African Impact’s aim is to assist their partners (researchers) to conserve and protect endangered species. In order to do so, everyday volunteers go on game drives and collect data. Along with these data, we also make ID Kits for some of the more endangered animals such as lions, elephants, leopards, etc. The main purpose of an ID Kit is to allow researchers and us to identify the animal. In an ID kit one can find the animal’s name, front and side pictures, some of the distinctive characteristics, estimated age, and some other notes. Using a lion ID kit as an example: On the left, is a completed ID kit for the lioness, Narnia - NN, NF1. On the ID kit is the name of the animal, pride, gender, and the distinctive characteristic-for a lion, its whisker patterns. There is also some basic information for that lion. On the right are some of the other whisker patterns of other lions. We are still working on getting more data to complete their ID kits. When going on game drives the guides pick up different animal tracks. Not long ago, they picked up a leopard’s footprint. They then set up camera traps, hoping to get photos of the animal. Just 15 minutes after we set up the camera trap and left, the camera got a photo (right) of the leopard. The photo allowed us to start a new ID kit for the leopard. For a leopard, its distinctive characteristic are some of the special rosettes (spots) we can identify. Right now the leopard is our main focus. Game drives have been routed through that area, and more camera traps have been set up. We are hoping to get more data and more photos so that we can know more about it as well as complete its ID kit!
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At the main base of African Impact, there are many researchers working on projects to save the Big 5 (buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhino) and other species. We (the volunteers) help by going on game drives to collect data that will help the researchers do their research. We sit on the game viewing vehicles and when we see animals, we record the number, location and physical characteristics of the animals. The information is written on clip boards. We also try to take photographs of the animals so that we can make ID kits. The location of the animals is determined by GPS. The data information sheets we fill out on each game drive is as follows:
a) Rhino Sightings. b) Big 5 and Predator Sightings c) Predator Monitoring d) Raptor Recording (types of eagles and vultures, etc.) e) Sightings Rate (all species) f) Lions - Social Interaction g) Lions - Group Dynamics h) Lions - Activities i) Elephant Sightings In total, there are 9 different data sheets. Each person on the game viewing vehicle is assigned a different data sheet. In the first week, we did eight (3 hours long) game drives, and on each we were given the responsibility to fill out a different data sheet. It takes a lot of concentration to record all the details, but the guide who is with us is always helpful and provides assistance whenever necessary. These are some of the animals we saw at Klaserie today. We also took a Shangaan lesson this evening! Want to know how to say these animals in Shangaan? Look at the photo captions!
On our first Sunday at Africa Impact, we decided to go with Jason, Stuart and Stacey (the managers of the project) to hike down a beautiful ravine in the nearby mountains. On our way down, we had to climb down steep cliffs, crawl through caves and jump into river pools. An amazing adventure! Below are some photos and videos for you to enjoy. Below are some pictures from our day trip into the Blyde River Mountains. We visited several scenic spots, including God’s Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Blyde River Canyon. The mountain scenery was quite spectacular! My favorite thing about today besides the views was eating the biltong (dried raw meat) that we bought today. This morning we helped dig a pond which will become a place where frogs can live and thrive. For two hours, all the volunteers, including our students, swung pickaxes and scooped up earth with spades and shovels. The ground was incredibly hard, but we made good progress. Michael, Lily and Jeannette put in a great effort, even though it was very hot and dusty. I'm proud of the contribution our trip participants have made so far. Well done, guys!
On Wednesday, we went to the Klaserie game reserve, a part of the Greater Kruger national Park. For the next 24 hours we went on four game drives. We cooked our dinner--African Sausages, called Boerwors, on the glowing read coals from the camp fire. We then camped out under the stars. The following day we went on drives both before and afer breakfast, thus ending our short camping trip in Klaserie. The following photos are some of the animals we saw, along with a footage of a lioness eating its dinner! Welcome to paradise, the place we're staying at in South Africa. The lodge has a swimming pool, several cozy places to rest, a communal dining room, a lounge, and rooms where we have group meetings. There is wifi, but the signal is very weak because it is far from civilization. It is not a five star hotel, but there is five star service. Every morning staff members clean up your room, though that is to prevent ants and spiders or even mice from entering. What else can you ask for in the middle of nowhere in South Africa?Today we started our conservation work! We chopped down Acacia bushes with machetes. The purpose of doing this is to prevent them from growing higher. Once Acacia bushes have grown too high, the grass the antelope and rhino graze on won’t be able to get enough sun because of the shade. Our job was to cut down bushes before they grow too high. Here are some photos and videos from today: Today we went on our first game drive! Michael and Lily went on one jeep while Andre and I went on another. We went driving through a large reserve called Buffalo Land which is ten minutes away from our lodge. During the drive the coordinators would drive close to an animal, stop, and then explain to us what animal we are looking at, as well as some interesting facts. Some of the volunteers on he truck had to record scientific data. We were lucky enough to see two herds of buffaloes, some vultures, giraffes, zebras, and many species of antelopes. Here is just a glimpse of the animals we saw today:
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The Africa TeamStudents from BigByte are on an adventure in South Africa, and they're here to share all the marvelous things they've seen. ArchivesCategories |