A new Beginning

There is a change in the air. Imire Volunteer programme is undertaking a new and exciting adventure. Matt Blair, the new Volunteer co coordinator has arrived and is now running the programme. With him, he has brought his first Volunteer, and our first one of the winter season. Dianna Ward.

 

The first morning we all went for a game drive around the farm so Matt and Dianna could get acquainted with the park. It is looking beyond beautiful. The bush is thick, the grass tall and lush. We have had a perfect season. The animals are in paradise. The dams are full and exquisite.  Dianna and Matt got to know the elephant and their handlers, as well as the other animals on the farm. The one-month-old elephant, Kutanga, is causing havoc wherever he wonders. Constantly wanting to play, he brings a new light onto Imire. We came back home after the days patrol, and Dianna fed the babies, Pog, Tatenda and Shanu. Pog is now pregnant and we are expecting some babies running around in August.  We are also hoping to have two white rhino arriving on the 15^th of June.

 

Dianna has begun elephant handling and working with the guys to get to know the four ele’s. She has also begun work at the school helping with the conservation class.  After delivering manure on elephant, and then going on a game count and finding a 10ft python, so far, Dianna is enjoying.  Well, there have been a few nail biting incidents, of course. The new lion Mambo has arrived, and we thought we would take Dianna to have a look and feed him. After having taken our time to throw over the piece of meat, Mambo leapt against the fence and attempted to jump over. Adrenaline pumping, we threw in the meat, but it wasn’t enough, he came again, and charged the fence, second piece of meat was chucked over. Finally he accepted it. Still very wary of him!

After a long day on the farm, we return home to a hot cup of tea and some relaxation time on the hammock. Every evening we here the cry of the fish eagle, and although some of the birds have migrated, we still have some magnificent ones on the farm. Winter has definitely kicked in and the mornings have a chill in the air, but the sunsets are out of this world. We sit around a roasting fire in the evenings listening to the wild hyena calling. There is nothing else in this world, like winter on Imire.

The next volunteer arrives on Monday, and we all wait anxiously to see what she is like. Tomorrow we will go for a ride through the farm and settle down for the rugby, and then a chilled Sunday, fishing on the dam, climbing castle copjie and having a sundowner. Perfection!