Another day in Africa

[SlipperFan]

Thank you, I am to depressed to give an update on the activities today. A hard and very trying day, hopefully dawn improves my view on things.

Sorry to hear that. Hope things get better tomorrow.

 

[Ozpaph]

truly amazing.
We had the good fortune of visiting Botswana and Mala Mala last you - the trip of a life time. Its so easy to fall in love with the African bush.

 

[SlipperFan]

I agree -- my husband and I toured several African countries many years ago. I'll never forget it.

 

[chrismende]

What a fascinating series! I'm so glad to see what it is you really do there! The internet is such a broadener of the mind!

 

[Trithor]

Is your ranch an open range set up where the aminals can come and go as they please?

My property is fully fenced. The fences are 2.4m high and have 24 strands, with two additional cable lines. All in all I have 26km of fencing surrounding this particular tract of land. Not large by African standards, but more than enough for me. It is the fences which create the problems as they prevent the animals from moving. As a result you have to manage your animal populations carefully to ensure that there is enough vegitation to sustain them in poor years. I have a feeling that we are going to have a dry year next year, so I am actively reducing the numbers in anticipation, and am busy buying suplimentary feeds to put into stock. In dry years every game farmer buys the feeds to try and sustain the regular numbers on their farms (if they can afford the additional expense, which most cannot, or are unwilling to spend their hard earned money, and a very sad process starts).

Today I have woken up to a strong gusting wind, so the helicopter will not fly this morning. This will be a quiet day, not a bad thing after yesterday. We need to raise the walls on the catch pens today in preparation for the giraffe. I guess I will make a pot of coffee and post an update on yesterdays activities. But coffee first.....

 

[Trithor]

Friday game catch, .....
The first task today is to fracture the two big herds of Impala using the helicopter. The Impala are concentrated into two main breeding herds of about 40 animals each.
There are some smaller groups as well, but it is the larger herds which pose the problem to the graze/browse, as they are very strongly territorial.
It is the intention to catch two or three groups from each of these herds to reduce their impact on the bush.
They are also very cleaver antelope. If the drive into the boma is not completed, it will be impossible to get that same group into the catch area, no matter how hard you press them.
All in all it requires a lot of chasing and running, obviously best done in the cool of the early morning.


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Impala always look so delicate, hard to imagine that they can fight so agressively in defence of territory

The whole loading process is closely overseen by 'Little Brother', who has no problem with agility climbing all over the waiting trucks to inspect the new arrivals!
(The diaper prevents him marking his territory in the trucks, something I am sure the game capture company will not be pleased with)


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A few extra groups of wildebeest and a few more bulls. A prelude to disaster, .... One blue bull is trapped and falls on the ramp, in the confusion, another bull gores the fallen one


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After the herd has passed the fallen bull, he is given a chance to recover, but the damage to his throat continues to bleed profusely. There is obviously fatal damage....


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Goodbye old friend! I cant help wondering if it is all worthwhile now. Perhaps interfering and catching animals to reduce their numbers for winter is not right. The injury and euthenasing of the bull affects me badly, the rest of the day is passed in a poor temper and a strong desire to stop the capture.

Towards late afternoon it is time for Kudu. After the wildebeest episode I refuse them permission to catch large bulls. They are to restrict themselves to cows, calves and young bulls only


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All goes well with the Kudu, the herds load well and without difficulty. A pleasant end to a hard day!

 

[Susie11]

How sad to hear about the death of that bull. I can only imagine how much it must have affected you. This thread is bringing back memories of when I was a young girl living in Kenya. I used to go on safari to Maasai Mara and Amboseli and it was some of the best times in my life. Once you have seen wild animals in the bush there is no comparison. Brilliant thread and great photos. I want to go back to Kenya now - right now!

 

[goldenrose]

Should we plan the trip to Africa now?
Thank You so much for this treat, just fascinating!
When you relocate, are they staying in Africa? or do they go to preserves? zoos? That would be difficult but when the new little ones arrive each season, I hope it all balances out.

 

[SlipperFan]

Such beautiful creatures. I can see why you have difficulty parting with them, and why trauma affects you so much. But you really have an important job, being caretaker of an area of the world that, were it not for people like you, would soon become devoid of such beauty.

 

[Trithor]

Thank you all for your supportive comments.
The animals are relocated to within the borders of South Africa. We try to relocate to areas as close to where they come from as possible to ensure that the foods available are as near identical as possible, they do much better that way.
Today we finish off, the giraffe are last, this is the part that I hate the most, these animals are like children to me and I know each individual animal like a friend. It is going to be very difficult.

 

[couscous74]

Very sorry to hear about the bull. I hope everything else goes smoothly.

 

[Trithor]

and for the last day, to start a little bit of assistance from a bit of modern technology. It helps to have a bit of lift and an elevated platform to raise the boma screens to 6m


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The first breeding herd is herded into the boma. It is at this stage that select animals are removed and returned to the farm to rejoin others. This activity causes significat fracturing of the herds. There is a hope that there will be changes in the herd structure to improve the genetics, even with this artificial selection process


Sad to see them stressed. We try to sepparate them as quietly as possible. at this stage we cannot sedate them, in case they should escape before they are loaded. It would be impossible to recover a sedated animal of this size in this thick cover before they can be given the reversing agent.


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As they are loaded, a moment to say goodbye, ...


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As the shadows lengthen, the last of the herds is loaded. A brief and sad goodbye, and the trucks lock and start to leave


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A moment for reflection, while I wait for the last truck to leave


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Then to wash the dust in very muddy water od the nearest drinking hole. Obviously I am the tired fat old man in the picture. My youngest son catches a ride on my back while his brother (not the vervet) takes the picture and laughs from the bank. A very welcome moment of relaxation and fun.


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and tomorrow back to the city, and my greenhouse!

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[SlipperKing]

Well fat old man, a job well done! Thank you very much for this look into your life and the farm.

 

[SlipperFan]

Well fat old man, a job well done! Thank you very much for this look into your life and the farm.

and into the heart and mind of a special human.

 

[Ozpaph]

amazing and thank-you!

 

[Susie11]

Fingers crossed for a happy relocation and stronger herds in the future.

 

[Trithor]

and into the heart and mind of a special human.

That disturbingly reminds me of the title of Conrads book!

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Thanks for taking myself and my wife on this beautiful ride with you.

 

[NYEric]

Very interesting. My GF the animal freak will love to read this thread. Thanks.

 

[cnycharles]

thank you, and sorry for the loss of your friend(s)