Hoedspruit
BOEREMARK Saturday 6 November 2021 @ BOSVELD CENTRE 2.2KM out of town on R40
The paper that encourages dreams, supports people and builds the community! Vol 19 Issue 18, 29 October 2021, Kruger2Canyon News, Shop 12, Kamogelo Centre, Hoedspruit. Tel 078 979 6486 email: editor@kruger2canyon.co.za
Climate change is already enveloping Southern Africa Here’s how we know. Jennifer Fitchett Associate Professor of Physical Geography, University of the Witwatersrand. Many people s�ll think of climate change as a phenomenon that we will only face in the distant future. Perhaps that’s partly because climate change projec�ons about rising temperatures and extreme weather events are �ed to future dates: 2030, 2050, or 2100, for instance. It is however important to realise that we already are experiencing climate change, and have done so for some �me now. Over the past century global temperatures have increased by approximately 1°C. Sea level rise is already star�ng to affect certain low-lying coastal communi�es. The world is experiencing more frequent and intense extreme climate events. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report: Physical Science basis, released in September 2021, contains a comprehensive — and largely grim – assessment of the state of both recorded and projected climate change globally. The IPCC is the United Na�ons body for assessing science rela�ng to climate change. It consists of a group of expert scien�sts from around the world, who author scien�fic reports on
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Floodwaters in the town of Bushmans River in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
the state of the earth’s climate and future climate change projec�ons. Its latest report compiles research from 1,400 papers and will serve as an important reference document for the COP26 mee�ng in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12. It’s there that science is turned into policy. Such policy is cri�cal for the whole world — and urgent for southern Africa, which is par�cularly vulnerable to clima�c changes. This region has already been experiencing climate
changes that are more rapid, and with impacts that are more severe than the global average. It also struggles with a low adap�ve capacity: there’s li�le capital available for investment in measures to protect against future climate hazards and very pressing immediate human rights needs for a large propor�on of the popula�on. “The IPCC’s latest report paints a dire picture of projected climate shi� globally, including southern Africa. The fast-tracking of mi�ga�on and adap�on strategies
may help offset the effects but �me is running out”. There’s no avoiding the reality that southern Africa is in the throes of a climate emergency. By iden�fying trends in the frequency of weather events happening, and their intensity over a period of decades, and exploring changes in related biological systems in light of this, it’s plain to see that the region has already been rocked by climate change and related effects. Extreme temperature events can be defined by the maximum tempera-
Photo: Google image
ture, the devia�on from the norm, or the length of �me of above-threshold temperatures. A number of indices have been developed by the World Meteorological Organisa�on to iden�fy and quan�fy these extreme temperature events. Warm events, when they meet specific criteria, are termed heatwaves. These are par�cularly dangerous for people, animals and plants, and are a direct cause of deaths. In southern Africa, there has been an increase in the severity and frequency of
heatwave events over recent decades. Interes�ngly, for a few loca�ons, there has also been an increase in the frequency of extreme cold events. While this is not a feature of climate warming, it is induced by changes in regional climate pa�erns, such as the number of cold fronts which move over South Africa. Drought is defined as a significant and prolonged departure from mean rainfall totals. The most severe, and best known drought in southern Africa in recent years was the ”Day Zero” crisis in Cape Town. While increasing pressure for water in the City of Cape Town played a role in this, a longer-term poleward displacement in the winterrain-bearing westerlies, which bring the cold fronts and rain to Cape Town during the winter months, was a significant contributor to this drought. Southern Africa more broadly is also sensi�ve to El Niño induced droughts. El Niño refers to warmer than usual condi�ons in the Eastern Pacific that persist for a couple of months through to years. These are driven by a weakening of the Trade Winds, and a resultant reduc�on in the upwelling of colder water to the sea surface just off South America. This was the cause of the 2015-2016 drought ... Cont. on page 3
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29 October 2021
EDITORS DESK
Kruger2Canyon
New beginnings. The journey con�nues...
EDITOR
If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that change is inevitable. And we humans are not predisposed to change in any shape or form, good,
bad or indifferent. If you would like to prove that statement for yourself, the easiest way is to change your route to and from your office. Even something that small and elec�ve can cause stress that you might not have envisaged. That being said, humans are nothing if not resilient and we do eventually bounce back. Perhaps COVID-19 has slowed the bounce or the feelings of unease s�ll linger, but bounce back we do. And speaking of change, if you are not happy with the current poli�cal incumbents in Hoedspruit, then remember to u�lize your vote on Monday, Novem-
ber 1st and vote for the changes that you would like. With new ideas and new direc�ons for doing things a li�le be�er or being just a li�le kinder to those with who we interact. It was men�oned early on in the pandemic that we are all in the same storm, it is just that we are in different boats. The past few months have been a very steep learning curve for the editorial team here at the paper. Whether it has been trying to figure out the page layouts, sourcing stories or keeping the print quality to a standard that we and our advertisers could
Letters to the editor Letters to the editor – October 29th 2021
Dear Ed, As Homeowners on Canyon, you will know that oddly, the Receiver of Revenue, treats arrear
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levies at Canyon as “assets”. Is there someone out there, a bright cat, who has sat and passed Accounts 1? (As opposed to buying it online from the “ Elmer P Fudge College of Bookkeeping” of New Golders Green, Alabama); who can explain in PLAIN ENGLISH, how the people of Canyon who don’t pay levies, differ from all those Municipalities, Towns, Government Departments & Listed Companies, who do not pay their ESKOM accounts?
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If there is no difference, ESKOM is not broke & has Billions in Assets! Perhaps this is a legal reason why we need not pay the next 15% Electricity price hike that ESKOM wants to foist on us in April 2022.
Janet
Dear Ed, We should be striving to be the best municipality in the
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be proud of. Going back to print was something that we had not envisioned when the new publisher bought the paper, but the community had voiced their opinions, and who were we to argue, even if it meant late nights and hours of editing, both articles and images. At the end of the day, we want this to be a paper for the people and supported by adverts from those in the community that can see the benefits of using this publication to help build their business dreams and aspirations. From an editors point of view, I would like the community to become more
involved in supplying us with stories and images. We have to rely on your local knowledge to keep us abreast of what is happening or being planned for the upcoming festive season and New Year. If you have stories to share, you can mail them directly to me at editor@kruger2canyon.co.za As international tourism re-opens, surely it is time to feature your offering in Kruger2Canyon? Like a black cat in a dark room, if the world does not know about you how can they beat a path to your front
door? I am certain that all the guest accommodation would like to be full in the upcoming holiday season? Let us help you to achieve that. We would like to see Kruger2Canyon as a beacon of light, enabling every business in Hoedspruit to have the opportunity to shine. Thank you to our loyal readers and advertisers and we hope to welcome many more of you in the months to come. Until next time, stay safe and stay healthy.
country… we are far from it. We receive almost NO services from a rates and taxes base that is higher than Cape Town or Johannesburg northern suburbs, yet we have no money for keeping the Town clean, fixing infrastructure or providing decent services … yes we waste money on multiple expensive cars for the mayor and other extremely wasteful expenditure, we can’t keep a shanty town which is going to destroy the tourist im-
age of this town from growing and I can go on and on and on. We are better than most, is that good enough?
to and ALWAYS to the best of your abilities. To compare ourselves with other municipalities worse off than us does not mean that we are ok, we can only strive to be the best! I do hope that whatever is being promised by different political parties will in the long run become a reality. I am proud to be a Hoedspruiter. I love our little town and pray that the best is still to come!
Gavin
Dear Ed, I grew up with the life lesson of never comparing myself to anyone else ... do what you have
Susan
COMMUNITY FEATURES
29 October
2021
Kruger2Canyon
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Successfully re-wilded rhino orphan gives birth Anna Mussi, Manager, Rhino Revolution Some wonderful news for rhino conserva�on. A rewilded female white rhino orphan has just given birth to her own wild calf. Masingi�a was one of the first five rewilded orphans Rhino Revolu�on released back into the wild in 2017. Her name means “miracle” in Tsonga, and she arrived at the Orphanage in 2015, a�er her mother was murdered by poachers She was given this name as it took a very long 24 hours to track and find her a�er her mother was killed by poachers. She arrived at the facility by helicopter, very trauma�zed and only three months old. She joined a crash of four other orphaned rhino calves. Nicknamed “The Lucky Five”, these rhinos were all vic�ms of poaching, their mothers killed for their horns. They were rescued and rehabilitated by Rhino Revolu�on over two years – the calves arriving from different reserves and at different ages. Last year, an adult wild white rhino bull was seen
following the Lucky Five and ma�ng with Masingi�a. At approximately five and a half years of age, Masingi�a was now old enough to breed. We had hoped she might be pregnant, as when she was dehorned last year, a pregnancy test was undertaken as she was beginning to look very wide. However, as a white rhino’s pregnancy is 16-18 months, we couldn’t be sure when she would give birth. The �ny calf was spotted just days ago. From a quick scan with the binoculars, we think the calf is a female, which is the best news ever. She has been named Lesedi, which means Light in Tsonga. Out of the miracle (Masingitta) comes light (Lesedi). May this light shine bright and give us all hope for the future of Africa’s iconic rhino. Rhino Revolution has fulfilled its ethos of true conservation. The re-wilding process is complete: an orphaned rhino is back in the wild, and having mated with a wild white rhino, has produced the next generation of wild rhino.
Founded in 2011, Rhino Revolution is a registered charity whose mission is to protect South Africa’s rhino today and for future generations. Based in Hoedspruit, Limpopo, it is located at the heart of South Africa’s greatest rhino population – the Greater Kruger Area, and consequently is at the epicentre of the poaching crisis. Rhino Revolution is tackling the escalating rhino poaching crisis with a unique three-step approach, through (i) rehabilitating orphaned calves for release back into the wild (ii) implementing innovative anti-poaching measures, including dehorning and (iii) educating and inspiring the young people in the local communities. With the catastrophic decline in numbers due to poaching, every rhino counts. This precious new calf contributes valuable genetic diversity. “We are extremely proud of this wonderful news. A glimmer of hope in the ba�le to save Africa’s rhino” Anna Mussi, Manager, Rhino Revolu�on
“We are extremely proud of this wonderful news. A glimmer of hope in the battle to save Africa’s rhino” Anna Mussi, Manager, Rhino Revolution.
Masigitta and her miracle calf Lesedi Photos: Kim Colson Safaris
Climate change is already enveloping Southern Africa Here’s how we know. Cont. from page 1 This was the cause of the 2015-2016 drought in South Africa’s Kruger Park, which resulted in the drying up of watering holes, and the widely publicized death of hippos and later the culling of other large mammals. The southern African subcontinent is relatively well protected from tropical cyclones by the island of However, Madagascar. some tropical cyclones do form in the Mozambique Channel, and occasionally some tropical cyclones move across Madagascar. These storms can, and do, as was seen most recently
with Tropical Cyclones Idai, Kenneth and Eloise, make landfall on Mozambique. Over recent decades, tropical cyclones in the Southwest Indian Ocean have increased in intensity; the first category 5 tropical cyclone for the sub-ocean basin was recorded in 1994. Tropical Cyclone Idai, which bordered in intensity between categories 3 and 4 on landfall, provides stark evidence of the damage wrought by highintensity tropical cyclones in populated areas. There is also evidence that tropical cyclones have expanded their range polewards over recent decades, affecting
a larger region of southern Africa. In addition to the weather we experience from the changing climate itself, climate change also has an impact on biological systems. Phenology, which refers to the timing of annually recurrent biological events, is one of the most sensitive bio-indicators of climate change. In South Africa, scientists have recorded advances in the timing of apple and pear flowering in the southwestern Cape, and of Jacaranda flowering in the Gauteng City Region. Warmer sea surface temperatures have also
resulted in a delay in the sardine run along the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. These shifts have an impact on agriculture and tourism but, more importantly, demonstrate that climate change is having an effect on the natural environment. These shifts in timing cannot continue indefinitely. Plants and animals have thresholds, beyond which the stresses of climate change will result in at least local extinction. The picture seems hopeless, but with mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies driven through, among other processes, COP26, southern Africa can reduce the impacts of climate
change on local livelihoods. It is important at this stage to invest in adaptation to reduce the impacts of climate change and to make every effort to reduce our reliance on carbon to slow down climate change. Originally published in The Conversation, with creative commons licence - https:�� theconversation.com
David Batzofin photography.
“The IPCC’s latest report paints a dire picture of projected climate shi� globally, including southern Africa. The fast-tracking of mi�ga�on and adap�on strategies may help offset the effects but �me is running out”.
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29 October 2021
COMMUNITY
Kruger2Canyon
A trail and food for all seasons Obos “We are expec�ng hot weather so make sure you have filled all your water containers” – a short brief of things to come on a trail in big 5 country. The excitement as we set out on foot into the wilderness was palpable – our guide, Brenden Pienaar (Lowveld Trails), three students and four observers of which I was one. This was to be an outing into the wilderness to touch ones soul and clear ones head. No cell phones, no computers, no TV, no WhatsApp, no cars, no load shedding and no noise! Concern on a trail of this sort, is always weight – how heavy a pack does one comfortably walk with? Having done some endurance running in my life I es�mated a pack of about 15kg was good enough
and so I packed accordingly. Unlike one of the fellow observers, I opted for freeze-dried trail food for my suppers. This was a choice I was glad to have made. People experiencing trail walking for the first �me might be confused as to what to take. Heed my advice, there are two items that you cannot do without – a light fold-up chair and a decent sized bivvy/groundsheet. The chair is a Godsend a�er a hard days walking and the bivvy serves as a groundsheet during the night but as poten�al shade during the day. The third very important thing to take is good food for supper, and then of course a good sleeping bag, pillow and good snacks. The brand I chose was a locally manufactured brand from The Trail Food Company. Being vegan also pos-
es its challenges but this range easily �cked all the boxes. The packaging was good and light, and the instruc�ons were clear to follow. For the three nights I was to spend in the wilderness I chose the following meals: Red Len�l Dhal for the fist night, Mushroom Riso�o for the second and North African Cous-Cous for the final evening. One must soak a couple of them in cold water for a while before cooking, and then the process takes a mere five minutes to complete. I let the meals stand for another 5 minutes a�er cooking and then indulged myself in a cascade of flavour. The meals tasted fresh, were extremely flavourful and certainly hit the spot every �me. They were delicious. From a nutri�onal perspec�ve I was happy that they supplied me with everything that I
needed and I certainly did not feel undernourished or hungry at any �me. I followed this with a wonderful cup of vegan hot chocolate and dived into my sleeping bag well sa�sfied. For breakfast I had cereal with protein powder and powdered milk, a cup of coffee, a rusk and some dried mango. I did have snacks during the day, chips, mixed dried fruit and nuts, some rice cakes and marmite and of course some vegan cheese – works like a bomb. But without a shadow of doubt, supper was the meal I most looked forward to. And I was not the only one – another four of our party also used the same brand, not vegan meals, and all were of the same opinion – scrump�ous! Well done and thank you to The Trail Food Company – highly recommended!
Trail Food gave us the sustinace we needed ! Proudly produced right here in Hoedspruit www.trailfood.co.za
Clarifying some municipal issues Marie Helm DA Ward Councillor There have been many areas of concern voiced by our residents over the state of the Maruleng Municipality and its ability to function correctly. The current dominant issues are electricity, water and the state of our roads. There needs to be clarification of the players involved in these matters, that will allow us to better understand the dynamics. Maruleng Municipality is not responsible for the supply of electricity in Maruleng – this is Eskoms domain. We need to pay tribute to the local Eskom team for their efforts in esuring our electricity supply. They are doing a good job which is evident in the fact that, load shedding aside, we do not experience as many outages as other towns or municipalities, for example Makhado Municipality.
Water provision in Marulend is a very complex issue. A burst pipe in town is the responsibility of the Maruleng Municipality. The team ensures that repairs are done as fast as possible and within a reasonable time frame. In others towns residents complain that these repairs may take days to be done. Bulk water is managed by the Department of Public Works – not the Airforce Base! The Blyde Water Utility Company transports water from the Blyde Dam to the Airfoce Base. Here the Department of Public Works is responsible for the maintenance and management of the water in the resevoir. Water is then made available to the Maruleng Municipality from that resevoir. It must be noted that Mopani District Municipality is supposed to provide the bulk water supply through the Hoedspruit bulk water
Hoedspruit project. Sadly, and frustratingly, the activation of this service is still behind schedule and is outstanding several years of being announced! Water provision in the Mametja – Sekororo area falls to the Mopani District Municipality and not Maruleng. Maruleng Municipality can therefore not be blamed for all the water problems experienced. Roads are always an issue
around Hoedspruit. The Maruleng Municipality has resealed many roads in the town, and paved many roads in rural villages. The state of the roads can always be improved but we need to consider that not all the roads in our area are under municipal control. It is the opinion of the writer that the roads in the Maruleng Municipal area are better than most in the province. In the Auditor General’s
reports from 2015/16 to 2019/20, the Maruleng Municipality received an Unqualified Opinion, which when compared to other municpalities is really good! Many municipalities in Limpopo received Adverse and Disclaimer Opinions. If we cast our minds back to the time when the Municipal Demarcation Board investigated the feasibility of breaking up the Maruleng Mu-
nicipality and incorporating a part in Tzaneen and a part in Phalaborwa, it was the Auditor Generals opinions over a long period of time that was the strongest point, and it halted that process. Is Maruleng Municipality perfect – by no means. There are many improvements that could and should be made, but in terms of the bigger picture, we may well be a cut above most others. It is apparent that the general feeling within the town towards the Municipality is a negative one, and the perceptin is that many services are falling apart. That is true, but we are still better off than many other small municipalities. But that does not detract from the fact that we all need to keep up and maintain our endeavours and pressures on the Maruleng Municipality to perform and deliver.
LIFESTYLE
29 October 2021
Kruger2Canyon
Sophia's sticky honey and mustard chicken thighs
Ingredients 2 tablespoons honey 6 teaspoons wholegrain mustard juice of ½ lemon 12 deboned chicken thighs
Method Soak 24 wooden kebab sticks in water for 1 hour Mix the honey, mustard and lemon juice in a bowl. Spear the thighs crossways using two sticks per thigh, and place in a flat dish Pour the honey-andmustard mixture over the thighs and allow the chicken to marinate for 1 hour Cook on medium-hot coals until golden and sticky
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29 October
2021
BIOSPHERE & NATURE
Kruger2Canyon
Starry starry night - Constellation of the month - Pegasus Andromeda Ben Coley Pegasus is a large constella�on in the northern sky that is easily dis�nguished by 4 bright stars that make a giant square, known by the asterism The Great Square of Pegasus. Pegasus represents a mythological white-winged horse sired by Poseidon and the Gorgon, Medusa. Pegasus was involved in many great Greek stories, including the slaying of the fearsome, fire-breathing monster, Chimera by the hero Bellerophon. In some accounts, it also played a part in the famous myth of Princess Andromeda’s rescue at the hands of a great sea monster, Cetus. Andromeda’s parents, King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia were so proud of their daughter that Cassiopeia boasted she was the most beau�ful woman alive, mortal or imwmortal. This angered Poseidon, who sent Cetus, a giant sea monster to a�ack their coastal city. The rulers consulted the oracle who told them they must sacrifice Andromeda to the monster or risk destruc�on. Andromeda was chained to a rock and le� to the mercy of the beast. Before Cetus could take her, the great hero Perseus, fresh from killing Medusa, arrived on the back of Pegasus and hearing her cries of distress, swooped down to assist. Perseus had with him the severed head of Medusa, whose gaze would turn anyone to stone that looked at it, and thrust it towards Cetus. Cetus was instantly turned to stone and Perseus whisked Andromeda away to be his wife. Notable Stars Enif Enif comes from the Arabic word for nose and marks the muzzle of the great winged horse. Situated around 700 light-years away, Enif s�ll burns brightly in the night sky thanks to its size.
Pegasus Andromeda (above)
“The constellations of Pegasus, Andromeda, Perseus and Cetus are all visible from South Africa, whilst Cepheus and Cassiopeia are only visible from northern latitudes”.
Images supplied by Celestial Events
Enif is an orange/red supergiant with an es�mated diameter of nearly 200x that of our Sun and burns around 5000 �mes brighter. Alpheratz The blue/white subgiant star, Alpheratz used to be shared between the constella�ons of Pegasus and Andromeda, but in 1930 was officially designated to Andromeda and thus marks its brightest star. Alpheratz s�ll makes up 1 of the 4 corners of the famous asterism, the Great Square of Pegasus, along with Markab (saddle), Sheat (shin) and Algenib (flank). Its obviousness in the sky has also made it an important naviga�on star throughout history. Deep Sky Objects Messier 31, The Andromeda Galaxy is the closest major galaxy to our own
Andromeda (left) Messier (below)
Milky Way and can be spotted with the naked eye under dark skies. It is the furthest object visible from Earth without the use of op�cal equipment and resides around 2.5 million light-years away. It has a spiral structure similar to our own galaxy but is much larger, es�mated to contain close to a trillion stars! Andromeda and the Milky Way are being pulled together at around 500km/s thanks to their mutual gravi�es, and it is predicted that the 2 galaxies will merge in around 4 billion years, combining to form a giant ellip�cal galaxy. Messier 15, The Pegasus Cluster.
The Pegasus Cluster is a huge group of ancient stars arranged in a spheroidal shape known as a globular cluster. It is one of 200 such objects in the sky and is considered one of the largest and brightest. Situated a massive 33,000 light-years away, Messier 15 contains over 100,000 stars all orbi�ng a common centre, most likely an intermediate black hole. It has been dated around 12 billion years old, making it one of the oldest clusters recorded. Although faint, M15 can be spo�ed with a pair of binoculars and makes great viewing in even a small telescope.
NATURE
29 October
2021
Kruger2Canyon
7
Splendid breeding plumage ... colours to attract
Red Bishop Photo: MDP
Mike Medlinger Here we sit, at the end of October. We’ve just �pped over the precipice of summer, where the mornings are pleasant, the middays are punishing and life is beginning to abound all around us. Migrants are slipping in unexpectedly, cicadas serenade the twilight, and for those “lucky few”, a thunderstorm graces the most humid of a�ernoons.
Amongst all of these celebrated facets of the oncoming wet season, one of birdings unexpected and o�en underappreciated transforma�ons is taking place, right before our eyes. The adorning of breeding plumage is not for every bird, yet is rela�vely common place in a number of families. The process of moul�ng (as it is known), is seldom witnessed, and birds seem to appear suddenly as if by magic. Most o�en species regenerate
in bright or splendid plumages, which add a spice to summer that is unconsciously missed by us during drier winter �mes. Most of these species are in fact resident throughout the year, but fly under-theradar in their duller, drabber winter personali�es. One of the most recognizable families to embrace this transforma�on are the infamous Weavers. Whether you are looking at Redheaded in the Savannah, Southern Masked in the
city or Cape in the colder regions, these bright, often canary yellow birds are adored by many. Males build protec�ve homes for females which are lured in by a very convincing flapping display. If they accept a males advances, females mate, move in and then raise the chick’s alone, while the successful male moves on to find another female, and another, and another. This way, highly desirable males produce more offspring, and ensure the success of strong gene�c lines. Widows are bright black birds, with protruding tails and colourful wing markings. They can be found in moist reedbeds or grasslands. The ul�mate mem-
Long-tailed Widowbird Photo: Loretta Steyn
ber of the family is the Long-tailed Widowbird, an endemic to South Africa’s Highveld. These impossible tail feathers (retrices) are a sign to females of a male’s stamina and willingness to risk preda�on in order to raise a clutch. Bishops, the Widowbird’s dumpy cousin, compete for females in waterside vegeta�on, with short bumblebee-like flights. The winners then weave nests which are shared by both partners in raising their young. Whydahs and their brood parasites the Indigobirds, only begin their transformation now, coming into full attire after Christmas. Today however individual males are beginning to choose the arena sites
Tel: Emergencies:
which they will stay loyal to throughout the breeding time. This behaviour is believed to be a symptom of having populations that consist of more males than females. Females then know where to find prospective mates and males simply wait for their chance to pair up. South Africa is not the only nation to experience this phenomenon. Many species of passerine, shorebird and even wildfowl, transition between breeding and non-breeding plumages. So keep a look out this month for changes in your locals, and think of the risks they take by becoming more “visible” …. and all in order to propagate.
015 793 1484/5 083 307 9258
Facebook: @ElectroSurgeonHoedspruit Instagram: @Electrosurgeonhoedspruit Email: drainsurgeonhoedspruit@gmail.com
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29 October
2021
LOCAL NEWS
Kruger2Canyon
Hoedspruit resident, Togara Charingira, wins Safari Guide of the Year 2021 David Batzofin Although TJ, as he is affec�onately known currently works out of Madikwe, his heart and family are s�ll strongly connected to Hoedspruit. As the awards ceremony was held at The Farmery in town, it was a home coming in more ways in one for this affable guide. “I had a great �me and enjoyed the award ceremony. l couldn’t believe that l was live on television”. When he first arrived in this small town, he was a Sergeant for Rhino Revolu�on An� poaching Unit and later worked as a Nature
Guide at Vuyani Safari Lodge. According to TJ, this was a meaningful �me in his guiding career as being able to do foot patrols and night ambushes for poachers helped him to connect and understand flora and fauna to a better level. Working in Blue Canyon Conservancy with helpful guides and trackers enabled him to gain on the job training and experience. When asked who were some of the most important people in his life at that �me. TJ was quick to respond… “Tim Parker was my first employer to work for Rhino
Revolu�on an�-poaching unit and his team. Charles Delport (Nightjar Training and Guiding) for FGASA assessments and mentoring. Brendon and Wayne (Lowveld Trails Company) for FGASA trails mentorship. Trevor Carnaby (Beat About the Bush) for advanced guiding training (Through The Guest Eyes) course”. “All my fellow Zimbabweans in Hoedspruit for suppor�ng me all the �me. The Tsonga people who welcomed me in Hoedspruit when I first worked in town and my family and I are s�ll made to feel welcomed by them. I have to make a
special men�on of Mariet Mashonganyika(Mash) who mentored me during my Zimbabwe Learner Professional Guide appren�ceship”. For TJ, although Hoedspruit was his first love, a�er 6 years there, he decided to move to Madikwe because l wanted to complete my FGASA full trails qualifica�on because there are no bushwalks in Blue Canyon Conservancy and also to experience a different landscape”. “Although my wife and daughter s�ll live in Hoedspruit, I commute between my home Hoedspruit and my work in Madikwe”. “Through the compe�-
�on, l met experienced people in the industry so l am willing to further my studies to achieve FGASA’s highest qualifica�on, Scout Qualifica�on and also to help people that are new in the industry. Above all l am hoping to learn more about the industry”. As well as being the overall winner of Safari Guide of the Year 2021 TJ has also walked away as the photographic category winner , sponsored by Canon, and as a result, has started his own photographic safari company. Knowing his passion for wildlife and his excep�onal work ethic, this venture is bound to go from strength to strength.
“Winning Safari Guide of The Year 2021 was such a highlight in my career and l have discovered that hard work and being willing to learn are the keys to success”.
TJ during the track and sign assessment
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TJ with his trophy Photos: D. Batzofin
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PHOTOGRAPHY
29 October
2021
Kruger2Canyon
9
Photographic tips to capture African Wild Dogs
Images by Grant Atkinson
Grant Atkinson In South Africa, we are fortunate in that we have some remnant popula�ons of African wild dogs in a handful of our protected areas and game reserves. The total popula�on of African wild dogs across all of South Africa seems to be range between 300 to 500 dogs. African wild dogs are a favourite photographic target of mine, and in this ar�cle, I will share some �ps that perhaps will help readers with capturing be�er images of these energe�c and dynamic carnivores. Wild dogs are highly mobile. Many sigh�ngs are flee�ng, not because the dogs are shy but because they move a lot. It’s normal for a pack of wild dogs to cover anything from 3km on an a�ernoon hunt to over 15kms. So when I am expec�ng to encounter a pack, I make sure my camera ba�ery is fully charged, my focus mode is set for moving subjects, and I have enough space on my
memory card. It can happen that a wild dog sigh�ng may only last for a few moments, and there is no �me to waste on prepara�on. African wild dogs have a unique look that is characterized by their large, rounded ears. So when I am taking pictures, I am seeking those moments when the ears are held up or mul�ple dogs with ears held upright! When a group of wild dogs is excited, they o�en carry their white tails erect. The white fur on their tails shows up just like white waving flags! Capturing an image of this can make for a pleasing picture and it well illustrates some part of their social behaviour. Wild dogs like roads, of both kinds, gravel or tar. So you may find them on a road. It is a classic requirement of wildlife photography that when possible, we ought to try and avoid having anything man-made in our pictures, but if the wild dogs are on the road, there is not so much you can do to avoid it.
One possibility is to make use of your zoom lens, a�er driving as close as you can come to the wild dogs, and then make a frame just of the head and shoulders of a single dog. That way with some luck you might not see the road in the picture. An ac�vity that I see quite o�en in packs of wild dogs, is a kind of play where two dogs, will briefly stand on their back legs and wrestle with one another. When this happens it’s a good opportunity to get a nice shot of that head-to-head ac�on, but the photographer has to act quickly. They seldom carry out the wrestling for long. An added benefit of these kinds of shots comes from the fact that the dogs get a lot closer to my eye level in the vehicle when they stand on their back legs, which can mean that telephoto lens images might enjoy a more blurred background. Wild dogs typical ac�vity periods are from before sunrise to around 08h30 and again in the a�ernoon, some�mes ge�ng ac�ve
perhaps an hour before sunset, some�mes later than that. Some�mes they are ac�ve at night and even hunt but not always. African wild dogs can be very busy animals, most especially a�er they have woken up from their a�ernoon nap or first thing in the morning. A pack on the move might have individuals keeping a lookout for enemies or prey, whilst others might be playing with one another or the pups, some might be marking or inves�ga�ng scents and scent marks. So there can be a lot happening for the photographer to work from. At the same �me I try make a mental note at the start of any wild dog sigh�ng to speed up my own photographic ac�vity. By that I mean that I will be constantly looking for some photo opportunity in the dog pack that can make a good image, but that I also just take very quick looks over the top of my viewfinder to see what the rest of the wild dog pack are doing
Biography Grant Atkinson is a guide, wildlife photographer and writer.He lives with his wife Helena in Cape Town, South Africa He is an enthusiastic lover of nature and has travelled widely in Africa and abroad for wildlife. Grant spent twelve years guiding full-time in Botswana. Today he leads groups of travellers to Kenya, Tanzania, South African and Botswana. He also leads small group photo tours outside of the African continent, to places like Brazil’s Pantanal, and India. He firmly believes that
knowing the behaviour of your subject helps to get good results when it comes to wildlife photography. He has a particular passion for African wild dogs and takes every opportunity to spend time with them. His images have been on the cover of both Africa Geographic and the US National Geographic Kids magazine. He is a regular contributor of text and images to African Birdlife magazine. His work can be found at www.grantatkinson.com
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29 October
2021
COMMUNITY NEWS
Kruger2Canyon
Locals take honours in the Haenertsberg Iron Crown Trail Robin Gardner
A�er an uncertain year of constantly changing Covid regula�ons which saw the original July date postponed, Rotary Haenertsburg held the 2021 Iron Crown Trail Run on Saturday, 23 October. The route took the runners (and walkers) through stunning surroundings with superb views and follows village streets, earth roads, firebreaks and single-track footpaths. A total of about 120 par�cipants turned up on what was the ho�est day in Haenertsburg for many weeks, 44 braving the 22km half marathon distance up to the top of Iron Crown mountain and back. Others completed the 10km route with the less energe�c and youngsters enjoying the 5km sec�on, some with dogs in tow.
22km Men Open: 1st Koketjo Victor Gumbo (3rd-�me winner) 2nd Brian Gardner 3rd Steven Willson (all lekker locals) Over 40s: 1st Mark Alcock 2nd Richard Noel 3rd Jonathan Trusler Over 50s: 1st Jan Jacob van Rooyen 2nd Hennie Spies 3rd Lybro Mavhandu Over 60s: won by Christopher Noel
22km Women Open: 1st Mariske Bosch 2nd Louise van den Dool Over 40s won by Mientjie Els Over 50s 1st Elsabe Cronje 2nd Bronwyn Egan 10km Men Open: 1st Michael Ward 2nd Geoffrey Trusler Over 40s: Won by Matume Maponya (local from Wegraakbos Cheese Farm) Over 50s: Mashiane Matole (from Stanford Lodge) 80+: Johan Stears (local)
Open Men 22km 1st Koketjo Victor Gumbo 2nd Brian Gardner 3rd Steven Willson
10km Women 1st Angelique Coetsee 2nd Shelley Swartz 3rd Anna Bannink Over 40s: won by Bernita Birke� Over 50s: Ronel Wallace Rotary would like to thank all those who par�cipated and helped at the event and especially the sponsors.
Haenertsburg Rotary President Amy TalyorBennett handing out the prize to the winner of 10km Mashiane Matole Open Women 22km 1st Mariske Bosch 2nd Louise van den Dool
Daktari is making dreams come true
Cassius living his dream Photo supplied
Staff reporter A few months ago, a young student named Cassius from the University of South Africa who was studying Animal Welfare contacted us by email as he needed to do a practical placement in animal care to complete his qualification.
However, all doors were closed to him and he was so desperate… Michèle, a French ci�zen, remembered how South Africa had welcomed her with open arms 20 years back and decided to give back by accep�ng Cassius for his 6 weeks prac�cal. He was a young dedicated man who knew what he needed in life, flexible and
coopera�ve. He adapted very well and so quick to our projects in the bush lifestyle A�erwards, due to his hard work and dedica�on, he s�ll needed help to get the experience he couldn’t get at DAKTARI for his studies. We did not want to let him down and we recommended him to an SPCA. During this covid �me, it
was very hard to convince anybody to take in an intern. It was very difficult to convince anybody to welcome our Cassius. However, we managed to get a 3 days experience for him. It was too short but be�er than nothing. We followed up on him to find out that a�er his 3 days the SPCA asked him to stay for another two weeks!!!
This is the lovely message he sent us a�er he le�. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me, a�er all the rejec�on from the vets to do my prac�cals I almost gave up. DAKTARI was my last op�on and it came through for me. It’s because of you that I was able to learn all the things I’ve learned, I even made friends with people from France. That’s a big deal for me. Before I came to DAKTARI I used to think I had everything all planned out un�l I met you, the talk you gave me has made me realize that whatever field I take in the animal industry I must choose to protect animals instead of harming them all in the name of making money and being rich. There’s a lot I can thank you for, I’ve learned a lot from you, you are my role model.” “We are very proud to have given a hand to Cassius with these opportuni�es which will help him in the future”. This is how DAKTARI uses your dona�ons and volunteer fees. We are so honoured to have made an impact on him for his future (and so many others) that we wanted to share it with
you all. Without YOUR support, we would not be able to do this! DAKTARI is a bush school and wildlife orphanage situated in Hoedspruit. Like Cassius, are you excited about the orphanage part of DAKTARI, but not so sure you’re the right person to teach the children? Then you can come as an animal volunteer for 4 to 8 weeks! We are always in need of volunteers who want to help out with taking care of our animals. You will be given a bit more responsibility regarding animal care and will work closely with our animal manager and animal welfare and development manager. Your ac�vi�es will include the ‘Big cleans’ of the enclosures, doing animal enrichment, enclosure improvements or maintenance work. No two days at DAKTARI are the same, and you may even end up carrying out basic veterinary care, or hand-raising orphaned animals! You do not need any previous experience to join us as an animal volunteer, just a passion for animals and a willingness to get stuck in! Contact www.daktaribushschool.org
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COMMUNITY NEWS
29 October 2021
Kruger2Canyon
11
Southern Cross Schools growing sport Staff Reporter The Southern Cross Schools family has con�nued to keep ac�ve on the sports field and on the trails, despite Covid-19 restric�ons. Covid-19 has been the reason for cau�on around interschool sport for the majority of the year. While schools in surrounding areas were closing or sending whole grades home, SCS, with the excep�on of one class, remained open. Our regula�ons and arguably more conserva�ve approach to Covid-19 allowed us to keep the school open. Much of our sport has revolved around capitalising on inter-house compe��ons to build spirit and provide the numerous physical and social benefits of team sport. An effec�ve change in our spor�ng schedule has been the moving of sport prac�ces and training from the a�ernoons to mornings, before class. By doing this we have not had to cancel sport on hot summer days. This has increased our ‘playing �me’ and for many learners,
they found that being ac�ve in the mornings got the day off to a posi�ve, energised start. Our push towards lifestyle sports encouraged learners to par�cipate in races in the area, such as the Wildlife Estate Series trail runs, the Kruger to Canyon trail run, the weekly Parkrun and club cricket matches and trials through the Phalaborwa Development Team. Encouragingly, many of our Prep School children also par�cipated and got involved in various lifestyle sports. During the second and third terms, the array of sports offered were soccer, cricket, tennis, trail running, mountain biking, yoga, netball and hockey. Although netball and hockey will not be offered in the College in Term 4, swimming will be available once again across all our schools. This is a wider selec�on of sport than has previously been on offer at SCS College. Many College learners enthusias�cally took to tennis, which is a sport which SCS can pursue compe��vely irrespec�ve of our size. SCS does not need
Southern Cross students in action
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a squad of 15 players to enter leagues or make an impact. A new introduc�on this year was a College inter-house tennis tournament that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. New interhouse events to be held this year are triathlon, netball and tennis. In Term 4, there will be inter-house cross-country, and the annual Championship Swimming Gala. We will also resume interschool matches. We also had College learners attend the Limpopo schools
cricket trials, and Isabella Buyst has been selected to represent the Women’s Under 16 cricket team, whilst Duncan Mwale is s�ll to a�end the final trials for the Limpopo Boys Under 19 cricket team. In cycling, SCS College had cyclists enter the Mankele Mountain Biking event, which formed part of the TWK Series, formerly the Spur Series. Despite Covid-19, SCS found ways to keep active on the sports field, and the benefits of interhouse competitions were immense. The school’s commitment and focus is to provide a safe learning environment and putting academics first, but moving forward, we hope to also continue growing sport at SCS. We are a talented school and see many opportunities for the type of whole community events which we have missed for the better part of two years. Opportunities for SCS to participate in inter-school sport will be welcomed and facilitated whenever it is possible and safe to do so.
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29 October
2021
Safari Corner
Kruger2Canyon
Junior FGASA & Kids In The Wild
The Birds are back in town
It's a good time of year, the trees are blooming, the bee's are buzzing and the birds are back! If you haven't yet heard or seen some of the amazing migrant birds, like the red-chested cuckoo, yellow-billed kite, woodland kingfisher or the
European bee-eater, make sure you keep your eyes peeled and your ears tuned, because they are back!
Here's a list of birds to look out for this season. Tick them off if you've seen them: European bee-eater
Amur Falcon
European Roller
Woodland Kingfisher
Greater Striped Swallow
Wahlberg's Eagle
Yellow-billed Kite
White-rumped Swift
Barn Swallow
White Stork
Diederik's Cuckoo
Klaas's Cuckoo
colour me in
correctly number the order 1 2 3
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If you love the wilderness, and are passionate about conservation, then we have the perfect thing for you. FGASA Junior in partnership with Kids In The Wild bring you the new and improved Pangolin Series that will be launching in 2022. The Pangolin Series will include an interactive platform for kids to reconnect with nature and the incredible wilderness that surrounds us on a daily basis. We will be offering online live lectures as well as on-demand courses that will encompass many different modules and will also include games, quizzes, homework and so much more.
Join the dots 22
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www.fgasa.co.za | +27 (0) 11 886 8245 | membership@fgasa.org.za | www.kidsinthewild.co.za | +27 (0) 66 485 1956| info@kidsinthewild.co.za
Tel: 015 793 1484/5 Emergencies: 0833079258 Facebook: @DrainSurgeonHoedspruit Instagram: @drainsurgeonhoedspruit Email: drainsurgeonhoedspruit@gmail.com
Tel: 015 793 0792 Emergencies: 083 573 5920
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