From the editors desk Last Month’s Top Shot Winner Facebook Cover Shot Winner Volunteer Encounters Ranger’s Report
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Photography Reflections Photography Focus
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Research Update Research Focus
From the moment they step through the door, any volunteer or new member of staff is immediately part of the African Impact family. We live together, socialise together and most importantly we work and work hard together. This culminates into a bond I don’’t think anybody or anything could shake and is what I believe is the driving force into what makes everybody here at Dumela so passionate and consequently so impactful. This past month has seen plenty of challenges and none more important than the fundraising opportunity we had for new camera traps and the construction of the Sasikile gardens. Hard work and determination from all was brought forth and any expectations were exceeded beyond imagination. The effort put forth was mind-blowing and the hard work and sweat that laid the foundations from every project is second only to the ripe potential that those camera traps and gardens have to offer. It’s been phenomenal to witness and a reminder of just how powerful a hard working family environment can be.
Subscribe by mailing: warthogpost@africanimpact.com to keep yourself updated with the latest news! Cover shot: Riding Off Into The Sunset– Samuel Cox, Second Photographer, England
My adventure started 1½ weeks ago, when after a full year of saving and planning I got on a plane to Nelspruit, South Africa. I found it extremely hard to believe. Even though I always loved exploring, this was the first time that this seventeen-year-old flew further than the comfy boundaries of Europe. Radiating joy, I was picked up from the airport by the most enthusiastic, convivial people from African Impact. They brought me to the lodge where the other volunteers and I would be staying. Little did I know that this random group of people would grow into my family within less than a week. The lodge we went to was (and is) the home base of the Big Five project in the Greater Kruger area, the project I would become part of. We focus on observing the animals of the Big Five, and on their conservation. In other words, I would get the chance to go out on game drives, look at African wildlife, note whatever they are doing, and that would be my job for 3 whole weeks! To volunteer and get to do work like that with animals is what initially sparked my interest for the project. I’ve always adored animals, loved their biology, their behaviour, how calm they were. (Excluding mosquitoes, they get on my nerves) After I finish my senior year this year, it would be my dream to study Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.
The Giant Kingfisher is the largest in Africa and frequents rivers, streams, lakes, dams and even mountain streams with marginal wooded areas, both in forests and savannahs. In South Africa breeding takes place between September and January, in Zimbabwe from August to March, in Zambia March to April and in Liberia December to January. They’re monogamous and a solitary breeder.
That plan I have for the future is also one of the main reasons I decided to join this project. I found that working here would be a great opportunity for me to improve in researching animals, which is a skill I want keep using for a lifetime. Other personal goals I set were to start looking at the world in different perspectives and to take more risks, for which this project is also perfect for. I’m now at the midway point of my stay here and time is flying by extremely fast. It’s crazy how much I’ve already experienced. From looking a lion straight in the eye at only 8 meters away, to getting the chance to talk with community members and learning Shangaan. From seeing the clear night sky’s stars brighter than I’ve ever seen them before, to jumping of an 11-meter cliff into a pool of glittering water underneath. Not to forget about the other volunteers working here with me right now; they are absolutely incredible. I never thought this experience would be this amazing, and I’m only halfway there. I’ll keep on exploring, and if you are reading this right now, I hope you do too.
The first four or five weeks of its life, the young kudu spends lying in the grass. After that, the calf starts to follow its mother during short periods of time each day. At the age of three to four months, it follows its mother all the time. When the calf becomes able to follow its mother constantly, they will return back to the herd.
Less is More A cluttered and messy photograph does nobody any favours and more often than not will detract attention away from your subject. Minimalism is key, isolating your subject and keeping things simple. Depth of field helps with this in blurring out background and foreground elements, but thinking about composition whilst out in the field is key. Getting low is a great start and thinking about what is and what isn’t needed in the frame to tell your story.
Last Friday morning, the 21st of July, African Impact attended the grand opening of the EcoVillage at Mphaku primary school. The festivities included several wonderful performances by Roots of Rhythm, a local dance group as well as dancing from the local community. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and it was evident that the community was very grateful to every person who helped in building the EcoVillage. We were also touched to hear from the principal of Mphaku school who built up a strong bond with each of the Australian volunteers who came every day for 5 weeks. The following week, school term started again after their winter holidays. This means that we go to meet grade 8 at Maputha Ditshaba high school to teach our first Conservation Education lesson. We refreshed the students minds with some activities focusing on food chains. Furthermore, we emphasized the importance of preserving each element in a food web through interactive games. The students were really engaged and enthusiastic, which made our experience thoroughly enjoyable.
What drew you to want to work with conservation? Living on Earth means we are fully reliant on and therefore responsible for all the resources of this planet. Sustainability is key. What do you like most about your job? To be able to work on so many aspects of sustainability including people, which is important to me. What makes you smile here? To be able to have some sort of positive impact on people’s lives; from staff, to volunteers to the local communities! ď Š
We also attended reading club for the first time at Seganyane primary school, with the photography volunteers. Melanie started by reading The Jungle Book to the whole group, engaging all the students with colourful pictures. Following on from this, we created an activity based on the Jungle Book; in which the students had to match-up descriptions with the correct animal. In addition, we quizzed the students on the characters of the Jungle Book to check their comprehension. All the volunteers thoroughly enjoyed spending time reading with the individual children, and we were glad to help and make a small difference. We finished this week by spending our morning at Sasekile gardens based at Maputha Ditshaba high school. Together with the group of gardeners we weeded all 87 plant beds as well as watered all the crops. Moreover, preparations for the fence began, which will be completed next week. The gardeners are getting ready for their first harvest and are starting to plan where they will sell their extra produce. We are also getting ready to build our very own compost pile!
What drew you to work in South Africa? Since I’m passionate about nature, Africa has always been a place I’ve wanted to work. What do you like most about your job? The fact that I can see a difference and know that I’m making a positive impact on the ? world. What makes you smile here? Being away from the hustleand-bustle of city life and living in the bush, in a natural environment!
There are details in nearly on everything you come across that has the potential for a great photograph. The key is in perspective and being attentive to that detail and your subject. It’s far too easy to get complacent and blinkered on drive with only wanting to seek out the big cats (preferably with spots) or big herds of elephants, but that in turn means you’re missing out on the plethora of opportunities being handed to you with the general sightings often being driven past. From the multitude of Impalas, Nyalas and Kudus to the smaller Cape Glossy Starlings and Pied Kingfishers – there’s always an opportunity to further explore these creatures and the amount of time we’re offered with them often means you’re guaranteed better results than that of a rushed fleeting glimpse of a Leopard. It’s fantastic, heart warming and inspiring to see new photographers embrace the common with as much energy as they do the rare and I for one will never tire of seeing the same animal over and over again on drive or in the editing suite. As photographers we should always be on the lookout for ways to progress and evolve ourselves, so why blinker ourselves and make it harder than it needs to be?
Before coming to South Africa, we must admit that we were classic “point, shoot and hope for the best” kind of photographers. Sometimes this worked, most of the time this did not. Whilst with all wildlife photography an element of luck has to enter the equation; after all animals are not always the most cooperative of subjects, entering the arena as prepared as possible in addition to previsualising your image will ensure the highest chance of a dynamic and engaging final product. There are a number of rules to consider when composing your image. The five most important rules are: Rule of Thirds - Imagine four cross lines over the top of your image splitting it up into thirds. Keeping your subject on one of those thirds will give it room to move or look into which helps to create a naturally pleasing image to the viewer’s eyes. Balance - ensuring there is balance within the composition, whether it be other animals or a distinctive landscape feature will ensure a more dynamic end result. Leading Lines - Using natural lines in your image such as roads or the shape of the animal’s body can help draw the viewer’s eye to the subject of the photo. Frame within Frame - Using natural frames such as foliage will also help to highlight the subject of your image.
Lighting - ISO, shutter speed and aperture all have an effect on the lighting in your photo. The higher the ISO, the more light is let in and therefore the lower the shutter speed. Aperture controls the depth of field, so when shooting wildlife on drive a lower depth of field is most appropriate.
The red-billed quelea is a small, migratory, sparrow-like bird of the weaver family Ploceidae native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds primarily on seeds of annual grasses, but also causes extensive damage to cereal crops. Therefore, it is sometimes called "Africa's feathered locust". The usual pest control measures are spraying avicides or detonating fire-bombs in the enormous colonies during the night. Extensive control measures have been largely unsuccessful to limit the quelea population.
These rules can also be applied to landscape, portrait and reportage photography. The beauty is that with these genres, you have a little more time to work with your subjects. Whenever you are on drive, always keep in mind the “rules”: • Always keep your camera on whilst on drive to ensure you never miss a moment. Zebras are very social animals and live in large groups called 'harems.' Plains and mountain zebras live in harems that are made up of one stallion and up to six mares and their young, while Grevy's zebras come together as groups for short periods of time. Sometimes herds come together to form temporary groups of up to 30 members. Zebras sleep standing up, and only when they are in groups that can warn them of danger. If they spot a predator, they will bark or whinny loudly to warn the others in the group. The zebra's biggest threats are habitat loss due to ranching and farming and competition for water with livestock. They are also hunted for their skins.
• Shoot a couple of test shots when you enter the park to make sure your settings are correct. • If you want to freeze motion, keep your shutter speed at a minimum of 1/500. The faster the animal, the higher the shutter speed. • Consider shooting wider, it can help embed a narrative in your image when it comes to editing. Keeping space around your subject will give it room to move or look into. • Always keep the composition guidelines in mind:rule of thirds, balance, leading lines and frame within frame. Whilst initially these rules can seem daunting, after a little practice you’ll follow them instinctively, just as we now do. As a group of primarily novices, we entered this volunteer program with little experience but open minds. Through Tim and Sam’s guidance, we have had the ultimate learning experience and we end this amazing opportunity with a collection of photos we can be proud of.
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As I discovered at an early age, life is not all about rainbows and stardust. But I have had more than my share of seasons in the sun, travelling the world as a Tour Guide and having the privilege of benefitting from different cultures and customs in exotic places. Now is giving back time! In January of this year, I joined African Impact for the first time, teaching children in Zanzibar for two months. Need I say, this experience was one of most rewarding experiences of my life?
Take A Moment It’s tempting to keep the camera up and at your eye whenever there’s something interesting ahead… but don’t run the risk of having all your African memories having been experienced through the viewfinder. Put the camera down. Enjoy and reflect in the moment before it’s gone.
Inspired and eager, I volunteered again, here in the heart of southern Africa, on the one month Photography Project. But where actually, is the “giving” part here? Sitting on the game truck, enjoying the African bush, and taking pictures of our incredible sightings? I was sceptical. I am passionate about photography and I could not think of anything better, but was this not more like enriching my life and having a wonderful time? Well, I did enrich my life and I did have a wonderful time, and the best part of it, is that I also contributed, which has now become my aim in life. No need to feel “guilty” sitting by the bush camp fire or relishing the sounds and smells of the bush....
Our programme was tight at all times and the days flew by without any shame on their part at all. The photographs we took will go into a database, which will be used by organisations to promote wildlife awareness and conservation. I love Community work, and it was such a privilege to be able to visit two different schools to give information about the importance of wildlife and the advantages of preserving it. The kids were enthusiastic, and this is so important, because their future lives and dependence is interwoven with wildlife conservation. I have never worked in a garden before and I took to weeding and hoeing like a duck to water. I was not the quickest or the best, but I was thorough. One of my motto’s in life is to my best in what ever I do, regardless of what it is. Another “contribution” was road clearing in a game reserve. We had encounters with thorns and stubborn brush and branches, and it became personal after a while, getting our revenge with a few swipes of the machete! Splinters, blisters, scratches and sore muscles were all tokens of our labours, proudly borne. I should mention at this stage, that when my first month was over here, I had intended to travel around.... Well, I changed my mind and decided to do a second month here! Once again, I have received so much more that I could ever have given, and my heartfelt thanks go to the African Impact Team for all their support and enthusiasm, for the knowledge they shared, for their ideas and encouragement. As the Terminator said, “I will be back!” and for those of you out there who are maybe deliberating. Don’t! JUST DO IT!
Snouted cobras particularly inhabit the bushveld & lowveld areas. As a large cobra, it often has a permanent home base or lair in an abandoned termite mound, where it will reside for years if left undisturbed. It is a nocturnal species, foraging for food from dusk onwards. It enjoys basking in the sun during the day near its lair or retreat. This species can be quite nervous and will strike to defend itself if threatened.
When finding the volunteer program of African Impact to observe large predators for research purposes it was clear that I had to give this a go! I love wildlife, watch endless documentaries about them and am fascinated by large predators in particular. The first two weeks resulted in observing lions, hyenas and jackals, whilst back at the research lodge organizing many, many photographs of painted wild dogs to identify them. Besides large predators, buffalos, elephants and black and white rhinoceros, were also observed. To complete the big five only the elusive leopard needs to be spotted … Will that happen in my last week?
While keeping my fingers crossed to spot leopards next week, I am focussing on the photographs of the painted wild dogs. These gorgeous creatures with unique painted patterns are unfortunately not seen often. I have seen them in a sanctuary though, not in the wild yet and, of course, I would love to. Identifying each wild dog is important work to be able to keep monitoring them, see how they live and interact amongst themselves as well as with other species, whether prey, competitors or even their potential predators.
Use Depth As Part Of The Story Depth of field and knowing how to use it is essential in photography and when working with wildlife. A narrow depth of field will make your subject stand out whilst a deep one will show it’s environment more. However, you can also use it to help tell your story and bring attention to particular parts of your subject. For example, having the body of a chameleon out of focus which then gradually gets sharper as it approaches the face and eye. The focus helps draw the viewer to the important part of the picture – which should always be the eyes.
The African darter is found throughout subSaharan Africa wherever large bodies of water occur; overall the species remains widespread and common. Unlike many other water birds the feathers of the African darter do not contain any oil and are therefore not waterproof. Because of this, the bird is less positively buoyant and its diving capabilities are enhanced. It often swims with only the neck above water, hence the common name snakebird.
Identification became quite an issue when spotting a herd of, as it turned out, 24 giraffes during one game drive. Although they did journey, nearly all of them seemed to be fascinated with something in the bushes and remarkably not with us at all. Armed with binoculars and photo cameras, all volunteers including the guides, were in a flurry of counting, sexing, aging, identifying, and what not, for all of these giraffes. Excitement heightened when we started to feel ignored by these curious giraffes as nearly all kept staring at the bushes. Meanwhile, we spotted a rhinoceros somewhere behind the vehicle. So much was going on at once, with all of the animals needing to be investigated and/or observed! Though everyone was excited, with the help of the guides, Jess and Katie A., everyone kept their calm. First finishing the observation of the giraffes, while some kept an eye on the bushes hoping to spot a predator, then turning the vehicle and slowly moving towards the rhinoceros, filling in all that needed to be observed on the data sheets and then the hunt to spot the presumed predator ‌ Regrettably no predator could be found, although no one lacked in searching for one extensively. The next day during a game drive, at about the exact same spot, we had not one, but two encounters with lions! It was rather some excitement to see all this game in twelve hours, and on two consecutive drives. This gives some hope that maybe next week a leopard and/or cheetah might even be spotted. Who knows? In the meantime, the painted wild dogs will keep being one of my top priorities to be identified as ongoing important work in order to find a baseline for the research of these magnificent predators.
This month has been a whirlwind of data collection, camera trap tagging, analyzing data and some of the craziest sightings for both volunteers and staff alike. With so much going on in our research project it has been fascinating to watch the progress we have made and how much the team has been able to accomplish. One of my favorite things to watch is the excitement on someone’s face when they see that first animal or have that first sighting. It is a glimmer of hope that flashes across their face when that instant love for nature and its astounding wonders is acquired. Getting to be a part of that experience is priceless and something that stays with you forever. Once you have experienced the awe of the African Bush it sneaks into your heart and never let’s go. After having that first eye opening experience, the volunteers jump into the research with a newfound passion and enthusiasm to work towards our goals to conserve and protect our revered African Wildlife and the importance of these ecosystems. Working with so many caring and devoted people from around the world and from all walks of life, makes our day-to-day conservation work hum with a passion that is second to none.
What drew you to want to work as a guide? It was a dream when I lived in Botswana, but then I went into teaching when I moved to New Zealand. Now I’m living that forgotten dream whilst utilizing my love for teaching. What do you like most about your job? Being able to learn from and journey beside people from diverse nations and backgrounds. What makes you smile here? Learning who our volunteers are, enjoying who they are and letting them be who they are
Baboons are found in surprisingly varied habitats and are extremely adaptable. The major requirements for any habitat seems to be water sources and safe sleeping places in either tall trees or on cliff faces. When water is readily available, baboons drink every day or two, but they can survive for long periods by licking the night dew from their fur. They sleep, travel, feed and socialize together in groups of about 50 individuals, consisting of seven to eight males and approximately twice as many females plus their young.
Because of our volunteers ignited passion for the conservation work we do we have had an outpouring of support from many present and past volunteers. This last month we have been able to raise R29,622 for our Leopard Conservation Project! With these funds we will be able to purchase 5 full camera trap sets including the camera, security box, batteries, and SD cards. Our leopard project focuses on identifying leopard ranges, corridors and densities in unprotected areas. With over 90% of the leopard’s suitable habitat outside of protected areas it is crucial that we understand the prevalence and ranges of these elusive cats. Through spreading these conservation messages to the world and having dedicated volunteers on the ground who are passionate about not only leopards but about all wildlife, we are pushing forward to a brighter future for both wildlife and humans alike. Hopefully by the wonderful work taking place here and across the conservation communities our future generations will have a chance to appreciate these magnificent animals for years to come.
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You may have seen the little black plain-looking birds following the big game when you are on safari. Although they don’t specifically have an impressive plumage color, they can be one of the most fearless and cleverest birds in the bush! In that respect, I think they deserve being in the spotlight today. They are called the Forked Tailed Drongo. They are black birds with distinctive reddish eyes and their size is about 25cm long. As its name suggests, they have a deeply forked tail. They are widespread and common residents around all woodland, forest, grassland, and sometimes even at farms or parks in suburban areas in Africa south of the Sahara. They mainly feed on insects but they have found their own way to hunt their prey. They will often follow the big herbivores like elephants, rhinos, and giraffes or sometimes even vehicles, and wait for the insects to jump out from the grass as these herbivores move and disturb the insects. In Savanna and grassland it has been seen that drongos forage at the fire fronts by flying through smoke and catching flying insects downwind from fire!
Also this little clever bird has learnt to mimic other bird’s calls, such as pear spotted owlet and also the alarm call of dwarf The mongoose. The drongos know when the dwarf mongoose hear their alarm call as the whole group of mongoose will scatter and run to cover. They use this method to steal the food from mongoose. They wait for the mongoose to catch its prey and as soon as they catch insects the drongos will then swoop down and mimic the alarm call making the mongoose disperse and then pick up the food left behind. This behavior of robbing animals of other species of food is called Kleptoparasitism. They know how to get food without making unnecessary efforts or any confrontation with other animals! It is also well known that the fork tailed drongo attacks and mobs much larger birds. They will be truly fearless and aggressive when their nest and chicks are being threatened. Drongos have been seen bobbing and mobbing over the bird of prey and even pulling out the feathers until it leaves its territory. They don’t like any sort of predators staying inside their domain. They will often make loud alarm calls constantly when predators like leopards or lions come close by to make them feel uncomfortable and look elsewhere for a quieter place. So if you see the drongos making a loud noise or bobbing, that is a good sign of potential predators or raptors hiding in the bush!! Despite their understated appearance, there are so many interesting things to learn about them. I hope you will see these little bold birds differently if you find them on safari next time!
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