| Standard Wildlife Immobilisation & Conservation Course |
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Day 1, Thursday Arrival day – all delegates must arrive at Port Elizabeth airport by 1.00 pm. If anyone has not yet managed to change currency to ZAR now would by the time to do this, since you are heading into the bush where there are no such facilities. At 1.30 pm you will be met by a Brothers Safaris representative at the “Information Desk” of the airport, in the terminal, and transferred to Amakhala Game Reserve, to the north east of Port Elizabeth (approximately 1 hour drive). Late arrivals at Port Elizabeth will have to pay for their own transfer to Amakhala Game Reserve. Check in to your lodge accommodation, and spend some time relaxing and acclimatising to your new surroundings, before heading out on a shortened game drive onto the reserve at around 4.30 pm. On you return to the lodge you will be given a short course introduction/overview, before dinner. Overnight at one of the lodges on Amakhala Game Reserve before enjoying a good night’s rest. (During your stay there will always be staff on the premises should you need any assistance)
Amakhala Game Reserve began in 1999 as a joint conservation venture and today has several independently owned lodges. Many of these are owner managed by the descendants of the original families who arrived here with the British settlers of 1820. Amakhala Game Reserve is a unique conservation initiative that allows animals to be re-introduced to the area where they once roamed freely and so making a contribution to the conservation of our natural heritage. The land was used to ranch sheep and cattle up to the turn of the century. The challenge has been to re-establish the original flora and fauna species to the area and to return the land to nature. The vegetation and landscape are awe inspiring and the time spent in this reserve of approximately 7000 hectares will teach you a great deal about African wildlife. The reserve is home to a variety of species, including lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and numerous other antelope species. Students will be accommodated at one of the lodges on the reserve, where the normal rooms will be converted to small “dormitory” style sharing rooms, each with its own en suite bathroom facility. The lodges all have a central living and dining area where time will be spent during leisure periods. All meals are included in the rate, but drinks and light snacks will be on sale at the lodge. You can be assured of comfortable accommodations that are more than adequate for the purposes of the course. Day 2 - Friday After breakfast at 8.00 am, we will start with some introductory lectures at 9.00 am. This lecture will be presented by the Wildlife Veterinarian running this particular course.
Break for lunch at 1.00 pm. Enjoy some leisure time after lunch before heading out at around 3.00 pm for a game drive (wildlife viewing) on Amakhala Game Reserve with one of the local guides. All game drives on the reserve will be guided in an open game viewing vehicle giving you a true safari experience while learning about the various species. Return to your lodge in the early evening after looking for some of the nocturnal species on the way back. Enjoy dinner at around 7.00 pm before enjoying another good night’s rest. Day 3 - Saturday
Enjoy lunch at 1.00 pm and then some leisure time before heading out at around 3.00 pm for a game drive (wildlife viewing) on Amakhala Game Reserve with one of the local guides. Head out further and search for species that you have not yet seen. Return late afternoon/early evening and enjoy dinner at the lodge at around 7.00 pm and some wildlife DVDs will be available for viewing after dinner.
Day 4 – Sunday Breakfast will be served at 7.00 am and is followed by lecture sessions, either at the lodge or another venue in close proximity, throughout the day, starting at 8.00 am. Dr Peter Buss - wildlife veterinarian currently with Veterinary Services for South African National Parks and based in the Kruger National Park; ex zoo vet and ex faculty of Veterinary Science Pharmacology Department - will be your lecturer for the day. These lectures are crucial to understanding wildlife immobilisation and will focus on the following:
We will break during the course of the lectures for lunch at 1.00 pm and tea. Enjoy dinner at the lodge at 7.00 pm – tonight is the night for a traditional braai…. Day 5 - Monday Early morning breakfast at 7.00 am, followed by any unfinished lectures. Today’s lectures are again presented by Dr Peter Buss and will cover the remainder of the above topics not yet covered. We end lectures late morning and enjoy some leisure time before an early lunch at 12.00 pm. After lunch we set out on our first field veterinary excursion. This afternoon’s work is likely to involve antelope immobilisation and relocation, and be carried out on Amakhala Game Reserve/a nearby reserve. Back at the lodge we will review the capture operation then enjoy some leisure time before dinner. Enjoy some DVD’s/social time. Day 6 - Tuesday Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work. This morning’s work is subject to confirmation nearer the time. Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work. After lunch we’ll review the morning’s practical session and then have some leisure time to review lectures and activities covered to date. You head out at around 3.00 pm for a game drive (time permitting) on Amakhala Game Reserve with one of the local guides. Enjoy leisure time at the lodge before dinner. Day 7 - Wednesday Breakfast at 7.00 am at the lodge before heading to nearby Addo Elephant National Park where we’ll spend the day, starting at 9.00 am. Our visit will include a game drive in the park, a visit to the boma (wildlife holding) facilities in the park, and possibly a talk on the park by one of the SAN Parks staff members/veterinarians – talk subject to confirmation. This will give delegates an insight into a different wildlife management system and a different habitat too. Lunch is at the park restaurant and for delegates own expense (budget approximately R60-R120, depending on your taste/hunger level!). There will also be some leisure time to explore the park shop and buy some souvenirs/mementos to take home.
Return to the lodge late afternoon for an evening in camp. Enjoy dinner at the lodge at 7.00 pm. Day 8 - Thursday After early morning tea and coffee and a light snack we head out on a morning game drive at 7.00 am today, to experience the wildlife at a different time of the day….. Return to the lodge for brunch at 9.45 am. (On days where we have brunch we basically have two big meals with a light snack in between). Breakfast is followed by a lecture on wildlife diseases, starting at 10.30 am by the wildlife veterinarian conducting this course. This afternoon we head back out onto AGR or one of the other nearby reserves to do any veterinary work that needs doing. This is likely to involve more antelope work. In the event of this not being available, students will enjoy another afternoon game drive on Amakhala at 3.00 pm, before dinner back at the lodge at 7.00 pm. Day 9 - Friday After early morning tea and coffee at 7.00 am, we head out on a short morning game drive to enjoy a river cruise on the Bushman’s River which runs through the reserve (dependent on water levels). We enjoy a bush brunch at an amazing spot in the reserve. After brunch we have a talk and discussion session at 11.30 am on the history of wildlife/conservation issues in the area – Dr William Fowlds or other local authority. This lecture will take place at the Amakhala Conservation Centre, and when completed, the staff of the Conservation Centre will also give a presentation about the conservation issues and their work on Amakhala Game Reserve. This will be followed by a talk on telemetry and its use on the reserve, and a tour of the Conservation Centre’s museum.
Head out mid afternoon on a game drive at 3.00 pm in search of the species you may not yet have encountered, and to learn more about the behaviour of the various wildlife species by spending time monitoring them. You will also test your skills on how telemetry works, and spend time tracking some of the animals being monitored on the reserve. Return to the lodge early evening for dinner at 7.00 pm, followed by an astronomy talk by one of your guides – talk subject to confirmation. Day 10 - Saturday After morning tea and coffee at 7.15am, half the group will head out on a morning bush walk today, to experience the wildlife and environment on a totally different level….. You will be guided by a specialist guide on this activity. The other half of the group will enjoy a lie in/some leisure time, and have their turn to walk on Sunday. Enjoy brunch for everyone back at the lodge at 10.30 am. After brunch we will visit the Shamwari Born Free Centre at around 12.00 (duration approximately 1 hour) for a different look at Wildlife Conservation and their work with ensuring that wildlife remains in the wild. Return to the lodge for leisure and study time in the afternoon, and to work on any case studies that have been allocated. Dinner at the lodge will be at 7.00 pm, after which we will enjoy some DVD’s/social time. Day 11 - Sunday After morning tea and coffee at 7.15am, the second half the group will head out on a morning bush walk today, to experience the wildlife and environment on a totally different level….. You will be guided by a specialist guide on this activity. The other half of the group will enjoy a lie in/some leisure time. Enjoy brunch for everyone back at the lodge at 10.30 am. After brunch there will be some talks on the flora and environment of the reserve. This is important to understand the bigger conservation issues that face wildlife.
After the talks it’s time for some leisure time and then another afternoon game drive where you will have the chance to again observe behaviour of the various wildlife species by spending time monitoring them, and can again practice your telemetry/tracking skills.
Return to the lodge after sunset for dinner at 7.30 pm, and relaxation time. Day 12 - Monday After breakfast at 7.00 am we spend the morning being lectured by Dr Jennifer Gush, The Director of the Conservation Centre on Amakhala and a PhD graduate in marine life. Dr Gush’s lectures will cover topics such as:
Between 12 and 1.00 pm case studies will be presented by course delegates - if applicable. We enjoy lunch at the lodge at 1.00 pm and after lunch we head to the nearby Aids Orphanage to learn more about the plight of these children in the context of the HIV pandemic in South Africa. Donations of clothes or financial contributions would be much appreciated. Arrive back at your lodge in the late afternoon and enjoy an early dinner at 6.30 pm. After dinner we head out on a night drive to explore Amakhala by night, in search of those elusive nocturnal species….. Day 13 - Tuesday Its early breakfast again today, and then we head back to Port Elizabeth for a boat cruise on the ocean to apply some of the knowledge gained the Lunch is back at the marina/nearby – for your own expense (budget approximately R100-R150 for this, pending your tastes). After lunch there will be a few hours to catch up on shopping/telephone calls, etc, before we head back to the peace of the reserve. On route back we will visit the Orphanage craft shop to support their work. Arrive at the lodge late afternoon/early evening and enjoy dinner at 7.00 pm, followed by leisure time. Day 14 - Wednesday Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work. This morning’s work is subject to confirmation nearer the time, but will probably be with some of the larger mammals, such as rhino…. Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work. Late morning or early afternoon we’ll have a practical helicopter session darting a target with a paintball gun/similar. This will give you an excellent idea of what is required when darting from the air! Please note that this exercise carries a weight restriction for safety reasons. Anyone weighing more than 100kg should please speak to the responsible Veterinarian in private before this exercise. After ridding yourself of some of the adrenalin, we’ll cover any remaining lectures/topics of interest that have not yet been addressed, or enjoy another game drive. We enjoy dinner back at the lodge at 7.00 pm, before another night of leisure. Day 15 - Thursday Early morning breakfast before setting out for the day’s veterinary work – subject to confirmation. Lunch back at the lodge, or a packed lunch, pending the day’s work. This afternoon you will be given a written exam on the course material as a means of self-evaluation – the exam is typically out of 100 marks and written over a maximum of 1 hours, and covers both theory and practical aspects covered on the course. While all activities on the course are obviously optional, course delegates are encouraged to participate in all of them, including the exam. Enjoy a game drive and sundowners in the bush for the last time before returning to the lodge for dinner and to overnight. Day 16 - Friday After breakfast we check out at 10.00 am and transfer back to Port Elizabeth airport for your flight to Johannesburg International Airport, in time for connecting flights home/to your next destination. Please do not book any flight which departs from Port Elizabeth earlier than 1.30 pm.
*** END OF SERVICES *** Cost per person sharing:
ZAR 29 700-00 per delegate sharing on the above basis.
Single supplements apply where/if available. This cost is based on a minimum of 10 students and a maximum of 14 participating. The course cost includes meals and shared accommodation as indicated above, all land transfers in a comfortable air-conditioned mini-bus or game viewer vehicles, guides and lecturers as above, all practicals and lectures as above, all tours and activities as above, Park entry fees, VAT and Government Tourism levies. Not included are flights (international and domestic), drinks and snacks either at any lodge or on game drives, meals as indicated for your own expense above, optional additional activities, items of a personal nature, gratuities (budget on approximately R500-00 over the duration of the course), travel/medical insurance (compulsory) and pre- and post-course activities (we have a leisure department that can assist with all travel arrangements in Africa). Course dates: 1. 31 May - 15 June 2012 2. 21 June – 6 July 2012
Please Note:
Please note the following regarding the darting/immobilisation procedures: While every endeavour is made to locate and dart the animal in question, factors such as severe weather conditions or illness involving the animal, unable to locate or approach the animal close enough due to bush conditions, failure of the animal to come to a bait, etc. which are all 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 and veterinary drugs 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.
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This course is intended to give Veterinary students the opportunity to gain some technical knowledge involved in wildlife veterinary practice in South Africa and the immobilisation of wildlife, and uses theory and practical to achieve this aim. Students will receive lectures on a wide variety of topics, and will also be given practical demonstrations and opportunities to practice certain skills.
After breakfast at 8.00 am, we’ll have a lecture on various dart gun systems and darts, and after the lecture spend time loading darts with water and firing them at a target.
Deep within the shadows of the dense valley bushveld of the Sundays River region of the Eastern Cape lies the Addo Elephant National Park. Here, the evenings are punctuated by the strident howl of the black-backed jackal, and the francolin's call heralds each new dawn. Safe from relentless persecution in the past, the grey leviathans of the bush now roam in peace. 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 450 elephants, Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. And there Addo has only just begun, with plans to expand the 164 000 ha Addo National Elephant Park into a 360 000 ha mega-park. In addition, plans include the proposed proclamation of a 120 000 ha (296 500 acre) marine reserve that includes islands that are home to the world's largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and second largest breeding population of African penguins.
previous day – weather permitting. If we are lucky we could encounter dolphins, whales, penguins and various sea birds on route….