1 Month In

It is crazy to think that I have now been here for over a month. Recently I have just been following the monkeys as expected. We are up at 4.30 and dont finish until 6.15 which certainly feels like a long day, especially as you are on your feet the entire time.

Last weekend we all had a cheese and wine night which was great fun and then on the Sunday, because it was really nice weather we all headed to the waterfall lodge and went swimming in one of the pools there, it certainly wasnt the clearest water I have ever been it a good excuse to enjoy the sunshine and top up our tans.

Most evenings we are all in bed by 9 as we are up so early but there are certainly really lovely moments in the past 2 weeks which makes the long days worth while, such as the 2 samango juveniles who continue to visit my bedroom window to play peekaboo, finding the vervet monkeys when there are only 8 of them and they are silent, along with getting to play with the 4 kittens here. I certainly wish I could take one of them home but when it costs nearly £1000, I dont think I would be able to explain my spending of my grant to the university.

Veg plot fun with the primate people

The weather is starting to become quite tempremental with thunder and lightning waking me up in the night but thankfully so far I am yet to be caught in a big rainstorm when out following.

This weekend my mum will arrive in Africa for 9 days in which we will travel to Kruger national park to try and find some animals along with travelling over the mountains back to Joburg before she leaves.

So, my next post will update you all on what I have gotten to see with her, lets hope I see some amazing wildlife.

Until next time

The Primate and Predator Research Project

So, as some of you may be aware that I am currently in South Africa working at the Durham University Primate and Predator project. I recently interviewed the founder of the project Dr. Russell Hill and asked him not only about the project but also about the advice he would give if you are wanting to volunteer with projects across the world.

I hope you find the interview interesting, the last 2 questions and answers are particularly interesting in terms of career hopes for people in conservation.

Just follow the link below
  http://www.conservation-careers.com/primate-predators-reaching-new-research-heights/

My Africa Update

So the past two weeks have been crazy busy, from finishing my final training for the Samango Monkeys and experiencing my first 12 hour watch of them on my own, to learning 24 African tree species and somehow fitting a trip to Botswana in as well, it really has been go go go.

 The most exciting thing has got to be my trip to Botswana! We left last Sunday morning at the very reasonable time of 7am and then it took 3 hours to get to the country and through border control (half the time it takes to get from Johannesburg to Louis Trichardt!), Crazy hey.

My hammock

Once we arrived we pitched the tent and hammocks, and I was lucky enough to sleep in a hammock under the stars for a night. We then went on an afternoon game drive where we saw crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, zebra, blue wildebeest and some spotted hyena cubs which were pretty cute!

We returned to our little camp and cooked tea before retreating to bed. It took me a while before I managed to fall asleep. Sleeping in a hammock definitely requires practice. In the morning we set off again on another game drive at 6 where we saw very similar things to the day before, sadly there was no sign of cheetahs, lions or leopards but our hyena was visible again which was cool.

Elephants!!

It truly was a whirlwind trip and we got to see so much in a 24 hour period. We then returned, stopping off for lunch on the way where I had a HUGE smoothie and stocked up on fresh food for the next week.

Spottedd Hyena

On Tuesday we were out conducting veg plots in horrendous heat and in bush that you really would say there was no chance of fighting through, the week before had also been just as brutal. On Tuesday night I was awake for ages with 100's of bites all over my legs and arms, the same had happened the week before and so mine and Onnika's rooms had been fumigated (she had the same thing) as we thought we had bed bugs, but we have now realised we are being bitten by something in the field. I had hardly gotten any sleep before I had to be up at 4:45 to start my full day with the monkeys and by Friday I was so tired due to the bites waking me up on Wednesday and Thursday night that I was so relieved to have my non follow day on Saturday!

On Thursday I did get to see the two troops that we follow have a fight as barn troop had been caught in house troop's territory, interestingly only the females fight, the men just observe from at the back.

Friday night I experienced the first rain out here in Africa, hopefully it won't rain for another few days but apparently this week is meant to be REALLY hot. I think the 37degrees on Thursday was plenty hot enough for me though.

So that's my update from the past two weeks, it's crazy to think that I have already been here for 3 weeks, and that in 10 weeks I will be nearly on my way home.

Love