A young male lion stands in green grass near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A young male lion stands in green grass near Hoedspruit, South Africa.

A Month of Wildlife Tracking in South Africa

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ByZayera

My best friend Juan and I spent a month learning to trace, track and understand wildlife in a conservancy near Hoedspruit, on a private game reserve in South Africa. We had a lot of fun. It was also very special to live in a campsite “caged in”, while the wildlife roamed free outside the fences.

We did almost daily walks and observed wildlife in its natural habitat, and also at a water hole where the animals came to drink. These are cherishable memories of this experience, and we had lovely hosts and tutors too.

Photos from South Africa

Zayera Khan stands barefoot on a wide wet beach below green dunes in southern Africa.
Zayera Khan stands covered in grey mud after field work at the camp near Hoedspruit.
A traveler in a hat climbs a wooden ladder up a steep rock face near Hoedspruit.
A black scorpion walks along the top of a stone wall near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A whip spider with long legs sits on a concrete floor near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A vervet monkey sits on a wire antenna under a roof at the camp near Hoedspruit.
Zayera Khan shows her camera to local children on a village path in South Africa.
Zayera Khan smiles by a small stream in green bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A small blue kingfisher sits on a dead branch over brown water near Hoedspruit.
A warthog drinks at a muddy waterhole in the bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A small kingfisher sits among dead branches over a waterhole near Hoedspruit.
Students shovel red soil from a trailer to repair a bush road near Hoedspruit.
An animal hides behind tall grass and bushes in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Zayera Khan and a fellow traveler sit together on a plane to South Africa.
Two people shovel soil from a trailer on a bush road near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A carmine bee-eater sits on a dead branch against a grey sky near Hoedspruit.
Two brown birds of prey sit on a bare branch near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Two people dig red soil into a trailer in green bush near Hoedspruit.
A traveler reads a book on a large bed in a room at the camp near Hoedspruit.
A blue wildebeest rolls in the mud at a waterhole near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
The head and neck of a giraffe show against a blue sky near Hoedspruit.
Vultures sit in the bare branches of a dead tree near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Birds of prey fly low over green savanna near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A flame tree with red flowers stands over parked cars in a small town in South Africa.
Impala rams with curved horns stand close together in green grass near Hoedspruit.
A family of elephants crosses a tarred road in the bush of the Lowveld, South Africa.
A pied kingfisher sits on a tree stump in front of green grass near Hoedspruit.
An impala ram drinks from a small muddy pool near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Green mountains and a wide plain show below clouds from the air over South Africa.
Red flowers grow among dark green plants and moss in a garden near Hoedspruit.
An elephant walks through tall grass past green trees near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A black-backed jackal stands in green grass in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A blue wildebeest with curved horns looks out from green grass near Hoedspruit.
A wildebeest lies on its back in the mud by a waterhole near Hoedspruit.
Green hills and farmland stretch below low clouds in the countryside of South Africa.
A small group of impalas crosses a bush road near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A small squirrel sits on a sandy path in the shade near Hoedspruit.
A wildebeest lies in the mud next to a green pool near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A pink wild flower grows on a thin stem in green grass near Hoedspruit.
A small yellow flower grows among dark leaves in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A leopard tortoise walks across a paved road near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A kudu bull with spiral horns stands in green bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A baby vervet monkey sits on paving stones at the camp near Hoedspruit.
An impala drinks at a green muddy pool in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Two lions walk and rest on a sandy track in front of the vehicle near Hoedspruit.
A yellow-billed hornbill and a starling stand on a sandy path near Hoedspruit.
A glossy starling with blue feathers sits in a tree near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A zebra lowers its striped head to graze in green grass near Hoedspruit.
A warthog lies in a mud wallow next to a green pool near Hoedspruit.
Four impalas graze and touch noses in a green clearing near Hoedspruit.
Orange wild flowers grow beside a red sand road near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A zebra grazes in tall green grass in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A warthog mother and her piglets feed in green grass near Hoedspruit.
Impalas stand in shade with an oxpecker bird on one back near Hoedspruit.
A pied kingfisher sits on a concrete edge by the water, seen from a car near Hoedspruit.
Elephants with a calf walk by the road and one lifts its trunk in South Africa.
A hand holds a grass stem with a striped caterpillar in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A young giraffe stands among green bushes near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
An elephant feeds behind dry branches in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Two lionesses stand and rest on a sandy road near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A warthog family grazes in green grass in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A warthog stands near its young in a green clearing near Hoedspruit.
A large black millipede walks across an open hand in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A young impala stands in the shade of green bushes near Hoedspruit.
An elephant feeds among green bushes and dry branches near Hoedspruit.
A buffalo lies in a shallow river among reeds near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Small white flowers grow on a green stem in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Two blacksmith lapwings stand in green grass near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A giraffe looks at the camera in front of green trees near Hoedspruit.
A green pigeon with a red bill sits in a leafy tree near Hoedspruit.
An animal lies in a grey mud wallow by a waterhole near Hoedspruit.
A vervet monkey eats seeds from the ground at the camp near Hoedspruit.
A wooden fence post with wires stands at the edge of the reserve near Hoedspruit.
Pink and yellow flowers hang from a thorny bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A giraffe feeds from a tree under a blue sky near Hoedspruit.
Small red star-shaped flowers grow in green grass near Hoedspruit.
Purple wild flowers with yellow centres grow in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A large group of children in red shirts and visitors pose outside a school building in South Africa.
A small plover with dark bands stands on a grey rock near Hoedspruit.
A white foam nest of a tree frog hangs on a branch near Hoedspruit.
A herd of elephants feeds under trees on the savanna near Hoedspruit.
A zebra stands in the shade of trees in green grass near Hoedspruit.
A warthog and its young feed in an open clearing near Hoedspruit.
Two warthogs stand and lie at a muddy wallow near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Two vervet monkeys sit on paving stones at the camp near Hoedspruit.
A tree trunk covered with thick thorns stands in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A zebra walks across a green plain near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A herd of wildebeest with a calf stands in the shade near Hoedspruit.
A hippo shows its head above the brown water of a river near Hoedspruit.
A vervet monkey with a baby sits on paving at the camp near Hoedspruit.
A wildebeest and its calf stand in green grass near Hoedspruit.
Kudu antelopes graze on a grassy plain near bushes near Hoedspruit.
Two impala rams lock horns in a sandy clearing near Hoedspruit.
A black dung beetle walks on red sand in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A red-billed hornbill sits in a green bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A black dry plant stands up among green grass in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Two impalas stand in a sandy clearing and look at the camera near Hoedspruit.
A pale tree frog sits inside a green net bag near Hoedspruit.
Two students taste something on a bush walk near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Impalas stand in long grass under trees near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A kudu bull with long spiral horns stands by trees near Hoedspruit.
Hippos show their backs in a brown river near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
The Three Rondavels rise above the green Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
A green leafy shrub grows in the bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A giraffe looks over the top of green trees near Hoedspruit.
Warthogs and their young feed on green grass near Hoedspruit.
A group of lions walks on a red dirt road with vehicles behind near Hoedspruit.
Pine forest and green hills lie under low clouds in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Small birds sit in a thorny bush in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Two giraffes stand among trees in the evening light near Hoedspruit.
One warthog stands while another lies in a mud bath near Hoedspruit.
A young male lion stands in green grass near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A giraffe eats leaves from a tall tree near Hoedspruit.
Two warthogs rest at a muddy pool near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
An elephant walks out of green bushes near Hoedspruit.
A saddle-billed stork walks through a pond with white flowers near Hoedspruit.
A lioness walks through green bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Two lions walk on a wet sandy road near Hoedspruit.
A lioness walks through tall green grass near Hoedspruit.
A lion pride walks on a dirt road with vehicles behind near Hoedspruit.
Many birds fly over open green savanna with small bushes near Hoedspruit.
Two warthogs stand face to face by a muddy pool near Hoedspruit.
A lioness walks in green grass near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Lions walk on a sandy road beside a fence near Hoedspruit.
A large tree with a bird stands in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Lions stand on the road in front of a Campfire Safaris sign near Hoedspruit.
Lions walk along a fence line on a sandy road near Hoedspruit.
A young lion walks through green grass near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A tall giraffe stands among green bushes near Hoedspruit.
A lioness walks behind green bushes near Hoedspruit.
Students kneel by a Land Rover to repair a bush road near Hoedspruit.
Two giraffes feed among trees and bushes near Hoedspruit.
A giraffe stands by a fallen dead tree near Hoedspruit.
A wildebeest and impalas drink at a waterhole near Hoedspruit.
Two vervet monkeys sit on a brick path with a baby monkey near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Two giraffes walk past tall trees near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A warthog rests in dry mud by a small pool near Hoedspruit.
Several giraffes stand among trees and bushes near Hoedspruit.
A young lion lies on a mound of red soil near Hoedspruit.
Three lions rest and walk on a sandy road near Hoedspruit.
A lioness lies on a sandy road while another walks behind near Hoedspruit.
Two impalas stand in green bush near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A warthog stands by a waterhole while another lies in the mud near Hoedspruit.
A young giraffe stands under trees in the bush near Hoedspruit.
A lioness lies in green grass and looks at the camera near Hoedspruit.
A small herd of impalas grazes in a sandy clearing near Hoedspruit.
A twisted tree stands in dark bush with a giraffe at the edge near Hoedspruit.
A young lion looks into the camera from close range near Hoedspruit.
A lioness stands in thick green bush near Hoedspruit.
A blue wildebeest stands in the shade of a tree near Hoedspruit.
A warthog lies in a dusty hollow in the grass near Hoedspruit.
Warthogs feed in green bush with dead wood near Hoedspruit.
A small dam lies in front of savanna trees under a cloudy sky near Hoedspruit.
A zebra grazes in tall green grass near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
An elephant stands behind a green bush near Hoedspruit.
Impalas and a warthog graze in a sandy clearing near Hoedspruit.
An impala and a warthog feed in green bush near Hoedspruit.
Giraffes stand among green bushes near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Giraffes and impalas share a green clearing near Hoedspruit.
Two students stand in the grass during a bush walk near Hoedspruit.
Paw prints of a large animal show in the sand near Hoedspruit.
An impala and wildebeest graze in green grass near Hoedspruit.
A giraffe stands among trees and looks at the camera near Hoedspruit.
Two warthogs graze on a sandy slope near Hoedspruit.
Impalas drink at a green pool in the bush near Hoedspruit.
Many paw prints show in red sand on a bush road near Hoedspruit.
A warthog and a wildebeest feed in green grass near Hoedspruit.
A giraffe walks between thorn trees near Hoedspruit, South Africa.
A stork stands in a pond with water lilies near Hoedspruit.
A Campfire Safaris certificate for a course in private game reserve management.

Videos from South Africa

Work at the Campfire camp near Hoedspruit, 2010. Video: Zayera Khan. Watch on YouTube
Giraffes in the bush, 2010. Video: Zayera Khan. Watch on YouTube
Giraffes, part 2, 2010. Video: Zayera Khan. Watch on YouTube
Warthogs, 2010. Video: Zayera Khan. Watch on YouTube
Warthogs and antelopes, 2010. Video: Zayera Khan. Watch on YouTube
Monkey behavior, 2010. Video: Zayera Khan. Watch on YouTube