The Cheetah - a most precious animal

It was a huge treat when our grandchildren, Damita and Jordi, came for a week-long visit during their school holidays at the river cottage. We were on the go all the time and we visited a number of places in the area, but one of the most special was the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Farm at De Wildt. 

The magnificent cheetah

It was certainly my first close interaction with cheetahs and we found the visit immensely enriching; I bought her book and read through her story in record time. What an unbelievably useful and purpose-driven life she has had! Through her passion and hard work she has built up the cheetah center and has saved the cheetah from imminent extinction. Many people shared her passion and offered time, money and/or resources to contribute to this worthwhile cause. She is one of those people who will always be remembered. Her argument has been that this graceful felid, the fastest mammal on earth, has evolved and survived on our planet for millions of years and reminds us to think back about who were the companions of emperors, maharajas and pharaohs, yet the species is now threatened.

We had a chance to learn more about the cheetah, wild dogs, honey badgers, vultures, caracals and even the Anatolian shepherd dog, which are all either bred or housed after injuries. We were fortunate to be allowed into a cheetah’s enclosure and could touch a King Cheetah after his handler calmed him down – what an experience!

Inside the King Cheetah's enclosure - touching him. No touching of the face or around the tail as it upsets him!

Ann and her late brother Godfrey were given the farm of their deceased parents and by chance landed with two cheetah cubs. This started a new era for them where they worked together with the Pretoria Zoo and entered into an agreement whereby they made part of their land available for a period of fifteen years for the breeding of cheetahs in captivity, something not tried before. At that stage the cheetah faced extinction and very little, if any, research and data were available. Through years of hard work, observation and trial and error they, together with many volunteers and donors, built up wonderful experience, knowledge and a data base of how to breed cheetahs in captivity. There were happy times and many sad ones – often caused by callous actions of some farmers who cruelly harmed them because of stock loss. After the Pretoria Zoo withdrew from the project, many others made it possible for her to continue with her dream.

What beautiful animals

At the end of her book Ann asks the question whether we can merely ignore the cheetah’s history and allow it to become a museum piece or a painting on the wall. According to her this present generation has to decide whether cheetahs, wild or captive-born, should survive or die. She reminds us that we are the custodians of the wild and each one of us should play a part in ensuring its future. This species has to adjust to living in the 21^st century and its survival will depend on its acceptance of a controlled environment and restricted habitat in a tourist-orientated land. She finally ends by saying the cheetahs of tomorrow will never be able to experience the complete freedom of their ancestors but will, at least, continue to grace the planet.

It boils down to, too many people and new developments that keep on encroaching on the available land for wild animals – at the end of the day, the choice is in our hands.

The King Cheetah in all his glory (it's not a new breed, but where both parents have the recessive gene)

The Bird of all Birds

One of the main aims of our recent trip to Zambia was to see the Shoebill. In fact this has been on hubby’s bucket list and little did I know to what extremes I will have to go, to finally get a glimpse of this magnificent bird…and believe me, magnificent it is.

The ferry at the border post where heavy trucks as well as our vehicle went on

Traveling through Botswana, we entered through the Kazungula border post and on the ferry into Zambia; through Livingstone, Lusaka, further north and then turning north-east towards Lake Bangweulu. Here we stayed in a tented camp.

Our tented camp at Bangweulu

Zambia was experiencing a serious drought at the time, although it happened to be their dry season, but during the rainy months this area may be inaccessible or at best can be reached only by boat. It is one of the world’s great wetlands, in total 15,000 square kilometers, fed by seventeen principle rivers and drained by the Luapula River.

Sunset at the camp

We were fortunate to see a Shoebill that was rescued from the Lusaka Zoo. He is believed to be still young and there are chances that he may be healed sufficiently to return to the wild. At present he is resident in close proximity to Carl, a South African student, who is doing his PhD on researching this magnificent bird. He is unable to find his own food and therefore dependent on humans for survival. We were told he struggles to distinguish between a shoebill and humans.

The magnificent shoebill

Quite a privilege to see the shoebill as there are only about 500 in the world

We were able to get quite close to him but were warned that his beak has the ability to do serious damage should we come too close.  There is only one word to describe him...magnificent. His eyes caught my attention as he looks at you with years of wisdom and many years of history behind him. He could be from a prehistoric age.

After his meal he was too lazy to get up. Not even for a camera shoot!

There are different opinions what species he relates to. Some say it is the stork whereas others say he may have a closer genetic relationship with the pelican. His height was about 1.4 meters which is huge for a bird.

Wattled storks. Take note in the rainy season this would all be under water.

The next day we set off on an excursion to find the nest of a baby shoebill. It is important to note that this species of birds is on the endangered list and there are only about 500 left in the world to be found mostly in northern Zambia, DRC and Uganda. They breed once a season, have two babies and the second baby seldom survives. We were surprised when told that it would take most of the day to get to the nest.

Black lechwe all around us.

We started our journey and saw wattled storks - so many. Our next treat was to witness a herd of black Lechwe. There were about 75,000 of them. Later that evening at sunset we saw great numbers running through the water pan, moving to higher ground in order to get away from the hyenas that are hunting them at night.

Black lechwe making their way back the next morning from the higher ground to get away from the hyenas

We eventually parked the vehicle and set off walking, through the seasonal wetland which happened to be dry because of the drought. We were handed Wellington boots which at the time didn't make sense but later after we had met up with some fisherman who are employed to look after the bird's nests - a task they take very seriously, we reached the swamp. We struggled through that for what seemed to be forever and as we approached the nest we were told to be quiet and finally we saw the baby shoebill. We couldn't get too close but it was indeed an unique experience. 

The shoebill nest for which I slogged miles through a wetland

A sunrise to die for! Only in Africa. 

The Smoke that Thunders

It has been said that the Smoke that Thunders can be seen for 30 km on land and for 40 km from the air. One can only imagine the reaction and astonishment of those who stumbled upon this amazing mass of water which sprays up into the air as it falls down below.

What a beautiful site greeted us!

Dr David Livingstone, Scottish missionary and explorer, was the first European who came across it in 1855 and named it Victoria Falls, in honor of the then British monarch, Queen Victoria.

The amazing Victoria Falls

I may step on some toes here, but the name which the indigenous people have called it for centuries, Mosi-oa-Tunya – The Smoke that Thunders – is much more apt and descriptive. It was my first trip to the Falls and although the country is presently experiencing serious drought, it is a wondrous site that meets the eye and the ‘smoke’ could be seen from far away.

Words can't describe it.

To complement this visit, we took a 15-minute helicopter ride over the Falls and later yet, a safari boat on the Zambezi river. Although going close to the Falls was out of bounds, our two guides, Prof and Kennedy, did an awesome job to show us around. We saw birds that we do not see in South Africa, was privy to a large crocodile and an elephant, which they assured us was on Zambian soil and was treated to a delicious ‘Out of Africa’ lunch on a small island. These two young men have a passion for nature and willingly shared their knowledge of the area with us.

A crocodile we passed in the little boat

Zambia certainly does not have a shortage of water. Although probably best known for the Victoria Falls, situated on the Zambezi River on the border with Zimbabwe, the country has six basins and river systems, namely the Zambezi Main, Kafue, Luangwa, Chambeshi and Luapula rivers respectively, as well as the Lake Tanganyika basin. Wetlands cover for instance more than 20% of Zambia’s total area and government is committed to conserving the wetlands as it acknowledges that it preserves natural water storage. Victoria Falls is by no means their only falls, but it is recognized as one of the Seven  Natural Wonders of the World.

Wikipedia states that although it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, it is the largest, based on its width of 1,708 m and its height of 108 m and is therefore classified as the world’s largest sheet of water. Zambia is the source of the Zambezi which is the 4^th largest river in Africa. It flows through Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe, before running into the Indian Ocean.

Livingstone, a typical tourist town, is situated in the southern province and a real gem to visit.

The Lord is my Shepherd Hardware

Driving through Zambia we smiled as we noticed the different shops, most with Christian names such as, "The Lord is my Shepherd Hardware," but that is not all that made us smile on our journey: Zambia is a relatively poor country that has gone through hardships the last years. Its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Personal Purchasing Power (PPP) don't rank in the top half of the countries on the charts showing progress on the African continent. Yet, our spirits lifted as we proceeded with our journey, because we saw people literally picking themselves up by their bootstraps in order to survive, eat well and receive an education.

The Lord is my Shepherd Hardware Store

Zambia's economy is booming at this point in time, unlike our country's slow growth. Zambia is a peaceful country with contented people, unlike South Africa, where crime, labor unrest and service delivery issues highlight the news daily. Why is that?

We met friendly, courteous people. It was suggested that a huge contributing factor could be the country's homogeneous Christian nature, but in general these simple people have a respect and tolerance for their fellow human being, which we have not seen elsewhere. There was no aggression and race was not an issue.

It was my first trip to Zambia; Garry on the other hand had visited this country about fifteen years ago and could not believe the progress he was seeing. Our journey took us through Livingstone, Lusaka, to Kapiri Mposhi, after which we branched out towards the right of the country, up north to Lake Bangweulu. As far as we traveled we saw people at work - no one was loitering around. People were selling vegetables along the side of the road - beautiful, red tomatoes; cassava; sweet potatoes; onions and oranges.

Bags of charcoal everywhere

We noticed the honey project, and bought some of the wild, raw acacia-tasting honey. We noticed charcoal for sale, trucks transporting charcoal, young men cycling with two to three bags of charcoal on the back of their bicycles. These people are slim and trim; they appear healthy and laziness can definitely not be ascribed to the Zambians. Although automobiles are the mode of transport in the cities, in the rural areas is is bicycles. These get used to transport anything and everything. We even saw young men with pigs and chickens on their carriers. We saw people making their own bricks - either from cement or clay - and they build their own houses. There is no such thing as waiting for government to do it for you. As we traveled we noticed schools every few kilometers apart. Our observations were later confirmed by locals.

A friendly Zambian stopped cycling and posed for me

Boyd, the manager at Lake Bengweulu, was previously a teacher. He explained that it is government policy to have a primary school every six kilometers. However, if there are not sufficient numbers or interest in a school, government would contribute 75% of the cost once the residents commit to 25% - either in money or kind. 

Brighton, one of our guides, explained that he is from the local village and said that school up to grade 6 is compulsory, but because there is not always a high school in very village, students are selected on achievement to further their studies. He said that it means you work hard to earn the opportunity to receive a high school education, which entails a government-funded boarding school. He elaborated that he went through the school system and worked extremely hard as it is a privilege to go to high school in the rural areas. It is all based on hard work and commitment.

One thing we have noticed in the rural areas is that villages are spotless. Chris, the manager at Kasanka Trust clarified it by explaining that most of the rural areas are under tribal authority. However, the chiefs are usually adamant that villages be kept clean and they fine their subjects for littering. Chris told of some chiefs that he is aware of who insist on their subject building their own toilets as the environment should be preserved.  

Noticing all the bags of grain and even some charcoal being collected at the side of the national road, Boyd, who also participates in this scheme, explained that government makes seed available. They will then purchase the grain that a village has in excess of their own use. Incidentally, Zambia had a record 3.2-million ton crop in 2014 and Business Day of 23 March 2015 reported that Zambia planned to sell at least a third of its record maize crop to neighboring countries where drought and floods have destroyed its grain which served as staple food.  

Robert Guest, who wrote in the Shackled Continent (2005:p194) how the then Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa rejected American food aid during the famine in 2002, because the shipment of maize and soya that was sent was genetically modified and he refused to give his people 'poison.' Those of us who follow debates on healthy foods, will know about the controversy surrounding America's Monsanto, the world's largest suppliers of seed and the way they control the world through their genetically modified approach. Garry and I honor a president who holds the health of his nation as a priority, even in the time of drought.

Beautiful sunrises and sunsets

Our trip was regarded as highly successful, as I saw my son who works in Lusaka and Garry saw a Shoebill, an endangered bird species of which there are only about 500 in the world. The Zambians hold this endangered bird in high regards as extensive research is conducted to learn about its habitat and behavior. We saw bird species we haven't seen before and the Bengweulu is also home to the Lechwe (a buck species) of which 75 000 are living on the plains around this 15,000 square kilometer wetland. Poaching is not tolerated in Zambia and Brighton explained that they have a program where poachers serving jail time are educated about the value of the environment in an attempt to change their behavior and to get them to understand why they are being punished.  

Dinner in Lusaka

The beautiful Shoebill

 It is often said that Africa is a continent of bribery and corruption. That may be true, but then bribery is not only limited to Africa, but is found in many other parts of the world. Speedy services may become speedier with a monetary reward, but in general Zambia enforces its laws. We saw that with the police presence on the national roads - not to trap people or extract bribes, but to calm the traffic in an attempt to lower the accident rate, considering this country's position as the through road that links all parts of Africa. So much traffic...huge trucks...but it showed us that Africa is hard at work.  It was a worthwhile holiday, one without the stress of theft, being harassed by beggars or encountering violence as this kind of behavior is not commonly part of the Zambian nation. We trust and pray that all the development and progress in Zambia will not change the essence of this nation, and that money and greed will not become their god as we have seen elsewhere on our beloved continent.

Lechwe in abundance 

When our senses start to fade

While lying in a deep sleep in her basket, I watch my beloved Jack Russell with sadness in my heart. I fear her time with us may soon come to an end, yet on odd days she would run like a bunny on the beach and encourage us to play her game – ‘catch me if you can.’ Although she often stops, we realise that she is resting while pretending to have come across a new smell that wasn’t there the day before. With a serious heart ailment and old age we have been warned that she ‘just wouldn’t wake up one morning’ and we treasure those playful days, as they are few and far between.

 

Piccolo has always been adventurous. She is a ‘frequent flyer,’ enjoys going on the motor boat, loves canoeing with us and has always been an ardent walker. She has not lost her enthusiasm but whereas we used to climb mountains and walked for miles along the beach, the walks have become shorter. While she still insists on this daily activity, I often wonder how different she experiences her world since losing her hearing more than a year ago. She lately seems to be functioning in a world totally of her own and she often dozes off within minutes.

 

While sitting on the beach she would turn her face into the wind and inhale the deep sea air…sniffing it, tasting it and living it. Often, she would lie down and fall into a deep slumber. Upon leaving, I would touch her gently and she would wake up with a start, looking at me questioningly; but, all of this has implications on her quality of life: we cannot recall when last we have heard her barking. When other dogs react instinctively and bark, she looks around confused; when they yelp from excitement she is totally baffled by the commotion. The result of all of this is a total dependence on me, the one who is a constant in her life - her security.  

 

Her loss of hearing however has us somewhat confused. She does in fact hear loud bangs, and strangely enough, when we go walking, she sometimes wanders off and it has happened that she lost sight of us. Although we usually keep her within view, she gets disoriented when she comes out of her dream world and either does not see us or does not recognise us immediately. When that happens I would revert to my old form of command and start clapping my hands. According to the vet she has lost all sense of hearing, yet she eventually would pick up that familiar sound, although the direction of its source often puzzles her. I have watched her from afar. She looks up, looks around and starts running in the direction of the sound. If the wind is strong it can confuse her; disorientation can set in when there are too many people around, but to date we have always found each other again. While running towards me I have noticed a further failing of her senses…she struggles to identify me from afar and I therefore have to continue clapping my hands until she is with me…touching me…licking me. That means her eyesight is also beginning to go...  

 

 

This reminds me of another period in my life: the time my dad was diagnosed with Glaucoma, when it was too advanced for successful treatment. By the time of his death he had less than two percent vision left. It was a challenging time for all. He was a learned man, a man with a fine eye for the arts. He was well-read – someone who continuously sought knowledge through reading. 

 

In those days there were no awareness campaigns as a reminder to test your eyes for this disease and still today, early detection could mean the difference between blindness and sight. But my dad being a successful medical man, we felt that he should have known, and he admitted that he was negligent and didn’t have his eyes tested as he should have. He didn’t know that this debilitating illness was in his genes. We, as his offspring, had to cope with his anger and I can only imagine the terror he must have felt with the onset of blindness, and the uncertainty of what the future held for him. It meant an unforeseen early retirement. It later meant financial difficulties, but most of all it meant a life of frustration. Technology has much advanced since then, but audio books were not freely available in those years, which called for a subscription to the library of The Institute for the Blind where choice was limited. I recall his cries about the unfair blow that life had dealt him and his words, “Why my eyes, why not an arm or a leg?” still ring loudly in my ears.   

 

Towards the end of his life his world became dark.  A darkness we could not share with him, but had to cope with. It sometimes caused dark moods and we all had to be inventive to contribute to some light to his life. He would ask me to describe sunsets to him, or some other scene around me, and he would afterwards nod as he dipped deep into his memory bank to get the picture. 

 

And so life deals different cards to each of us, whether man or beast. At best we can look after our senses and savour the colours of every scene, enjoy the sounds that we hear, identify the different smells and aromas around us, explore different tastes and never cease to touch those who we love.