A frank account of the last 18 years on Kapama Game Reserve, by Carl Olen

It feels like just yesterday when I drove through the gates of the reserve for the first time. I had no idea what was lying ahead of me, but one thing was for certain … I was glad to leave the city for good.

I was employed as a guide at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (then called the Hoedspruit Cheetah Project, and limited to the breeding of cheetah alone). I was one of three newly employed guides, all of us reporting for duty on that very same day. By day we took visitors on guided tours through the Centre, and by night we conducted night drives on the Kapama Private Game Reserve.

The Reserve was only about 8000ha (compared to 16000ha now), and game was very limited. Way back then, game drives were in very old 15-seater Forward Control vehicles. This in itself was an unspeakable challenge. These vehicles where build in the 1960’s, so performance and reliability were a problem. They had NO power steering, so a lot of elbow grease was needed to steer and manoevre the vehicle (anyone who has been on a game drive will appreciate some of those 16-point turns!). Add to this the fact that it was designed for very small people – with its minute cockpit, big healthy South African game rangers spent much of the drive knocking their knees to pieces against the metal dashboard.

There were only two camps on the reserve. A very rustic yet beautiful Tree-Top tented camp, and a small guest house. There was no airport in the vicinity, and the only access for guests was by car. There was a gravel landing strip on the reserve with a dual purpose: For the owners’ private charter flights, and for drag racing competitions between the rangers in their said Forward Controls. It is difficult to conceive the intensity of competition between the rangers during these events. Sometimes things got pretty fierce, and I remember one ranger over-shooting the runway, ending up in thick bush with a fair amount of damage to the vehicle. Big trouble!

My new boss was about 5ft tall. What she lacked in height she more than made up for in temper. Her sister was the curator, and was not much taller than her sibling. She too had been blessed in the front of the “fiery spirit” queue. Little did I know that she was to be my future wife.

We all lived together in a very well furnished staff compound. Two houses – one for the men and one for the women – were separated by a swimming pool. In hind sight, electric barbed wire would have probably been a more efficient barrier!

Also in the compound was a massive vehicle shed that resembled the Parthenon. This is where all vehicles belonging to the Cheetah Project were parked after hours. On the rare occasion when there were no night drives, the vehicles found themselves parked outside the shed, while the inside was transformed into an action cricket venue. These cricket tournaments would go right through the night into the early mornings…..

Part II (I’ll share some stories of interesting people at the Hoedspruit Cheetah Project, and my early days at Buffalo Camp)

There have been a few important shifts in the dynamics of the Camp Jabulani elephant herd of late.

Sebakwe, Mpfuri and Fishan joined the wild elephant herd on the Kapama Reserve on Friday evening, the 27th of April. They did not return for the rest of the day. The cows of the Camp Jabulani herd were slightly unsettled, and the decision was taken to cancel the late afternoon elephant safari.

Early the following morning, Sebakwe and Fishan were back. They were clearly in high spirits as they grazed in the long grass (and even up-rooted a sprinkler or two!). It was quite something to watch the communications between Sebakwe and Fishan and the rest of the herd as they came out of the stables to greet the new day. It is at times like these that I wish I could speak “Elephant”!

As the herd was saddled and waited for the safari to start, the free roaming youngsters went to Sebakwe and Fishan and sniffed them.

Fishan attracts the attention of one of Camp Jabulani's youngsters

Sebakwe with a curious Klaserie

Mpfuri didn’t return, and although we went to the wild herd to see if he would come to the grooms, he stayed with either the wild bulls or the group with cows and calves. He is still not the dominant bull in the wild herd. Despite this, he has been seen to give the dominant bull a hard time, proving his strength. An interesting dynamic, as in the trained herd he was inferior to Sebakwe.

It has been decided that Mpfuri should now stay with the wild herd.

Considering the tragic developments following Joe’s departure from the trained Camp Jabulani herd in 2010, it is important that we draw a few parallels between Joe and Mpfuri.

On the night of the 7^th May, the wild herd visited the stables. Although Mpfuri didn’t come as close to the stables as Joe originally did, nor has he been inclined to visit with the trained herd, he has been gone from the stables and the trained herd for too long now.

We believe that if we encourage him to stay with the wild herd permanently, he will adjust to the life of a wild animal successfully.

Mpfuri was never as attached to humans as Joe was, and even in his interactions with the trained herd he chose to spend more with the elephants – he was not prone to seeking human interaction.

This decision is unequivocal. At no time will Mpfuri be allowed to return to the trained herd, nor will interactions between him and the trained herd be permitted.

Although we are saddened by his departure, we remain hopeful that he will make a smooth transition to a balanced and well-adjusted life in the wild.

We will keep you posted on his progress,

Warm regards,

Adine

Some of you may have seen this absolutely incredible pic when the link was shared on our Facebook wall in early March. But we had to share it again, with a bit of context.

This image, captured by Paula Durham in September 2011, has been entered as one of the 50 finalists of the 9^th Smithsonian’s Annual Photo Competition. Voting closed on the 30^th March, and the winning pictures will be published in the  Smithsonian’s 2012 Summer print edition.

Seen here is Stavros, one of the grooms at Camp Jabulani, and none other than Jabulani himself.

Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, 59-year-old Stavros started off working with wild horses in 1995, and progressed from there to working with elephants in 1998. This seasoned handler hails from Harare, Zimbabwe, where his wife and five daughters still live. He joined Camp Jabulani in April 2002.

Stavros says his favourite part of the job is walking with the elephants. From the moment that they leave the stables in the morning, walking with them while they are feeding, accompanying them to the dam where they enjoy some well deserved downtime, going on the daily elephant back safaris – he just cannot get enough of it.

“I am happy to be with them every second of my day,” enthuses Stavros.

A picture tells more than a thousand words, and this one shows without doubt the special bond between groom and elephant.

Have you been this close to an elephant before? We’d love to see your pictures!

Carl reflects on one of our most precious resources in the wake of National Water Week, 6-11 MARCH 2012, and as we prepare to celebrate International Water Day on the 22^nd March.

“Water is life: Respect it, Conserve it and Enjoy it”

We are utterly reliant on the Klaserie River at Camp Jabulani. Water is pumped out of the river on a daily basis, through a high tech water purifying system and into the camp’s cement reservoir.

On the 18^th January 2012 disaster hit the Hoedspruit area causing large scale flooding and resulting in millions of rands worth of damage. The Klaserie River burst its banks, and we were left with no running water for more than a week. We were left with no alternative but to close the camp for more than a week until our water supply could be re-instated.

The entire staff complement at Camp Jabulani felt the direct impact of being deprived of running water. With their accommodations also being  cut off from the water supply, H20 had to be manually transported in 20 litre drums. Funny how you only realise how much you take something for granted when it is taken away from you!

This all made me think of an amazing true story I heard some time ago of a bushman from the Kalahari Desert who was taken on a fully sponsored trip of the United States of America. He enjoyed a visit to The Empire States Building in New York, a guided tour through the Kennedy Space Centre, he spent 2 full days at Disney World in Florida going on most of the rides and tours, he went up the Statue of Liberty, and he saw The Golden Gate Bridge. He was transported in Caddilacs and flew in Jumbos and Bell helicopters. He was wined and dined in the finest restaurants. At the end of his trip he was asked (through his translator) this question. “Of all the things that you have seen and experienced in the last two weeks, what was the most impressive?” He nodded and guided them to the gents’ bathroom where he pointed at a tap.

My personal wish is that we all, as citizens of this planet, start to treasure what natural resources we have in front of us. One never knows when they will be disrupted, or worse –  disappear forever.

In the meanwhile, running water has thankfully been restored to Camp Jabulani. We have installed a brand new water supply system with a view to saving electricity, and to ensure less water is wasted.

We wholeheartedly support the objectives of the ‘National Water Week’ initiative, and will be part of the global community who pay tribute to one of our most precious resources on the 22^nd March.

Join us?

Carl.

We recently had the pleasure of hosting an agents’ educational at Camp Jabulani. We invited some of our Capetonian partners to join us in the bush, and lured them from The Mountain with a promise of some extraordinary elephant encounters. We didn’t have to work too hard to lure our one Johannesburg-based consultant though….

Our party included Linda Rademan (Springbok Atlas), Gabi Pabst (That’s Africa), Alex Rautenbach (Wilderness Safaris), Sabine Pickworth (Welcome Tours), and Kanto Raomiala (XO Africa). And let’s not forget Anke Paterson and Adine Roode, both wearing their Camp Jabulani hats.

Calvin was the lucky ranger assigned take care of the party.

A wonderful time was had by all. We learned that Linda is scared to death of spiders. True as God made little green apples, what did we see in abundance? Our 8-legged friends. We also got to see a large male lion, a huge herd of buffaloes, and some general planes game too.

Our chefs outdid themselves once again! You simply have to see some of the magic they prepared (link to our Facebook album is below). For those in the party, this recipe may well appeal to you…..  (Hint: It’s white, soft, deeeelishis, starts with an M and ends in a W. Failing that subtle nudge, you can see it complementing this gorgeous sundowner set up above).

A visit was arranged to the HESC where the group got to enjoy a sighting of 2 cheetahs feeding and a few rhinos before they even arrived. At the Centre they learned more about the Student Programme that appeals specifically to gap year students, wildlife enthusiasts and veterinary students.

A real highlight, as usual, was the elephant swim. You have not lived until you have watched the Camp Jabulani herd around (and within) the waterhole.

The outdoor spa treatment was balm to the soul as nature’s music worked its magic in tandem with the therapist’s experienced touch.

After a sundowner of mandatory G&Ts for everyone (a must-do on safari to repel the mosquitoes of course), a night safari, and tucking the ellies into their stables, a fairytale dinner was set up as a surprise in the riverbed.

To our participating agents, thank you for taking the time to come and visit! We loved every moment shared with you, and hope that you have been sold on the elephant experience that has found its way into the hearts of so many visitors from around the world.

Click here to view the album of images on our Facebook page.

Until next time…

The Camp Jabulani Team 

We once had a South African couple stay with us. They were the only two guests in camp at the time, and since the game rangers were exhausted from the very busy month we’d just had, I decided to give the guys a much needed break and look after them myself. It was early July, the middle of winter, and although our cold season is a relatively short one, it can still get pretty darn cold out here.

Temperatures can sink as low as 4ºC, which might not seem that bad, but when you’re driving in an open Safari vehicle at 4am it can feel decidedly chilly. And if you add the wind chill factor, that 4ºC can just as easily plummet to -15ºC.

Luckily nobody in their right mind would want to go out on safari in the middle of the winter at four o’clock in the morning. Or so I thought…

At the end of their first day I was discussing the following day’s programme with my guests, when they ever so casually requested a 3:30am wake-up call so we could be on the road by four.

I couldn’t believe it…I mean sunrise is only at 6:15! And they don’t even make you get up that early at Boot Camp!

The next morning I was up bright and early, and as expected, it was freezing. I packed the safari vehicle with extra game drive blankets, hot water bottles, and a picnic basket with piping hot coffee, tea and rusks.

We set out just after 4am, and it was so dark that I had to use a spotlight to see where I was going. After about 15 minutes of driving like this, I lost all feeling in the hand that was holding the spotlight. I was convinced that frostbite had set in. Luckily about half an hour later we spotted a beautiful male lion sleeping (the lucky devil) on the road. I was relieved to have an excuse to stop for a while, so I could try and save at least some of my fingers.

I turned around to talk to offer my guests a bit of lion info when I got the fright of my life. Both of them were gone! They were definitely on the vehicle when we left the lodge and this was our first stop, so how and where I had lost them was a complete mystery to me. Maybe they fell off the vehicle?  Perhaps a stealthy predator had gotten hold of them?

But then I heard a snoring sound coming from the back seat. I stretched over to see what the noise was and I couldn’t believe my eyes. My guests were both fast asleep! Because there were only two of them, they each had a row of seats to themselves. Along which they now lay curled up in a fetal position, covered in blankets and clutching their hot water bottles.

It was very clear that they weren’t interested in the lion, nor, for that matter, were they intent on waking anytime soon. So for the next four hours I drove…on my own…in the freezing cold…singing  “Old MacDonald had a farm” just to stay awake.

We arrived back at the lodge at about 8h30 for breakfast, and that’s when I did my second wake-up call of the day. They eventually climbed out of the vehicle, thanked me profusely, and assured me that they’d had the time of their lives.

By that point I was a battered man, cold, tired and miserable. After breakfast we went to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, where we enjoyed a full day of game activities (no rest for the weary).

Later that evening I went to discuss the programme for the next day, and believe it or not, the guests said they had enjoyed the morning drive so much that they would love to go out at 4am again!

Until next time,

Carl

A river ran right through it

Update on the aftermath of the flooding at Camp Jabulani from Adine Roode, Managing Director

I would like to take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every staff member at Camp Jabulani. Under the captaincy of Camp Managers, Carl & Elsie, they all stayed calm, acted timeously, put our guests first, and worked tirelessly during the devastating floods in Hoedspruit last week.

Some of their notable actions:

• They rolled up their sleeves to clean waterlogged suites in a very difficult physical environment.
• They used their initiative under pressure, and built temporary walls with tables and sand sacks to divert water away from the suites.
• They put their own comfort and safety aside to watch over the elephants.
• The chefs carried on cooking, and made sure guests had some comfort through their delicious food.
• Others carried guests’ bags over the suspension bridge.
• They divided themselves into two teams, each one focusing on their respective sides of the suspension bridge. Throughout this time, it was feared that the bridge, and their only connection, would wash away.

This footage was shot from our deck looking down on the often dry river that runs past the lodge

All of this while the heavens opened, the water gushed, and conditions deteriorated to the point of life threatening. They never thought about themselves, and instead put the needs, safety and comfort of our guests ahead of their own.

It will take a while to restore the roads on the reserve to their former condition, but we are able to use one road to get from the camp to the main entrance of the reserve.

Game drives at this stage will be limited due to the state of the environment. Our graceful elephants are however able to traverse their paths through the reserve, so elephant back safaris are on track.

Two suites will be closed for renovations until further notice, however the remaining suites and The Zindoga Villa will be ready by Friday 27 January 2012.

The entire team is now “all hands on deck” in restoring the camp to its former glory. We have also contracted builders, electricians, painters and other handymen to assist in the massive operation.

Paintings and other valuables will be assessed by our insurers before being replaced, so please do forgive us should a wall or two be unadorned.

I would also like to thank everyone at the air force who assisted a number of stranded people in need of evacuation. Despite this significant task, their voices were still full of smiles every time we called. A true credit to their profession.

I thank every one of our guests who rode out the storm with us. And our many partners and friends who supported us through their calls, emails and Facebook posts.

My gratitude is unquantifiable. I am proud to be part of such a committed team, and so heartened to realize how many people are part of the Camp Jabulani experience – just through their genuine support, kind words, and patience.

Tom van der Meulen has posted a series of incredible pictures on Facebook, should you wish to see what our waterlogged area looked like from above. You can also visit our Facebook album to see some of the photos we took during this catastrophic event.

Yours faithfully,

Adine

Growing up!

A leopard in our midst

The term ‘elephant back safari’ takes on a whole new meaning in the summer months. Plains game such as warthogs, giraffe and antelope are abundant at the moment, so guests are treated to a smorgasbord of viewing from the vantage point of their massive rides. But those lucky enough to be out with us on Friday were treated to something even more spectacular when the groom on the lead elephant spotted a leopard resting beneath a tree.

These cats are notoriously elusive, so to see one hanging out in plain sight was quite something. It eventually got up and wandered off, but not before all the guests were able to get a good look. We’re blessed to be living in a part of the world where such events, while not exactly commonplace, do occur from time to time.

Zindoga gets his own bedroom

Bubi’s three-year-old calf, Zindoga, recently indicated that he is no longer a ‘baby’. Where the older calves have the option to remain behind at the stables and play, the still-dependent babies always join us on safari.

If you think about this from a toddler’s point of view, staying in camp and playing is obviously a lot more appealing than going on a long circular walk with mom and the rest of the herd. Especially if you’re in the process of asserting your independence!

One of the first signs that our youngsters are growing up is when they sneak away from the main herd and return to the stables to be with the elephants that aren’t going on safari. Because the babies often wander off the path to explore their surroundings, we don’t always notice immediately if they’re not with us.

This happened recently when we arrived at the sundowners spot only to discover that Zindoga was nowhere to be seen. We were initially quite concerned as to what Bubi’s reaction would be when she discovered that her calf had done a duck, but I think we underestimate our elephants’ ability to communicate with one another. We certainly worry more than they do!

Arriving back at the stables after the walk, we discovered Zindoga happily engaged in a game of tag with his cousins. The grooms and I breathed a collective sigh of relief, while mom, I suspect, just smiled knowingly.

That night we decided to give Zindoga his own bedroom. He went in happily enough, and all was well until the lights went out, at which point he proceeded to squawk loudly. His stable is right next to his mom’s though, and she must have stuck a reassuring trunk through the bars, because after about five minutes all was quiet again.

Since then we’ve had no problems at all. Every night our ‘big boy’ walks straight into his stable without hesitation. They grow up so fast.

Click here to see more photos of our herd and other goings-on at the lodge.

Until next time,

Iain

A few years ago I woke up one morning at about 2am and just couldn’t fall asleep again. After about a half an hour of tossing and turning I decided to go and watch TV in the lounge. I didn’t switch on the light because I didn’t want to wake up my wife. Being an avid golf fan, I was pleased to see that the highlights from the PGA golf tournament were on. Perhaps my insomnia wasn’t such a bad thing after all?

As I collapsed onto the couch and stretched out out my legs, I felt something moving under my foot. This was followed by a sudden sharp pain. Snake! I’d been bitten! The pain shot up my right leg.

There are a three basic rules to adhere to when you’re bitten by a snake:

1. Don’t panic!
2. Identify the snake.
3. Get to a hospital as soon as possible.

Well I immediately broke the first rule by yelling – at the top of my lungs – to my wife that she needed to go and start the car as I had to be taken to the nearest hospital pronto.

I then started looking for the snake just to make 100% sure that it was in fact a Black mamba that had bitten me. I caught a glimpse of something sliding underneath the sofa. By now my leg was completely numb, my armpits were throbbing, and I was sweating profusely. I dragged myself to the sofa (the lack of feeling in my right leg made it impossible to walk) and somehow managed to shift it out of the way, and that’s when I saw it…a monster…of a harmless centipede.

Feeling returned to my leg immediately, the pain in my armpits vanished, and I felt normal again. I looked at my foot in utter disbelief, there was nothing but a tiny red mark to show where I’d been nipped by the centipede.

The most embarrassing part was having to go and tell my wife – who was by then already waiting in the car to take me to hospital – about my miraculous comeback.

Until next time,

Carl

Jabu the pickpocket

We always make a point of introducing the guests to their rides prior to going on walk. It’s only polite after all. Jabulani is our elephant of choice for these ‘getting to know you’ demonstrations, as he’s such a mild-mannered sort. The thing is, the fact that’s he’s so laidback also means he can get up to no good without anyone noticing. The other day I was in the middle of my introductory talk when Jabu spied a sunglasses case in one of the guests’ hands. Eventually his curiosity got the better of him, and he ever so quietly slipped his trunk out and nabbed it from her. Fortunately the sunglasses themselves were perched on her head at the time, especially as they were of the rather expensive variety. Poor old Jabulani was clearly very disappointed with his booty; because he spat it back out almost as quickly as he’d put it in. He probably thought it was a ‘supersized’ version of the little treats the grooms have on hand to reward the elephants for doing something well.

Limpopo leaving the stables legally (she's the bigger one bossily nudging her friend along)

Limpopo the escape artist

We arrived back from a night walk recently to find little Miss Limpopo wandering up and down the stable hallway. I immediately assumed that someone hadn’t locked her stall properly, and prepared myself to issue the guilty party with a stern lambasting. I went straight to her stall to put the escapee back inside, and to my absolute amazement discovered the gate still securely locked. The grooms and I were all completely flummoxed. After putting her back inside her stall, we wandered off a short way to discuss how she could possibly have escaped. And that’s when she demonstrated her Houdini skills for all of us to see. We’d moved her into Sompani’s old stall, which only has one horizontal bar running around it. Being such a big elephant, he didn’t require anything more than that to keep him from going anywhere. Now at 5-years-old Limpopo might still be a baby, but she’s by no means a small girl. After all, elephants grow at a pretty rapid rate.

What the shrewd little toddler had figured out was that the stall to her one side was empty, which meant the gate wouldn’t be locked. So all she had to do was get down on her knees and squeeze herself under the horizontal bar, and she’d be on the home stretch to freedom. This was no mean feat however, and required a fair amount of huffing, puffing and squeezing before she eventually made her way to the other side. Needless to say Limpopo has since been relocated to more secure digs. Her herd mates are very happy about this, because she used to spend her ‘free’ time strolling up and down stealing their food. Click here to see more photos of our herd and other goings-on at the lodge.

Until next time,

Iain