Held in the stunning Botswana wilderness, the Wildlife Tracking Course is an opportunity for you to experience the thrill of tracking Africa's big game while living in a raw and wild environment.
You will learn how to be safe in the bush and how to find animals without impacting on the natural ecosystem in which they (and you for the 2 weeks!) live. An intensive experience, the tracking course requires you to be fit and to have a good level of stamina, but affords you the chance to get close to animals such as elephants and hyenas on ground level!
Course Outline
Week 1 - Introduction and Track Identifications
- Day 1 — Transfer, orientation and social
- Day 2 — Lectures and practical on safety with exercises. Introduction to the course outlines and objectives
- Day 3 — Introduction to tracking techniques, the role of the tracker and spotlighting techniques. Track identification, animal behaviour, movements, social structures etc
- Day 4 — Survival techniques and applications. Track identification, animal behaviour, movements, social structures etc
- Day 5 — Track identification, animal behaviour, movements, social structures etc
- Day 6 — Revision from books. Practical test on track identifications in the field. Braai and celebration.
- Day 7 — Day at leisure
Week 2 - Trailing Component
- Day 8 — Introduction, techniques and application of tracking and trailing an animal on foot from the tracks and signs that it has left behind
- Days 9-13 — Each individual will lead the group on a trail of a high profile animal - a full day is allocated to each individual. Coaching will take place during the trailing and if the tracks cannot be pursued further and there is still time in the day, extra educational components will be given. Followed on Sunday night by a braai and celebration
- Day 14 — Pack up camp and transfer done
Requirements
A maximum of 6 participants may take part per course
Participants must have a good level of physical and mental fitness to join this course, and ACE staff will talk to you about this on application. Although often at a slow pace, the walking is long and arduous and involves a lot of climbing up rocky outcrops. If participants are deemed not to be fit enough part-way through the course, they will be asked to join the Tuli Conservation Project for the rest of their stay.
IT WILL BE A VERY DEMANDING COURSE REQUIRING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STAMINA
Location and Accommodation
The course will be held in the Tuli wilderness area in Southern Botswana, where we can track leopard, hyaena, elephant and possibly lion. We will drive into the bush with all participants, staff and all our required equipment for the two weeks and set up camp in a predetermined location. Participants will assist in the set-up of the camp, which will comprise of 2-man dome tents. Sleeping mats will be provided. Water will be obtained from a water trailer that we take in with us and lighting will be limited to paraffin lamps and torchlight.
Ablution facilities will be very basic and will comprise of long-drop toilets and cold bucket showers in summer and fire-heated water in winter.
Nights may be spent out on the ground with a watch fire and no sleeping materials if we cannot make it back to the camp by nightfall during a trailing exercise.
Accreditation
Students who obtain over 70% in the two components of the course will be awarded a CyberTracker Tracker Level 1 Certificate.
Food and Meals
Meals will be basic and may be eaten at unusual times of the day! All cooking is done on an open fire and it will not be possible to have any fresh fruit or vegetables. Meat required for the course duration will be sealed in cooler boxes with dry ice until required. Military-style survival food packs (rat packs) will be carried in case we cannot make it back to the camp by nightfall during trailing exercises.
Clothing and Equipment
Participants must wear neutral (khaki or beige), hard-wearing clothing and good sturdy walking boots. You will be provided with 2 khaki shirts. A full kit list will be provided, but in particular it is important that you bring a good, powerful torch.
Dates and Costs
The cost for the course is £1295, and includes return transfers from Johannesburg airport to the course site, all meals, accommodation and logistical back-up.
Start dates for the 2009 courses are:
- 14th July 2009
- 29th September 2009
Factbox!
