The Riverine Rabbit - Bunolagus monticularis

Hi guys

Here's that information on the Riverine Rabbit - enjoy :)

Andrea
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Riverine Rabbit - Bunolagus monticularis

There are many endangered species of animal and plant in South Africa, but none of the country’s mammals are as endangered as the riverine rabbit (Smithers & Apps 2000), also known as the “bushman hare”, “doekvoetjie” or “boshaas” (Collins 2001; ARKive 2007). The IUCN Red Data List classified the riverine rabbit as Critically Endangered in 2004 (ARKive 2007; IUCN 2011) due to a constantly decreasing population (IUCN 2011). Although there seem to be more individuals than previously thought (Stuart 2007), it cannot be denied that this is still a pressing issue.

Physical Description

The riverine rabbit is distinctive in appearance (see Appendix A, Figure 1). Usually grey-brown in colour, it stands at about 12cm tall (Butchart 2009) and has a “dark brown stripe down the side of the lower jaw extending to ear base” which is unique to the species (Stuart 2007) and a light-coloured ring around its eyes (ARKive 2007). Although it’s long ears may be deceiving, the rabbit can be distinguished from a hare by its uniformly brown tail, as those of hares tend to be black and white (Collins 2001). It also has long, thick fur (ARKive 2007; Butchart 2009).

 

Behaviour

Although little seems to be known about the riverine rabbit’s behaviour (Stuart 2007), what is known is imperative to understanding the reasons for its precarious future. They are solitary, nocturnal animals that lie during the day in shallow, dug-out burrows (called forms) amongst the shrubs of which its habitat consists (Smithers & Apps 2000; Collins 2001; ARKive 2007; Butchart 2009; IUCN 2011). They feed on the leaves of shrubs and fresh grasses (Smithers & Apps 2000; Collins 2001; ARKive 2007; Stuart 2007; Butchart 2009). They also practice coprophagia – the eating of droppings – in order to gain necessary vitamins and digestive bacteria as efficiently as possible (Collins 2001; ARKive 2007). Reproductively, the riverine rabbit is not as productive as most rabbits – they only produce one litter of one to two young a year (Smithers & Apps 2000; Collins 2001; ARKive 2007; Stuart 2007; IUCN 2011). These are born into fur-lined forms (Smithers & Apps 2000; ARKive 2007; Stuart 2007). Natural predators include cats and genets (Butchart 2009).

Distribution

Bunolagus monticularis has a very limited distribution (see Appendix A, Figure 2). Itexists only in the Karoo region of South Africa, to which it is endemic, i.e. it is found nowhere else in the world (ARKive 2007; Stuart 2007; Butchart 2009). Riverine rabbits exist in the habitat that their name suggests - it is only found in the riverine vegetation along seasonal rivers in dry areas (Smithers & Apps 2000; Collins 2001; ARKive 2007; Stuart 2007; Butchart 2009; IUCN 2011). These areas consist of low, dense, moist and succulent scrubland and grasses (IUCN 2011).

 
Statistical Data

IUCN (2011) states that “the current population is estimated at less than 250 breeding pairs and is declining”, and that “there has been a rapid decline of population due to loss of 50-60% of habitat in the past 70 years”. There seem to be no more than 50 individuals in each subpopulation (individuals living in close proximity to one another). The historical habitat has been estimated to have decreased by 51-81% in the last 100 years, and the current habitat is predicted to decline by about 20% in the next century. (IUCN 2011)

 

Why is it endangered?

The decline in population numbers can be linked to an increase in agricultural activity (Smithers & Apps 2000; Collins 2001; ARKive 2007; Stuart 2007; Butchart 2009; IUCN 2011). Cultivation and livestock farming gives rise to extensive ploughing that destroys the rabbit’s habitat (Smithers & Apps 2000; Collins 2001; ARKive 2007; IUCN 2011), overgrazing that causes erosion, depleting food sources and cover to hide from predators (Collins 2001; ARKive 2007), fencing that restricts movement and scatters individuals (IUCN 2011). Agriculture and erosion means that individual rabbits are becoming more scattered (IUCN 2011), and a scattered population means less breeding opportunities. The riverine rabbit is also area-specific (which means that it is less likely to survive in other, more generalised areas), and is therefore more sensitive to disturbance.

An increase in farming activity also gives rise to an increase in domestic animals. This puts added predatory pressure on the rabbit population (Smithers & Apps 2000) - like all rabbits, the young are altricial, meaning that they are born blind and helpless (ARKive 2007), and so are particularly vulnerable to predators, and only producing one young a year means that they are not very successful breeders. This makes them particularly sensitive to predator pressure, as they cannot quickly reproduce to replace lost young.  The rabbits are also hunted for sport, and frequently are caught in traps set by farmers for predators or pests (ARKive 2007; IUCN 2011).

 
Solutions

Attempts to breed the animals in captivity and re-introduce them into their natural habitat are being made (Collins 2001), but are largely unsuccessful (Smithers & Apps 2000). Collins (2001) suggest that “the only way to secure the long term survival of a species is to protect its natural habitat”. Farmers are frequently encouraged to declare areas of their land Natural Heritage Sites or conservancies (Collins 2001) in order to save the habitat of the rabbits. Protection of said habitat also benefits the farmers in that the vegetation prevents run-off and loss of topsoil and ground water (Collins 2001). So far, three conservancies exist in the Karoo (ARKive 2007). The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Riverine Rabbit Working Group was also created in 2003 “with the aim of establishing and conserving an ecosystem and socioeconomic conditions in the Karoo that can support a stable population of riverine rabbits” (ARKive 2007).

The riverine rabbit population is undoubtedly under threat, and solutions are being sought out. Initiatives like the above, as well as awareness projects, are imperative to the survival of the riverine rabbit, otherwise, as the IUCN (2011) has predicted, “the probability of extinction in the wild is more than 50% within the next 100 years” for the already critically endangered mammal.

 

References
 

 
  ARKIVE. 2007. Riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis). http://www.arkive.org/riverine-rabbit/bunolagus-monticularis/#text=All

BUTCHART, D. 2009. Wildlife of Southern Africa: A Photographic Guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town.

COLLINS, J. 2001. Riverine Rabbit. http://www.bcb.uwc.ac.za/envfacts/facts/riverine.htm

IUCN. 2011. Bunolagus monticularis. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/3326/0

SMITHERS, R.H.N. & APPS, P. 2000. Smithers’ Mammals of Southern Africa: A Field Guide. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.

 
STUART, C. & STUART, T. 2007. Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa. Struik Nature, Cape Town.



 

Watch this space.

Hey.

I've actually remembered to post again - yay!

Second year has been super-hectic so far, and it is virtually impossible to explain exactly what all has happened in the few months since my last post without leaving any important bits out. So instead of giving you all long and tedious updates, I've decided instead to share some essays and reports I've written over the last year and a half that may shed some informative light into conservation matters and/or the things we study. Hope it'll be interesting..?

Next post to follow: information on the critically endangered riverine rabbit :)

Happy reading,
Andrea

Uh, hello again..

Ahem.

So, it's been a couple of years (okay, one year and four months) since my last post. Pathetic, I know. I apologize.

A lot can happen in sixteen months. For example: I graduated from Damelin with a Certificate in Advanced Game Ranging and Lodge Management in February 2012, and applied to and have subsequently completed my first year of a National Diploma in Nature Conservation at Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Plus a lot of other stuff that's not really relevant. Needless to say, I forgot about the "Makuleke Story" post I was supposed to write. Again, I apologize.

Since my memory of the Back-up Trails Guiding course is not particularly fresh, I'm not sure I trust myself to write a post describing the experience, so I will just skip ahead to a brief recap of the last year:

After a relatively smooth late application (smooth when compared to Damelin's "super-efficient-but-not-really" administrative processing), I applied to CPUT's ND: Nature Conservation course. Best decision ever. In one year, I have learned a great deal more than I could have hoped. First Year subjects include Animal Studies, Plant Studies, Conservation Ecology, Resource Management, Conservation Communication and Conservation Development. The amount of work and depth these subjects cover is both daunting and refreshing, and I honestly can't wait to start Second Year in February. The Diploma course is three years (Third Year is a practical year at a reserve/protected area). Due to my interest in research, I am planning on completing a Bachelors of Technology in Nature Conservation (BTech) and then a Masters (MTech). Long way to go, but I'm amped.

Soooo, that's all I can muster for now. I shall be writing soon, hopefully. Volunteering at Princess Vlei until tech starts, so there will definitely be writing material over the next couple of weeks :)

Cheers for now,
Andrea

Woah! It's been way too long..

Hey guys

Sorry for not posting in such a long time! [Insert excuse here.] Since my last post, I've had my fair share of assignments, activities, tests and exams, and lazy days.

Anyway, I plan to make up for the lack of posts in theses next few weeks, by putting together an epic account entitled "The Makuleke Story". I have recently spent five weeks in the awesomeness that is the Kruger National Park, four of which consisted of many hours of walking and learning on a Back-up Trails Guiding course in the Makuleke Concession. Be prepared for a lengthy read :P

Look forward to the next post!
..Andy

P.S. Please note that my computer has had to be restored, so some of the pictures posted before this month may have disappeared. Cool.

International Whaling - An Environmental Law Assignment

Hey guys

So here's that assignment I did on international whaling. It's not as extensive as I'd like it to be, but I suppose that that's what happens when you rush things :P

Anyways, I hope you find it interesting,
Andy..
--------------------------------------------------------------------


International Whaling
An Environmental Law Assignment


Introduction


Whaling is the hunting and killing of whales for consumption, trade or industry. There are two types of whaling: traditional and commercial. Traditional whaling has been in practice for millennia, and is the hunting and killing of whales in order to sustain traditional and cultural customs. Commercial whaling is the hunting and killing of whales for economical reasons, such as trade.

There has been much controversy around the subject of whaling, especially in the last century. There are many more people against whaling than for it. The main points brought up by anti-whaling groups are that:
- whaling is endangering whale species
- the method of killing (exploding harpoons) is inhumane and the whales do not die immediately
- whaling targets whales that are curious enough to come close to boats, and these are the whales that are beneficial for ecotourism
- ecotourism such as whale watching brings in a larger income than whaling
- whales are as intelligent as humans (although this has not yet been scientifically proven)
- whaling destroys the social structure of the pod
- it is a matter of animal cruelty
- whaling is not a lucrative industry, and its products can be replaced

Although pro-whalers are outnumbered, they too have significant arguments. The main points brought up by pro-whalers are that:
- whale meat is organic
- the culling of whales means that there is more fish available for commercial fishing
- whaling can be sustainable
- whaling has never lead to the extinction of any whale species
- whaling is part of traditional culture in some nations
- whaling is no more cruel than the killing of pigs/sheep/cattle/fish
- whaling is the main source of income for many small communities
- arguments against whaling are subjective and based on emotions rather than practicality or sustainability

All of these points are valid to some extent, but the main problem with looking at the subject of whaling objectively is that whaling is very much a subjective issue, and so one needs to look at facts from both sides before making a decision. The arguments will be further explained and explored at a later stage.



History


Whaling has been a part of global history since before the Stone Age. The oldest record of whaling was found in South Korea – carved drawings of whaling with spears and boats have been dated back to 6000BC. The critical points in recorded whaling history are best read in a timeline:

9th Century - Norway, France and Spain begin whaling
10th Century - “Right whale” is most commonly targeted as it is easiest to kill; oil is used for lamps and baleen is used for whips, corsets, chairs, seats and fishing rods
- England, Denmark and several other nations begin whaling
12th Century - Japan starts using harpooning by hand
15-18th Century - Whaling in the Arctic
19th Century - some species are depleted due to high demand
- modern whaling techniques are developed
- discovery of petroleum leads to a replacement of whale oil for lamps
1848 - exploding harpoons are invented, now enabling the hunting of rorqual whales
1925 - the development of factory ships initiates massive industry growth
- the use of electricity for light eliminates the need for whale oil
1930 - 80% of great whale species are nearing extinction
- Germany and Japan join Britain and Norway in the Antarctic
1946 - International Whaling Commission (IWC) is set up by 15 nations in an effort to manage whale stocks
1963 - United Kingdom stops whaling
1969 - only Japan and Soviet Union are still whaling in the Antarctic
1972 - 6000 blue whale left
1979 - IWC establishes the Indian Ocean Whale Sanctuary
1982 - IWC bans commercial whaling (to start in 1986), but Japan, Norway and Iceland continue, as this does not ban traditional whaling
1986 - IWC ban comes into effect
- CITES lists the last species of great whale as critically endangered, leading to a ban in the trading of whale products
1987 - Japan begins “scientific whaling” programme
1990 - seven of the last nine whaling nations stop whaling
1993 - Norway objects to IWC ban
1994 - Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established to protect breeding grounds
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) releases survey results indicating that whale ecotourism is more profitable than commercial whaling
2000 - Norway and Japan attempt to remove the protected status of whales at a CITES meeting, but fail
2002 - Japan allegedly buys the votes of 14 nations at IWC meeting, leading to a rejection of the proposal to establish more whale sanctuaries
- Mexico protects 21 species of whale in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the world’s largest sanctuary
2003 - Iceland starts “scientific whaling”
2005 - Norway and Japan increase whaling quotas
2006 - 17 nations state that Japan kills more whales in the Antarctic in one year than it did in total in its 31 years of scientific research
2007 - Iceland removes whaling quotas for 2008 due to lack of demand
- 88 countries belong to IWC



Arguments


The Argument Against Whaling

The biggest reason that so many people are against whaling is because they consider it an issue of animal cruelty. Whales are perceived to be the “gentle giants” of the sea, and are seemingly passive and as intelligent as humans (although this has not been proven). Because of this, people tend to think of them as free and innocent, and therefore undeserving of unnecessary killing after a life of freedom. The killing of individual whales is also believed to destroy the social structure of the whale pod. Whales live in complex family groups and rely on each other for survival, reproduction and companionship.

Whales are killed using exploding harpoons, which explode within the body of the whale and causing severe tissue damage. This method does not allow for immediate death and often another harpoon is needed to kill the animal. Many say that this prolonged death is inhumane and cruel.

The second largest argument is from a conservation perspective. Whaling targets many different species of whale, but there are a few species that are heavily hunted. Exact figures of whale populations are very difficult to determine as whales are hard to monitor and track, but a general trend has been observed – that in most cases, whaling has resulted in a decline in population numbers. The recent introduction of quotas has stabilised these numbers, however.

From an economic point of view, whale ecotourism such as whale watching has been proven to be more economically beneficial than the whaling industry. Whalers target whales that are easiest to kill, i.e. those that come closest to the boat. It is argued that the whales that are curious enough to come near boats are the ones that are most beneficial to the whale watching entities, and that the killing of said whales is detrimental to the ecotourism industry.

The last argument is that whaling is a small industry and that no country relies on whaling as its sole source of income, so if it were to stop, it would not be detrimental to any country’s economy. It is also believed that whale products can be substituted by other products. Whale meat is not as popular as meats such as beef or lamb.


The Argument in Favour of Whaling

The argument in favour of whaling, although less popular, is no less valid than that of the anti-whaling groups. The first counter-argument is that whaling for meat and by-products is no less cruel than the killing of animals such as cattle, sheep or pigs for meat and by-products. Pigs, too, are thought to be as intelligent as humans, yet there is less controversy around the subject. Another point is that whale meat is organic, and thus healthier than commercial meats that are pumped with hormones or bred in confined areas.

Pro-whalers are aware of the ecological situation that whaling creates, but believe that whaling can be sustainable by means of quotas and reasonable regulation. Some species, like the grey whale, are believed to have increased in population size despite whaling. There is also no record of any whale species having been driven to extinction because of whaling, although many have come close.

Whaling is also a critical part of the culture and tradition of some nations. Economically, whaling is the main source of income for many small island communities, and whalers in these communities are given a high status in these communities. Another argument is that the regulation of whale populations also regulates the amount of fish available for commercial fishing, which is a large contributor to the economies of many countries worldwide.

The last argument that whalers believe is very important is that arguments against whaling are extremely subjective and based on emotions, instead of the potential practicality or sustainability that whaling can provide.


International Laws Regulating Whaling

Customary international law states that the people of all nations are entitled to participate in whaling activity, unless the nation’s governing body has agreed otherwise. It also allows coastal countries or states to control whales within its national waters unless said nation is part of an international agreement that states otherwise. Nations also have sole authority over their citizens’ activities in international waters, meaning that no other authority can disallow whaling activity.

International Whaling Convention (IWC)
Established in 1946, the IWC was initially intended for the sole purpose of overseeing the management of the global whaling industry, i.e. to regulate the industry in order to recover whale populations. In 1986, it issued a ban on commercial whaling altogether.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
The CITES treaty protects endangered species from further depletion that may be caused by international trade, while promoting conservation. Great whale species were placed in CITES’s Appendix I in 1986 – a group for species threatened with extinction and which are negatively affected by trade. This prohibits all CITES members from trading in whale products.

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
Members of the UNCLOS treaty are obligated to conserve marine mammals and follow the guidelines of the IWC. These duties are thought to have more weight than those of the IWC.



Conclusion


When one looks at the issue of whaling, one needs to be objective. It is easy to be swayed by emotional reasoning when it comes to environmental situations, especially those involving the killing of large animals, as we as humans easily become attached to animals to which we can relate behaviourally. One needs to look at facts in order to establish an informed opinion.

Firstly, whaling is an activity that has occurred historically. Many other things, such a monoculture, hunting and mining, have also occurred historically. With the benefit of time and technological advances, we are now able to see the impact of these activities on the environment and their possibilities as sustainable activities. We need to look at whaling in the same way – can it be practised sustainably, without detrimental impact to the environment as a whole?

Many small communities are reliant on whaling as a main source of food and trade. Whalers are of significant status in these communities, because they are able to hunt animals so much larger than themselves. This status provides a means of community structure, which would not be present if whaling were to cease. In addition, these communities only hunt between two to ten whales per year on average.

Large nations like Japan and Norway claim to whale as part of tradition, but process hundreds of whales per year and contribute heavily to the depletion of whale stocks. This is a concern for whale populations and needs to be regulated. Conservation is important in an age in which we are becoming increasingly aware of future implications.

With advancing technology and food products, whale products are less in demand than before, meaning that there is less whaling occurring today than historically, such as in the 18th and 19th Centuries. I believe that with carefully calculated regulations, whaling can be a sustainable industry. I don’t believe that whaling is an essential industry, nor that it is particularly more lucrative than other industries, particularly in more developed nations. I do feel, however, that it is essential to smaller, developing communities, both in economical and cultural sectors.

I do not believe that whaling should be stopped altogether. I would be happier if it were stopped, but I do not think that this would be beneficial in a global economic perspective. I do believe, however, that the industry needs to be regulated, just as the fishing, farming and mining industries need to be regulated, and without exception. Over-exploitation needs to be avoided and optimum ecological status needs to be sustained.

-------------------------------

References

http://content.www.rspca.org.uk/cmsprd/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobnocache=false&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1232992298757&ssbinary=true (PDF file)

http://www.whalecraft.net/History.html

http://www.ozpolitic.com/sustainability-party/why-allow-whaling.html

http://onlineessays.com/essays/issues/whaling-arguments.php

http://luna.pos.to/whale/gen_con_pro_whaling.html

http://archive.greenpeace.org/comms/cbio/case.html

http://www.ecozine.co.uk/Whaling1.htm

http://www.highnorth.no/Library/Publications/iceland/wh-an-in.htm

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovuswhalelaws.htm

http://www.dickrussell.org/graywhale/conservation.html

http://weblog.greenpeace.org/whales/votes_chart_430.jpg

Time for an update!

Allo, allo..

So, since my last post, I have met a whole lot of Cape Nature Conservation people, gone butterfly chasing, identified a moth, stabbed my hands with wire fencing, jumped a couple of fences, lured guinea fowl into a trap, been scared out of my wits by a porcupine named Pippa, scared a porcupine named Pippa out of her wits, scouted around for dragonflies and watched some birds eat lunch. Where have I been?

I've been volunteering at Rondevlei Nature Reserve.

Now, it might sound horribly exciting (which it may have been) but in just the three days that I helped out last week, I have started a butterfly and dragonfly species list, learned how to make a guinea fowl trap out of old fencing, learned how to set up and bait a guinea fowl trap, and updated my own bird list.

I'm hoping that by volunteering here, I will be able to gain a little experience in the field into which I am about to throw myself, and it's proven beneficial so far. I'm keen to do a little alien clearing, fencing, data capture and maybe even a little game capture. Plus, it feels good to help out my home town to conserve the diversity of its wetlands :)

In other news, I have just completed an assignment for Environmental Law on international whaling. Post to follow.

Ciao for now..
Andy

Just checking in..

Helloo :)

I hope you all found those articles as interesting as I did, and that you found the information at least a little bit useful (I know my mom has already read Captain Charles Moore's report to her Geography class).

Anyway, the last two weeks of college have been suprisingly interesting and informative. Game Reserve Management was interesting from the first paragraph, and Environmental Law is certainly not as tedious as I'd imagined. I suppose I still haven't exactly warmed to Entrepreneurship and Lodge Operations, but I think I'm getting there. I think I might just enjoy this year :)

Lastly, I suppose I should update the Frog of the Month, as it is now March. I'm going to try and make a point of keeping that spot exclusive to South African species, especially the lesser-known.

Until next time,
Andy

Let It Be Read..

Afternoons.

So, as promised, I have a few articles for y'all to read. These were all suggested to us as supplementary reading for Wildlife Tourism.

"Earth Day Cometh and Earth Day Goeth and Where Have All The Bees Gone?"
This a report by Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson on Earth Day 2007. A lot of what he mentions is opinion, but he makes quite a few valid points and presents some very alarming information. It is important to note that in the four years since the report was made, the situation can only have become worse. So, with that in mind, here is the link:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/editorial-070420-1.html

"Species' Extinction Threat Grows"
This is a BBC News article from 2009 on the IUCN's (the International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species, and how vast percentages of these species are becoming seriously endangered. It's a short read, but an important one:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8338880.stm

"Out in the Pacific Plastic is Getting Drastic"
The following is a report, published 2008, by Captain Charles Moore aboard Alguita, an oceanographic research vessel. He addresses the state of a large part of the Pacific that few have seen, but which has become the world's dumping ground - plastics entering the oceans end up here en mass. It's a bit unnerving to think that very little of the world's population know what is happening here. There's even a video. Check it out:
http://www.trunity.net/upcycling/articles/view/135971/?topic=16214

I hope you will find the above articles as interesting and thought-provoking as I have - glad I could share :)

Coolness,
Andy

Guess Who's Back?

Hey guys

So, college has started with the usual hiccups and confusion, and it's time to get back on the proverbial horse. This year, subjects include Game Reserve Mangagement, Trails Guiding, Lodge Operations, Environmental Law and Entrepreneurship. It's going to be an interesting year :P

Durin the second half of this year, we (the second-year Game Ranging students) will embark on another 28-day excursion to Makuleke in Kruger to try our hands at achieving our FGASA Back-up Trails Guide qualification. This, too, should prove interesting, if the last trip was anything to go by.

I spoke last about articles that I wanted to share, and I will do so sometime this week.

Shot-oh,
Andreazzzz

Note

Hey guys :)

Hope you enjoyed the last post on the EcoTraining. Just wanted to inform you that there may be a slight decline in the frequency of new posts - exams are coming up, so I'm not really getting much practical in to write about. There are, however, a few articles I've been reading that I'd like to share sometime. More on that later.

Save the honey bee,
Andrea

The Selati Experience

Hey Spot-Froggers :P

Long time, no blog.

Last I wrote, I was about to embark on an excursion to Selati Game Reserve for a 28-day EcoTraining course, where I was to meet great people, experience some awesome encounters, have a great time and complete my FGASA Level 1. Here's how it happened:

As a class, the nine First Year Game Ranging students of Damelin, Mowbray left college at 9.30am on the morning of the 16th of August in a Quantam. The boys promptly cracked open the first beers of the day and settled in. We made our way to Beaufort West along the N1, stopping in Matjiesfontein for a drink, living off One Stop food and Steers, and stopping approximately every 40min or so for a toilet break. We reached the Karoo National Park late afternoon, and set up camp. Unfortunately, only one clever person had brought a sleeping mat, so the rest of us slept on the bare tent floors (under which was hard ground and acacia thorns).

We scouted the Park out for a bit, then returned to start the braai. Only once we'd started the fire and were ready to braai did we notice that no one had brought tongs, so Iain and I made the 20min walk to the Park's shop in the hope that it was still open. It was open, and the braai was saved. We ate wellfor a bunch of college kids, and made our way to our somewhat uncomfortable beds. Confortable in Ross's case..

After waking up at 5am, we had piled in the bus and were off by 6am. Destination: Sondela Game Reserve (near Bela-Bela) via Kimberley. Once again, there were open beers by 10am, and the subsequent frequential toilet breaks. We reached Kimberley 'round midday, had twenty minutes to check out the Big Hole, squabbled a little about travel arrangements, then climbed back into the bus and continued on our way. We reached Sondela at about 10pm, set up camp in the dark, cooked in the dark, saw a couple of spring hares, almost walked into a couple of horses (to one of which Johnny, almost unknowingly, fed his beer), made use of the awesome bathrrom facilities that we had to ourselves and went to bed after midnight (a little more comfortable due to the underlying grass, as well as piled up towels, clothes and anything else of a soft and mattress-y nature).

Rising at 7am on the 18th of August, we woke up to the sight of hornbills feasting on our leftovers on the braai. There was also a bit of a bird party going on next to a tree a few metres away, which led to our first sightings of the fork tail drongo, the greater blue-eared starling and the magpie shrike. We then took a trip down to the stables and paddocks to look at the horses (sighting J-Bone's friend, the Friesian and almost missing a lone kudu cow amongst the horses). We also came across a rather large, rather friendly family of banded mongoose foraging for insects on the grass.

We were then treated to an hour's game drive, upon which we saw plenty of kudu, impala, blesbok, warthog, a lone blue wildebeest and a snake. After the drive, we left on the last leg of this part of the journey - the trip to Selati. On the way, we drove through the spectacular montane forests of Magoebaskloof and southern Limpopo, ending up on the R71 throught to Tzaneen and reaching Selati's gates at 3pm - an hour late, Cape Town style.

We were fetched by Werner, there to volunteer and re-do his practical assessment. We piled our many bags into the trailer attached to the Land Rover, covered it with tarp, and set off on the final few kilometers to the camp. Upon arrival, we were met by Dale, the course instructor, who showed us to our tents. Amy and I snatched tent number four, which later turned out to be in a rather excitimng place to be. We then went to the lapa (which was to be our dining room, classroom, and general meeting place), signed a few forms and met Matthew (assisstant instructor) and the rest of our course-mates - Moz, Geoff, Skye, Roxy, Kert, Conor, Dylan and Koen.

We had the rest of the day to relax, get to know each other and eat :) We were explained the daily schedule, which went as follows:
5.30am - Wake up and tea/coffee/cereals
6.30am-9.30am - Activity - one group on a drive, the other on a walk
10.30am - Breakfast
11.30am - Lecture
12.30pm-2.30pm - Free time to study/sleep/play volleyball/etc.
2.30pm - Lunch
3.30pm-6.30pm - Activity - one group on walk, the other on a drive (i.e. opposite to the morning's activity)
7pm - Supper

So, with that hectic schedule in mind, we spent the rest of the day chilling, playing volleyball and chatting.

[It would take too long to explain each day of the course, so I'll paraphrase the next 27 days for your consideration :) ]

The next four weeks were pure awesome. We went on drives and walks, learned some valuable information about guiding, the natural environment, the animals and plants that make up the area and general skills regarding tracking, guiding and people. We were able to take turns in driving the Landie (my first time driving involved being mock-charged by a bull elephant named George) and practise guiding, and spent our walks tracking elephant and finding the lions with the telemetry. The 5.30am wake up proved relatively easy, especially because we were usually in bed by 9pm :P We spent our free time either catching up on lectures, studying, sleeping or blowing off some steam with volleyball or touch rugby down in the dry river bed.

Our fourteenth day was our off-day. We all piled into cars and took a trip to Hoedspruit for the day. A group of us breakfasted at Sleeper's Restaurant (Craig starting his day off with a Castle) before hitting the shops with bellies full of yummy pizza ^_^ We gathered some much-needed supplies before returning to meet the others at Sleeper's for lunch, and drinks, of course. At about 4pm, well-fed and - ahem - slightly innebriated, our group left for camp.

The next day was GREAT for those with hangovers, starting off with an early morning rifle handling session in the sun :P The shooting involved a somewehat loud .308 rifle, and an even louder .375 :P Nevertheless, it was enjoyed by all. We returned to camp for breakfast before packing for a sleep-out. It didn't help that the temperature was in the mid-thirties, but we made our way to the site in the afternoon. We set up a make-shift shelter using mopane branches, tarp and some innovation (i.e. people on shoulders). Before supper, a group of us scaled the koppie on the western side of our temporary camp and got an awesome view of the sunset. After supper, we were divided into pairs and given a one hour slot to do patrols. Waking up at 2am was a struggle, but, hey, it had to be done.

The tests and exams caused quite a bit of stress among us, especially because only a couple of people passed the first one :P In total, we wrote three EcoTraining theory tests, two field observation tests, one FGASA theory exam and then were assessed practically. This involved taking a three hour game drive, a post-drive interview and an astronomy prac. Only those who passed the FGASA Theory Test were able to do the FGASA Practical Assessment, the pass mark being 75% for each and every test. Thankfully, I passed the theory. The twelve of us doing the prac drew our places out of a hat, as there were to be three pracs a day. I was either fortunate or unfortunate enough to draw the number twelve, and so had randomly selcted myself to go last.

Between the first prac and my own, I went on a few others as a "guest", and in doing so was able to pick out some useful tips and ideas. I was navigator for one drive and driver for another, and so plotted out a sufficient route. It was interesting to see how others guided and what kinds of things they noticed, which was cool, but also gave me a lot to live up to. When it finally came to my drive, I supposed that I was as ready as I'd ever be, and dived in head first. At breakfast, I had to give a pre-trip briefing, and from then on I had to act like a guide. I had to give another briefing before we left, as procedure went, and then we were off. I was incredibly lucky in that it was a great day for birds, and barely 500m into my drive, I stopped at the biggest bird party I had ever come across. Fortunately, I was able to identify a total of 27 different species on my drive, tying with Dylan - the Bird Man - as highest. We didn't see many of the larger mammals, with the exception of giraffe, impala and waterbuck but that was to be expected (Selati used to be separate cattle farms, and so is overrun in bush encroaching vegetation and pioneer species, so it is difficult to see animals in the dense vegetation. There is also all-year hunting taking place as an extra source of revenue - which is understandable as there are many private lodges - which makes the animals skittish.).

The astronomy prac went well, as did the interview, and I am proud to say that I passed with 88% for the prac, and obtained my FGASA Level 1 with a grand total of 95% :) So it was all worth the effort in the end.

Throughout the four weeks, we were rarely alone at night - with or without our knowledge. We woke up some mornings with leopard, elephant, lion and rhino tracks on the paths in camp, and often woke up during the night to the sawing sound of leopard or the crack of an elephant pushing over a tree. Anthea and I were blocked from our tents one night by an elephant in the bushes and ended up spending three hours by the fire with the drinking boys, waiting for the elephants to pass. Skye, Wern (also known as Sous due to his love of tomato sauce) and Kert (a.k.a. Vetkoek) were once stuck in the girls' bathroom trying to scare away a leopard lurking near the entrance.

Our second-last night was an amazing experience though. We went to bed with the knowledge that the elephants were across the river. I woke up at about 12.30am to the sound of crunching tree trunks unnervingly close to the tent. I figured that the herd had moved to our side of the river and that there was an elephant across the pathway from the tent. Luckily, Amy and I had rolled up the flaps of our tent a few nights before because we had missed the pride of lions that walked passed our tent, and I was able to see outside. Sure enough, there in the moonlight was the enormous silhouette of a feeding elephant. I woke Amy and for four hours we watched the surprisingly quiet animal push trees and saplings over in front of our tent. Amy fell asleep a few times and once I had to wake her because the elephant heard her snoring, stopped, walked 'round the tent and peered in the side window, tusks and trunk showing up clearly in the weak light of the moon. At 5.30am, Dale and a couple of people had to chase them away, because we needed to get up. In any case, that morning was an awesome way to say goodbye to the place and creatures we'd grown to love.

Our last full day was another off-day, upon which we received our results, drank a lot, played 30-Seconds, dug a large hole in the river bed, drank some more, played volleyball, attempted to jump over the hole that we had dug, ate, drank a bit more and then passed out (not me personally, but quite a few others).

At last, too soon, the morning of the 14th of September dawned. Our final day was one of sad goodbyes and hugs and thank-you's and photos and packing. We were at the gates by 9am and then it was to the bus for the Damelin students. As hard as it was to leave, the prospect of going home was exciting. Our first day of the journey home took us through Mpumalanga, to Pretoria to drop Amy off and buy supplies, and make our way to Bloemfontein, where we camped for the night. Eager to set off early, we left Bloem at 4am, stopped for coffee, stopped for a sit-down breakfast at Wimpy, stopped for toilet breaks, lunch - the usual. We reached Oudtshoorn in the afternoon, got some more supplies and settled down for camp at Kleinplaas. We were fed, showered and in bed by 7.30pm (??) and woken up at 3.30am by Ross's somewhat loud voice, half an hour ahead of schedule (it turned out that Ross had actually been woken up by Iain's snoring, so we blamed the early wake up on him). We were in the bus and on our way by 4.15am.

We reached college unhindered and slightly tired at about 11am, where we were met by friends and family, ready to take us home..

All in all, the trip was insightful, fun and all together amazing :) We returned more knowledgeable, more fit and more tanned, and a few of us newly qualified Level One Nature Guides, which is, ideally, what we went there for :P We made tons of new friends, forged relationships that are sure to last and brought the soul of Selati home with us. We will forever be a part of the experience :)

Selati, we love you.

Cheers,
Andrea

P.S. Check the pics out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=253171&id=759850849
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=267603&id=759850849

Update

Hey guys, sorry this is so late.

So, the past few weeks have been a bit hectic. They've included a trip to Rondevlei, a snake practical, another two Nature Studies tests, countless PoE activities and a basic fire training prac.

Short description:

The Rondevlei prac involved an ecology lecture, a Californian king snake, an egg eater, a couple of molesnakes, a Western leopard toad, several species of water birds, a study of the grasses and a very friendly porcupine named Pippa :)

The snake practical was pretty cool. The first snake out of its box was a Cape cobra, followed by a puffadder, and then a molesnake. We were then able to handle a couple of egg eaters, a skaapsteker, a red-lipped hatchet and an olive house snake.

The first Nature Studies test was on classification and taxonomy, bacteria and fungi, plants, arthropods and molluscs. The second was a nation-wide rewrite of the first semester's test, on geology, astronomy, weather and climate, ecology and biomes. Yay.

The PoE activities were pretty boring, so I won't go into details, but let's just say that they involved grasses and leaves. Exciting, huh?

The fire training we did today, and it was refreshing to do some physical activity for a change, crawling through pipes, using fire extinguishers, playing with fire hoses, carrying bricks through a burning building [container] and extinguishing fires with the hose :)

Anyways, on Monday I shall be off on a four-and-a-half-week EcoTraining course at Selati Game Reserve (west of the Kruger National Park), where I'll hopefully obtain my FGASA Level One. If I study. Which I may not. Oh well. I'll be keeping a log of everything. If I remember. Which I very well may not.

Ok, cheers. See you in five weeks.

Frogs 'n Toads

Ok, so, I didn't go to last Thursday's prac, because, well, I overslept.. ahem..

Anyway, today in Nature Studies we went through Chapter 11: Amphibians. You can imagine my excitement (me being partial to frogs and all).

We went through some interesting things about life cycles, habitats, reproduction, etc. etc., but I found a couple of things that really boggled my mind:

There are a few species of large frogs and toads: the giant toad, the Goliath frog/toad and the giant bullfrog. The giant bullfrog, a species from Western Africa, can be up to one metre in length - from the tip of the snout to the tip of the toe (outstretched) --->

I also found out about the South African platanna. In the early 1900s, the frog was used to test for pregnancy. A sample of urine would be taken from the suspected woman and this would be injected under the frog's skin. If the platanna then began to develop eggs, this meant that the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, which in turn would indicate the woman's pregnancy. This method of testing for pregnancy is still used, and is regarded as one of the most reliable pregnancy tests.

I'll post a link to the Two Oceans Aquarium's site, where you'll be able to read up on the platanna. Google the others - there are some awesome pictures :)

Peace,

Andy

Last week's practical

Yo..

So, last Thursday (8 July), our class had a prac at Cape Point. The aim of the prac was to look at the different vegetation types and associated wildlife. We were able to distinguish the zones where vegetation type changed, the milkwood forests on the coast and the disturbed areas (sites previously used for farming and military balistics target practice - bet you never knew that Cape Point was a military station :P).

Animals spotted were several ostrich, a bontebok, several eland, a pied crow and a raptor of which we still can't decide the name..

We drove around for a bit, stopping here and there to do activites or to view the vegetation. We stopped at the Cape of Good Hope (most south-west point of the Cape) and then walked up to the Cape Point lighthouse, just for fun.

For tomorrow's prac, which, I'm guessing, will focus on the remaining Renosterveld in the Cape, we will be looking at Rondebosch Common and Signal Hill.

Oh, and from the 18th of August to the 14th of September we will be doing our FGASA (Field Guides Association of South Africa) Level 1 and EcoTraining and stuff. So, coolness :)

Okay, bye bye now,
Andrea

Supplementary reading on Signal Hill

Check out this Cape Nature article I just found on the endangered Renosterveld on Signal Hill and Devil's Peak. It's pretty much the only thing I could find on Signal Hill's ecology, which is strange..

http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/EnvironmentalResourceManagement/publications/Documents/Biodiv_fact_sheet_4_PenShaleRen_2010-03.pdf

Shot,
Andrea

Signal Hill Excursion

Wow, okay.. So, this is post #1 of the who-knows-how-many to come.. I'm going to keep Frogg Spot's topics along the nature line because, well, frogs..

So anyways, today was an adventure for Andrea the Aspiring Game Ranger. For my Nature Studies syllabus, I'm supposed to do a few activities relating to the general ecology of a chosen protected area. The first two activities are due for tomorrow (which reminds me that maybe I should be doing work) so I decided that today would be the perfect day to head up to Signal Hill to complete them. Perfect day it was..

The aim of the assignment was to look at rock types in a certain [protected] area and the organisms associated with them, as well as the possible relationship between leaf size and soil type. Signal Hill is a major dud when it comes to naturally-occuring diversity, but, nevertheless, I missioned to the top parking lot to check it out.

As expected, I found only a few lumps of sandstone amongst the concrete and a few indigenous shrubs amongst the cone pines and red gums, as well as several Cape francolin (now dubbed "Cape spurfowl", but, hey, "francolin" is easier for me to remember) scavenging between the planted acacias and daisy bushes. And one bug. But, the view was amazing and I got what I needed. Should have taken photos..

So, with today's short-lived expedition and beautiful weather, I feel a little better about meeting those deadlines tomorrow. All in the name of research for a better chance at conserving our natural heritage :)

Peas and carrots,
Andrea