31/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 18°C
Max temp: 25°C
Rainfall: 40mm
07:30 Report
08:30 Went to Colenso to get airtime for my cell to buy Data bundle for internet
09:30 Went up to the giraffe carcass to see what’s happening there; the jackal are starting to
feed on it some more, but it still got a lot of meat on.
11:00 Went to the ryefield to check on the Waterbuck, saw 14 there, they seem to like it there
and we see them pretty much everyday. The calves are starting to put on some weight and are looking much bigger. They seem to get use to the vehicle now and don’t run away like they use to. Between the Waterbuck, Zebra and Impala, they are mowing that Ryefield to the ground.
13:00 Went up to the lodge with the builders to put in the down pipe fro the gutters.
14:30 Michael and I went to the main gate to put some cochineal on prickly pears that is starting to grow all along the main road.
15:50 As we drove back we made quick detour to check the ryefield again for the Waterbuck, saw 9 at first, but as we came closer 5 more stood up from where they were lying, so all 14 I saw in the morning were still there. We started with 13 Waterbuck and lost one. From there it increased by 5, now we have 17
16:30 Home.
01/04/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 18°C
Max temp: 25°C
06:45 Diesel truck arrived to deliver diesel
07:30 Report
08:30 Took Michael and the 2 new game guards to Vertrek
09:30 Got everything ready to go and weld angle irons onto the rhino fence
11:45 Finished welding the angle irons onto fence
12:00 Got home, started cutting rods to weld onto fence so that we can put the cable up
13:20 Went to rhino fence at ryefield to weld on support rods for the cable
16:15 Finished welding on rods
16:30 Home.
02/04/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 17°C
Max temp: 24°C
07:30 Report
08:30 Went to Ladysmith to get sand and stone for the school floor, and to get cement
12:30 Went to check for faults on electric fence, found 2 faults
15:00 Got a puncture on the left front tyre of the AFTW Vehicle, a piece of wire punctured the tyre
15:30 Got home and took the tire of, replacing it with the spare.
15:45 Mandla showed up and I helped him with his weekly report
16:30 Finished
03/04/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 15°C
Max temp: 26°C
07:30 Report
08:30 Went with Michael and one of the new guards to the back of the mountain to clear roads, while we were back there we saw 2 Hartebeest and 5 Kudus
12:30 Got home, walked into the garden to find a herd of Impalas and 6 Zebras on the lawn, grazing. The Zebra are getting use to the surroundings and are not afraid anymore. Saw one baby Impala without a mother, will keep an eye on him.
13:30 Went to check on the cochineal I put on the prickly pears all over the reserve, the insects are spreading nicely over the leaves.
15:00 Went to the pond at the foot of the mountain to check on the giraffe carcass, the jaw bone have been eaten and part of the chest, but there is still a lot of giraffe left.
15:45 Saw 2 vultures flying over mount sully, so I went up to the mountain to see if I can get a better view of them, they circled a few times and then were of.
16:00 I got home to see if I can find the baby Impala without it’s mother, I saw him with the same herd, he is still very young and was one of the very late lambs born. Luckily he keeps to the group of Impala’s, but I fear he will need to drink soon,he/she still looks strong so hopefully he/she will survive the night.
16:30 Home.
04/04/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 15°C
Max temp: 26°C
07:30 Report
08:30 Went up the mountain to check on the Blesbok, 14 and all 7 young ones.
10:00 Went to Geluk to see if I can find the Blue Wildebeest, could not find them, saw2 warthogs and that was it.
12:00 Got a call that they are delivering the sand and stone I ordered for the school floor, went to the school to make sure they delivered the exact amount, and to take pictures of the repaired classroom.
14:00 Got home to send the pictures and load them onto the computer.
15:00 Went up the mountain with Mike to fetch the staff working on the electric fence.
16:30 Home.
