Imire Volunteer Programme

Winter Sunshine!

2009-07-18T05:22:00.000-07:00

The week began with a new volunteer arriving. We now have four. One from France, one from Finland, and two from the UK. By next week there will be 13 of us in the house all together. The cold weather was swept away and rays of sunshine took its place, falling upon us all. Unfortunately bringing with it, the rain!

We arranged to take the conservation class from the school to show them how conservation worked on Imire, they ended up helping us build the enclosures for thw white rhino arriving. They were only there for 2 hours, and said they should have come on a Saturday so they could spend the whole day building, they never stop to amaze me. Such special children.

Most of the week again, we spent doing rhino observation, making sure Gomo is recovering well after the vet darted him to take blood samples. He seems to be normal, but e are still waiting on the results. Tatenda is beginning to get a bit more aggressive as he gets older, and it starting to take authority over Shanu, which is a good thing, considering he is the male. But their relationship is stronger than ever. The documentary, on Imire, starring Tatenda, has been short listed for an award, so soon Tatenda will be known across the globe. As for Pog, well she is just as confused as ever, living with her identity crisis, still thinking she is a rhino, and has no intention of returning to the wild before she gives birth. So her babies, will once again have their own identity crisis to live with.

With the winter heat rolling in over us, everyone has relaxed much more and got into the swing of things. Each evening we sit around a roaring fire and play numerous games. Suddenly everyone has found their place. I think this small group will stay close for some time to come.

Sunday Soccer

2009-07-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

On a cold, overcast Sunday, we had a game of soccer. The north side of the river, against the south side. The north consisted of the lodge section, game park maintenance, and security. The south side consisted of the volunteer programme, and the ele and rhino handlers. At 4.30, the south arrived, chanting songs and pulling on their blue soccer jerseys, the north side, not so organised were huddled in group, in hysterics about the Volunteers programme. At 5.00pm the game kicked off, to a chaotic, ridiculous start, and the supporters could hardly contain themselves. The full moon had already risen and was peeping through the dark, low hanging clouds and attempted to light up the pitch. An hour later, the game ended in a draw, although, the north side claim to have won 3-2, although it was cheating. They managed to set it up so they scored a goal on their own goalie in our goal, so it was therefore, not allowed. The game was a huge success, and we all had a few beers and cokes after the match to celebrate. It is a brilliant way of getting to know all the guys for the volunteers, and for everyone to get together on the farm. In two weeks, there will another game.

The rest of the week was mostly spent at the school teaching the local kids. Their appreciation is more than anyone could ever ask for. They love volunteers coming to teach, and they are willing to learn almost anything, despite their lack of english skills. We also helped out in the veggie garden, teaching conservation.

We have been doing quite a lot of rhino observation, monitoring what they are eating and making sure their relationships are going well. It all seems to be running smoothly. Things on the farm are looking bright, and winter sunshine has now arrived. We are having 25 degree weather during the day, so our bad spell has passed. Pog's behaviour has changed quite a bit since her pregnancy, and we are hoping to have little pigs running around by mid August all going well.

As for Kutanga, he is just the same as ever, getting naughtier and naughtier by the day, and growing more than we would like. But with Kutanga, there is always a smile on someone's face. He makes everyone laugh.

So we are all humming along, loving the sun shine, and enjoying the wildlife, we also have a new volunteer, Alex. Her first week here seems to have been a breeze. Life is good!

Python Mania

2009-07-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

July has brought in a cold front, with overcast grey skies and freezing throughout the day. It seems there is no hope for sunlight to break through this thick cloud that hangs low over us. We even have a slight winter drizzle.

The two new Volunteers have arrived and are settling into the eccentric ways of Imire. On their first day around the farm, we saw three python. We caught a small, one metre female, first off. She was found basking in the sun on the road. It took a while to discover a suitable tactic for catching her, but finally we did. A beautiful catch. We were then all called to the Nyala Park to remove another python that had killed a baby Nyala the week before. We arrived to find a python bigger than 4 metres long, and still with an undigested Nyala in her. We soon realised it was impossible to move her with only five of us, we would at least need eleven. Her scaled skin shone in the fist sunlight of the day and she slowly made her way over back to her hole. We will try to catch her later in the week with more people on hand.

Manual labour has also began, and we have knocked down quite a few of the elephant stands so we can make a suitable area for Kutanga to be in when people go for rides. The vols have also started their work at the school, with the conservation class. Teaching will begin on Monday. The vege garden in the school is suffering from the cold, as well as lack of water, so we are building them a cement bath to hold their water supplies. Everything we do for them seems to be appreciated so much more than we could ever imagine. We will also start helping with the sport.

Otherwise, we are continuing to work away in the cold and rainy weather, walking with the ele’s, feeding the rhino, and just being with the animals. Our next volunteer arrives on Friday the 3^rd.

Camping with Elephant!

2009-07-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

As winter slowly makes its way over Imire, the birds are beginning to migrate, the animals are beginning to hibernate, and frost is starting to bite away at the grass. Kutanga, the baby elephant, seems to be getting bigger and bigger by the day. He is starting to teeth now and copies Mandevu’s every move. He sucks on plants for the taste but hasn’t grasped the concept of chewing. His favourite game is to chase the get him to stand still to put a blanket on him, but he is having none of it. He charges, tumbles, leaps, runs and rolls to avoid any means of having the blanket on him. His Mum doesn’t seem to agree with it either, and if we do succeed in putting it on, she immediately pulls it off.

We decided to go camping with the two male elephant, Macavusi and Toto for Wilma’s last night. We rode them over to Chawawi, the far end of the farm, and began to set up camp. We found a secluded woodland near the dam and started building the epic tent. Just as dusk was settling over us, we had the tent up. We collected some firewood, got the ele’s settled in, and started cooking some sudza and relish. It had been a chaotic day, trying to organise rhino boma’s, fencing, building and dealing with all the animals. So we were all too happy to relax by a fire, with a glass of wine each and tell stories. Mac and Toto were beside us, rumbling to us during the night, feeding on the trees around them. Although the cold rushed in to greet us, we were warmed by the roaring fire. Stories were passed into the evening until bed beckoned us all into the tent. We wrapped up in about a hundred blankets and slept until the birds called.

The next morning we took a walk through Chawawi, scanning for bush babies, but instead were greeted by a troop of baboons basking in the sun on top a Kopjie. Finally after a breakfast cooked over the hot fire, we returned home to a relaxed Saturday, and Wilma’s last day. It ended in perfection.

We have a week with no Volunteers and the next one arrives on the 28^th of June, and from July on, it will be hectic. Non-stop! But a lot of fun. We were hoping to have the white rhino by the 15^th, but unfortunately we are waiting for the fencing and boma’s to be completed on Chawawi before they arrive, so we are looking at the 18^th of July. We can hardly contain our excitement on the farm. We are going to be the only black and white rhino-breeding project in Zimbabwe, closely monitored. It will be interesting. We will continue to wait in anticipation.

Easy does it.

2009-06-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

Not much excitement this week. It's Wilma's last week, and then we have a break for a week until the masses arrive. Misty mornings, cold and frosty. Kutanga is growing by the day, finding anything he can to play with. He is now playing soccer, and runs around chasing the ball. We are wanting to find him a big beach ball to play with, so that he won't lose it. Now, when he sucks your entire hand, you can feel his teeth just beginning to peep out. Soon he will be eating.

Pog still has a few months to go until she pops out a few little babies. They should be due in August. We don't know how exactly it's all going to work out. It's all go go go, tying to sort out Chawawi for the white rhino. They will only be arriving later in the month now due to the fence.

Otherwise, all is running smoothly. We have been seeing quite a few water monitors and python about, basking in the afternoon sun when the heat beats down on us. We will start tracking them when it is mating season.

Settling into the rhythm!

2009-06-08T05:24:00.000-07:00

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.

A new Beginning

2009-06-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

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!