EFAF

Elephants for Africa Forever On the 27th of October the

On October the 27^th the nature conservation students had the opportunity to visit the Elephants at the Zabula nature reserve.

The experience was far exceeding anything any of us had expected and we enjoyed it emensley. The amount we learnt is so far beyond anything you will find in a book or on the net.

Who knew that Elephants sense of smell goes way past that which we understand and to such a depth that they can actually smell cancer in people? At the same time that they can sniff out drugs 50 times more accurately than the dogs used by the police?

Just a few thigs I learnt.

The Limpopo tour was amazing make no mistake but one simple thing we kept coming across was i could have been soooo much better. So here are a few things we noticed.

1. No amount of planning gets the job done.
2. being realistic with time is going to take lots of practice.
3. a bus with a bit more room would have been appreciated.
4. Food is usually the least of our problems, hungry people will eat almost anything.
5. When you have mapped out a route you must be able to give a copy of the route plan to the designated driver so that you don't get lost.
6. Check sleeping arrangements beforehand so that for eg. if you are camping then you don't take too little or too many tents.
7. this was a tour for us to learn and enjoy ourselves it was not in any way a realistic tour for tourist paying big money for a trip.
   

An Ecological Plan For A Nature Reserve

To start off it is important to understand that Ecology is larger than Conservation. It is true the one cannot do without the other but never the less in order to save our planet we must turn to ecology and not conservation.
The course we had just completed brought one consept to light. It is not What we know that make us candidates for ecologist but rather How we see things that make the diffrence. For eg. I know that an area that had been used for agriculture development will take some time (eg 5 years) before it can be used as viable grazing for buck. I also know that in order for it to follow natural succession it must not be over grazer or for that matter grazed at all.
What i did not do was SEE that with a good plan that area can be monitored and assisted and looked after as to prevent further retrogression and to promote it growing properly.
I learnt that

1. You must know your legals all the laws that you are faced with like: NEMA National Environmental Management Act; CARA Conservation of Agricultural resources Act
2. You must know the areas history like if it had been used for agriculture before?
3. Is the area a tourist destination
4. Know and describe the resources in the area. The Physical components such as Climate Existing and Planned Infrastructure;Fire Management aspects; Biological Components; Garden services; Waste management resources; availability of resources for reserve management.
5. Environmental Risk Management
6. Management Potential and management Problems knowing the difference between problems and threats. Also understanding what is the areas potential.
   
7. Reserve Environmental management Goals and Objectives. Understand that objectives are bite size goals. Have an Aim, what is it you want to see being done in terms of soil erosion, soil pollution...etc.
8. Prescription For Management. It is of the utmost importance that you understand that it doesn't help that you see the problems but cannot get solutions if you can't find a solution by yourself enlist the help of others. And also remember that if you have a solution you must know and explain why it is necessary to solve the problem.
9. RECORDING AND MONITORING OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION. If it is not recorded (Written or saved on a PC) then it did not happen. Anything can happen and it would be necessary for someone else to take over from you, if your reporting and monitoring is not up to scratch it could lead to a disaster.
10. Management Processes. Know to who and when you must report what!
11. Programme Objectives translated into 'viable and manageable objectives'
12. Acknowledgments-recognize the fact that you needed others in order to complete the task\report.
13. Bibliography and references it helps to record where you got information so that someone else can cross reference and refer back to the information at a later stage.
14. Executive Summary.All of the above is for yourself and other ecologists but remember that management need short reports on things and so it would be advisable to compile an one page easily readable report for that purpose.
    

Limpopo Tour report

My tour Report

Tour Name: Limpopo tour

Date of tour (Start and end date) 11 October to 15 October 2010

Itinerary description It was a 5 day trip around Limpopo looking at interesting and historical places. Learning about the old history of Limpopo.

Name of Tourist Guide: Antonet Behr

Name of Tour leader: Cobus Spies

Contact details (Tel / Fax / e mail Cell 083 949 5364 my email address antonet.behr@gmail.com

Tour report

Before departure arrangements

It is vital that your guests or customers received together with their standard tour information a complete list of things that are needed to bring on the tour for eg. Insect-repellent ,and malaria medication because Limpopo has several malaria danger areas.

Report on preparations (Vehicle, briefing on pax, money received, rooming list, airport and flight information and food arrangements)

Go through your vehicle inspection the day before make sure you have your money in order and check rooming list and check that all your passengers baggage has been mark according to the rooming list. Check the day of your departure that your pax number is correct .And if you have passengers that are flying in make sure you have the correct flight times as to pick them up at the right time

Report day 1

Established ground rules.

1. When one person speaks they speak alone

2. Stops are timed and there is a time keeper at each spot

3. No smoking or drinking on the bus.

The team that I was in were on cleaning duty on day one. This went well exept that there were too many people to do a little bit of washing.

Time of departure: 8:00 Left Sondela for Blyde River Canyon

Number of pax: 22 People

Itinerary of day and comments: We left a bit late but that did not affect our day planning too much. Drove past Kranskop learnt some cultural history. Had a bathroom stop at Sekukunje, at a long drop. Stopped at Makopane for a quick bathroom break and shopping. We went on to stop at Burgersfort in order to do shopping for basics such as coffee, sugar and veggies that didn’t go off easily as well as our lunch which was pies. Also passed the Echo caves and spoke briefly about them. Amount of stops on route 9 stops, final (9^th) stop Forever Resort at Blyde River Canyon camping site.

Daily debrief

Strong points.

Seating arrangements were organised without problems. Packing also went smoothly. Offloading went well. It was awesome to see the three Rondawels.

Weak Points

It was scorching hot in the bus and the air-con did not help much. We left a bit later than we had planned. Got lost on the way to burgersfort.

Medical incidents (Give full particulars) N\A
Other incidents: (Give full particulars / attached sheet if necessary)

Time of arrival at Accommodation: 17:30

Rooming arrangements in place? Tents were set up

Reception / welcoming arrangements in place?: Reception remained open until our arrival and everything was in order

Lost luggage?: N/A

Food complaints?: N\A

General comments on Attractions of the day: Learnt and saw lots of Geology and special plant species.

Report day 2

Team that I was in did the cleaning up in the morning and made food at lunch and supper.
Number of pax: 22

Itinerary of day and commentary: Woke up at 4:00 am and left the site by 5:25. Stopped at Abel Erasmus pass t see the Taita Falcon at 6:08. Arrived at Kruger gate at 7:30. Arived at Satara for our 9:00 game drive at8:37. Ate lunch at Satara and left for Letaba at 2:00. Arrived At Letaba our Campsite at about 6:00.

Daily debrief

Strong points

Was in time for our tour at Kruger. It was breathtakingly beautiful on the entire drive. Seating again was no problem. Seeing the taita falcon was amazing. Tour at Kruger was good and long.

Weak points

Wors and Mug went MIA. Game drive could have been more guided. Really wanted to see a rhino. Wind made it difficult to set up camp and the hard ground made it all worse.

Medical incidents (Give full particulars):N/A

Other incidents: (Give full particulars / attached sheet if necessary):My cup went missing as well as the left over wors from the previos evening and neither were found.

Reception / welcoming arrangements in place?: Everything was in order

Lost luggage?: N/A

Food complaints?: N\A

Report day 3

Number of pax: 22

The team I was in did the unpacking.

Itinerary of day and commentary: Got up at 6:00 for a game drive. Arrived back at camp at about 7:45 and had coffee. Packed up cleaned up and left to have a look around Letaba Elephant museum at 9:39. Went to Masourini arrived at 11:49. Left for Mojajis kloof at 12:40 and at 3:00 visited Cobus’s dad were we looked at orchids aplenty. Arrived at Big Boabab Tree at 17:14. Slept at warm water source Phukela.

Daily debrief

Strong Points

Enjoyed the game drive saw a leopard. It was interesting to see Masourini. Phuleka was restful and beautiful. Enjoyed the debate about religion. Supper was amasing.

Weak points

It was hot and dusty. The washing team didn’t do their job and some cooking team ended up doing their washing for them. Wasted lots of the supper because we made too much.

Medical incidents: Lindi hurt her knee
Other incidents: (Give full particulars / attached sheet if necessary)
Reception / welcoming arrangements in place?: All was in order

Lost luggage?: N/A

Food complaints?: N\A

General comments on Attractions of the day: Everybody had a fun time in the Kruger national park we saw some nice animals and learned some new things. Saw 4 of the big five missed out on the rhino.

Report day 4

Number of pax: 22

Itinerary of day and commentary: Left for Nylsvlei quite late because we spent the morning relaxing. Stoped at Duiwels kloof for groceries Arrived at the canopy tour at 14:00 Didn’t do a tour but had a look around.. Went to Heinertsbugh and had a drink at the pub Irish Crown at 15:21. Went to eat at the cemetery at 16:04 and had a look around the cemetery. Arrived at Nylsvlei at about 19:00.

Daily debrief

Strong points

Beutifull view of the Area around Duiwelskloof and Georges valley. The wors rolls were very nice.

Weak Points

Didn’t like driving in the dark. Were very tired at the end of the day.

Medical incidents: Lindi hurt her back.

Other incidents: (Give full particulars / attached sheet if necessary)
Reception / welcoming arrangements in place?: all was in order

Lost luggage?: N/A

Food complaints?: N\A

Report day 5

Number of pax: 22 (but note two left, Oom Johan and Heidie and two joined us Kelvin and JP)

Itinerary of day and commentary: Had an early morning game drive some students stayed behind to pack up. Left earlyish and went to the Nylstroom Golf estate were we went on a cable car ride this was fun. From there stopped at a garage in Nylstroom for lunch and headed straight to Sondela.

Daily debrief

Strong points

Cable car ride was fun lunch was also nice.

Weak Points

Very hot again.

Medical incidents (Give full particulars) N/A
Other incidents: (Give full particulars / attached sheet if necessary)

Rooming arrangements in place? N/A

Reception / welcoming arrangements in place?: N/A

Lost luggage? N/A:

Food complaints?: N/A

General comments on Attractions of the day:

General report of the tour

Overall impression of tour: It was really interesting although we would have like to see more sights. We could’ve made more time for proper planning and should’ve bared time in mind. Now we know what Limpopo actually looks like and understand distances etc. whereas before we really didn’t have an idea. A bigger bus would have reduced a lot of tension among the students. We had regular stops for bathrooms and the smokers. The food was good and we received very little complaints about that. Setting up camp went without a hitch as the sleeping arrangements were organised before the time.

Bus services

Johan and Collie who are tour operators at Rinkink Toere were of exelent service right through and Johan’s driving was exeptional

Name list of people on tour

Heidi vd Waldt

Cobus Speis

Dewaldt Venter

Eddie Brindle

Antonet Behr

Lonay vn Zyl

Lindi Lewis

Zenobia Jacobs

San-mari Oosthuisen

Kristi Joubert

Michelle Englebrecht

Monica Louwrens

Pg Claasen

Kyle Hatting

Chenelle Else

Jason Mennel

Skigh Coetzee

Lian vn Zyl

Chantelle Bytel

Christiaan Smith

And later Kelvin and JP second years.

Signature:

Limpopo Tour Itinerary

ü Itinerary

ü Monday morning on the 11^th of October we set off on our tour. Pit stops will be made every hour.(for the smokers & any other pit stops that needs to be made).

ü This is where our expedition begins. We leave Sondela at approximately 8 o’clock. We set off to our first stop, which is the Moorddrif Monument (114km), we will have our first pit stop here. This will take us about an hour and a half to reach. We will stop here for approximately 10-13minites. (09:30-09:43)

ü We will then move on from Moorddrif Monument to Chuniespoort (85km), this will take us about an hour and ten minutes to reach. We will spend about 10-14 minutes here. (Pit stop here). (10:54-11:06)

ü We will then pass through Sekhukhune on to the next stop, Penge Mine (94km), which would take us about an hour and 29 minutes. We will stop her for approximately 16-21minutes. (Pit Stop Here). (12:36-12:54)

ü From Penge Mine we move on to Ohrigstad (72km), which will take us about an hour and ten minutes to reach. Here we will most likely buy any necessary items that would be needed that night and the following day. We will stop here for about 45-60 minutes. (Pit Stop Here). (14:04-14:55)

ü From Ohrigstad we head out to the Echo Caves (26km), which will take about 30minutes to reach. Here we will be admiring the interesting Caves, this will take about 1-1 and a half hours. (Pit stop Here). (15:25-16:47)

ü From the Echo Caves we travel to the Blyde River Canyon (27km), this is where we will set up camp for the night. Will take about 25minutes to reach.

ü End of the day we traveled about 420 km.

ü Today we will hit the road early. We will leave Blyde River at 05: 50.

ü From Blyde River we will travel through the JG Strydom Tunnel. This will take us approximately 37minutes to reach(43.2km). Will be admired for at least 2-5minutes. (06:27-06:33).

ü Next we head out to the Boabab Tree, we will travel for 16 minutes before reaching this (20.3km).We will spend at least 3-6minutes here. (06.50-06:55).

ü From the Boabab tree we move on to S.A. Wildlife Cottage. We will be traveling for 68.5km before reaching. This will take us about 57minutes to reach. We will pass through and admired.(07:53-07:56

ü Next we head out to Setara, here we will we taken on a game drive. We will travel for 61km. This will take about 1hour to reach. (08:59-10:45).

ü After our game drive we will head out to Letaba, this is where we will spend our next night. Letaba is 71,1 km from Setara. This will take us about 50minutes to reach.We will begin unpacking once we arrive.(11:35).

ü Later that night from about 18:00-20:00 we will receive a private tour at the Elephant Museum.

ü Today we set of to the Nhalanganini Dam, here we will admire the view and say a couple of things about this site.

ü After our dam visit we will move forward to the Masorini Museum, here we will here a little bit of history etc.

ü After that we move on to Amarula, here we will have a little taste of the Amarula that they make here.

ü After our visit to Amarula, we take on the long road to Magoebaskloof. We will camp set up camp here were we will stay for the night.

ü Today we will travel from Magoebaskloof to the Old Fort Marabastad. Here we will admire the site and take some pictures.

ü Then we head out to Makapans Cave.

ü After we were at the Makapans Cave we travel all the way to Nylsvley.

ü We will set up camp here and spend our last night of the tour.

ü Our last day of the tour, day 5.

ü Today we will leave Nylsvley and head back home to Sondela.

ü Having in mind that the tour is finished and hoping that we have learnt a lot from this.