Last full week at the farm 🙁

-
Monday morning on my last full week at the farm started with the Cheetah experience. Unfortunately by the time we got to the enclosure it was already so hot the cheetahs didn't want to run for us, so we just followed them around a bit then checked up on Amber, who has been poorly recently. 
The afternoon was Baboon walk, it was nice, however I got pooped on this time after being weed on the last time, I must be extra lucky now! 
Some of the guys where having their last night at the farm on Monday so we decided to have a little leaving drinks together, ended up getting to bed later than planned but it was a very fun night.
Tuesday we were up bright and early ready for project work, just what you want after a few drinks 😂 mending fences are almost as fun as cutting grass! 
In the afternoon I was meant to go for Rhino Rangers but after doing it a few weeks ago for a couple of nights I decided to join a different group, I ended up on baboon walk again. My luck however seemed to end as I was bitten twice, horrible little sods! 
Wednesday I also got to choose again as my team were still on Rhino Rangers, it was fortunate that the group I joined were on horses, it was great, I love Alfie🥰
Afternoon work was small animal cage cleaning again.
On Thursday some groups got "lucky" and we're picked to do a game count, getting up an hour early without breakfast, fun! 
After getting back we went straight into research, it was very enjoyable driving around for 3 hours just checking camera traps then in the afternoon filling out all the animals we found on the camera traps. We got lucky this week and got to see the elusive Cheetah 🐆 
On Friday I started with an 8km hike around the reserve with the APU patrol then I finished off my week with carnivor feeding. 
I'm happy to say Amber the sick Cheetah finally started eating after being off her food for 5 days, still not sure if she'll make it but it's a good sign.
On Saturday I packed and a group of us headed to Timbila. It's another reserve of 30,500 hectars and contains a lot more animals than Naankuse.
We didn't do much after arriving on Saturday just dinner and bed.
On Sunday we were treated to a 5.45 am start with a sunrise breakfast of bacon and egg sandwiches, best one so far.
We then set off on a game count followed by an off round drive to look for the lions, we drove over so many trees and fallen logs, it's was great fun.
After a leisurely lunch and a sunbath by the pool we were taken up a mini mountain for drinks and the sunset. 
We got very lucky Sunday night, as we got a call about a lion being collared so we went to assist. It was the most amazing experience of my life. I held the IV drip while the vets took blood, measurements and gave medicines.
We then got the opportunity to stroke him before he woke up, it was unbelievable!
I'll leave it there and update you on the rest of Timbila at the end of the week 🤩

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Etosha, Swakapmund, Wallis Bay and Sandwich Harbour!

-
Image
Monday was a sad day as I had to say  goodbye to some lovely new friends and head off to Windhoek. Luckily Natalie was also on my tour so we went together to our hostel.  The rooms were lovely, and we had a pizza which was great, especially as there wasn't a bone in sight 😀. Tuesday we were up bright and early to be taken for our induction and to meet the other people on the tour, we got biscuits, a real treat as I haven't had anything sweet apart from fruit in weeks. On our way to Etosha National Park, the drive was long and very hot. We got a chance to stop at a craft market on the way...it was horrible. Within 2 seconds you are surrounded by men trying to force their products on you, I'm happy to say I stood firm and left without a thing.  Upon arriving at Etosha we went straight into a game drive, we saw some elephants, hundreds of Springbok and other animals.  Our room the first night was lovely and it had a princess mosquito net, very cosy. Wednesday morning w...
Read more

week 2

-
Image
Monday morning and I had a lovely activity to start...horse riding 😃 We drive to look for the horses then herded them back to the paddock for a rub down before going on our 1 and a half hour trek. I had Indi, who was not keen on the rub down but was wonderful to ride.  We saw the whole group of 14 giraffe, Zebra and oryx, and couple of Springbok and an ostrich. Monday afternoon I had the fun job of animal cage cleaning...exactly as it sounds, picking up poop and dried food, cleaning out  then topping up water wholes. Tuesday bright and early Tommie, Pingu and I headed off to Rhino Rangers for the rest of the week. This is sleeping in the reserve with the Wild animals in tents. We started off dumping our stuff and heading straight out to find rhino's, I'm happy to say we got lucky and found one after around an hour. He was lovely, only about 8 metres away. We then went back for lunch before heading out again, we didn't see anything for a while but then got told we were bein...
Read more

weekend fun +

-
Image
On Saturday only a few of the volunteers decided to help out with activities. We got small animal feeding, which means we give meat to the meerkats, mongoose (vicious little beasts) and Beetlejuice the pole cat, and veg to the velvet monkeys and Spareribs, who will be coming home with me 😊 In the afternoon after lunch we did round two of animal feeding then went to play fun games the guides had arranged for us!  In the evening we sat and played card games with a couple of beers.  Sunday was much the same in the morning, however Me, Tommie, Christian and John booked ourselves into lunch at the Base camp, this is another place where volunteers stay but it has a restaurant and nice pool area that you can order different food. I had steak and fries!  Sunday evening was sat around the camp fire meeting some of the newbies and playing games.  On Monday I was put on research, this is where we drive around the reserve looking for the elephants to check on their health, unfo...
Read more