What an amazing last week I've had here on the Game Reserve. Everyday I look around and think to myself how lucky I am to be here. It's such an incredible place.
We started off the week with a spot of cleaning, because it had been stormy over the weekend we needed to go and clean out the pools in the wild dog boma. Lightning turns stagnant water green- something to do with increased nitrogen in the air causing a sudden growth of algae (eutrophication).
Then we did some acacia chopping for some erosion control on a large bare patch. Then we did some smaller erosion control by the side of the road. The point of these is to create little bolsters in which excess water flows through and sediment gets trapped and stops the road from washing away. Very clever!
Tuesday was a full day out at the other part of the reserve, Geluk. We did some behavioural studies (ethograms) on the giraffes and watched some very interesting bonding which occurred over the fence. In between the two farms that belongs to UmPhafa is a game hunting farm, so the giraffes do not belong to us.
Here are our two gorgeous baby giraffes.
Then we did some fence patrols, checking for snares as well as recording all the animals we came across. Then we went to set up a camera trap in Leopard Gorge, in the hopes of getting a photo of the beautiful and illusive creatures!
Wednesday was game count...counting all the animals on the reserve. We've been doing this almost twice a week every week. Its really important to get an accurate count of the game on the reserve, for stocking and calculating the value of the reserve.
This is the gorgeous view from iThalia Mountain, where hundreds of wildebeest, blesbok and zebra love to graze
Heron with a tasty frog snack
Zebra hiding in the trees
Giraffe hiding from the wind, surrounded by wildebeest
On Thursday we did a patrol on the SE border of the reserve, checking for snares and anything else of intrest- whilst marking down all the animals and birds we see.
Then on Friday we did a more animal ethograms and continued with our erosion control....in the middle of a thunder and lightning storm. Then we did some rock packing at the side of the roads, on a larger scale to the picture previously.
Saturday morning was chores as normal then had a braai on the evening.
Sunday was so much fun! We went back to the Midlands! Where we did Wine tasting (at 9am), chocolate dipping, the girls had tea whilst the boys did a beer tasting then braai'd at Francois' House!
The nicest wine I've ever tasted!
Only two more days left until I head to Cape Town! :O
