for research purposes. Getting to participate and help with this event was truly incredible, and an experience that none of us will ever forget. The day could easily be deemed one of the best of the trip, and it wasn’t even lunch time yet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the procedure, we had the opportunity to meet with Dr. William Fowlds. He spoke on the seriousness of careers with animals and the environment, the importance of loving your job and following your passions, as well as doing what you can to make positive impacts. The talk was both humbling and influential.

After lunch, we were given the afternoon to do further data collection and research for our individual projects. As we are coming to an end on our time at Amakhala, our research projects are also slowly coming together to be presented before we leave. Today, we’ve done everything from collecting information to rodent trapping to ungulate observations to analyzing camera trap photographs, depending on the project. Overall, it was a busy afternoon.

Later after dinner, we will be having our second fireside discussion, focusing on the socioeconomics of rhino poaching and conservation. The topic should be very interesting with broad ideas and opinions, especially after getting to be a part of such a special procedure this morning.

Signing off once again, Callie, Christine, and Ireland.

Morning:

Today was World Environment Day which is an annual event where kids from local schools come to Amakhala to learn about wildlife and conservation. This year’s topic was reptiles and we had about 50 kids from four different schools.  When the kids first arrived we all played soccer together and passed rugby balls around until everyone arrived.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once everyone was welcomed, we started with an egg spoon race, which the kids loved. After that, in groups of 3 and 4, we ran stations to teach the kids about reptiles through games and interactive activities. The different stations were reptiles in general, snakes, a reptile scavenger hunt and other reptiles (everything except snakes). It was really nice to give back to the local community and help kids become more involved in local wildlife. Everyone had an awesome and fun time, ourselves included!

 

Afternoon:

After lunch we had a lecture from Natalie Fowler on herbivore management on small game reserves. In the lecture we learned about the importance of managing herbivores as well as methods for measuring the number of herbivores present and their impact on vegetation. We used what we learned after lecture on a game drive. While on the game drive, we performed an ungulate count. An ungulate count is much harder and more tedious than expected.  It consisted of determining species, count the total number of each species present, sexed each individual and determined each individual’s age. We also got to pet Nibbles, which is Natalie’s “pet” Kudu that she raised since she was a day old.

One of the game drive groups got to see two elephant bulls fighting! When we got back from the game drive we saw the lioness and the two sub adult lions (her offspring) from the lounge deck.

We have a very early morning tomorrow as we have a very exciting day planned! Read our next blog post to hear all about it! Don’t forget to comment on our posts

Emily, Taylor and Marissa

The morning began at 6:30AM when we headed out to check the small mammal traps to see if anything was found, only found one vleirat.  Following that we all settled in for a delicious cooked breakfast of bacon, scrambled egg, mushrooms and beans, to start off the day. We then had a lovely lecture about the reptiles in the area from Mr. Chad Keates. After this we were able to get up close and personal with a number of reptiles, both venomous and non-venomous snakes, and a gecko. It was so exciting to be able to handle such fascinating animals, just to let you know we were only allowed to handle the non-venomous snakes and gecko. The gecko lost his tail for Marissa, and the tail carried on moving for a while after it fell off, providing a distraction for the potential predator (Marissa in this case).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we enjoyed lunch on the deck we learned about the surrounding community and the importance of connecting the community to the game reserve from Mrs. Jenn Gush. She talked about the many different ways the reserve tries to include the community in an attempt to educate them about the importance of conservation. After a quick game of red rover, which our team won we headed back to the classroom to plan the upcoming ‘World Environment Day’ at the reserve. It is all about reptiles, so very appropriate. We are all very excited to meet and  teach the local children about some of things we learned today.

After heading back for supper we all bundled up for our very first night drive. Hoping that we get to see hippos!! we did get to see lions!!!

This is Bailey and Vincent signing off after another action packed day! More to come tomorrow with community work for the World Environment Day.

This morning we woke up with the peaceful sunrise to check if there were any rodents in the traps. We found a multimammate mouse and a vicious juvenile Greater Red Musk Shrew. After re-baiting the traps, we then went to set up the bird mist netting with Dr. Ben Smit and his PhD student Krista Oswald. Not long after the net was set up, we caught our first bird. This was identified as a male lesser double collared sunbird. We then left the nets while we went to eat breakfast. For breakfast we had a traditional South African dish called umphokoqu (which you pronounce with a tongue click at the end), which is a corn meal and sour milk called amasi, a dish eaten in the morning. Janessa was the only student brave enough to try it, in fact she went for seconds. She said it tasted like a sour cream mash, it wasn’t bad. After we finished up our breakfast we then all went down to the classroom to check the bird netting again and to begin the monitoring and banding procedure. During the time we were gone three more birds were caught. These included two Somber Greenbuls, and a Cape Batis. Once captured, Krista then banded just above the foot and measured on different parameters. We then released the birds and took down the nets. After the nets were all taken down we then went into the classroom to learn about the diversity of bird species within differing biomes of South Africa. Most interestingly, we learned about the differences (slight change in phenotype and therefore genotype as well) of bird species depending on the biome they are found.

After the lecture, the group separated to collect data for their individual projects. One student collected ultrasonic bat calls. One group went out to check various camera traps. This group had some interesting results when they came across a camera which was removed from the tree by an elephant. The group also saw baboons, warthog, kudu, and a wild Dan. Another game drive went out to collect fresh giraffe poop. On this drive they also had a tasty snack of termites which had a unique taste. In addition, this group observed elephant and zebra. The last group went out a little later in the afternoon to scope out the location for vegetation and soil analysis. We all met up again to have dinner and catch each other up on what we did today. The group enjoyed the warm sunny weather today and the vast amount of animal species Amakhala has to offer. We are excited for tomorrow to see several reptile and amphibian species found in South Africa.

Signing off,

Morgyn, Janessa and Jenna

The Morning:

We began another adventurous day at Woodbury Tented Camp in Amakhala Game Reserve first thing at 7:00am. After a quick breakfast both groups went out to the rodent traps to check and see if we had captured any. Unfortunately, all traps were empty….again! Research groups then separated and began or continued to collect data for the various projects being conducted: elephant behavioural observations, prey species vigilance observations and giraffe poo (sorry feces) collection. One group even saw a Giraffe off of the front deck. After a few hours of data collection we gathered back together to walk to the classroom for a guest lecture. The lecture was given by a wildlife veterinarian named Dr. Lisa Graham. Dr. Graham gave us all a wonderful insight into what it was like being a wildlife veterinarian for a small game reserve and the work that it takes to ensure the health of the animals. After a short break Dr. Graham lectured us on her research regarding Rhino home range sizes and how they differ depending on the game reserve size.

The Afternoon:

After a wonderful lunch of umngqusho, which is a South African meal made of corn and kidney beans. We all prepared ourselves for a moving documentary on Rhino Poaching in South Africa. On our way down to the classroom Dan hid in some nearby thicket and decided it was a good idea to jump scare all of the students passing by. The movie focused on the trade and sale of Rhino horn across the world and its ecological impact on the species. After the documentary concluded we went out to check the rodent traps once more. To our surprise we had managed to catch a Vlei rat, Otomys irroratus, in one trap and a Cape Robin-Chat a type of bird!) in another! The bird was not very pleased to have been captured but was soon released back into the wilderness safe and sound. The rat’s weight was recorded and other data was taken before it was released back where it was captured. We all separated for some free time before dinner to collect data or work on our journals. After a wonderful dinner we spent the rest of the night relaxing before bed.

Tonight we get some downtime to relax and have some fun at the Sidbury Cricket Club after supper!

This is written by Katie G, Katie S & Stephanie

 

Today we had an early morning to check rodent traps at 6:00am. Unfortunately, we didn’t catch anything overnight so we headed back to the dining hall for breakfast and to warm up with some hot drinks.

Today’s lecture started at 10:00am, and was done by the game reserve’s ecologist, Natalie Fowler. She gave us an introduction into the management techniques used by Amakhala for the optimal management of mega-herbivores and carnivores, elephants and lions in particular, as they greatly impact vegetation and prey species on the reserve.

After lunch we went on a game drive and Natalie demonstrated how to use telemetry to track animals with collars. Through this method, we successfully located the lion pride, which includes one adult male, one adult female and their offspring, two sub-adult females. We were very excited to see them but they couldn’t have cared less about us, they went on napping as lions do in the middle of the day.

After we had our fill, we moved on in search of other species, giraffe and elephant in particular as some students are focusing on these for their research projects. Up until now, we had not seen any giraffe but hopes were high. Vince finally spotted a giraffe off in the distance, so we drove in that direction hoping to find more. Much to our delight, we happened upon a group of giraffe in an opening accompanied by zebra, eland and impala. It was an idyllic and picturesque view of South Africa, definitely the highlight of the day. Fun fact: a group of giraffe is called a journey or a kaleidoscope.

After supper we had our first fire-side discussion to help encourage our thoughts about the importance and effectiveness of conservation. Through this discussion we highlighted various issues that arise from a conservation perspective as well as a business perspective. We continued our discussion by applying our classroom knowledge to various hypothetical conservation situations.

By Callie, Christine, and Ireland

Morning:

We were all up and at breakfast for 6:30am today and we got served a hot breakfast with bacon, egg, beans and mushrooms! Some of us also got to try rusks, which is a South African oat-like cookie that is dipped in coffee. At 8:00am we got a lecture from Dan on research design and statistics to help us start planning our research projects. After the lecture we all decided the topics of our projects and designed a research plan. Students will be doing projects on camera trapping looking mammals at water holes, live small mammal trapping, bat sonar detection, elephant behaviour, bird diversity at water holes, plant diversity and soil type, diet of giraffes and ungulate vigilance behaviour.

Afternoon:

After lunch we had our first skills lab on camera trapping and the later rodent trapping. Dan and Jess showed us how to properly set up and test the cameras. This included having to walk and crawl in front of the camera to ensure it was taking pictures close up and at different distances from the camera. Janine demonstrated how to properly set-up the rodent traps. We had to set up and put bait (oats and peanut butter) in 30 rodent traps then place them in various areas around the camp for a research project. The traps will have to be checked by everyone at 6 am tomorrow (our earliest morning so far yayyy). Some students went out to place the camera traps for their research projects while everyone else went back to the main lodge to work on their projects and journals (or chit chat).

Feel free to comment on our post! We would love to hear from all of you!!

This blog comes to you from Marissa, Emily and Taylor.

Starting the day off really early today, 6:30 is a little much for us but it was definitely worth it to see the sun rise from the dining hall balcony. Breakfast was surprisingly refreshing with yogurt, granola, fresh fruit and toast! After breakfast we had a presentation from the wonderful Dr. Nokubonga Mgqatsa about biomes of South Africa and her 4-year project about elephants toppling trees affecting microclimates and the small wildlife. We don’t know much about plants but it was really interesting! After our presentation we got a surprise activity of scavenging for 20 different types of plants found in South Africa; such as NumNum, Bitter Aloe, Mother in Law’s Tongue, Euphorbia Milkrope, etc. It was a competition and we lost… However, it was still fun to learn a lot of new species of plants and interesting facts we’ve never heard before. After we were finished we had about 30 mins for free time and then lunch! While we were eating a group of elephants walked by our balcony and you could see the babies!

We then all gathered on the balcony to enjoy a lecture about the history of dinosaurs in this area from Mr. Giles Gush. We learned that the first dinosaur discovered in South Africa was found in the area right in front of us. Shortly after that we settled into the game trucks for one of my favourite parts of the day, a game drive! We first came across a pair of elephant bulls fighting, it was insane to see such huge animals, that close. We also came across a cheetah, lying with a kill, she was so relaxed and absolutely gorgeous. We are now preparing for supper and will be having a lecture on carnivore research from Dr. Jess Comley.

Signing off Vincent & Bailey

This morning was our last morning at Storms River Mouth Camp. After breakfast we loaded up our luggage and belongings into our vans and set out to Amakhala Game Reserve. The drive was roughly 3.5 hours including a stop for lunch at Nanaga Farm Stall which is world famous for their meat pies. For those who didn’t choose a meat pie there was a South African meal called Roostekoek, a type of grilled sandwich. After lunch we finished our journey to Amakhala, spotting warthog in fields of other game reserves on the way to the Woodbury Tented Camp.

Once at Amakhala, the wildlife came to life where there were Zebra (plains), Impala and more warthogs. We all went crazy! We were then assigned to our tents which will be our homes for the next 13 days. From there we had an introduction by Dr. Jenn Gush, one of the owners of Amakhala, and given a brief history of the game reserve and how it was started. After the talk we were divided into two groups and assigned a tour guide for our game drives: Team 1 and Team 2. After being debriefed on the safety instructions, we set off in our vehicles one going east and one going west. Both groups were fortunate enough to find the following: Black Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Blesbok, Impala, Kudu, Cape Glossy Starling, Hadeda Ibis and helmeted Guinea fowl. Each team were fortunate enough to see different highlights as well:

Team 1: Saw a herd of elephants, including a baby, munch on some trees, one of which even toppled several trees while we watched. They were also fortunate enough to see both ostrich and black backed jackals.

Team 2: Saw 3 lions including a mother and 2 sub adults. They were also fortunate enough to see rhino.

Overall it was a great day and we are all looking forward for the days to come!

This is from our amazing day, Katie (S) and Stephanie.