WILDLIFE BEHIND THE SCENES
ON SAFARI WITH VETS AND RANGERS
Peregrine Adventures offer a 9-day tour allowing a behind the scenes glimpse of the wildlife management in the reserves and game parks of South Africa. Come face to face with the fascinating Cape Hunting Dog, the majestic cheetah, the African Elephant and the rest of the Big Five, plus learn ranger and bush skills and much more. Peregrine Adventures has guaranteed availability on its 26th May 2007 departure from Jo’burg.
After a night in Johannesburg, the Peregrine group travel to comfortable lodge accommodation in the grounds of the De Wildt Cheetah & Wildlife Centre at the foot of the Magaliesburg Mountains. This is the world’s only CITES approved cheetah breeding centre with its pioneering work resulting in the first captive bred King Cheetah. Here, travellers shadow the resident vets, assisting with routine procedures to learn first-hand about work with cheetahs and Cape Hunting Dogs, together with other endangered species of southern Africa. Guests also interact closely with elephants in a nearby sanctuary, where hands-on experience will dispel many of the myths surrounding the world’s largest land animal. Though less glamorous than big cats and elephants, vultures play a very important roll in the natural maintenance of the African ecosystem. De Wildt’s resident vulture specialist provides further insight into this shady inhabitant of the bush, demonstrating handling and detailing life history. The next focus of the tour is Makulu Makete Wildlife Reserve located in the Limpopo Valley, close to the border with Botswana. From a luxury tented safari camp base, guests embark on expertly guided game walks and drives including an opportunity to locate and track the resident cheetah and perhaps even the elusive brown hyena, using telemetry (wildlife tracking system utilising implanted radio transmitters or collars). The remainder of the tour is centred around the nearby Mapungubwe National Park and the adjoining Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, where various research projects mostly focusing on monitoring and data collection of various species such as the African wild dog, elephant and lion, are undertaken. Guests are accommodated at ‘Little Muck’ lodge, perched on a sandstone ridge with breathtaking views of the Limpopo River floodplain below. Here, wildlife activities include a morning game drive with wild dog researchers and game tracking. Not only will travellers enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but participation also means donations to various research projects, thus helping save endangered species. Beside income generated from the safari, Peregrine also provides annual sponsorship of a King Cheetah, Meeka, at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre.
The tour costs £2,095 p/p plus £265 conservation contribution and includes 8-nights hotel, lodge and luxury tented camp accommodation, most meals, an experienced English-speaking local guide, arrival transfer, all transportation, park fees and expertly guided game viewing activities. International flights are not included.
