Becci at home in the bush

I have been at Black Leopard Campus now for nearly 2 months now, in that time I have had lots of small adventures, seen some amazing birds and animals, and learned more than I ever thought I could in such a relatively short time. I am on the Field Guide course, and cannot imagine anywhere better to do this course. There is no distraction of the “Big 5”, so more focus can be put on learning about the trees, birds and smaller mammals. This is a place where you really learn how to guide!

Tara is a fantastic teacher, very patient, and helps find the best ways for you to learn (mine is repetition apparently! )

I have been fortunate enough to see a genet only metres away, been run into by a sengi (elephant shrew) and sat and watched an adult male giraffe teach a young male how to fight admittedly they were aiming for the wrong end, but I'm sure they will work it out eventually!

Life here is never dull, every other week we go to a local school to help out, which is so much fun! If there is a leopard sighting or heard calling, we rush to the area, we help fight fires (and build our own for cooking!).

When work is done, there are lots of options, but my favourite is to spend time in the hammocks! It is amazing how easy it is to fall asleep there.

I was amazed when I got here to find tap water you can drink, electricity to charge phones and laptops, and even a fridge!! If you have never been to the bush before you may not realize how luxurious that is! And also hot water for the shower (once you have lit the fire for it). All this in the middle of the African bush! It is certainly a place like no other. 

Meet the Campus Team

Meet the Black Leopard Campus team

It's not all hard work. Admin Manager Carol and Head Researcher Tara

Tara's right hand man. Dylan is helping with our research and training as a game ranger in his spare time.

Becky, has just joined us and is studying for her Field Guide qualification

Who knows what tomorrow will bring

I don’t know exactly what I expected when I came to Ingwe but each day has brought it’s surprises.  We knew that we would not see all of the big 5, but learning about the leopard and it’s behaviour has been fascinating.  Identifying other animals from the toad to genet, and kudu up to giraffe from their spoors (paw prints) and scats (poo) has been most interesting.  The camp is right in the centre of the reserve and we receive daily visits from the wildlife, including kudu , impala, nyala and birds including hornbills.

We are also aware that we are in the wild and need to accept certain tasks that might seem unpalatable to a Londoner.  Hence we have had to move dead animals that have been shot, skin and prepare them for bait in traps to catch leopard to aid conservation research.  Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

Written by Steve Grubb

School soccer coaching

Having hung up my football boots 30 years ago thee prospect of coaching 44 boys from the Sizo School was rather daunting.  Their teacher correctly introduced me as a former professional from Bristol Rovers.  “Bristol who” cried the boys?  Did I mean Blackburn Rovers?  The boys were aged from 8 to 14 and all shapes and sizes.  The aim was to have a skills lesson followed by a game.

I set out to teach them how to get power into their kicking, how to keep it down and how to swerve the ball with the inside and outside of the boot, shoe or barefoot which ever they had.  Their level of skill and understanding was great and they all tried to follow the instructions given.  It was very rewarding to see what they could achieve.

After an hours coaching we had a half an hour break but the kids decided to play some more football.  After the break we had a game with eleven a side and substitutions.  The pitch was like a piece of scrub land with tufts of grass.  I was amazed at the level of skill shown by the boys.  A minute into the game a perfect overhead scissor kick was performed.  They needed more coaching and help with positional play but, bearing in mind the age range, it was a pleasure to see and referee.  Headed goals, a long range shot and the score mounted to 5-4 with a few minutes to go.  A free kick produced an own goal for the perfect result 5 all and I blew the final whistle.  The boys quickly gathered round and asked for a penalty shootout.  Did they forget that I come from England?  A penalty shootout it was, but with 6 feet 3 inch Dylan filling the goal it was a forgone conclusion, in fact only one of the ten penalties was scored – it reminded me of England again!

A great experience, the kids were polite attentive and keen to learn and demonstrate their skills.  All of this in temperatures of over 80 degrees Fahrenheit!  I came off exhausted but very happy with the experience. 

Written by Steve Grubb

Visit to Sizo Primary School

I arrived at the school with trepidation, what were we going to be expected to do?  I asked for an easy task with a small group.  I was given 10 children for some reading practice.

We dispensed with the desks and sat in a circle and to break the ice I asked if they knew any songs in English.  They sang me a great version of ‘Frere Jacque’, called ‘I like eating’!  So I taught them ‘London’s Burning’ and they sang it in a round, they were so enthusiastic with the actions and competing to be loudest, I thought I might get told off for making too much noise and disturbing the other lessons.  They insisted on each singing it to me individually, and I was concerned that some of the quieter ones may feel intimidated to do so, so I tried to put them off, but they were having none of it they unanimously agreed to sing to me individually.  They were fabulous!  Then they wanted to write the words in their workbooks and all disappeared.  I wondered if they would ever come back, but they came running in and copied the words off the blackboard. 

We then sat in a circle and read from their current reading books, which is when Tara popped her head in and took a photo.  Before I knew it, it was time to go.  I had been with the children for 4 hours!

They were polite, happy and enthusiastic to learn.  I thoroughly enjoyed being with them.

Written by Gill Grubb

Snakes and school kids

As many of you will know we work very closely with a local rural school, supporting the teachers and pupils in a variety of ways. Of-course key to us, is wildlife conservation.
Many if not most of the pupils are terrified of snakes and the local community would probably kill any snake they see. There are cultural issues surrounding snakes but the biggest fear factor comes from one of a lack of understanding.
That is why we asked Neels Botha to come along to the school and bring some of his snakes for the children (and teachers) to see and where appropriate touch. Neels runs a snake conservation program and a big part of that program is to help educate people about snakes.

Both pupils and teachers were initially reluctant to go anywhere near the snakes, but after one brave young girl (pictured top) stepped forward, the spell was broken and the children became excited to see, touch and understand more about snakes. Of-course this is Africa and we have some deadly poisonous snakes here as well as the non venomous species pictured. But Neels explained about the different types of snakes and how to behave if one is seen. The children now know to ask an adult to call Neels if they see a snake in or around their homes. If it is a venomous snake then there is now no need to kill the snake as Neels has a licence to relocate the snake and then everyone will be happy.

Kudu at Camp

Kudu at camp:

During some down time I was sat out in my own little world thinking about everything that we had been doing since we got here. The next thing I know Sueray, a dog that we were babysitting for the weekend, started barking and came and stood right in front of me. Dylan had just started tuning his guitar and I just assumed it was this and told her it was nothing. Sueray didn’t move and stayed fixed staring at something straight in front of me. I looked up and to my amazement there was a female Kudu stood no more than 15m away from me. Although she was clearly spooked by Sueray’s presence once I had hold of her the Kudu relaxed and carried on browsing just behind our tents completely relaxed despite me being there. 

Written Peter Morley 

Petes' blog - A day in the life of a conservation assistant:

Hi my name is Pete and I arrived at INGWE - Leopard Research on the 22^nd August with a couple from London called Steve and Gill. I am currently a student studying Environmental Biology and came across Ingwe Leopard Research one day when I was searching for something to do for the summer. I decided that this place looked perfect for me, I get to go back to South Africa and I get to be involved in real life scientific research that is actually making a difference and I wasn’t disappointed when I arrived. On the first day we were chucked straight in the deep end. Dairen Simpson and a film crew were here and we were going out tracking leopard to trap and fit tracking collars to that will allow the team here to monitor their movement more accurately.

Dairen is one of the world’s top animal trappers and although the process sounds harmful he has over 25 years experience using this method and has never injured any animal that he has caught. He has worked all over the world trapping Jaguar in the Amazon, Bears in the USA and Lions, Leopards and Hyena in Africa to name just a few. Being able to work alongside Dairen, Tara and the rest of the Ingwe and Black Leopard staff is such a fantastic experience. They are all so knowledgeable and they all have time for every question that I have, no matter what it may be.

Life here since arriving has been pretty hectic trying to get all of the traps down on the ground and my skills in the bush are growing by the day. Within two days of arriving I had learnt what leopard spore and scat looked like and how to distinguish them from partial Baboon prints by looking at what else was around the spore. We have also been recording the spore of other predators that are using the reserve such as Civet, Genet and Mongoose. The next challenge is to find the Hyena tracks that Tara found the other day and see if it is still on the reserve and hopefully with our regular bush walks we will find out where they have been walking and what direction they are heading.  

It has been non-stop but I have loved every minute of it so far, even waking up every two hours to see if we had caught a leopard didn’t seem so bad with the anticipation of what could be there. But despite the occasional sleepless night I’m looking forward to the rest of my time here and learning as much as possible from Tara, Dylan and the rest of the Ingwe team, plus I get to enjoy the South African bush in a way most tourists don’t. 

TV series

Exciting times at Black Leopard Wildlife Campus.
We have been joined by my good friend Dairen Simpson to assist in capturing three leopard to collar and release as part of INGWE - Leopard Research.
Dairen is being shadowed by a film crew who are producing a TV series entitled 'The Trapper'.
Our volunteers are all involved in the capture program and several will appear in the TV series. Pictured above is our head researcher Tara with Dairen and two of the cameramen as Dairen and Tara build a capture set.
Written by Will Fox

Rookie blown away

Hi there,

My name is Dawn and I come from Durban in Kwazulu Natal. I’m the current “rookie” in the Conservation Village situated in the beautiful Thaba Tholo Wilderness Reserve.  This program sparked my interest as it offered the chance to immerse myself in the bush whilst contributing to wildlife conservation in a positive way.  

On my very first day here I was blown away when I had my first sighting of the male leopard cub!   He only showed a mild interest in us, sitting about 10 metres from us before slowly moving off into the long grass and teasing us with glimpses of a flick of an ear here and there. Since then we’ve managed to catch sight of him almost daily as he jealously guards his Impala carcass in the tree.

The big event yesterday was our very first sighting of the week old baby giraffe – I have the honour of being the first to spot it and we now wait to find out whether it’s a girl, in which case it will be named after me!   How cool is that?

 Life in the Conservation Village is challenging but fun – not only are we learning new skills such as tracking through spoor and scat identification but we’re also learning to live in a more eco- friendly manner using only solar and fire power.  The lack of cell phone and internet connection comes as quite a shock to us city dwellers, but it’s all part of the experience and I’m enjoying every minute of it. 

Shirley's farewell blog

Shirley’s Farewell Blog

June 17, 2012

The time has flown since my arrival May 23rd at Thaba Tholo and the Ingwe Leopard Research Program.  Tuesday, June 19^th, I begin my next adventure and go “on safari” with Will Fox of On Track Safaris.  To date this has been a life-changing experience and Tara tells me that I have even been useful. 

I have learned to identify, measure and record leopard spoor and those of other carnivores and animals.  I have seen leopards, helped set up camera traps, change SD cards and sort photos.  I have worked on the fire separation, removed invasive species and taught a couple of classes of boys and girls at the Sizo elementary school.  I can build a fire and cook on it making local dishes like “potjie” or my family’s favourite prawn stir-fry and even baking brownies.  I can tell a buffalo thorn from an acacia; recognize a kudu bark from a baboon call; and the leopard chuff. Not bad for a city girl who has spent one night in a tent before arriving here. 

Highlights of my stay have been the leopard sightings of course but so was seeing the <week old baby giraffe with its mother in a mountain grove, courtesy of new arrival Dawn who spotted the pair first.  I have made some new friends in Tara, Toni, Dylan and Dawn – friendships forged over campfires, trail hikes and leopard watching.

This volunteer experience has taught me a great deal about myself and I am grateful to my husband, Steve for supporting me to do this and my sister-in-law, Suelina for encouraging me to sign up for Africa.  My next stops are:  Zueika County House, Shiduli Game Lodge, Kruger National Park, Umkumbe Safai Lodge and Black Leopard Camp where I will see the Big 5 (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard); yet something tells me that my 4 weeks as a Conservation Assistant will be unsurpassed.  Thank you to Black Leopard Camp, On Track Safaris, Tara Pirie and all the good folks who have created this opportunity.

Submitted by Shirley Chan, June 17, 2012

Dream come true

My Dream has Come True!

June 7, 2012

My dream of seeing leopards has come true!  For three days running from June 2nd to 4th, I have had the unparalleled experience of seeing Diamond Girl’s two leopard cubs playing, eating and even chasing game – or trying to, anyway.  The yet unnamed sister and brother can frequently be found in close proximity to one another. 

As Sister is bolder and more inquisitive, she was spotted first, by Dylan, as she was sitting up to see who was approaching with such a racket.  It was Tara, Dylan and me in Tallulah – the green vintage Land Cruiser.  Brother was close by and better concealed by the woodpile along the Big Dam.  We watched as they played in the gathering dusk and then began tracking a warthog.  We followed them as they went up the road, splitting up, reappearing and sauntering up the road.  Brother crossed the drainage line and rested in splendour while eyeing us before disappearing into the brush.  Once they decide to disappear, they blend so well into the grassy savannah that they cannot be seen and our search was futile.

The next day, while Tara and Dylan were on an errand to the Big Dam to refill the diesel generator which supplies our camp with water, they came  tearing back to fetch me as they spotted the cubs again.  This time it was Brother sunning himself by the water with sister was close by.  Lucky for me that they came back to get me so I could participate in the chase.  That evening we got lucky again as Sister was sitting under a tree by the dam to watch the impala.  She eventually gave chase when the impala ran past her hiding place.  She followed them up the dam run off and disappeared. 

The third day, Brother was sitting pretty under the same tree by the dam at dusk.  As we watched, he got up and sauntered off; disappearing into the savannah.  Tara drove in the direction that he was heading when we spotted Sister under a tree.  While we camped out in the truck to watch her movements, Brother arrived and pounced on her!  This is a game that they play.  Together they moved down the road, checking out the old kudu carcass and eventually ending up at the fresh impala kill stashed in the tree.  Sister curled up in some brush for a snooze while Brother climbed the tree for a meal. 

We had followed and ended up 10 meters from where Sister was snoozing.  The spotlight we used to see them did not faze them at all. 

Soon after Brother finished eating, he came down off the tree and was sniffing around when he heard a call, responded and ran off.  Sister who had been snoozing rose, answered and headed in the same direction.  Tara said that the alert response by both cubs meant Diamond Girl must have called them.  She must have deposited them by the dam while she went hunting. 

We continued to look for them and eventually spotted  the 3 leopards heading up the mountain.  We found them by the reflection of the spotlight off their eyes.