THE THUNDERBIRD
MABULA GROUND HORNBILL PROJECT
NEWSLETTER
Sweethearts
Janovski2010 and Mudzanzene2013 (reared by Delecia Gunn), and pictured below, are getting to know each other and getting to know their new territory, which currently spans three properties: Rotavi Game Reserve, Lalakama and a tiny tip of Mabula (because the mean Mabula group is keeping them out). A gorgeous new fresh-out-the-workshop nest will be installed for them next week.
super nests by
super South Africans
(and Florien from France) - these amazing people volunteered their time and energy to help us build the next batch of nests for installation before the breeding season.
Students from the Tshwane University of Technology: Industrial Design
It has been beautiful to work alongside young South Africans committing to protecting their heritage. These students, despite their academic pressures, gave us some of their precious time to help us build the next batch of nests, seven in total. Their lecturer Kyle Brand, who led the design of the nests, has managed to instill a new sense of pride in their department's success and encouraged these students to get out into the bush. Once again, without AMT Composites and Isoboard we couldn't have done it.
Nest installation
The first batch of five nests are being stalled
Meet the team: Patience Shito
Whether it was watching birds, catching insects or swimming in a river, I have always been happiest close to nature. It was a given that I would choose a career path in the conservation field. A brief excursion into rural Zimbabwe after university led to my first encounter with Southern Ground-Hornbills. I then volunteered at an NGO that did ground-hornbill research and education in Southern Zimbabwe for two years and this culminated in my internship at the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project.
Having only encountered the birds from a distance in my work in Zimbabwe, it was exciting to finally get close enough to the captive birds to observe their various behaviours and vocalisations as well as characteristics. Being with the project has been a rewarding journey, and I have learnt, and I am still learning so much.
Be it handling a hornbill, to tracking, research, public speaking and interacting with scientists in various fora, life as part of the team is always interesting. I have ample opportunity to pursue my passion for education and awareness, helping wherever required to reach out to learners, individuals, private landowners and rural communities. I am always cognisant of the fact that the continued existence of Southern Ground-hornbills outside of protected areas depends on their co-existence with man. With this in mind I structured my MSc thesis around the influence of human activities as well as cultural beliefs on the persistence of Southern Ground-hornbills in the Limpopo River Valley. I am proud to be part of a team that is so dedicated to their work and I have learnt much from each and every one.
A grisly discovery made by the team: the carcasses of three poisoned dogs and two ground-hornbills
poisoning of Africa's wildlife:
one of its greatest threats
OTHER BITS & PIECES
needs, wants & wishes
Needs: 6m container for storage of reintroduction gear, 1 x vehicle tyre compressor, Anchor megavox 8000 speakers x 2
Wants: 2 x Grumbach incubators, 3 x Samsung phones for use by monitors using CyberTracker, 2 x 4-cell Maglite torches
Wishes: Satellite phone, 1 x vehicle wrap for our old Mazda
thank you for taking the time to read our news and your support