Saving It For The Next Generation

With our belief that if one is saving nature and its marvels for the next generation the next generation must know what we are saving, we chose a quiet day and took some five and six year olds from a local pre-school out for a game drive in Mkhuze.

They arrived at the hotel and quietly piled out of the taxi. I was amazed at the discipline as they then lined up to go to the restrooms in orderly fashion.

Then it was off to the Game reserve to see animals they had never seen before – along the way through the community there was much hilarity as dogs, chickens, goats, cows and donkeys were called to with very lifelike imitations and we swopped Zulu and English words for everything.

Once in the reserve we stopped at the first hide to work off some energy and laugh and comment at the first sighting of wildebeest running across the plains.

Along the way we passed their first sightings of impala and nyala but their excitement at seeing their first giraffe was a joy to see

The next hide delivered some amazing sightings and the awe etched on the faces was a sight to see.

Haaaw!!!

Watching Rhino

Zebra waiting their turn

Yong baboons fighting

Displaying Nayala

For all of the new animal sights and sounds I think the highlights for most were the slippery floors (newly oiled) in the hide and the chance to be in a game drive vehicle.



Then was the drive home and not even a chocolate, chips and a juice could stop eyes from closing along the way and so we returned to the hotel and of loaded a group of heavy eyed children.

Hopefully this will be something they will remember for a long, long time

 

Clash of the Titans

kuMasinga hide, in the Mkhuze Game Reserve is often spectacular on winter mornings particularly between around 9h00 and 13h00 which seems to be when everything comes down to drink. This time the water was low and there was a very impatient queue. As size rules the rhinos were hogging it all however the female, her youngster and his young friend were obviously in charge. The big bull was on the edges but every time he tried to get close the female roared at him and he backed off only to take his pent-up aggression out on the poor wildebeest, zebra, warthog , impala and nyala that had the misfortune to be close (at one stage he sent a wildebeest flying through the air). Then it got interesting – another bull approached the waterhole resulting scuffle was as impressive. The sight of these two stirring up dust and causing general pandemonium was stunning but the roaring, squealing and clash of horns cannot be described adequately.

Scrum Down

Engage

Dust and Noise

Break

Back Off

Chasing pesky Wildebeest