WRSA Lephalale Regional Interest group holds educational day for grade 9 learners
11 May 2023 – Wildlife Industry South Africa’s (WRSA) Lephalale Regional Interests group took the initiative to invite the top 30 academic grade nine learners from Ellisras High School to participate in an educational day at the Matlabas Reserve.
The day started early with learners and teachers arriving at the reserve at half past eight where Dr Paul Booyens and Nicky Bothma, both from Matlabas Reserve, welcomed everyone. Each learner received a gift pack with refreshments, hats, and stationery, sponsored by EcoVet (Dr. Ean van der Berg), Beyond Bush Venison (a meat processing plant in Vaalwater) and Indigo Helicopters (Dolf van der Merwe and Wessie Wessels), the flying school in Thabazimbi.
The learners were taken on wildlife viewing vehicles to a large open piece of land where the process of sedation of wild animals was explained to them. First to speak was the helicopter pilot, Dolf van der Merwe. He explained with passion how the Robinson 44 (a 4-seater helicopter) became the chosen means of transport during game hunting operations in the game industry. For prospective pilots, he communicated the academic and practical requirements of the beloved career. The vet who observed the sedation on the day, Dr. Ean van der Berg was next in line. His technical explanation of the drugs used during the sedation of wild animals and the physiological process that is monitored during the process brought the learners closer. A proper explanation of the academic requirements of such a career stimulated the gray matter.
A full program for the learners meant that they could not attend the mass catch that took place at the same time on Matlabas. Fortunately, Rudi Le Grange from Thabazimbi Wildlife Services was present to explain the strategy of such a massive operation. Rudi, with more than 12 years of experience in the game hunting industry, enthusiastically taught the learners the different methods of game hunting. At the end of his turn, he explained the procedures of his role as head of the ground team during the sedation of wild animals.
The helicopter, loaded with veterinarian and immobilization equipment, then took off in search of a suitable candidate for the operation. After all, the purpose of the catch was to bring quality animals to Matlabas Reserve’s annual game auction on 17 May 2023. With the first “arrow” in the kudu bull, the ground team was asked over the radio to move in the direction of the helicopter. Managers of Matlabas Reserve together with Rudi and some of his workers, eight in total, braved the wild forest to load and carry the sleeping kudu bull on a custom-made stretcher to the open Toyota Land Cruiser, from where he was driven by vehicle to the transport truck.
With the kudu bull’s arrival, the learners were given the opportunity to stand closer. They were told about horn measurements, different methods of measuring horns and why it is important to the game farmer and prospective buyers. Dr. Ean showed how ages of ruminants can be determined by examining the animal’s teeth. The Land Cruiser was parked closer to the truck and from there the kudu bull was transferred to the safety of the transport truck from Thabazimbi Wildlife Services. With certainty that the kudu bull is healthy and in good condition, Dr. Administer the antidote to the immobilizing agent through a vein in the ear. A few seconds later, the kudu bull is on his feet, peacefully in his own compartment.
A second goat, a rooihartebees bull, was tracked down and brought to the learners with the same care. This time they had the opportunity to touch the animal. The excitement was palpable.
Afterwards, the learners, teachers, WRSA representatives and lecturers from tertiary institutions were loaded onto wildlife viewing vehicles for a sightseeing drive through the beautiful Matlabas Reserve. The halfway destination was a visit to the remarkable lodge built on the banks of the Matlabas River. Here, Professor Peet van der Merwe from the Tourism Faculty at the University of the North West’s Potchefstroom Campus talked to the learners about South Africa’s diverse tourism industry. They were pretty much schooled in the art of entertainment. The chairman of WRSA, Gerhard Heyneke used the opportunity to expose the wildlife industry to the learners, so to speak. The statistics he lost were quite eye-opening. It was clear that the versatility of the wildlife industry is not yet common knowledge in all our schools.
For lunch, Matlabas’ chef prepared blesbok sausage rolls with tomato stew sauce and a delicious dessert.
After lunch Prof. Peet van der Merwe and Mr. Jonathan Bloomer, a lecturer in wildlife industry management at Centurion Academy, shared more information with the learners about the tertiary academic options available in the wildlife industry.
Wildlife Industry South Africa would like to sincerely thank our sponsors who so generously supported the day.
The willingness of Ellisras High School’s management to expose their learners to this type of excursion also proves their genuine passion for teaching our youth. We trust that this day will change someone’s future.
(Original printed in Afrikaans in die Mogol Pos, page 4, 26 May 2023. Translations: WRSA)
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