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This course is open to a maximum of 10 and a minimum of 5 people. Accommodation is in safari tents. Delegates will enjoy "bush cooking" in the outdoors on some evenings or dinner will be served at the restaurant on Kololo Game Reserve. On completion of the course there will be an exam to test the skills learned and a certificate will be awarded to successful candidates.
Course dates:
- 1 – 8 April 2012
- 30 July – 6 August 2012
Training Course Information
The Ranger course is ideally suited for people wishing to improve their own personal knowledge of wildlife and game farming. There is no entry level required in order to enrol for the course, however, a basic knowledge of game conservation and the veld would be helpful to the student, but not essential. The course is conducted in English.
During the past 2000 years, approximately 200 species of mammals and birds are believed to have become extinct: one specie every 10 years. This rate has accelerated, with many of these species having disappeared during the course of this century. In Southern Africa, two species of mammals have become extinct in the recent times: The Quagga, Equus Quagga and the blue antelope of Blue Buck Hippotragus leucophaeus. Both of the above species roamed around in large herds. The last quagga died in 1883 in Amsterdam Zoo. The Blue buck disappeared in 1799-1800 with the arrival of the European Settler and their fire arms. The pivotal problem, of course is human over population and the resulting demands on the environment. Man creates or encourages pressure on the environment and as a result the mammal fauna is adversely affected. It is our responsibility to achieve a compromise between development and destruction that will allow man and nature to live in harmony. Thus if more people become aware of nature and our natural environment we will be able to conserve better.
What makes this course unique?
The Kololo Ranger course is unique in the sense that you get the opportunity to get in contact with nature as it is.
Kololo Game Reserve is situated in the Waterberg Biosphere, The Waterberg so named after the early trekkers for its bounteous supply of clear water, straddling an area of some 15000 square kilometers in the Limpopo Province. The Waterberg Biosphere is the largest savannah biosphere reserve in Africa. You wake up in the morning with the sounds of birds, have a cup of coffee around an early morning fire and start the day with a walk in the African bush. During the day you will have the opportunity to learn more about the nature from specialist in their area of expertise. As the sunset, listen to the frogs and Nightjars calling, while you enjoy a traditional South African “braai”. During the night you might wake up to the call of a Black back Jackall, the Lions roaring in the distance or the whistle of the Reedbuck by the river.
What to expect:
The main purpose of the course is to make people more aware of nature and all the diversities. We offer a 8 day course for those who just want to learn the basics about the bush. Every subject will be handled with an introduction in theory and a practical study afterwards.
Activities during the course:
- Guided game walks.
- Game drives in a big 5 area.
- A visit to the cheetah and wild dog project.
- Bambalela, wildlife rehabilitation centre.
- A tour to Vaalwater, the local town.
Subjects
Geology:
Geology, is a fascinating subject once you get stated on it. Geology also forms the foundation upon which everything else is dependant. It plays a major role in determining what grasses and other vegetation will grow there, and in turn will determine what animals, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians may occur there.
Ecology:
Ecology is the driving force behind any system on the face of the earth. It is probably also the most important subject that a nature conservationist is to face. The fundamental of ecology is the basic understanding of where a particular feature of organism abounds within its ecological niche.
Astronomy:
On a dark, clear night one can possibly see 2500 stars and a maximum of 5 planets with the naked eye. Virtually all the known civilizations the world has ever known have watched and studied the heavenly bodies.
Botany:
Southern Africa is exceptionally rich in plant diversity with some 30 000 species of flowering plants, accounting for almost 10% of the world’s higher plants. The region also has great cultural diversity, with many people still using a wide variety of plants in their daily lives for food, water, shelter, fuel, medicine and the other necessities of life
Birds:
There are nearly 850 bird species that has been recorded in South Africa. This makes it one of the top birding destinations in the world. Of this 850 species, about 725 are resident or annual visitors and 50 species are endemic or near endemic to South Africa and can only be seen in South Africa.
Fish and Amphibians:
Water covers more than 70% of the earth surface, and is an essential medium for life on earth. On the land freshwater bodies such as rivers and lakes cover only a small percentage of the total surface. Living fish species outnumber all other vertebrates combined, yet fishes are among the least known of the back boned animals. Frogging is not just about frogs it is about exploring wetlands, listening of the sounds of an African night, observing and conserving the natural world.
Game Farm Management:
During the last few decades game farm management has evolved rapidly. It has become a necessity to ensure healthy wildlife populations and a healthy habitat. When managing a game farm the focus will either fall on conservation or sustainable utilization and the purpose for which an area is managed must be clearly defined.
Mammals:
Learn interesting facts about mammals from the largest African Elephant to the smallest Shrew. You will have the opportunity to see these animals in their natural environment, and experience their interaction with nature.
Animal Behavior:
The study of the behavior of an animal in its natural environment.
Snakes and Reptiles:
In Southern Africa there are 166 species and sub species of snakes that are found in habitats that ranges from deserts to forests and from mountain to sea level. You will be trained to identify them and catch them.
South-Africa and Different Cultures
Learn about the back ground of South Africa the different provinces and the main cultural groups in South Africa, experience African food and dance on the rhythm of drums.
Rifle Handling:
How to use a fire arm safely and effectively. Have the opportunity to shoot with different calibers.
Survival:
Use the knowledge you obtained during the course to survive a day in the bush.
Building a shelter, finding food and water etc. This is great fun.
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