Author: Bushwise Student

Our first day of Bushwise Field Guides was a bit nerve wrecking. Meeting new people, seeing new faces and the start of making new friends. Quite tricky having to learn all their names, thank goodness for name badges. The orientation and welcome included the Bushwise staff going over the rules and regulations and most importantly, that no-one is to wonder alone in the dark. So, we had to learn together even though we don’t know each others background. Hearing the ‘bush’ music from the different frog and toad species in the dam that night made us all feel so good and so far we have all settled in very well. After all the rain we have seen many different arthropods at night, especially scorpions. We also has a welcoming braai under a Marula tree where we were able to get to know each others backgrounds and reasons for why we are all doing this course.

Camp life!

Our first lecture from Gerard was very informative. It was about how to be an ethical guide and what requirements are needed from an individual to be able to make it in this field guide industry. You must be able to have respect for nature and a responsibility towards the guests ‘experience’ without damaging the natural environment. Later we did a bit of tyre changing practice. They were very heavy but after the techniques were shown, not too much strength is needed. I for one am quite happy because when I get a puncture I know I will be able to change it on my own. I have a feeling that we are in good hands from these experienced trainers. So far, I am loving a every single moment and am very thankful to be part of the Class of January 2019.

Dreaded job of tyre changing

We ventured off campus to get our uniform from Khaki Fever in Hoedspruit and after that we went to do the Reptile Orientation course at Kinyonga Reptile Park. There we learnt about snakes, lizards and crocodiles. Travelling in an open vehicle to and from town, felt awesome until a dung beetle hit me on my forehead. It was so funny and James could not stop laughing. He was sure to keep reminding my of how unlucky that dung beetle was.

Black Mamba’s shed skin

Then we met Oom Jan! He was our trainer for the Wilderness First aid course, level 1 and 2. Now we are familiar with different scenarios that could happen and how to save someone in need of a help in various situations. In dangerous game territories in remote areas, while working as Field Guides, we may be faced with serious injuries to guests and/or fellow staff members and knowing how to potentially save a life is reassuring.

First aid training

First aid training

In only for few days, I have seen female leopard tracks, found the skin shed by a huge Black mamba, watched a slow creeping Puff adder after the rains and been impressed with the displays from our resident Ostrich named Oom Okkie. What a week of surprises indeed and this is just the beginning! Here’s to collecting good memories and doing lots of learning. I look forward to sharing my experiences with my girlfriend, friends, and family. I cannot wait for more action in the weeks to come in this hot Lowveld!

Blog by Daniel Mogale

In the blink of an eye the first semester is over! We have learned a lot  and already made good friends for life.

We had some amazing encounters with some of Africa`s most dangerous animals and also seen some amazing animal behaviour. Some of the encounters were lions roaring just beside the game viewing vehicle, my heart almost sank! An elephant that decided he wants to take a mud bath right in front of us while we had our coffee break and doing some birding. Not one day in the bush is the same you see something new and different every day. Even when you are sitting in the classroom and doing some studying something can come slithering up and surprise you. We had a harmless spotted bush snake that visited us during one of our study sessions.

Photo by Ellie Schwartz

The trainers are also working very hard to keep us happy on campus and helping us where they can, answering all our questions and helping with our studies. And everybody that is a part of this program is really concerned with the student’s well being. Life on campus and studying to become a field guide is hard work and with this group of students there is never a dull moment! But all this said it is also very rewarding. To be in the bush every day and see what we see and learn all this useful information about plants and animals is just such a huge privilege.

Photo by Traer Scott

Its not everybody that can say he/she slept in the bush with nothing but a mattress, sleeping bag and some good company under the stars of Africa. That is a sleepout I will never forget! All you hear at night is the trumpeting of a herd of elephants that wants to know what these humans are doing and laughing of hyena and roaring of a pride of lions in the distance.

I will say the most important thing that I have learned from Bushwise is that you must not just look at the big things like cheetah, lion, buffalo and so on but look at the smaller things. The smaller things over here is much more interesting for me than all the big mammals. Over here it is actually indeed the small things that makes life worth living and the bigger things are just a bonus.

Photo by Stefan Prinsloo

Good luck to all my fellow students for the rest of the course and thank you for making the first semester so wonderful.

Blog by Sean Fox

Photo of Sean Fox

#course #fieldguide #fieldguiding #training

This week we had the same schedule as the week before but the two groups switched activities. The exhaustion had taken its toll on everyone but every single one of us would say it was worth it.  One group spent the week attending rifle competency courses and having a blast in Kruger National Park. Imagine eleven men stuffed in a Quantum on a hot day, filled with laughter and eager eyes, it made for a great trip. They were lucky enough to see a leopard hanging out in a tree and a pride of lions soaking up the sun.  Not a bad way to spend your week!

Photo by Andrew Thomas

As for the other group, we spent the week with the incredible Collin Patrick, learning the tips and tricks to tracking African wildlife. Our group was determined to have the best week possible. So everyday we would find a Magic Guarri tree for the leaves. It is said that is brings luck to ones life. You could find every one of us with one of the leaves somewhere tucked into our uniform.

Photo by Sophie Barrett

Through out the week we were faced with defeat and at times lost all confidence in our skills. On Wednesday is when the frustration hit the group hard.  We were all looking at bird tracks in the dirt below struggling to identify the species when we heard a faint whistle behind us. We looked up to see one of our trainers pointing at a massive male white rhino grazing in the open area in front of us. It was the first time most of the group was seeing a big 5 animal on foot. To some people it was scary but we had one of our trainers talking us through the entire sighting. The way he was able to calm everyone while this potentially dangerous animal was right in front of us, was really inspiring. Giving the students a great example on how to handle a situation like this when we are the ones guiding. Seeing the rhino gave us the lift we needed to get back into tracking.

Photo by Sophie Barrett

On Thursday Collin Patrick introduced us into a different type of tracking. We were learning how to track each other, as if we were poachers. We split into two groups, the ones who were acting as poachers headed into the bush trying to create a trail for the others to follow. As my group was creating a trail we stopped immediately when we heard impala alarm calling. We looked in the direction of the calls to see a leopard skillfully take down one of the impala. The whole event happened so quickly I couldn’t believe my eyes. Our trainer quickly led us to a safe direction where you could even see the awe on his face from what we just witnessed. All of us had giant grins on our face, knowing a sighting like that on foot would probably never happen again.

Photo by Sophie Barrett

After the buzz of the two incredible sightings, tracking week was in full throttle. It wasn’t until our assessment started where we all realized how much we knew about tracks.  The experience was one of the most difficult things many of us have done, but when our results were read out and all of us leveled the happiness we felt made everything else worth it. The Magic Guarri stayed true to its reputation!  Through out the week Collin Patrick made jokes about tracking being an addiction. It is now three days after the assessment and I am still dreaming of tracks in the dirt, tracking is most definitely and addiction.

Photo by Sophie Barrett

Sometimes it is so easy to get frustrated with yourself here when you are struggling with something like tracking. What we have to keep in mind is six months ago; many of us were worried about paying bills on time or getting stuck in traffic. Now we are worried about not being able to identify a smudge in the dirt. It may sound crazy, but I prefer the dirt. The past two weeks have been the most rewarding experiences yet. Everyday I wake up and I can’t wait to see what I will learn next!

Find out more about Bushwise courses.

Blog by Kendal Hanson

We returned from a week off eager to get back to Bush life. The break had seen us all venture to a variety of places; Kruger, Pilanesberg, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Mozambique and even as far as Italy. Having welcomed the break and the chance to recharge, it was surprising how quick we missed camp life and our new Bush family.

The focus for this week was 4×4 training. Monday morning we welcomed the experts from Nostophobic Adventures and Low Range 4×4 Academy.  The course started with a theory day learning about leaf springs, centre differentials, side shafts and all of the differences between the various vehicle types that we could be driving once working at the Lodges. With a practical assessment on Friday and exam on Saturday we were keen to get behind the wheel and learn fast!

One group at a time went out to do the practical training with the 4×4, tackling incredibly steep inclines, tyre changes on a sandy hill, and the most fun part – vehicle recovery from a river bed.  The realisation that one day we could get stuck in a river bed in a vehicle full of guests, with crocodiles and hippos for company caused some wide eyes in the group. But after lots of practice recovering the vehicle we were a lot more confident of avoiding that scenario but also if it did happen we would know what to do.  Unfortunately one of the Land Rovers fell casualty by the end of the week but after some TLC from the trainers it lives to fight another day… for now!

When not doing practical 4×4 training the other groups continued AM and PM game drives, the excitement of not knowing what you are going to see never waivers.  Within 10 minutes of a drive one group was lucky enough to find a Leopard laying on a hill in the morning sun, once warmed up he went into the bush looking like he was in the mood to find his next meal.

Picture by Rory Wilson

The particular highlight of the game drives gave a group of students a moment they are sure to never forget.  As we drove around a corner we spotted a fresh male lion track, smiles on faces we were all keen to put our recent tracking training into practice again and set off in hope.  Having a level 4 tracker on board in our trainer (Vaughan) was a huge advantage and we continued in the direction the Lion had headed just before us.  We arrived at a dry dam and our trainer went on foot to investigate which way it had gone once he’d crossed it. After a few minutes of watching Vaughan on the other side of the dam, he walked around a bush and in that moment everything went into slow motion, a loud roar accompanied the sight of the huge dark mane of the adult male lion appear just 5 feet in front of him.  The lion had been asleep on the other side of this bush, out of sight and unbeknown to any of us, but now he was certainly making sure we knew he was there. After a few seconds looking into each other’s eyes, Vaughan calmly backed away from the Lion and walked back to the vehicle. The calm composure and confidence that only a very experienced Field Guide could have, whereas we Students had been sure it was going to be a very different outcome!! Once he was alone again the Lion went back to sleep and out of sight, we couldn’t drive across the dam but were keen to get closer so the only option was to go on foot.  4 of us at a time were led into the bush to get a close up with this majestic predator. At 30 metres away we stopped and crouched down in silence as the lion jumped to a stand to check us out. Adrenalin rushed through us, his breathing sounded so loud and drowned out the sounds of our hearts beating at a huge rate. Those few minutes we spent there will never be forgotten, it was a privilege and a stark reminder that we are the ones visiting their home!

As the week drew to a close we studied hard for the 4×4 tests, this paid off as every single group member passed the practical and theory.  Week by week our skills and knowledge are rapidly increasing and although we all know that we have a long way to go, there is no better place to be inspired daily and it is a pleasure to watch so many people living their dreams.

Blog by Catherine Conroy

This week, following a double birthday celebration for two of our fellow Bushwise students over the weekend, we embarked on Track and Sign week with Colin Patrick to train us. Monday started with an introduction session where we each gave Colin a bit of background as to what brought each of us to Bushwise to start with. Everyone was fairly matter of fact about it in the classroom environment but it reminded me of the first braai we had three Mondays prior when every one of us, having known each other for two short days, bared our souls around an open camp fire and explained what motivated each of us to join Bushwise.

Picture by Catherine Conroy

At the time our head trainer Ben said that he was looking forward to seeing the difference in the group between that night and at the end of the course. Now Colin was asking us to reflect on it again but in a different light. He gave a poignant talk in which he explained that come Friday when we do our tracking assessment we should not focus on the outcome as a sign of how good (or as humans tend to judge themselves harshly, how poor) our results are at the end. No, instead we should reflect on how far we will have come and how much we will have learned between Monday afternoon when we went out for our first tracking session on the reserve, to Friday when we would be assessed. This made me reflect on our first semester so far and in this moment, it dawned on me that we have all learned so much already. We are a diverse group: 24 people of 7 nationalities, some of us had never set foot in Africa or the Bush before starting at Bushwise, and in three short weeks we’ve covered; Ecology, Geology, First Aid, Botany, Birding Theory, Reptile Orientation, and now Tracking.

Picture by Ben Coley

We’ve done 9 game drives (mostly driven by students, some of whom had never driven a manual vehicle and are now navigating bumpy dirt roads in Land Rovers and a Land Cruiser), we’ve had 1 sleep out, learned to change a tyre on our own (that probably weighs the same as some of the individuals in the group), and now Tracking… somewhere in between all of that we’ve also managed to learn to identify 30 birds from sight and sound.

Picture by Pierre Alain Dupont

So where do the Flying Scrub Hare and Poo Fights fit in you ask… well, as the saying goes… work hard – play hard, so we’ve also found some time to have some fun and ignite a few fires of passion. We’ve taken to teasing each other about pretty much anything and everything to keep our humour and spirits up during the very full and busy weeks… Poor Thijs will never live down the excitement he showed as he spotted that Scrub Hare bouncing around a short distance away when, as we all turned to check it out, the wily little fella decided to transform itself by magic and take flight… never again will I be able to see a Yellow-Billed Hornbill without calling a Flying Scrub Hare sighting. Daily dung flicking and spitting competitions have become the norm during our much-needed tea breaks (the trainers even join in sometimes) and a few individuals have taken to collecting samples of all newly discovered variety of dung, much to the amusement of the rest of group, but it helps us all learn in the end and that can only be a good thing

Picture by Pierre Alain Dupont

So, as we all gathered around the pool at the classroom waiting for our tracking assessment results and the start of the much needed off week, I recognise that we’ve become a family of sorts… only families are this comfortable with poo talk after all!!

Picture by Pierre Alain Dupont

Well done and big congratulations to all the students who achieved a tracking level this week, and especially to Vaughn (one of our trainers) for getting that coveted Level 4!!

Picture by Rory Wilson

Thank you to all the Bushwise Staff and Trainers, and to Colin Patrick this week, for sharing your passions with us, for your tireless patience and for giving us new perspectives of our world. I hope that my fellow students take time to reflect on the same and recognise the massive progress we’ve all made in such a short space of time, and how much we are helping each other along the way. I can’t wait to see how much we learn and grow over the next semester.

Blog & featured picture by Sheenagh Lawlor

This week was another jam packed week of learning, this time it was focused on 4×4 driving however we still enjoyed several game drives with some amazing sightings including cheetah. The week started off stormy, with over 72mm of rain one night which filled the normally dry riverbeds with a flowing river, making our week very interesting!!

We started our week by learning the inner workings of off-road vehicles, the different types of cars and the differences between 4×4 and 4DW. Our practical sessions started with learning when to use low range, the diff-lock and how to do reverse stall starts. These are very important because it is a safe way to start a car on a hill. As the river was flowing we got the opportunity to learn how to drive river crossings and how not to get stuck; as slow possible but as fast as necessary.

Vehicle recovery is an important and useful skill in the guiding world and this week we all got the chance to recover vehicles that were well and truly stuck in the Makhutsi River. All three groups had very memorable experiences that I’m sure we will never forget.

On Thursday the plan was to get a vehicle stuck in the river and then for us to pull it out, however our task was not made easy by the fact the river level had risen from the previous day. The Landover got stuck as planned but then started to sink more and soon the front seats were in the water as well as the exhausts. By the time all the equipment was secure and ready to be pulled out with the land cruiser, the engine would not start so the job was made harder with much pushing and with great effort we managed to pull the land rover mostly out of the river. This was not the end of the story though, as the land rover did not want to go any further.

After many attempts and long after the sun had set, a second vehicle was brought in to help pull it out. With a last ditch attempt with 2 vehicles pulling and the rest of us pushing we managed to pull the land rover free and out of the river. We then had to tow the broken land rover back to the campus in the dark. Thankfully it did start in the morning after spending the night drying out!!

Have amazing experiences like this one when you join Bushwise for a wildlife course!

Blog by Annabelle Ward

Pictures contributions by Annabelle Ward and Jenni Smith

Technology, guides and Game drives

When planning a safari to Africa there are numerous things you may wish to take with you, from sun cream (essential) to khaki shorts and wide brimmed hats. However, in our tech savvy world, the need to integrate technology with all that we do can make the experience more interactive. As such a safari experience can easily be enhanced by taking along the right gadgets for the ride and using the right Apps. As a guest though, do you really want your guide to also be using his smart phone and apps? Each lodge may have their own policy regarding this but if this helps our connection to the bush and a better understanding of it……why not?

Seems as though everyone has a smart phone these days, including kids that know how to use them better than their parents. They can come in very handy when abroad through their ability to cross language barriers and offer access to information at the push of a button or rather touch of a screen.

Some awesome APPS……

The night sky in Africa is always a sight to behold and the remote darkness allows you to fully appreciate it. With a mass of stars and constellations to see as well as planets, apps like Google Sky Map for android and Star Walk for iPhone can assist. Others include Star Walk or Stellarium… the live feed also comes complete with diagrams, assisting you to see the various constellations and as you move your phone across the night skies these change to show you which constellations they are.

There is also a wide variety of wildlife related apps that can be very useful in the field. Two of the most popular for birding are The Sasol and Roberts bird guides, which can be more useful than a text book and saves you carrying around a heavy book. They offer good quality photos and have the bird calls available. For guides, the calls can be used on drives or walks as a demonstration for your guest and to assist people in identifying birds by their calls, but it’s important to remember, guiding ethics as well as the policy of the reserve. BirdLaser, is an amazing app that helps you keep track of your birds lists in various areas, countries, reserves, parks and conservation areas. You can boast to your bird watching friends and keep track of the number of rare and endangered birds you have seen.

Similarly the eGuide to Mammlas of Southern Africa can make for a great companion when people need to identify the many mammals of Southern Africa and offers more insight into the animals.

When it comes to tree’s, the Tree ID (eTrees of Southern Africa) can also be very helpful and a great way to look up and remember specific species. As a guide you can show your guests pictures and explain their medicinal properties with references.

Game Drive is an amazing app to learn about southern African animals while on safari. Developed as an interactive tool to get the most out of a visit to a game reserve, the app includes animal tracks, quizzes, a checklist, animal comparisons, game drive tips, animal sounds (of the animals that make sounds), as well as beautiful images of African mammals and birds.

The obvious and classical additions………

1. Binoculars – One of the must have pieces of safari tech is a decent pair of binoculars. You may find yourself just metres away from an amazing sighting and to get close up views of these animals can enhance the sighting. It’s here that a good pair of binoculars can really make a difference. These are also fantastic for birding and stargazing.

2. Camera – These days most people are using their smart phones to take photos. However, for those serious wildlife photographers you can save your incredible safari moments and capture them with an extraordinary picture. When on game drive there will be daily game drives that present the opportunity to take some beautiful wildlife shots. For some guides who have taken a particular interest in Wildlife Photography, it can add to their range of skills and employability but giving lodges content for the website, blogs and social media platforms. Not only this but their photos can turn into a profitable hobby by selling prints in the lodge curio shops or going blogs and write ups for various magazines. They also have a better understanding of what their ‘photography’ guests need and what their requirements are.

Unexpected options……..

1. Night Vision Binoculars or Monoculars – If you are into night drives and prefer to see the more primal side of the African Bush, a good pair of Night Vision Binoculars or Monoculars can give you this ‘new view’. Not only will you get a great view of the game you can do so without disturbing nocturnal animals with spotlights.

For guides looking for an extra advantage!

1. Trail Cameras – If you want to know what’s happening around camp when you are not out on drive you or use this for live streaming on your website, a trail camera can provide the answers and keep you up to speed with animal movements. Equipped with a motion sensor and capable of taking stills and video, a trail camera can capture the hidden wildlife interactions that would otherwise go unseen should humans be active in the area.

2. Laser Pointer – a concentrated beam of light that enables a guide to point of out specific stars or features, such as Omega Centauri or the Andromeda Galaxy. However, as with all things, one must be ethical and safe when using this equipment because such is the strength of the beam it can easily blind someone if accidentally shined in their eyes.  The beam on a standard laser pointer can reach in excess of 10kms and there have been issues with people shining them at airplanes, thus disturbing pilots, and are no illegal in some countries.

3. An ultra violet torch is a great aid on a summer’s night as all scorpions’ glows with a fluorescent yellow/green light when exposed to the beam. This is an invaluable tool to help find some of these nocturnal masters of disguise!  No one really knows why they glow like this but the various theories include intra-species communication, an advanced form of aposematic colouration and mate attraction.

Both can be picked up at any outdoor/camping shop for a very reasonable price!

While a safari is very much about getting back to nature, integrating a little bit of technology into the mix can add a fun new dimension that can truly enhance the safari experience.

However, with the access to technology comes a certain amount of responsibility, as has become evident in the Kruger National Park over the past few months. Sightings apps have become very popular to assist people in finding out what sightings there have been in the park and where. This has in some instances led to overcrowding at sightings and people making use of the information to speed from sighting to sighting. The response from the South African National Parks is to look into potentially banning the use of these apps, as the bad behaviour of a few have had a negative impact for many, including the Parks Board other visitors and most importantly the wildlife.

Remember, time spent in the bush should be a learning experience, it should involve a bit of luck, a bit of intuition and a good guide to get the sightings you hope for, sightings which should never be guaranteed. While technology has created many great opportunities, we need to keep in mind that technology used properly can benefit us all but technology abused will negatively affect us all.

Find out more about Bushwise Courses.