November in Kasanka

 November Update

Yes, it’s almost the end of December and I’m only posting this now, but I’m really battling with the internet here!! I wrote this a few weeks ago:

Baboons at play! It doesn't always appear very gentle!

Things have been going great- I’m slowly but surely learning all the baboons. I’m quite confident with all the adult males now and I’m getting there with the adult females. These are the most important individuals to learn as the research is very much focused on them at present (especially their interactions). I’m already starting to form my favourites, and my least favourites! They all seem to be ok with me; there haven’t been any serious or aggressive incidents so far (touch wood!!)

Bat season sign

One of our lovely signs as a gentle
reminder to tourists

This isn't the bats in the morning,
but rather the evening from Fibwe Hide.

   



Alex and I finally made it up the BBC hide to watch the bats come in one morning, it was literally indescribable. The stunning dawn sky only added to the whole experience. It’s one thing to watch them fly out in all directions from one place in the evening, but to see them come from all directions back to that one spot of forest is just spectacular. 

Elephants outside camp (smelling us!)

Elephant outside camp!

On my last night alone at camp while Liz was away, I was awoken around midnight by some noise outside my tent. It sounded like something taking a huge breath and it took me a few seconds to realise it was an elephant! I was scared, but definitely equally, if not more, excited. I don’t think I’ve ever lay as still as I did then! It stayed at my tent for about 15 minutes and even touched it a few times. I’m amazed by how silently they can move; when it left I didn’t hear anything bar the sound of its breathing gradually moving away and the occasional twig snap. So even though I’d been within metres of an elephant, I couldn’t technically say I’d seen one here yet. However, the herd did move passed camp about 2 weeks later so I finally got a sighting! The camp attendant from the scout camp came to tell us they were near and we got to see around 15 of them crossing the road outside our camp. Incredible to think we live with them!! I also got to see them all again crossing the Chinyangali Plain, which was amazing, but not as special as having them right on our doorstep! 

The herd crossing the Chinyangali Plain

The river at Pieter's farm

I got to visit a local farm owned by a South African man named Pieter. He is very much into organic farming and has started tobacco farming. It was lovely to visit the farm and see everything, especially his orchard and garden which were full of fruit and vegetables (which are a real treat when you live in the bush!). A beautiful river runs through his property and we went down to see it joking that there was going to be a crocodile (as many people swim there) and sure enough there was a 2m long croc near the river bank! Crazily, Pieter still went for a swim! 

Liz taking measurements of the dead baboon

Unfortunately, a baboon got trapped in a snare on Pieter’s farm (obviously Pieter didn’t set it!) and died before he could rescue it. While this is sad and further proof of the poaching problems here, it did have a benefit in that Liz and I were able to take biometric measurements from the body (it was a sub-adult male). We buried the body in the hope of retrieving our first full Kinda baboon skeleton once decomposition is complete. 

We also had a barn swallow fly into the dining room one night and perch near us- a sure sign something was wrong. Sure enough the poor little creature was dead the following morning, but once again it wasn’t without a benefit! It turned out the swallow had been ringed in Cape Town in 2008 and we were able to contact the University and pass on the GPS co-ordinates of where it died. 

The swallow in our dining room

The rains have finally arrived in Kasanka. Torrential
rain from inside the dining room!

Rainy season has finally started in Kasanka. After threatening since I got here, we hear thunder and receive at least a bit of rain almost every day now. Plus there’s the occasional full-blown, amazing thunderstorm. And with the rain has come a new lease of life in the park. Everything is green now! When I arrived only a few weeks ago, the landscape looked dead and brown, but now there’s luscious green everywhere. Edible mushrooms have started to appear on anthills; these are absolutely delicious fried with butter and garlic! We also came across a rare and stunning Black Lily (Amorphophallus abyssinicus), as well as a tortoise (who was kind enough to quickly pose for photos with us!). While it’s lovely to see everything come to life and flowers appear everywhere, heavy rain does hamper our research. But there’s also work to be done on the computers so time is never wasted here at Kinda Camp! 

Me with Mr Tortoise

Edible mushrooms fresh from the forest (safely ID'd by our scout!!)

The beautiful Black Lily (Black Arum)

I got to travel to the nearest town Serenje (about an our and a half drive away) twice this month. Firstly, I went with Liz to pick up some shopping and also just so she could show me around the town. I then had to return on the 27^th November as my Business Visa was expiring and I needed an extension as my Work Permit has yet to come through. Zambia only gives month long visas, and even though as an Irish citizen I don’t actually require a visa, I still need a stamp every month while I’m waiting for my work permit. Serenje is a small and typically African town, but you can buy a cold drink, fruit & vegetables and, most importantly, chocolate! There’s not much more you need really.

A view of Serenje market

With the Conservation Club Girls; Charity,
Selina, Agness & Victoria
(Photo by Elizabeth Winterton)

I also got to meet the girls who are members of the Girls Maths, Science and Conservation Club which Kasanka Baboon Project coordinates. They come to the Conservation Centre just outside the park and receive lessons in (obviously!) maths, science and conservation, as well as computers and life skills. They seem like a lovely group and I can’t wait to work with them over the next year. I feel so privileged that not only do I get to conduct research on primates, but I also get to be involved with the community and have a whole new range of experiences. I couldn’t have wished for a better job; it ticks every box for me! Feeling very lucky and looking forward to December, Christmas (!) and 2013! 

Oh Africa!