| Veterinary Science In Wildlife Management And Conservation |
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There are also “traditional” tourism activities and wildlife viewing included in the programme, thus making the programme ideal for first time visitors and non-vet partners too. Not only will you have a fantastic time but your participation also means donations to the various wildlife projects, thus you are helping wildlife conservation efforts. Guided throughout by Dr Peter Brothers, Wildlife Veterinarian and registered National Tourist Guide, Dr William Fowlds, Wildlife Veterinarian in the Eastern Cape, researchers, and various local guides, you will be given a unique and rare insight into the world of wildlife in Southern Africa. Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime safari, while helping to conserve Africa’s wildlife through your participation…….. Day 1 – Saturday Arrive at Port Elizabeth airport – flights for your own arrangement. On arrival you will be met by a Brothers Safaris representative who will transfer you to your nearby hotel. Enjoy some leisure time to acclimatise and catch up on lost sleep. Your accommodation for the night is on a bed & breakfast basis. Enjoy dinner at one of the restaurants in the Boardwalk complex – for your own expense. Your hotel is situated on Marine Drive in the Boardwalk Casino and Resort complex, directly opposite the famed Humewood International Beach of the Eastern Cape. Luxury rooms are en-suite with well appointed bathroom(s), have private access, an unobtrusive fully equipped kitchenette, an electronic safe large enough to accommodate a laptop, an international dial direct telephone, M-Net and selected DStv channels (Cable TV) and are air-conditioned. Day 2 – Sunday Check out after breakfast and gather in the hotel foyer at 9.00 am where you will be met by Dr Peter Brothers. After packing the vehicle we head south west along the coast to Nature’s Valley and The Crags area – approximately 2.5 hours. Check into our guest house, Tranquility Lodge, and enjoy lunch. After lunch we transfer to the nearby Elephant Sanctuary and enjoy an afternoon tour of the facility. The Elephant Sanctuary is not a rescue centre for elephants (although most of its residents have been rescued) but a commercial centre that accomplishes great work with the resident elephants and guests, in terms of the experience and education they offer through their passion for these amazing animals. A knowledgeable guide conducts this “hands-on tour” on foot, and you are sure to leave the sanctuary feeling enlightened. We return to our lodge late afternoon to enjoy the amenities and the beach. Tranquility is about sound, not making noise but listening to the natural hum of the living forest, the sea and its splendour, and the river and its serenity! Luxury accommodation includes seven double en-suite rooms. Beautiful and comfortable, yet simple and understated - this is truly a place to escape to! Day 3 – Monday 7.30 am - Enjoy breakfast at the lodge, followed by some leisure time to take a walk in the forest or on the beach. We leave the lodge at 10.00 am and transfer to Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness and Rehabilitation Centre. Here we will have a private guided tour of the facility, going behind the scenes, with various interactions with some of the animals at the centre. Tenikwa Wildlife Centre has a deeply rooted respect and love for the African landscape and its animals. They are passionate about their work and would like to share that with you. Be they big, be they small, spotted, furry or feathered, the animals of Tenikwa will charm their way into your heart. 1.00 pm - Enjoy a light lunch at the centre - for your own expense. After lunch we transfer to nearby Monkeyland and Birds of Eden, where we enjoy private tours of these facilities. Monkeyland is an eco-adventure tourist driven free-roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary. Monkeyland is unique in that the sanctuary caters for several species of primate, and they are not caged, they are free to move about the forest, and do so in harmony. The primates are therefore not found on predetermined points displayed on a map, the emphasis is to search for them, and the reward is to see them as they should be: free and in the wild. Monkeyland is a modern primate sanctuary established in a pristine natural high canopy forest, which is well suited to those primates fortunate enough to live there. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the sanctuary is that it is both a multi-species and free-roaming facility. Monkeyland, which opened in 1998, is totally self sustaining from the revenue it derives from tourism. This revenue is generated by enthusiastic rangers who take visitors out on monkey safaris. The safaris, which are fun and exciting, are also educational and generally result in our guests leaving the sanctuary with a whole new focus on the primates of the world and the problems they are facing. Birds of Eden, is the Garden Route’s very own world class free flight bird sanctuary. The unique two hectare dome (the World’s largest) spans over a gorge of indigenous forest. The sanctuary has its own mysterious ruin, which incorporates a walk-behind waterfall. Like Monkeyland, the popular primate sanctuary next-door, Birds of Eden boasts its own canopy walk, while shorter than the 128m bridge at Monkeyland, it hangs above the clouds. The decision to develop Birds of Eden stems from the need to create a safe environment in which to release a large collection of free-flight African birds, miniature monkeys and the sanctuary also enables bird owners to apply to release their pet birds into the sanctuary, after undergoing rehabilitation. Return to our lodge late afternoon/early evening for dinner. Overnight at Tranquility Lodge. Day 4 – Tuesday After breakfast at 8.00 am, we check out and transfer to Amakhala Game Reserve – approximately 3.5 hours – stop on route for lunch (for your own expense). Check into Woodbury Tented Camp early afternoon and enjoy some leisure time before heading out with your local guide on a late afternoon/evening game drive on Amakhala Game Reserve in an open Land Rover in search of their wildlife – rhino (white and black), elephant, cheetah, buffalo, lion, giraffe, black wildebeest, zebra, tortoise and over 16 antelope species. Watch the sun set while enjoying drinks and snacks, before searching for elusive nocturnal animals such as spotted hyena, lynx, porcupine and spring hare. Back in camp we’ll review the programme for this section of the safari, and prepare guests for tomorrow’s activities. Overnight in Amakhala Game Reserve at Woodbury Tented Camp. The tented camp is newly renovated and all units are en-suite. The camp is based inside Amakhala Game Reserve and the central area offers amazing views over the reserve. The large tents have conventional single beds, electric blankets for the chilly winter nights, electricity, cupboards, etc. and are built on permanent platforms.
After early morning tea and coffee we set out on a morning game drive and river cruise on Amakhala Game Reserve. During this time we will have an overview of wildlife management on a private conservation area, and the role of the veterinarian in this. This morning we also have an overview of dart gun systems and darts and try our hand at loading our own darts and darting a target! Enjoy breakfast & lunch or brunch back at our lodge. In the afternoon we will participate in a veterinary procedure relating to the management of African Wildlife – most likely antelope work on Amakhala Game Reserve. Return to camp for dinner and to overnight. Day 6 – Thursday After another early start, time to be finalised the day before, we head back into Amakhala Game Reserve or another reserve in the area (normally no more than 1.5 hours drive one way) to work with one of Africa’s larger charismatic mammals….. probably rhino, but details will be finalised nearer the time depending on what veterinary work needs doing at the time. We will either enjoy a packed lunch or return to camp for lunch, depending on where we are working and time available. Enjoy some leisure time in the afternoon before heading out later in the afternoon to enjoy more night drive time looking for those elusive nocturnal species…. Return to camp for late dinner and a good night’s rest. Day 7 – Friday After early breakfast we head for nearby Addo Elephant National Park today, a drive of approximately 40 minutes. We’ll drive through the main park conservation area and discuss aspects of wildlife management in national conservation areas, as we go. We will discuss the different management aspects of this exceptionally diverse reserve from Karoo through mountain & thicket vegetation types, into coastal dune systems and marine environments. Return to Amakhala late afternoon for dinner and an evening at leisure, discussing the day’s activities….. Overnight Amakhala. Addo Elephant National Park lies deep within the shadows of the dense valley bushveld of the Sundays River region of the Eastern Cape. The original Elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area - today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 420 elephants, 450 Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. For the first time in over 100 years, lion and spotted hyena were reintroduced to the park in 2005. Day 8 – Saturday Today we enjoy a guided walk on Amakhala as an opportunity to focus on the finer details of the environment, culminating in a breakfast in the bush…… The rest of the day will be taken up with the following activities:
Tonight we spend our last night on Amakhala. Day 9 – Sunday Check out after early breakfast and transfer to Port Elizabeth Yacht Club for a marine excursion into Algoa Bay (weather permitting). This ocean safari will give us a chance to see dolphins, whales, sharks, seals and the island home of half the world’s population of African penguins. This part of the bay incorporates some of the marine component of the Addo Park. This marine safari is conducted on semi-rigid rubber ducks, so prepare for a fun filled ride with some splashing! Enjoy some shopping at the local craft market following the excursion, and then it is time for lunch (for your own expense). *** END OF SERVICES *** Costing: ZAR 29 500-00 per person sharing. Single supplements apply. This cost is based on a minimum of 6 persons participating in total, and allows for a maximum of 8 participants. Your safari cost includes board and accommodation as laid out above, all land transfers in a comfortable air-conditioned mini-bus/similar, guides (Veterinarian Dr Peter Brothers/Dr William Fowlds throughout the safari, and various local guides and researchers), all practical work, tours, presentations and activities as laid out above, donations to the various organisations we work with, entrance fees, VAT and Government Tourism levies. Not included are drinks, dinner on day 1, lunch on days 3,4,7 & 9, items of a personal nature, gratuities, medical travel insurance (compulsory) and flights. 2010 Departures: 17 - 25 April 2010 (Inclusive) 16 - 24 October 2010 (Inclusive) Tailor-made departures and alternate dates are available on request. Please note that due to the nature of this experience, times and plans may need to be adjusted slightly as we proceed. Please bear with us should this become necessary. Please note the following regarding the darting/other procedure/s: While every endeavour is made to locate and dart the animal in question, factors such as severe weather conditions or illness involving the animal, which are unpredictable, may prevent the darting from going ahead. Every effort will be made to ensure that the client participates in the darting procedure, or similar, as laid out in the itinerary, but the animal's welfare will not be compromised at any stage, and a procedure may have to be aborted and the animal revived in certain circumstances. This may shorten the procedure/down time, and hence the close up experience for the client. Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents will not be held liable for any losses incurred by a client as a result of such situations, and accept no responsibility whatsoever. Every endeavour is made to ensure the health and safety of all our clients, but any procedure with a potentially dangerous wild animal is of such a nature that certain circumstances may be beyond our control. Should any such situation arise which leads to death or injury due to any reason whatsoever, Brothers Safaris, its staff, and appointed agents, will not be held liable for any losses incurred as a direct, or indirect, result of such a situation, or our actions in such a situation. Terms and conditions for booking
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This safari takes you ‘behind the scenes’, giving you the opportunity to interact with researchers, ecologists, vets and guides while discovering the fantastic world of wildlife in Southern Africa, from a Veterinary perspective. You will also meet with colleagues from across the world, and share with them on a professional and social level.