Back from South Africa

[Catherine Read]

So for the last month and a bit I've been volunteering in South Africa on a wildlife reserve I've visited a few times before. Thought I'd share some of my shots from while I was there, most are from the reserve I stayed at and a few from a neighbouring national park we visited on some of our days off

First up is Waterbuck

Giraffe

Impala

Kudu

White Rhino

Elephant

Tsessebe

Cape Buffalo

Warthog

Sable

Eland

Zebra

Wildebeest

Gemsbok

Chacma Baboon

 

[Catherine Read]

Some other shots from around the reserve...

 

[Nitro]

Very nice captures!

 

[Gerontius]

Glad you are back and those photos are worthy of the National Geographic or a book of animals. You did an excellent job with that--surely there are some stories with all this.

 

[Forest Cat]

Oh I remember you mentioned it is your favorite place, so many interesting animals! Nice pics.

That guy in the picture with the dogs, is he still alive, or..?

 

[Catherine Read]

Very nice captures!

Thank you

Glad you are back and those photos are worthy of the National Geographic or a book of animals. You did an excellent job with that--surely there are some stories with all this.

Thanks There might be a few stories to tell here and there, like how that spider builds the biggest webs and I'd had the misfortune of walking into one!

This is one I snapped on my phone, they'd sometimes build their webs across the roads at night

Oh I remember you mentioned it is your favorite place, so many interesting animals! Nice pics.

That guy in the picture with the dogs, is he still alive, or..?

Haha, yeah just about. Shiela on the left is a smart girl and usually looks for the weak spots on the bite sleeves

 

[Kisa the tea]

These are honestly amazing photos. They look so good and professional. Have you taken photography classes?

 

[Sunny1]

These are fantastic! I particular like the Gemsbok, and the Zebra mother with her youngling, and that spider web. You have a very good eye! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Luca]

Wow! You have a real talent! And such beautiful animals.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful gift with us. Have you ever submitted any of your work to a wildlife magazine? If not, you probably should.

And I love the photos of the dogs the most, of course! I have done Schutzhund training with dogs so I find it really interesting when other people share their experiences with protection work.

 

[Outdated]

There's no point in me denying it - sheer unadulterated envy. It looks like you had a fantastic time.

 

[Knower of nothing]

I get a little solemn being allowed to see the biodiversity that was once present in all regions. I hope africa cares enough about what they have left.

 

[Forest Cat]

I'm just curious, how much does a month in south Africa cost? To live there for a month. If you don't mind me asking.

 

[Catherine Read]

These are honestly amazing photos. They look so good and professional. Have you taken photography classes?

I've not taken any classes, all self-taught

These are fantastic! I particular like the Gemsbok, and the Zebra mother with her youngling, and that spider web. You have a very good eye! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you

Wow! You have a real talent! And such beautiful animals.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful gift with us. Have you ever submitted any of your work to a wildlife magazine? If not, you probably should.

And I love the photos of the dogs the most, of course! I have done Schutzhund training with dogs so I find it really interesting when other people share their experiences with protection work.

I've not tried to get any of my photos published, largely because I don't know how lol.

I loved the days we got to work with the dogs and puppies. Two of the current Anti-poaching dog team are only a few years from retirement so the puppies are being trained up to replace them. The older dogs will still stay with their handlers though as they're inseparable.

There's no point in me denying it - sheer unadulterated envy. It looks like you had a fantastic time.

I did indeed

I get a little solemn being allowed to see the biodiversity that was once present in all regions. I hope africa cares enough about what they have left.

South Africa actually has some of the best preserved biodiversity in the world. I think it was prior to the 1940’s, animals were seen more as pests by the white colonisers, but post 1940’s saw the era of conservation and species numbers have grown vastly since.


A lot of conservation is done by private land owners as animals are seen to have value, some choosing to use their land for wildlife reserves rather than cattle farming, benefiting both environment and species. However, unfortunately many are giving up on keeping White Rhino as they’re incredibly expensive and dangerous to keep safe with poaching being such an issue.

Rhino are the passion of the reserve I stayed at but sadly the public at large don’t seem to have much interest in supporting Rhino charities and the preservation of this wonderful species. At current rates of decline they may only have a decade or so left and the laws banning the sale of Rhino horn is actually hampering the conservation efforts of the people on the front line and drawing targets on their backs as they have to dehorn and then store the horn away at great expense with money they don’t have. I’m hoping to go back next June to help with the de-horning.

The Rhino in the middle is Jodi, and her daughter, Hope is on the left. Named as she was the first rhino born after a devastating poaching incident, which took a Rhino named Raine and her young daughter in 2020.

This is the lady that runs the reserve, the people there are truly passionate about what they do

 

[Forest Cat]

I've not taken any classes, all self-taught

You seriously need to do something with your pictures, they are ridiculously good. National Geographic good.

 

[Catherine Read]

I'm just curious, how much does a month in south Africa cost? To live there for a month. If you don't mind me asking.

On the 2023 price list a 4 week stay is £1,350 which includes all food, weekly excursions on days off, transport and accommodation, but flights are paid separately.

 

[Forest Cat]

On the 2023 price list a 4 week stay is £1,350 which includes all food, weekly excursions on days off, transport and accommodation, but flights are paid separately.

Wow, just 1350 pounds for a month including all those things. That's far less than I expected. Thanks for the info.

 

[Catherine Read]

Wow, just 1350 pounds for a month including all those things. That's far, far less than I expected. Thanks for the info.

I can PM you their website if you fancy a look?

 

[Kisa the tea]

I've not taken any classes, all self-taught

These are amazing on their own but knowing that your self taught shows some real talent. Well done! I truly mean it.

 

[Forest Cat]

I can PM you their website if you fancy a look?

It would be interesting to see, but since it's your favorite place I think you should keep it secret.

 

[Kayla55]

Love your work, what sort of cam do you have!!
I just love rainforest of Madagascar it's home to periwinkle the so called cure for cancer!! And was first official nature reserve, is however seperate from history of South Africa and dutch, but I love country. I also love Tanzania and the Tanzanite preservation. Again big hugs to our ancestors for protecting the planet, we would never have beauty if they joined greed of others.