Kariega Dan and the Animals

From the beginning, a game safari was the thing Barry had most wanted to do on this trip.   We had first thought we were going to Victoria Falls with a one day safari at a game reserve in Botswana. Then, because of a significant price increase, we had opted for one in South Africa to the Kariega Game reserve outside Port Elizabeth in South Africa.  It was to involve a game drive when we first arrived on Friday evening, an early morning game drive on Saturday; a river cruise midday on Saturday, then another evening drive and a final one on Sunday morning before our return to Cape Town.

We had anticipated lots of rain.  We had not anticipated flooding. When we arrived we learned that the area had been hit with 6 inches of rain that resulted in Kariega's riverboat being washed away, their River Lodge being evacuated, the possible loss of their hippo herd, and (as we gradually realized) our being cut off from major portions of the reserve were the lions, elephants, and hippos hang out.

As a result, we didn't see nearly as much as we had anticipated and hoped for, though we did learn a lot and develop a deep appreciation for our guide, Dan.  The highlight of the experience involved our Rhino sighting on the very first evening.  We had been wondering around looking at a variety of small game when Dan was alerted that their had been a Rhino sighting.  He told us we would go there without stopping along the way to see anything else we might see.

When we first arrived, two other land rovers were leaving saying the Rhino had disappeared into the brush. We waited a bit, and soon the Rhino re-emerged.  

Dan said, "Let me introduce you to one of the most famous Rhinos in the world."

Her name is Thandi.  In March she was the victim of poachers who loaded here up with immobilizing drugs and whacked off her horn with machetes.   The problem with immobilizing drugs is that they have to be reversed and don't wear off.  One of the three rhinos attacked was dead by the time they were found.  A second died for thirteen days.  His autopsy showed that the muscles on one side of his body already had been destroyed by gangrene as a result of having lain so long.  Only Thandi survived.   Another problem with the immobilizing drugs is that the animal is fully conscious.  To restore Thandi's personality, she was given the "date rape drug" with each of her multiple surgeries.   It blocks out memory and the evidence indicates she has regained her trust and confidence around human beings, especially the guides whose voices she knows.

Brian Williams of NBC did a story on Thandi which you can read about here.

www.kariega.co.za/blog/nbc-feature-on-rhino-poaching

Thani's growth plates were destroyed in the attack by the poachers and her horn will never grow back.  Sadly, Kariega has decided to remove the horns from all their rhinos to save them from the poachers.

    

The giraffes were another highlight of our experience.    We spotted one on our first game drive.  While we were observing him, another half dozen or more wandered by.  We loved watching their loping gate.

We saw a variety of small game on our various drives.

These are red harttbeests, said to be among the fastest animals on land.

The famous springbok of South Africa.

 

These are called wildebeests.

Obviously, not getting to see lions, elephants, cape buffalo and hippos was a major disappointment.  But we can't say enough about our guide, Dan.  He was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the plants, birds, and animals.   His love for Thandi, and, all the animals was something we will never forget.   We learned so much about the challenges of wildlife management in a reserve such as Kareiga and about poaching.    Steve Irwin, the infamous Crocodile Hunter, has long been one of Barry's heros.   Now Dan is on that list.  (Despite the fact that he's a huge Boston Red Sox fan!)