Page 123 iStudy Guide 2019/20
P. 123
iStudy
2019/20
123
Daily routines at the Research Camp were varied, often
involving two to three different activities throughout
the day. Frequent game drives provided the basis of
each day’s schedule, which involved heading out on
the reserve’s dust tracks to spot wildlife and undertake
fieldwork such as collating game census and game
capture records. Along the way, our ranger would teach
us how to track animals by looking out for footprints as
we drove along, and how to identify different species
of antelope and birds. Upon return, we would enter
our findings into computers to collate official game
statistics for the South African government.
As proud members of the Rhino Protection Trust,
Siyafunda volunteer projects include the tracking and
monitoring of the black rhino population within the
reserve. Critically endangered due to past poaching,
monitoring the rhinos’ whereabouts ensures the
protection and conservation of their numbers. But it
wasn’t just rhinos we’d spot; the reserve was brimming
with giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, lion and endless
antelope. Being able to turn off the main track and
into the bush to find ourselves within metres of a
magnificent lion pack was an incredible experience.
However, coming across an elephant herd grazing on
a river bank, with the bull elephant coming (safely)
within reaching distance of our vehicle was the
highlight of my trip – I had never witnessed anything
so awe-inspiring in my life.
Maintenance was another activity we’d take part
in once or twice a week. This meant clearing dead
vegetation to create natural firebreaks around the
camps and other essential areas to protect them from
wildfires, which are common in the dry season. The
weekends were our free time. Saturdays would usually
involve a day trip into town to stock up on supplies
or visiting a local attraction. For me, Sundays were
dedicated to sunbathing atop the viewing deck, taking
in the 360-degree views of the surrounding plains and
spotting resident wildlife.
THE VOLUNTEERING EXPERIENCE
2019/20
123
Daily routines at the Research Camp were varied, often
involving two to three different activities throughout
the day. Frequent game drives provided the basis of
each day’s schedule, which involved heading out on
the reserve’s dust tracks to spot wildlife and undertake
fieldwork such as collating game census and game
capture records. Along the way, our ranger would teach
us how to track animals by looking out for footprints as
we drove along, and how to identify different species
of antelope and birds. Upon return, we would enter
our findings into computers to collate official game
statistics for the South African government.
As proud members of the Rhino Protection Trust,
Siyafunda volunteer projects include the tracking and
monitoring of the black rhino population within the
reserve. Critically endangered due to past poaching,
monitoring the rhinos’ whereabouts ensures the
protection and conservation of their numbers. But it
wasn’t just rhinos we’d spot; the reserve was brimming
with giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, lion and endless
antelope. Being able to turn off the main track and
into the bush to find ourselves within metres of a
magnificent lion pack was an incredible experience.
However, coming across an elephant herd grazing on
a river bank, with the bull elephant coming (safely)
within reaching distance of our vehicle was the
highlight of my trip – I had never witnessed anything
so awe-inspiring in my life.
Maintenance was another activity we’d take part
in once or twice a week. This meant clearing dead
vegetation to create natural firebreaks around the
camps and other essential areas to protect them from
wildfires, which are common in the dry season. The
weekends were our free time. Saturdays would usually
involve a day trip into town to stock up on supplies
or visiting a local attraction. For me, Sundays were
dedicated to sunbathing atop the viewing deck, taking
in the 360-degree views of the surrounding plains and
spotting resident wildlife.
THE VOLUNTEERING EXPERIENCE
