Day 4 – Thursday

It was back to the community today, although this time we weren’t going far so we didn’t need our car. Instead we drove the 3km to the gate, walked down to the river and took our little tinnie across to the community – this allows us to avoid the extortionate ferry, but often strikes fear into our minds when the tinnie engine doesn’t start, but the tinnie does start… drifting down the river. Having successfully made it across the river, we walked towards the town centre where we met with some of our farmers and community members who we were taking on a game drive. Although this community lives only 100m from the Park (only the river separates the Park from the community) many have never been there, so if they have ever seen wild animals it was during conflict – a lion eating their cattle, an elephant destroying their property, or worse, one of these animals threatening their lives. So, we try to take some of the community in to the Park each year so they can see the animals through the eyes of a tourist. The journalists were also there - to get photos and interviews with the community and our staff on the community side. This morning was a bit of a disaster – our bookings for the games drives were written in the camp’s books a day after they were supposed to happen. Which meant that the guide, who also acts as manager when the manager is in town, was on manager duty that day and they had no-one to replace him. After a bit of negotiation (and hair pulling on my part) we agreed that if I sent my Scientific Officer to the camp and had her ‘play’ manager during the guest check-out time window, then the guide could come and take our group on its drive. After what was the longest hour in history, the guide arrived ready for the drive. Once I had loaded the community, and one journalist, onto the game viewer and given them their drinks, snacks and binoculars, I wished them good sightings and headed off to the Agricultural Office. We have no office outside of the Park so meetings can be logistically tricky. As I had three job interviews that I was conducting, I needed a place to sit and fortunately the Agricultural Officer was willing to let me commander his office for the day. Two job interviews came and went without a hitch, but the third didn’t show up. Not one with time to waste, I walked to the school to use the time to speak with the head teacher* and the environment club teachers to discuss the next environment club date and topic before crossing back in the tinnie.

*I have never been called to the head teacher’s office so many times in my life. Fortunately, it is always for good reasons - the last time was because I was invited, as a VIP no less, to hand out awards at the school’s Prize Giving Ceremony.