SOUTH AFRICA GAME RANGER EXPERIENCE - 2 WEEKS
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK AND KARONGWE RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA
Our Game Ranger Experience is designed to give you a taste of what it is like to be a game ranger! From understanding Ecosystem management which includes grasses, plants, animals, weather, geology, roads, fences, water and fire, to Game Capture and Anti-poaching.
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Location: |
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK AND KARONGWE RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA |
Dates: |
22 July - 3 August 2011 |
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Fees: |
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Payment: |
30% of course fee is required as a deposit at time of booking – the balance is due 12 weeks before departure |
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Reference: |
AC002 |
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General Information
Game Rangers are the custodians of our wildlife areas and are responsible for ensuring that our game and nature reserves are managed in a sustainable manner. For people to understand what a game ranger does, it is very important to understand Ecosystem management. Game Capture is only a small part of a game rangers duty as here he will generally form part of a large team of game capture specialists and veterinary specialists doing a capture as and when needed whilst taking place at the last minute yet generally in winter months, the supposed “glamorous” side of being a game ranger. Anti-poaching on the other hand is the not so “glamorous” side to any game rangers’ duty and is generally an on-going daily saga, with much frustration, passion and determination.
The specialist Instructor Ralf Kalwa brings a wide experience and expertise, and delivers information and a great understanding with total passion and enthusiasm for a Game Ranger’s life!
Subjects Covered
- Black pot principle
- Landscape model: ROZ plan, fire management; water provision and Elephant management
- Animals: Game distribution, sex ratios, age classes, game numbers and animal condition
- Area integrity management: Anti-poaching, equipment training, patrol methods, crime scene management, anti-poaching surveillance
- Rare Game Management: Limitations and management options, active adaptive management, game counts and census methods
- Wildlife and tourism management’s co-existence, population dynamics, challenges and commercialisation in private and public sectors
- Buffalo breeding programme and Elephant contraception
- Alien and Invasive plant management, bush encroachment, tree rehabilitation (Warden Kobus Havemann)
- Global warming and its effects on South African wildlife
- Environmental auditing and house-keeping and waste management
- Daily subjects will include ecosystem management as a whole
Tasks Include:
- Observation, census and animal condition forms which contribute to the collection of data which can be passed on to the game reserve’s management for their own use and the learners get to contribute to the authentic operations
- Patrol drives to do game distribution; sex ratios; age classes; game numbers and condition
- Learners do waterhole count and sleep outs
- A full day and night with Anti-poaching specialist Jack Greef and his team at Makuleke
- There may be game capture activity if one becomes available during the course, not guaranteed
- Visiting buffalo breeding programme
- Practical work would include alien and invasive plant control and waste cleanup
- Final presentation done by all students as individuals – last day
Highlight
A full day and night with Anti-poaching Specialist Jack Greef, and his team.
Jack Greef joined the SADF as a boy soldier at the age of 16 and became the youngest member of the Permanent Force to complete the tough Part One Instructor's Course at the Infantry School at Oudtshoorn. After an impressive career, He became one of the most decorated soldiers in the SADF - all awarded for achievements and bravery during special operations. This included a well-deserved Honoris Crux. After rising to the rank of major he resigned o pursue a career as a game ranger. He has since successfully directed anti-poaching operations, firstly in South Africa's world-renowned Kruger National Park and later elsewhere in Africa and now is the head of Anti-poaching in the Pafuri/Makuleke region of the Kruger National park.
Note: There is a minimum of 1 person and a maximum of 8 people for this course
Support
Support and advice is available from your Project Managers whilst on the project and from the UK Amanzi Travel Team.
Find out more about Amanzi Travel support.
Orientation
A comprehensive information pack will be sent to course participants upon booking their placement and further advice and information will be provided via telephone and email before departure. A full orientation will be provided on arrival by the project coordinator including information on the current status of the project and familiarization with the local surroundings.
Accommodation and Meals
First Week at the Makuleke Camp, Kruger National Park
Accommodation at the Kruger Park Concession Camp is in ten comfortable thatched, tented rooms situated on large wooden decks shaded by the Nyala trees. All rooms have en-suite bathroom facilities with a shower, wash basin and hot running water. Each unit also has a verandah overlooking the bush.
The camp consists of 2 people sharing per tent. Single requests are required to pay double rates. Women and men do not share unless booked as a couple.
There is no electricity at the camp with paraffin lamps and battery operated energy saving lights being used for lighting. The camp has a generator to supply power for charging cameras, phones and batteries. The camp is unfenced to allow for free movement of the animals in their natural environment.
Fresh drinking water is available from the taps and cordial fruit juices, tea and coffee are provided. The camp has a shop where soft drinks and beers can be purchased. A laundry service is available at a small additional weekly charge.
Second Week at Karongwe Game Reserve
The River side Camp is situated on the banks of the Karongwe River in the 9 000 hectare Karongwe Game Reserve, to the south-west of the Kruger National Park. Accommodation is in walk-in safari style tents with shared bathroom facilities. This camp is a good place for viewing leopard, lion and cheetah as well as elephant and white rhino.
As the camp itself is unfenced, we often have four-legged guests in the camp. Hyena make nightly patrols of the camp and are often seen by learners who choose to make one of the viewing decks their home for the duration of the course. Elephant, cheetah and lion have also made appearances on occasion.
Accommodation is in shared walk-in style tents with twin beds. There are shared washing facilities and a central communal area surrounded by the open decks. Students have the option to sleep out on the open decks if they are feeling adventurous. Single room occupancy is supplied on a double rate basis and men and women do not share a tent unless booked as a couple.
Meals
Early morning wake-up Tea, coffee, biscuits and fresh fruit
Brunch after activity Cooked breakfast, cereals and fruit
Afternoon tea Light snacks
Dinner A balanced, warm plated meal (Meat, vegetables and salad)
Getting There
Students should arrange to fly into Johannesburg (OR Tambo) Airport. From here onward transfer can be made either by road or air.
Local internal flights and transfers to the camps can be arranged by Amanzi Travel.
Road transfers, if preferred, can be arranged from Johannesburg (OR Tambo) Airport to Makuleke camp, the transfer time being five and a half hours. The return transfer from Karongwe Game Reserve is between 7 and 8 hours. Uncovered car parking is available at the camp for those who wish to self drive.
Fees
What is included
- Experts in game capture or poaching
- Accommodation
- Walks
- Game drives
- Meals, tea, coffee and cordials
- Instructors and Training
What is excluded
- International and domestic flights including arrival and departure fees if applicable
- Transfers to and from Johannesburg airport on arrival and at the end of the project - Amanzi Travel can arrange return transfers for you
- Travel insurance to cover your project (to include cover for repatriation)
- Accommodation before and after the course
- Tourist Visas
- Personal items, clothes, travel goods etc
- Laundry - R45 p/week 2009, R50 2010
- Kruger National Park Entrance Fee - R35 in 2009
- Beverages (beer, cider, bottled water)