Settling into the rhythm!

With winter here, we wake up to frosty mornings, and head off to the elephant to do handling. The sun rises over castle copje as the mist runs through the tall grass and over the dam. It is looking magnificent.

 

The new Volunteer has arrived, and Diana has left. Wilma has come from Canada and is here for three weeks. Already we have begun fixing up the place, preparing the Rhino bomas and now getting ready to fix up the elephant stands. This month is going to be full of manual labour.

 

The two white rhino are supposed to be arriving on the 15^th of this month, and hopefully we will get to go along and help dart them to bring them back to Imire. They will then be released into Chawawi and watched by guards. Unfortunately they are completely wild, and so they cannot be put into a boma at night, but will be heavily guarded at all times. Kutanga is just as naughty as ever and is now learning how to swim, and use his trunk to drink. Wilma is still getting used to working with elephant in such close proximity, but did go for her first ride the other day. Otherwise she is loving Zimbabwe. We took her to see a live performance in Harare on Saturday night, a band from South Africa, so she could get to know the Zimbabweans and learn a bit about our culture.

 

Tsotsi, the hyena, has been attacked again by the wild hyena on the farm, but he is learning fast how to survive in the wild. The vols are still very nervous about going to meet him. But Wilma will be introduced some time this week. Things on the farm are going very well, and Matt seems to be settling into the rhythm of things around here. It’s a new experience for everyone. The days are getting darker earlier, and the Msasa trees are just beginning to turn red, the grass is tall and has gone from luscious green, to a dry brown, we are going to start making fire guards soon.

 

Full moon this week, and we are going on a camp out, in this icy weather. We will be waking up to frost biting into us, carving icy knife wounds of pain. But it will be worth it in the end. Night walks, and searching for the wild hyena den. It’s all about the adventure. All in all, everything is going really well. The days are still and cool, and full. Another week is ahead of us, and a lot of work to be done.