What a First Week!!

The majority of the week involved learning the field and how to use the telemetry system for taking data on the African wildlife, and of course finding out exactly which animals were being focused on! Other skills, such as basic tracking and bird identification, were also acquired from morning walks into the African bush.

Some of the highlights from our induction include; having a heart-stopping close encounter with Zero, the male lion (Panthera leo)! Finding out about venomous snakes and arachnids at Khamai Reptile Park and then seeing an uncolored female Leopard (Panthera pardus) right behind us outside the boma at Karongwe. This is where Shiloweni, a male Leopard, is at the moment and we believe the visitor came to check him out, is love in the air?

Some of my fellow volunteers have also seen monster-sized Crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in the reserve this week, as well as Hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) and large numbers of Elephants (Loxodonta africana). However, for me the ultimate event of the past seven days was seeing an uncolored leopard (possibly the unknown female) in the camp garden in broad daylight! It was gone in a flash but was a truly memorable moment. I think we would be privileged to see this at any time, but especially in our first week.

Lucy Robillard, Volunteer, U.K.

What a First Week!!