Wednesday 24 September 2014

Wildlife Photography Course - September 2014

Hi there everyone!

It has been another eventful and incredible week in the bush as we had the Wildlife Photography Course with Chris Martin this weekend. 

Chris Martin teaching us how to take the perfect shot...
The weather was not ideal for photography but this couldn't keep our photographers down as they gladly accepted the challenge!

The African bushveld is always beautiful. Endless opportunities to experiment with photography constantly present themselves... We photographed everything from the Burchell's Coucal and Impala to amazing breeding herds of the African Elephant and the ever so photogenic Giraffe... We even got to see a magnificent male cheetah which is more than a bonus! 
Up close and personal ;)

The overcast weather made for frequent Spotted Hyena sightings which is also special to see. We then did what photographers do best... We made ourselves comfortable at a stunning bird hide and waited to see what comes to visit, coupled with a good cup of coffee and tea! An impressive herd of Blue Wildebeest decided to join us for a drink which made for excellent photographic opportunities...

An elephant enjoying the "paparazzi"
One thing is for sure - there is NEVER a dull moment with photographers as any simple object or animal can quickly be turned into a snap-shot frenzy :) A lot was learnt in such a short space of time and now it's up to taking many more amazing photographs in the future!

The ANT Blog



Bird hide bliss!

A beautiful herd of Blue Wildebeest


Friday 19 September 2014

The last chapter of the Correspondence Course Practical 2014

Hi there everyone!

First of all, ANT would like to congratulate all of our students on passing this year's Correspondence Course qualification... You are all incredible people and fANTastic field guides!

Week two has been even more thrilling than the first as our students put in everything they have in order to ace the FGASA level one exam and the practical assessment. All the hard work definitely paid off as each and every one of them passed beautifully! 


Fun in Africa!
The stories in-between all the studying are absolutely worth a mention... One day whilst studying under the cooling shade of the camp's Natal Mahogany we heard the rustling of leaves and as soon as we looked up we saw an object falling from the sky right in front of us. A striking Tawny Eagle was hovering above as he had dropped a half-eaten African Green Pigeon about ten meters from where we were sitting. What a sight! We waited for him to reclaim his meal but instead he sat in the tree before deciding to fly off. I can't say that anyone would mind their study time being interrupted by a spectacular scene like this!

The students had the opportunity of driving the game-viewer whilst preparing for the practical assessment, followed by an African "sundowner" to end off another busy yet beautiful day in the bushveld. The amount one can learn in such a short period of time is amazing and it is incredible to witness. Another highlight was when we decided to sit at a gorgeous bird hide and wait to see what comes for a drink. The first ones to come for a visit were kudu, followed by waterbuck and blue wilderbeest. Three impressive giraffe were next. This is always a special sight! Just as we thought it couldn't get better... A Side-striped Jackal decided to trot down to the water to quench its thirst. This is yet again a rare and awesome experience. 


The cutest leopard cub... with a full stomach!
The time had come for our students to be assessed and write the exam and afterwards go for a well-deserved game drive... we had no idea what was awaiting us! It all started with spending an hour and a half with a magnificent female leopard and her cub. This was a first for most of us and we could not believe our eyes as we saw the cute cub playing around in the riverbed below us. It is something we know we might not ever again have the privilege to witness... so we took it in and enjoyed every second! 


Buffalo and some more Buffalo!
Just as we thought it couldn't get better, we saw a beautiful herd of elephant as well as giraffe feeding on the Knob thorn trees. We then happened to find a gigantic herd of buffalo around seven-hundred strong! The best thing about buffalo is the fact that each one appears to have a different expression on their faces :) It was incredible! We then stopped to look at a Weeping Boer-bean which had just begun to flower when Kim (one of the students) calmly said "there's a cheetah under the tree"... We all suddenly realised we had stopped for a tree and got a cheetah instead! We then went on to see more buffalo, elephant as well as Ground Hornbills after which we had sundowners on a "koppie" overlooking the reserve. This must have been the best drive of our lives!
The Weeping Boer-bean and Cheetah!

Can you believe all of this in two weeks?? I can now say that everyone will look at the African bush with new eyes which will never stop learning and seeing all the unbelievable things that mother nature has to offer.

The ANT Blog




Tough life in Africa


Monday 15 September 2014

A blog dedicated to the infamous Nkombe Camp...

Hi there everyone!

We would like to welcome you to the upgraded Nkombe Camp! This blog is dedicated to our infamous training camp situated in the Greater Kruger National Park.

So what makes this place so special?
Sunrise in wild Africa is something not many people get to see!

First of all, it is unfenced, unspoilt and unbelievably beautiful! This means that we frequently have an assortment of creatures visiting us throughout the days and nights. Breeding herds of elephant make good company as the sun rises above the Marula canopies in front of the camp. They regularly pass by, feeding around us in a relaxed way, some even venturing in between the tents!

The deep bellows made by buffalo herds moving through the area are common as well as the sound of old buffalo bulls grazing nearby. Bushbuck enjoy the surrounding vegetation and shady areas as well as Kudu which browse on the wide range of trees around camp. 


One of the wild and welcome visitors to Nkombe Camp strolling though!

As the sun sets at the end of another day in Africa, some other visitors venture into our camp...The Spotted Hyena is one of them. Its eerie, iconic calls make the nights around the fire all the more exciting and memorable. Their tracks are almost always seen the next morning in camp as they scan the area for potential left-overs or possibly some boots left outside to chew on! Leopards are frequently seen at Nkombe Camp as there are so many of them in the area. Some lucky students have even witnessed a leopard hunt a bushbuck right next to the kitchen (how incredible)! The most perfect genet tracks are seen on the fireplace/dinner table every morning, a bonus for tracks training of course! Lions even pop in now and again which causes absolute delight and exhilaration for all of us. Their inimitable calls are heard regularly which become our lullaby as we retire after an eventful day in the bush.

We even have a massive variety of birds as we are situated next to a beautiful dry river bed. This means we wake up to a melodious dawn chorus every morning and that we can do a great deal of bird-watching whilst having that first cup of coffee in the mornings. It's easy to see why the slogan of Nkombe camp is "never a dull moment..." This high density of life is why this place is so special and unique. 

Our living area has a homely atmosphere
Nkombe camp has character! The toilets and showers are outdoors...this means they are outside and have no roof. Who thought going to the toilet will bring you the full nature experience and even sometimes a game viewing experience?

We have our notorious bucket showers which are surrounded by canvas (for privacy) which will leave you feeling not only clean but rejuvenated as well!

Hot water is made in the 'donkey' which is a large water tank heated up by a fire. The showers have become famous features in our camp as you can do some bird watching while washing up ;).
Solar panels adorn our el fresco bathrooms

The camp is now 'green' and runs completely by solar energy which is a new adjustment we have made in the last month or so. We try to keep it as natural as possible in order for you to get the true African experience.


Our classroom area is spacious and airy
We also have an all-new lecture tent which is large in size, making sure no one feels cramped while studying. This also includes a comfortable lounge as well as a wide variety of nature-related books to satisfy that hunger for extra bush knowledge!

Another highlight is our dinner table, in other words, the fireplace! What better way to end a day in front of a magical fire, underneath the Milky Way...

Our safari tents are fully furnished. You get your own personal tent (with the open savanna at your doorstep!) which includes comfortable beds as well as clean linen and a pillow. The tent includes a chest of drawers, hangers, a camp chair, laundry basket as well as crates to store all your personal items. This, in conjunction with loads of space, makes for comfortable living in the bush! Tents are cleaned and kept neat daily by Benny, one of our friendly staff.

The food! Guaranteed to be better than any other training camp. Fresh fruit and rusks are available all day including coffee/tea and drinking water. We offer a variety of soft drinks as well as beers/ciders and delicious red/white wine! Sherry is also a lovely option for our cold winter months to warm you up in the evenings...

As far as the menu is concerned, our goal is to make you feel right at home with hearty cooked meals made with fresh ingredients which will leave you feeling satisfied and ready for action! Fruit/plain yogurt, muesli as well as cereal is available early in the mornings before the first activity starts to get you started. As you arrive back from the walk/drive, brunch is served! This ranges from the traditional eggs, bacon, pork sausages and toast to scrumptious continental breakfasts including cream cheese and croissants...and much more! Mandla ("Masterchef") has a variety of specialities...Chicken 'potjie' or stew, pasta alfredo, curry and rice, beer bread is to name a few. Fresh green salads and vegetables as well as coleslaw, mielies, mash, potato salad, etc. complement the main dishes. We dare you not to take seconds ;) We occasionally serve delicious desert and chocolate is available for those with a sweet tooth...

Nkombe camp offers the ultimate African nature experience... we hope to welcome you here soon!

The ANT Blog



The fully furnished safari tents


Relaxing around the fire...

Shower Time!


One of our safari vehicles

Friday 12 September 2014

Masthulele - The Quiet One

Map of central Kruger National Park
I’m the first to admit I’m not the bravest person around elephants but I don’t think I’m alone where that’s concerned. I do however have a fascination with the 'Big Tuskers' of the Kruger National Park: past and present.

As a frequent Kruger National Park visitor I have had the privilege of seeing and photographing some of Kruger’s Emerging Tuskers over the last few years.
Whilst standing on the Letaba high level bridge on 1st April 2013 I noticed two large elephants drinking water in the river below. On closer inspection I realised that one of them had huge tusks.

I watched and photographed him for about an hour and was amazed to see how few people actually stopped and looked at this beautiful elephant.

Upon returning to Letaba Camp, I immediately headed for the Elephant Museum and asked the staff on duty about the elephant. 


Masthulele on the right with his Askari, drinking water in the Letaba River
image: Jenny Bell

They identified him as Masthulele meaning ‘the quiet one’.

He was named after Dr Ian Whyte, who recently retired after 37 years of service in Kruger. Masthulele was the name given to him by his staff.


I had the privilege of Meeting Dr Whyte at a birding event earlier this year and what a gentleman – I can see why his staff named him ‘the quiet one’.

Note: older bull elephants that break away from their herd often form the nucleus of bachelor herds with one or more younger males which are referred to as 'askari' (singular and plural). The origins of the word mean 'soldier'.

Masthulele’s tusks are almost symmetrical, with the left curving a little higher than the right. Apart from his magnificent tusks Masthulele is fairly easy to recognise by the thickened skin growth on his trunk. His ear right ear is clean and there is a tiny V notch in the centre of his left ear. He is found in the Letaba / Mopani areas of the central Kruger National Park.

Masthulele - you can see the skin thickening in the centre of his trunk & the tiny ear notch
image: Jenny Bell
Have you seen this gentle giant?


The ANT Blog - submitted by Jenny Bell

Sunday 7 September 2014

Correspondence Course Practical: Week 1

Hi there everyone!

The long awaited Correspondence Course practical has finally begun! Week one has flown past and what an amazing time it has been...

Our students excitedly arrived to an upgraded Nkombe Camp which now has an all new lecture tent and carport! The infamous camp is looking better than ever, still with its rustic character and remains unfenced to all our four-legged visitors! 

What better way to get settled in than a "sundowner" drive to welcome everyone to the African bushveld? We were immediately visited by an impressive elephant bull kicking up the saplings of a few African Weeping Wattle trees. He then decided to take a closer look at the vehicle as he approached a couple of meters and continued to feed. To view these animals in their natural habitat and to see the natural behaviour is priceless. A couple of "dugga boys" (older buffalo bulls) decided to step onto the scene and graze on the grass nearby. This did not sit too well with the elephant as he raised his posture, spreading out those impressive ears and lifting the shoulders and gave a short chase towards the closest buffalo. The old bull, seemingly unfazed and disinterested, merely turned his back on the elephant and continued feeding. This sort of animal behaviour is an absolute treat to witness!

The days have been filled with loads of learning with interesting lectures and the always incredible bush walks every morning as well as some amazing afternoon/night drives. We seem to be having "leopard luck" as we have had two stunning leopard sightings. The first was on our way back to camp one evening when a striking female leopard decided to walk straight in front of our vehicle from the riverbed! We were fortunate enough to follow her as she scanned the darkness for her next potential meal. She then decided to sit and groom herself before heading off into the night. 


The next morning we stopped to view a couple of Magpie shrikes when the same female appeared out of nowhere and approached us, this time from the front! She walked straight down the road towards us and then passed the vehicle only two meters away from our overwhelmed students. There are no words to explain how special and unforgettable this moment was. It all made sense when we found out that the female had a den with her cub in close proximity to our camp. This is why we have been hearing the deep calls of the Kudu and Bushbuck as well as various other alarm calls from squirrels, monkeys and baboon throughout the day. How remarkable!

The most shocking encounter yet was on our way back to camp on foot. We had just told the students to stay vigilant even though we are almost at the end of our walk and near camp. We the spotted two "dugga boys" in the distance. The wind as well the terrain were conveniently in our favour so we viewed the animals walking further and further into the distance. As we were about to continue, we saw what we though was a Warthog about two-hundred meters away. With a quick scan through the binoculars I came to a shock as our "warthog" was indeed a lioness persuing the buffalo! This was reconfirmed by the sound of an aggitated growl... We were picked up by the vehicle and unfortunately the lioness and buffalo had then disappeared.

The bush is constantly changing... The Knob thorn's are now blooming with their creamy, fluffy flowers which are the giraffe's delicacy which in turn also aids the tree in pollination! We have the most spectacular Sausage tree near camp which is now also showing off it's gorgeous red flowers which attract a variety of sunbirds and insects as well as an assortment of animals such as Impala, Kudu, Nyala, Bushbuck and in turn our female leopard! The next gift nature has to offer will be the nectar-rich flowers of the Weeping Boer-bean which will almost immediately start flowering just before the first rains! Nature and its wonders...

The ANT Blog

Bush Breakfast!



Friday 5 September 2014

FGASA level 1 Course - flashback!


This is a flashback from our previous full-time FGASA level 1 course, as written by student Jamie McWhirter:

It's week six and odd to consider that we've been involved in this course for forty two days now, following a routine of getting up at six, game drive, lecture, off-time, game drive, bed. Some may consider this monotonous and repetitive but, with every day somehow managing to stray from the norm and provide us all with anything from hilarity to jaw-dropping awe, is what makes this course special!


Our instructor, Servaas Hofmeyr

The past week has been no exception. We gained a new member to Nkombe Camp in the form of Servaas. Our new lecturer, lead Trails Guide, FGASA level 3 field guide and examiner. Emphasis on the last part. He arrived to camp in no spectacular fashion, quietly arriving whilst we were more focused on sandwiches than anything else. We all introduced ourselves quietly and calmly, eager to make a good impression with the man who determines our fate.

Then game drive happened.

Servaas jumped into the game viewer and we all followed, obviously. I assumed this was to be a serious drive - an introduction where we should be showing off our bush knowledge to try and impress...until he turned left about a hundred metres from the camp into road that follows a steep incline into the river bed, which drew nervous glances and smiles of anticipation from us students.

All was going well until we reached the bottom and were presented with another incline going back up and the wet sand of the riverbed to swallow the tyres. All perceptions of Servaas being a dark, serious figure dissolved when we began to hear a jovial, "Aaah, nee man!" from the driver's seat...followed shortly afterwards by the order to disembark from the vehicle and push. Team-work! After a few attempts, we eventually emerged from the drainage line, to be welcomed by a herd of buffalo on the other side!



Did you know that a female buffalo has a boss that is
not joined in the centre of her forehead?
Servaas' arrival not only meant exams, but also the ability to go on daily walking safaris. Equipped with three rifles, a lead trails guide, back-up trails guide and tracker, we were off! At walking speed, which is slow... Boring you say? No chance!
Our second walk brought us into the riverbed again, where we followed its meandering for hours, watching baboon troops, birds and tracking animals that passed through the previous night.


Lilac-breasted Roller - image by Louisa Scheepers
We did, however, have to be wary of the one-eyed lioness who had been seen in the area as well as the ever-threatening possibility of dagga boys (solitary, male buffaloes) who have the not-very-comforting name of 'black death'. But, as you might expect, we were fine...

We also had our introduction to basic rifle handling this week, where we had one of the more eccentric lectures I've ever had - this being entirely due to the fact that our lecturer was armed with a rifle. The shooting itself was incredible. Everyone got to shoot ten rounds of .22 calibre supressed rifle. The focus of this was mostly on how to handle a live rifle and how to group your shots to ensure accuracy. After everyone had shot, we each had two shots with a .458 rifle, which is a high enough calibre to bring down a charging bull. You could feel the excitement as the first person stepped up to shoot. They assumed the shooting position, fitted the stock snugly into their shoulder aimed and slowly squeezed the trigger...then I heard nothing. What can only be described as a minor explosion erupted from the barrel of the rifle, deafening those stupid enough not to have worn ear protection. As I regained my hearing, nervous laughter and excited cheers were heard. It was awesome! Each time the rifle went off you could feel the ground rumble and I couldn't help but smile at the power.

This is only a fraction of what happened this week. The knowledge we have gained and the experiences we've had are apparently endless. And despite the pressure of the looming exams, I can't help feeling excited waking up every morning!

This place is magical and every day is exciting. I only wish that we didn't have only two weeks left...

The ANT blog

If you enjoyed reading about Jamie's experiences and would like to sign up for our next course, please contact us for more information, as we do have a few places left, starting on 30th September: 012 667 5440 or e-mail info@africanaturetraining.co.za.