Leopard can now design your dream French holiday. 

It’s been a while crocodiles! I didn’t manage to get an August newsletter out to you because it has been crazy busy around here. I hope this one makes up for it!

One of the projects we have been furiously working on is the launch of Leopard France. I am happy to say the website is live and we are ready to take your enquiries and bookings. 

France is an exciting holiday destination and needs no introduction to most people. From the icons of Paris to the exceptional food & wine, the beautiful lavender fields of Provence and the sparkling Mediterranean sea on the French Riviera, France has enough to make anyone happy.

My colleague, Daphnée spent her summer finding the best places to visit and stay in St Tropez, Paris and the champagne region. She did an amazing job of unerthing the perfect hotel to suit all budgets and travel styles, visiting over 40 hotels and guesthouses all over France. From the chic Monsieur George on the Champs- Élysées to MUSE St Tropez, and Le 25bis, a converted 18th century residence in Epernay, we will find your perfect hotel match. 

On the Leopard France website, you will find four inspiring holiday plans: Fragrances of the south, which includes Provence & Côte d’Azur; Classic France, which includes Paris, the Loire Valley and Reims; the Gastronomy Route, which includes Bordeaux, Pays Basque and Dordogne; and Winter Wonderland for skiing holidays.

As always, these trips are fully customisable to your needs. Please contact us to book your next French holiday!

We are proud to announce that after an extensive selection process and rounds of interviews, Leopard was selected for the Enpact Programme which provides relief funding, training, mentorship and market access opportunities to South African travel companies. It is funded by the German government and we are very grateful for their support. 

The third piece of exciting news this month is that we have a new team member, Charles Howie, who joined the team in August. Charles is an expert in all things safari and Southern Africa. We are fortunate to have someone with his experience as part of the team. You can read more about Charles on our website. He is standing by to plan your dream holiday!

Happy travelling!

Diana

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The Richtersveld is an adventurous wilderness escape like no other. 

The Richtersveld is not easy to get to. It is at least two long days of driving from Cape Town, or three days if you would like to take it slower. Our overnight stop was just outside Springbok but stopping in Springbok meant that the next day’s drive into the Richtersveld was long and tiring. If I did it again, I would overnight at Port Nolloth or even in the tiny communites of Lekkersing or Kuboes.

Part of the attraction of the Richtersveld is its remote location. This, combined with some of the most spectacular landscapes I’ve ever seen, makes it exceptional. The environment is extremely harsh – dry, hot and windy. Any life form that survives here is highly adapted to this habitat. We stopped frequently to get out of the car and marvel at the plant life around us. The Succulent Karoo biome, which the Richtersveld forms part of, is internationally recognised for its biodiversity. Below is a small selection of the plant species we saw. 

If we weren’t stopping to look at plants and stones, we were stopping for the magnificent views. The landscape changes dramatically from one part of the park to the next. For this reason, it is a good idea to stay in at least three of the camps. Distances between the camps are short but driving time is usually much longer than expected due to the arduous terrain, which is suitable for 4 x 4’s only. Some of the roads are technically difficult driving, so be prepared to use the full range of capabilities on your 4×4. Domorogh Pass was by far the most difficult pass we drove. It is steep, rocky, narrow and extremely slow going. 

Dramatic views are literally everywhere. They are not easily captured on camera but the unusual granite rock formations in and around Kokerboomkloof make great photographic subjects. The Tatasberg Mountain viewpoint, on the way to the Kokerboomkloof campsite, is a completely wild and and breathtaking place, and is pictured above and below. 

I loved the campsites at Kokerboomkloof. We scrambled to the top of the boulders surrounding our campsite and watched the sun go down over this beautiful valley, content with the world and our place in it. In the evening, we marvelled at the net of bright stars covering the sky. The valley is one of the hottest places in the park, with summer temperatures reaching 50 degrees celsius, so visits are only possible in the winter months.

We stayed at three other camps in the park: Sendelingsdrift, Tatasberg and De Hoop. Tatasberg was beautifully set along the Orange River with stunning views towards Namibia. The basic huts offer the luxury of a solar powered fridge, lights and hot water. We woke up early to do a small trail run and were greeted by a beautiful rainbow, a sighting as rare as they come here in the desert. I also saw and heard a Goliath Heron flying slowly up river calling its distinctive and unusual barking call. 

De Hoop was the most popular of all the camp sites. It is situated along the banks of the Orange River where the river widens and flows less strongly, so swimming is pleasant. I took a dip after my morning run, but it was freezing cold so I didn’t stay in for long. De Hoop was our last stop so the lush green vegetation along the banks of the river was a sight for sore eyes after the rock and sand everywhere else. The nomadic Nama pastoralists herd their goats and sheep along the river every morning, and back in the afternoon. There are a maximum of 6,600 small stock units allowed in the park and these limits need to be maintained in order to ensure sustainability of resources. 

Unfortunately you cannot avoid Sendelingsdrift because you need to get your park exit permit there. But I recommend the shortest possible stay there. It is the headquarters for the park, has a border crossing with Namibia (via pont) and is also a mining town. The surrounding environment has been completely ruined by diamond mining. I place very little value in diamonds and don’t own any except my grandmother’s engagement ring. So I was outraged to see how diamond mining has destroyed much of the west coast of South Africa, especially the area between Port Nolloth and Alexander Bay and the Orange River at Sendelingsdrift. The national park says that they have an agreement with the mining company to rehabilitate the environment but I am not sure whether that is actually possible. Even if you don’t care about the mining, I don’t suggest staying long at Sendelingsdrift because you will be woken before dawn by mine workers starting work and mine trucks driving past the campsite.  

There are a few things to be aware of if you are planning a trip to the park. There is no cellphone reception except in Sendelingsdrift. You can refuel at Sendelingsdrift and it is best to carry extra fuel with you. You have to carry your own water to drink and cook with, and require 5 litres per person per day, minimum in winter, and in summer you will likely need more. You need to remove all your own rubbish from the park. There are some dangerous snakes and scorpions in the park and a bite from a puff adder is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate attention. It is not advisable to walk around without shoes after dark, or sleep on the bare ground, for this reason. 

The roads to enter and exit the park are in universally bad condition, however we found the road from Alexander Bay into the Richtersveld worse than others due to long sections of deep and numerous corrugations. We drove back via Lekkersing which was a better quality road but still slow. Another option is to go via Kuboes and Vioolsdrif. 

If you would like to plan a trip to the Richtersveld, we would be happy to help, so please get in touch!

Happy traveling,

Diana

P.S. This month, I would like to highlight our podcast episode with Jo Buitendag from PAST Experiences. She talks about another off the beaten track destination for tourists – Johannesburg! Have a listen on our website. 

P.P.S If you want to read about the second part of this trip, our visit to the Namaqualand, take a read on our blog here: https://leopard.voyage/2021/06/28/the-namaqualand-issue/

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Namaqualand, a place of desolation and magic. 

The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated of South Africa’s provinces. The arid climate and huge driving distances mean few visitors venture this far afield. On a recent trip to the area I discovered it is a place where the inhospitable climate is contrary to the warm hospitality of the people. 

Namaqualand is magically transformed into carpets of spectacular wild flowers from August to October. While this is the main attraction of the region, I visited out of season and found there was lots more to appreciate. On my way north, I stopped at Naries Namaqua retreat, a unique and secluded refuge, just outside Springbok. It makes an excellent stop on the long journey from Cape Town to the Richtersveld. The thatched Mountain Suites, build into the surrounding rock are the best spots to nab for their unique design and for wonderful sunset views.

On my way back south, I stayed at Skilpad Rest Camp in Namaqua National Park. The cottages were basic, but felt like splendid luxury after the harsh conditions of the Richtersveld. They have incredible views as you can see from the sunset picture at the top of this email. To get to the coastal section of the park, you will need a 4×4 and be prepared for a windy experience.

It was great to do some birdwatching while I was there. I didn’t keep a list but I saw a number of interesting birds around Skilpad. There is an easy 4km hike to do from reception. If you take your time you’ll find many interesting plants, birds and insects to observe. 

The abandoned farmsteads at Koeroebees made interesting photographic subjects. The thick walls and small windows reminded me of old farmhouses I had seen in the south of France where it also gets hot and windy. Koeroebees is a Nama word meaning “digging water” after the two perennial fountains, the only constant source of water in the area.

A stay at Naries or Namaqua National Park makes an excellent stop over on your way to or from the Richtersveld from Cape Town. Ideally you want to stay in flower season, but it is enjoyable at any time of year.

On the subject of flowers, take a listen to our episode with botanist Sean Privett on the fynbos and Cape Floristic Region. You can listen find it on your favourite podcasting platform or press play on our website. 

Happy travelling,

Diana

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Mapungubwe, a place of cultural and geographic significance, and incredible scenic beauty. 

I recently took a trip to the northernmost part of South Africa.  Mapungubwe National Park is located at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. From the lookout deck in South Africa you can see where the two rivers meet and you can peer into our neighbouring countries: Botswana and Zimbabwe. 

After a long drive from Johannesburg, we were welcomed to our camp in the most spectacular way. A herd of about 20 elephants was making its way through the unfenced camp and came within a stone’s throw of our cottage. My 3 year old boy was giddy with excitement. There may be better things in life than this, but not many. Although I don’t usually recommend unfenced camps for families with young children, we loved our stay at Leokwe. The setting was breathtaking and the family cottages were best situated with great views over the sandstone hills and adjacent to the swimming pool. 

The striking rock formations, sandstone hills and enormous baobab trees give the park a real scenic beauty. We visited Mapungubwe with friends and so we were able to split the group, allowing two of us to do the walk to Mapungubwe Hill. Children under the age of 16 are not allowed on the walk, so the dads stayed behind to babysit. The first people to settle at Mapungubwe were early Iron Age settlers. They lived there from about 1000 AD to 1300 AD. Like the societies of Thulamela and Great Zimbabwe, Mapungubwe was structured along social classes. The kings and queens lived on top of the hill and the commoners lived below. The most famous artefact discovered in a grave at the excavation site is a beautiful gold-plated rhino which can be seen at the Interpretation Centre. 

Mapungubwe is a place that exceeded our expectations and is highly recommended for those who like to go off the beaten track. 

If you have not yet listened to our podcast, you can find it here. This month, I would like to highlight the episode with Les Carlisle. He is the conservation manager for &Beyond and has decades of experience in conserving our wildlife. He had me in stitches over a story of rhino capture from his early days in the field. He also had the best explanation I’ve heard on why rhino horn is still greatly desired in the east. Indulge yourself and take a listen to this wonderful episode!

The most exciting news from the past month is that we have a new team member! Daphnée Filliette joined the Leopard family in May and she is ready to help you plan your next holiday. Daphnée has spent the last 5 years in the travel industry and is a dynamic and methodical person with a passion for creating tailor made holidays for clients. You can read more about her on our website. 

Happy travelling,

Diana

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In South Africa, our diversity is our greatest asset. 

Nowhere else on the continent can you visit world class vineyards, go on safari, and encounter penguins in the beautiful city of Cape Town in the same holiday. Our diversity also extends into our food, art & culture, and people. 

In the first season of the Leopard podcast, I interview 8 people from different backgrounds and professions. These passionate people share what they love most about South Africa. From their secret beach spots to photographic tips and entertaining stories from the early days of conservation, my guests generously share their knowledge and give listeners a unique perspective on what South Africa has to offer. 

We start with Scott Ramsay who, many years ago, quit his office job to become a landscape and wildlife photographer. He famously did “A Year in the Wild”, which became 3 years continuously exploring our wilderness areas. Ngoni Mtizwa, a distinguished sommelier from Singita shares his knowledge about South Africa’s world class wines and how to make wine tasting less intimidating and more fun! Then Jo Buitendag tell us stories from Joburg. She talks about our famous residents Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo with as much respect as the graffiti artists and the everyday people she encounters in the city.

Les Carlisle, one of the foremost conservationists of our time, speaks of the plight of our iconic wildlife, mixed with some delightful stories of his time in the field. DuduBloom More tells us of her journey as a young black female artist in South Africa. She gives us insights into her abstract art and her creative process. I haven’t met a more passionate marine biologist than Pavs Pillay. She speaks about the sea creatures who inhabit our waters with a real enthusiasm and love.

Sean Privett describes a little known aspect of our biodiversity, our flora: specifically the Cape Floristic Region. His story about the ecology of the pincushion, clearly explains the interconnectedness of components in an ecosystem, and why we should care about preserving our flora. Chef Marnus Scholly, loves nothing more than the evocative smell of coffee and freshly baked bread. He talks about the launch of Klein Jan, a fine dining restaurant in the remote destination of the northern cape. 

Voilà! I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed creating! You may listen to the podcast on your favourite platform (linked here) or on my website (linked here). 

I hope this inspires you to travel to South Africa. And if it does, we are waiting to hear from you!

Happy listening,

Diana

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The ultimate wildlife experience, Mountain Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. 

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is one of the most treasured wildlife experiences of my life. Earlier this month, after a briefing at park headquarters, a short drive to the entrance of the park and a vigorous hike through dense bush, I was suddenly surrounded by a gorilla family.

What makes the experience so unique is that you are transported to another world as you become part of the gorilla family for a short time. You are there on their terms. They can always choose to walk away, and they walk MUCH faster through the forest than humans can. I think a gorilla trek is the perfect compliment to a traditional African safari where you will see our other iconic fauna – lion, elephant, leopard, rhino – but always from behind a physical barrier because these animals are just too dangerous to get close to on foot. I cannot find the right words to describe the experience of seeing the gorillas in such close proximity, except perhaps awe-inspiring. 

To do a gorilla trek in Rwanda, you need 3-4 nights. Seeing one of the troops of habituated Golden Monkeys in the same National Park is a worthwhile addition to this. If you want to add a third primate experience to your holiday, a stay in Nyungwe Forest, to see the chimpanzees can done in a 5-6 day trip. I visited the Genocide Museum in Kigali and thought it was very well done, with an excellent audio guide, although I found it distressing to see what occurred during the genocide in 1994. Rwandans today are firmly looking to their future while remembering the horror of their past. 

Volcanoes National Park is named for the chain of 5 volcanoes that make up the national park. The park extends into two neighbouring countries: Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are currently 17 gorilla families on the Rwandan side, and some of these families are habituated for visits by tourists, others are monitored for research purposes. When you arrive at the Park Headquarters, you are assigned a gorilla troop to visit. The trackers head out early in the morning to find the different groups. It helps to have a guide who knows the park rangers well so that you are assigned a group appropriate for you. They will take into account your level of fitness, age and other factors when assigning you a group. I was assigned Agashya’s group. The family is named after the dominant silverback, Agashya. His name means something special, and his estimated age is 34 years old. There are 4 silverbacks in the family and a blackback. A blackback is a gorilla whose back is about to turn silver, which happens at around 12 years of age. There are currently 23 individuals in his family, including a 5 month old baby which was the cutest thing I have ever seen. After being assigned a group, you drive with your guide to the starting point and start walking.

The ranger is in constant contact with the trackers so he has a rough idea of where the gorillas are located. There are a few buffalo and elephant tracks in the forest but mainly you are walking through thick forest and mud. When you get close, you leave your backpack with one of the trackers and only take your camera with you. You are allowed to spend 1 hour with the gorilla troop. I was incredibly fortunate to be the only person on the trek. A private tour usually costs USD 15,000, so there are a few advantages to travelling out of season. You need to present a negative Covid test before the hike and wear a mask in the presence of gorillas. They are susceptible to all respiratory diseases and so you must take care not to pass on any diseases. You are also not allowed to touch the animals and need to keep a physical distance of 10 metres. 

I did a number of hotel visits the following day so that I can expertly advise my clients on the most appropriate accommodation for them. On my final day, I did the Golden Monkey trek, which was physically easier because the monkeys stay in lower altitudes on flatter terrain. The troops are much bigger, with around 100 individuals, and it is a truly delightful experience not at all similar to the adrenalin of the gorilla trek. 

Rwanda is an easy country to travel to. The people are the kindest and gentlest I have met. The food is excellent, and mainly vegetarian. The country is small and densely populated so people grow vegetables in every little corner they can find. The food was always fresh and I especially loved the fresh fruit juices made from passion fruit and tree tomato.

There three things to remember about gorilla trekking. It is expensive (permits are USD1,500 per person), you need to be over 16 years old to trek and you need to be fairly fit and adventurous to enjoy it. 

If you would like to plan a primate holiday, please get in touch!

Happy travelling,

Diana

P.S. Pictures are much better than words to explain the gorilla experience. Thanks to a good camera, I managed to take some lovely photos which you can see on the Leopard Facebook page by clicking here.

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The Eastern Cape, a journey into my 333 year family history in South Africa. 

Last month we took a family holiday to the Eastern Cape. We had planned it at the beginning of last year, and wanted it to include some time relaxing at the beach and some time exploring the Karoo heartland. It unexpectedly became a journey into family history for me.

During apartheid, an area of the Eastern Cape, called the Transkei, was created. Without going into the long, disgraceful and complicated history of apartheid, the Transkei was created as a “homeland” for black Xhosa-speaking South Africans. The Transkei was also where my mother and her 6 siblings (2 died at birth) were born and grew up. My mother was born in a tiny village almost nobody has heard of, called Cala. My grandfather recruited labour for the mines and my grandmother was a librarian. 

My grandmother comes from a very old Afrikaans family. We can trace our lineage back to Jean le Roux who sailed from France with his brother in 1688. My grandmother decided to do the unthinkable and marry a Scottish man, John Pringle. Today this doesn’t sound like a big deal, but to her Afrikaans family for whom the Anglo Boer war was within living memory, it was a disaster. John was also Catholic while my grandmother’s family came from a long line of austere protestants. I can just imagine the scandal this created in 1944. My mother was less controversial but also married a “foreigner”, my father being a British born Zimbabwean. Without intending to, I continued this pattern and married a Frenchman bringing our maternal lineage back to those intrepid French Huguenots! I remember my grandmother being proud to tell my husband about our family origins in France, although we have been South African for over 300 years.

The Karoo is considered South Africa’s heartland. Its vast semi desert plains and mountains give it an outstanding natural beauty, but its warm and friendly people should be its true source of pride. On this holiday we stayed at Die Tuishuise in Cradock, and the staff here epitomise the remarkable hospitality of the region. I visited the Mountain Zebra National Park for the first time and we had some incredible sightings of birds and mammals in this small park. Mountain Zebra is only 15 minutes from Cradock and so it is wonderfully convenient to use Die Tuishuise as a base. We also did a tour to the graves of the Cradock Four, guided by the exceptional Amos from Die Tuishuis, pictured below. 

Another highlight of the trip was the Valley of Desolation in Graaf Reinet. It’s sheer cliffs and dolerite columns are truly breathtaking, especially at sunset. The view is pictured above and below. 

Lastly, the Owl House in the remote town of Nieu-bethesda is a strange and interesting place to visit. The roads are not tarred and we visited on a dry and windy day. The dust blowing through the quiet streets was eerie. We felt like we had been transported back in time to the start of the 20th century. My daughter was captivated by the fantastic Owl House sculptures that were created by Helen Martins and her assistants.

Recently, I have seen some small positive signs of people wanting to travel here again and nothing makes me happier!

Happy travelling,

Diana

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Let the old year end and the New Year begin with the warmest of aspirations. 

As this year comes to a close, and I reflect on the year that was, or more accurately, the year that wasn’t, I find that I have very little to say. In my newsletters through lockdown, I shared my thoughts on travel and these have not changed. People like us will still travel. While there are many reasons to be cautious right now, I find many more to be hopeful for what 2021 may bring. I am looking forward to welcoming my valued clients back to Southern Africa for many more memorable holidays. And I hope, in the first part of 2021, to launch tailor made holidays to France. 

A friend, some time ago, reminded me of how I loved to share my photos and experiences whenever I returned from a holiday to a new place. These were the days before ubiquitous social media, (circa 2005) and the way I shared photos was to show my colleagues a slideshow of my photos on my laptop. I am by no means an accomplished photographer, but I enjoyed doing this because I loved sharing things I learned about the country I visited, people I met, food I ate and sights I saw. I still feel that way. It is why I enjoy my job so much, because I get to do this every single day. It was interesting to be reminded of this habit of mine by my friend, who is now a successful business owner, and see the connection between that life and this.

As a way to thank you for your continued support, I am giving away postcards! Without you, I couldn’t do what I love, which is to plan holidays for clients, and so this is my small way of saying thank you. The postcards will be made from an original painting done by my incredibly talented friend Jessica Maitland-Stuart. The painting is of a lilac-breasted roller, one of the most beautifully coloured birds in the bush. It is also known as Mzilikazi’s roller because its feathers were used to adorn the head-gear of the Matabele king. If you would like a handwritten postcard from me, featuring the beautiful original painting you see below, please reply to this email telling me where you want me to send it.

Let the old year end and the New Year begin with the warmest of aspirations. Happy New Year! 

Kind regards and best wishes,
Diana

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An ancient and truly remarkable plant.

Welwitschia mirabilis is endemic to the Namib Desert, one of the world’s oldest and driest deserts. The plant has only two strap like leaves which grow throughout its lifetime. These leaves split and fray in the wind and heat, making it seem as though the plant has multiple leaves. The welwitschia has been around since the time dinosaurs roamed the earth, and carbon dating has estimated the average age of a welwitschia to be between 500 and 600 years, although some of the larger specimens are thought to be 2000 years old. 

Welwitschia is ecologically highly specialised, and is adapted to grow under arid conditions. Rainfall in the Namib is less than 10mm annually and in order to survive these extreme conditions the plant has adapted to receive water from the dense fog that forms when the cold north-flowing Benguela current meets the hot air coming off the Namib Desert. The plant’s large leaves collect water by condensation. In addition, it has a very long tap root to reach sources of water underground. The best way to see these “fossils” is from the town of Swakopmund. 

Namibia itself is a strange and remarkable place, not only because it is home to the welwitschia. It contains some of the most ethereal landscapes I have ever seen. Also, it has a coast called the Skeleton Coast which conjures up images of ghostly shipwrecks. Namibia is home to Etosha, one of the continent’s top national parks, known for its salt pans and rich fauna and flora. The hauntingly beautiful Namib desert, which gives the country its name, stretches from South Africa, along the west coast of Namibia to Angola. Read our highlights for a trip to Namibia here. 

If you read our newsletter on birdwatching, you will know that one my of parents’ clients was a bird fanatic who was keen to see the shoebill. I remember walking through the dune sea just inland from Walvis Bay with my father and this client, trying to find the Dune Lark, a small bird endemic to Nambia. We took a tape recorder (remember those!) and played its call to attract the bird. We heard it, but never saw it.

Happy travelling!
Diana

Below are some pictures from a 2012 trip to Namibia which included Sossusvlei, and a short video on the plant, if you are interested in knowing more. 

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How the white rhinoceros was saved from the brink of extinction. But their fight for survival is not over yet.

The famous hunter F.C. Selous said, in 1892, “Therefore the two white rhinoceros which I shot in 1882 are the last of their species that I have ever seen alive, or am ever likely to see…. I fully expected that these animals would become extinct.” Luckily for future generations, he was wrong. But rhino populations were severely depleted at the start of the twentieth century, having been slaughtered for their horn, hide and flesh. After being hunted to near extinction, rhino survival was further threatened by industrial agriculture which destroyed their natural habitat and finally, most insidiously, the promotion of so called traditional Chinese medicine by Mao Zedong. 

I recently read “The White Rhino Saga” by Dr Ian Player. It is a thrilling account of how the southern white rhino were saved, for the entire continent, in a little corner of South Africa. It was a team effort and Ian Player goes to great lengths to give credit to the many people who played their part, most notably the legendary Zulu game ranger and tracker, Magqubu Ntombela.

Ian Player arrived at an empty Umfolozi Game Reserve in 1952. In the preceding decade, the government had senselessly ordered that all wildlife in the buffer zones be shot in an effort to control the tsetse fly, which caused sleeping sickness. This did not work and the tsetse fly was only eliminated (along with many other beneficial insects) with the aerial spraying of the pesticide, DDT. It was in this context that Ian Player decided that every effort must be made to prevent the extinction of the rhinoceros. 

By 1960, the population of white rhino had been sufficiently restored so that the team could start thinking about relocating small groups to start new populations in other reserves, thereby decreasing risk of extinction if one population was destroyed. They started repopulating nearby reserves in northern Kwa Zulu Natal, then known as Zululand, but soon set their sights further afield. The last white rhino in Kruger National Park had been shot in 1896, and it was time for these great beasts to return. Mandhlagazi, Mfohloza, Mpila and Madhlozi were the vanguard of more than 800 white rhino who were eventually translocated by 1970. Today, on a week long visit to Kruger National Park, you are almost guaranteed to see white rhino. For this privilege, we should thank Dr Ian Player and his team. 

Capturing these gentle giants was no easy task and tranquillisers were at an experimental stage. Around the same time, rhino were being captured and moved as part of Operation Noah at Kariba Dam in Zimbabwe. My father’s great friend, Frank Junor, was a young scientist in the Operation Noah team, and I remember being captivated by Frank’s stories of how they rescued animals from drowning. Frank was a great raconteur and told one particular story with relish, about how he was gored in his left leg by a furious, injured buffalo who was lying in wait for him to return to his boat. Luckily the story ended well and Frank was rescued and made a full recovery. This video, from Operation Noah, clearly shows how difficult and dangerous it was to capture rhino in the early days.

To assist with the capture of the first rhinos at Umfolozi, a scientist, Dr Harthoorn, was brought out from Uganda in 1960. There was a lot of guesswork at this stage because nobody knew which drugs would work on rhino, neither did they know the correct weight of the animals. And so, it was with a lot of trial and error, and heartache at lost animals, that the team slowly became proficient at capturing rhino. Animals were lost along the way to overdoses, constipation, septic wounds, and from getting their horns stuck during transportation. In one particularly sad failed capture, a rhino reacted badly to the drugs and ran off a cliff. The team tried desperately to save him, but did not succeed. 

Today, the future is uncertain. The western black rhino was declared extinct in 2011 and there are only two female northern white rhinos left. They are kept under 24 hour guard. The greatest threat to the continued survival of rhino is the persistent poaching of the animals for their horn which is believed to have medicinal properties. This has been proven by science to be a complete fabrication but the belief still persists is fuelled by misinformation and human greed. 

Conservation and anti-poaching efforts are mostly funded by tourism with small contributions from governments. Since the temporary stoppage of tourism due to the global health pandemic, funds for conservation, especially for the salaries of the rangers who protect wildlife against poaching have dried up. If you would like to make a difference to conservation, and help fund ranger salaries, please consider donating to Ride4Rangers by clicking here. 

Happy travelling!
Diana


P.S. A number of private game reserves in South Africa offer once in a lifetime rhino conservation experiences where you are part of the team that does either a notching or dehorning. I highly recommend this one at Phinda in northern Kwa Zulu Natal, close to where Dr Ian Player was based. 

P.P.S A rhino conservation experience is not the same as activities such as lion cub petting and feeding elephants, which are not recommended. For further information, please read this short piece I wrote on animal interactions in South Africa.

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