Base Camp & a full days work

One day a week we will also be spending time date in-putting and data analysis using the information recorded and keeping computer records up to date for research, conservation and actioning.
 

On the odd occasion we may have to sleep out in the bushveld, under the dark Zululand skies whilst doing some night tracking and monitoring species such as the spotted hyena. We’ve packed our compact sleeping bags and mosquito nets… plus some super beam head torches!

     photo - Wildlife ACT, camera trap & spotted hyena

Our day will start at dawn when we head out in the 4x4 to start radio tracking, locating and monitoring using the telemetry and GPS equipment. We’ll be back at camp around mid-day for lunch (plus its their summer so its likely to be above 30degreesC. At around 14.00-15.00 hrs we’ll head back out in the truck to continue monitoring of other animals returning to camp sometime after sunset! It’ll be a long day but full of wonderment and adventure!

The camp is ‘unfenced’ so we can expect night time & day time visitors from hyenas, warthog, antelope, porcupine…. & there have been visits by baboons in the past when they trashed the camp kitchen! We’ll be locking that door! The camp is pretty basic but there is a shower, a stove and outdoor fire to cook on at night. We’ll be taking it in turns to cook for the team, take care of the maintenance and upkeep of the camp. Christmas day we hope to have a ‘bushveld’ version of a Christmas dinner. Its probably only going to be the two of us and one of the monitors but as impala (venison) is in abundance and one of the main meats we’ll probably be roasting a lovely cut of venison, without the cranberry sauce this year!