My First Day at SanWild

21 Jun 11

Basically spent most of the day being chauffeured around the Farm (yes, that’s what they call it) to get the lie of the land.  It also had the effect of getting the first amazement of seeing African animals out of my system, it is like living in a documentary.  There are zebra, impala, wildebeest, wart hogs and giraffe everywhere.  I also saw heaps of lions, cheetah, a leopard cub (rescued with a broken leg so therefore currently in a small enclosure) close up, and many other animals in the distance.  However, without a doubt the most amazing experience was to be able to pet Bliksem, an adolescent Black Rhino which has been hand reared after poachers killed his mother.  Black Rhinos are supposed to be the most aggressive so this was even more amazing.  Apparently two attempts have been made to release Bliksem out to free roam the farm however he refuses to go!  Below are a few of the better pictures from my ancient Camera of a few of the animals.

An adolescent Black Rhino which hab been saved as a baby when poachers killed his mother.

Giraffe in the bush.

Sorry the connection won't let me upload the other two photos at the moment!  This is getting very annoying.

I went out on my first ambush with the team during the night, which is a nightly event, even though no poachers have been on the farm for about two months.  As the neighbouring farm gets hit fairly regularly it goes to show that SanWild’s anti-poaching program is an effective deterrent.  The highlight of the night was having the hippos roaring about 200 m behind us, which I was able to see on the extraction.  I have yet to see one during the day though.