Cycads and elephants, both endangered

November 3 - After the morning feeding was done, Emmie (Andre’s sister) and I went back to the camp where they have beautiful cycad plants, which reminds me of a huge pineapple plant. We separated some of the baby plants that grow as offshoots so we were able to plant about 14 plants along the walkways. The vegetation in the camp is lovely and much care is taken with them.

In the afternoon we went on a game drive and Andre used the device that lets us know where they are since 4 of the 9 elephants are collared. If they go behind a hill, then we lose the signal. However, we did find them, and were able to drive around to another road where we saw them all cross. At that point it was getting late, and an incredible lightning storm developed which was very exciting to be outside and practically in the middle of it. On one side were the lightning bolts and thunder and in the other direction was a pink and orange sunset. The rain cooled us off. Then as we came around a corner, Andre says there’s trouble ahead. The two white rhinos, Tsu and Wireless were right by the road. Yesterday they had charged Louise’s truck a couple of times, until she called out to them and they realized it who it was. Rhinos have poor eyesight so have to investigate everything up close. Tsu and Wireless started to come over to us, and seemed very indecisive as to what we were. They came within 5 feet of us, and then after a few minutes, they backed off and continued on their way. It was quite an exciting game drive. You never know when something out of the ordinary is going to happen. I have seen so many of the animals, but each day, without fail, something special happens, or I see an animal that I haven’t yet seen. I have taken a lot of great pictures, so I don’t need to take them all the time which gives me more time to enjoy the animals.

Land reform can be very sad

November 4 - On Sundays, everyone takes time off to relax. After feeding the animals, Andre took me fishing in the Blyde River, which is about 50 kilometres away, near an incredible mountain range where the vultures breed high in the cliffs. It was a great drive with citrus farms all around us. As a result of land redistribution land was taken away from the whites and given to the blacks, practically none of the citrus farms survived. The locals dismantled everything they could to sell, chopped down trees for firewood and never thought about tomorrow. We drove by many hectares where the trees (orange, lemon, mango) were all dead, very sad to see. However, we also drove by a thriving one that was owned by a farmer who received the Citrus Farmer of the Year award. His farm extended forever, and is irrigated by the Blyde River. He’s a good friend of Andre and on the way back from fishing we helped ourselves to some lemons.

Fishing and hippos

We reached Andre’s favourite spot teeming with bird life and fig trees, and the hippos that are always there were wallowing in the water but moved upstream a bit. We didn’t see any crocodiles that also hang out there. The river is pretty still at this area, about 100 feet wide. I baited my rod with worms and started fishing, while Andre and his dog (who goes everywhere with him) went down river, where he crossed it in shallow water with rocks that he can walk across. He fished along the river for a while, and then climbed a huge fig tree that overhangs the river where he can clearly see the fish below. I watched him catch a 6-8 pound black bass from the tree, and he had already caught a smaller one earlier. So it was a great morning and I loved taking in all the bird life and watching the five hippos that were just a bit upstream. Andre gave me a fish, which I cooked that night. It was perfect timing, as another volunteer from Germany arrived and she also enjoyed it. She has been volunteering at other game parks, and has a few days in between her travels, so was anxious to see SanWild.

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