Little monkey man

I'll be honest, I am not normally much of a baboon person, and usually I'm not of much interest to them either. I am lucky in the sense that I tend not to get bitten or challenged too much by them, but generally they don't hone in on me for cuddles either. That is apart from two- Sheela who much now be about 18 months old and has become very cheeky - running off from baby baboon walks so she can spend more time cuddling the staff or running round doing her own thing! and our newest addition Hansi.

He came to us a couple of weeks ago having been found in the north of Namibia severely malnourished, dehydrated and with a broken arm, the vet there couldn't pin his arm so sent him to Windhoek where his arm and half his body were shaved for surgery and his arm was pinned, we got him from there.

As he is from a different part of the country when he arrived, despite being a chakma baboon like our others he is much darker - like a little gorilla.

"It will be a killer, and a chiller, and a thriller, when I get the gorilla in Manila."- Muhammad Ali 

For those of you who don't wouldn't have the first clue on what to do with a baby baboon, here is a quick run down - bottles of milk, bits of healthy hard food, lots of cuddles, lots of play time, firm but gentle discipline when they chew things they shouldn't , climb on things they shouldn't, break things they shouldn't, try to eat of your plate etc etc and at night a good bath a nappy on back to front with a hole cut out or the tail and a good snuggle up in bed and a movie. Ok the movie isn't compulsory, but generally you both end up watching it and its nice chill out time.  Oh and FYI the 'getting some sleep' part is largely reserved for the baboon especially when they are so small.

"There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep."- Ralph Waldo Emerson 

I swear these little (gorgeous) monsters should be handed out to 13 year old boys and girls in need of educating about contraception. It would very quickly make them ensure they were protected and not likely to get pregnant any time soon!

Now bear in mind the last time I took a baby baboon over night was Elvis in 2011, he was bigger and didn't have a broken / pinned arm and somehow I end up with this little fella. Eeeek. 

"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." - Ernest Hemingway 

Convinced I was going to break him and under the impression that when he was brought to me someone was going to pick him up form me in an hour or so we soldiered on into the night together. At that stage he was so little and so damaged he looked so spaced out all the time

 (he looked like he had had a two day bender in Shoreditch)

 and needed huge amounts of love and care. It was also really hard to get him to drink from his bottle in order to get food into him.

Over the last week or so he has gained tons of energy  his arm is sooooo much better and he has started to scamp around like a proper little baboon which is great. His personality is already starting to come out and its clear he's an independent little man who doesn't like to be told no  - even when he tried to climb something high that he could fall off and hurt his arm again. He can also be fast asleep and take him near food and he is out of your jacket and screaming to be fed in the blink of an eye.

Here are some pics and vids of him when he first arrived - largely enjoying the TV and cuddling my face...



Face hugger

Cheeky monkey

Cheeky monkey wiping banana all over my face

Here he is now having had a couple of weeks of healing...

[Pic courtesy of Jack Somerville]

More to follow no doubt!

As I said at the start I am not really a baboon person, but I will admit this wee little monkey man has definitely stole my heart!

"The happiest moment my heart knows are those in which it is pouring forth its affections to a few esteemed characters" - Thomas Jefferson

It is amazing what we have lost

Firstly, for those of you who know the project, we have just partnered with a couple of our neighbours and using the far side of our farm and neighbouring farms we are planning to open a new reserve where we can  host rhino, wild dog, many games species and other animals. Its all in its infancy at the moment, but is a truly exciting thing to be involved in. 

"In wilderness is the preservation of the world." - Henry David Thoreau 

Imagine these fellas in your back garden!

"I don't like formal gardens. I like wild nature. It's just the wilderness instinct in me, I guess." - Walt Disney 

 

"Generally speaking, a howling wilderness does not howl: it is the imagination of the traveler that does the howling." - Henry David Thoreau 

On this reserve we have also created a traditional San Bushman Village. we have been working with the San community from Tsumkwe and through all the right channels and official bodies. We are bringing groups of the San community down to our reserve village by village to spend a month at a time. They get decent wages, food and a place to live. For those of them interested and motivated we also have a scholarship scheme where they can learn a trade such as field guiding, waitressing, cleaning, coordinating with the volunteers etc. in order to increase their options should they wish. As the community from Tsumkwe are seen to be one of the groups still living most traditionally our San community here also get to learn about their culture from them and strengthen their roots and knowledge. 

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." - Marcus Garvey 

"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people." -  Mahatma Gandhi 
 

The adult and child groups have so far had some great fun learning from these guys and the two older guys (Opa's) and older lady (Oma) from Tsumkwe in particular are hilarious.Its amazing what you can communicate in pidgin Afrikaans, San and English! We also invite tourists to the village to experience this cullture. They get to see first hand what roots and trees are edible and medicinal, what worms are used for poison arrows, how to trap guinea fowl with a tasty treat some string and sticks

how the weaponry and jewelry is made, how to make fire and see some of the traditional dancing and singing. Whilst we learn about each of the bushes and methods great play acting  charades and humour takes place - its a real performance!

[Pic courtesy of Jack Somerville]

"The Bushman story is to comfort and console, the Bushman story is to heal, the Bushman story is to motivate and encourage, the Bushman story is to teach and educate and finally it is to amuse. It is therefore clear that the Bushman story is not only a genre but more of a ‘mental medication’ which is inflicted by means of words; words together with gesticulation, expression and mimic mixed with the symbolism until the unseen becomes clear and true – that is the crux of a Bushman story.  When you comprehend and understand that, then a Bushman story becomes so enjoyable that you can ‘eat and indulge in it." - Francois Stroh

I have been to a few tourist experiences like this over my time in Namibia and on occasion have really felt both the people and the tourists were being exploited - especially one Himba tribe in northern Namibia. I have to say I am proud to be involved in this as these people earn well, eat well, have short stints with us so it does not take them away from home for too long and also it opens up opportunities for them and for our community here. Its win win, and also as they get a good deal and come for one month at a time when they show the tourists around its very natural and fresh, each tour shows something new - literally what they find. And the two old men in particular love it and act things out to the point you don't need translation.

So here are the village / family:

Some of the ladies

[Pic courtesy of Jack Somerville]

Cheeky Opa

Cheeky Opa's cheeks looking for things in the bush (I hope my bum is that firm at 76!)

[Pic courtesy of Jack Somerville]

Other Opa - found treasure of an abandoned birds nest make from spider webs (feels like the fluff you get out of the tumble dryer!), I have since seen him using this as a soft storage pouch.

So far we have had some great moments with them. Back in July last year I did some filming with them in Tsumkwe (something I am yet to write up for you), however I remembered them and they remembered me from this. I managed to get across to them in a mixture of 3 languages and with the help of someone translating - "remember that time when you were in the porcupine hole and the filming director told you we were finished and you told him to $%^& off as you still had work to do?" Somehow it translated and they remembered and we laughed (once again) at the filming director.

On our first visit over there one of the volunteers got really animated as she had spotted large carnivore tracks - "look!" she exclaimed in awe. I looked down, saw the print, saw how fresh and clear it was and looked up, there not 5 meters from us was...... a big, black Labrador - our Directors dog who had joined us for the afternoon. Shame to shatter her dreams! 

 

The last time I went over there one of our volunteers was sat with the Oma (Grandma in Afrikaans - respectful to a much older person) and they were discussing how they were both Oma's in a couple of broken languages and some signs. They were explaining their families and their names and Oma swapped names with our volunteer. To be given a name or receive the name of the person you are talking to is an honour and a nice way of showing that you are liked/ respected.  After the name swap I was brought into the conversation and managed to explain in Afrikaans and San (and sign language) what my English name was and that my San name was zebra (which is 3 clicks and has taken me a year to learn to say to a standard as our directors puts it 'I now know what you are trying to say' (thanks!) They also kind of got what I was saying and that it was because I hand reared baby zebras.

[Pic courtesy of Jack Somerville]

Oma

Having been told a couple of years ago that the praying mantis was lucky for the San people, we had to ask the story behind that through a translator. We had been told it was because the face shape was similar and they were seen as a god. Turns out these guys call it the 'green satan' and it 'means nothing to them' and is 'bad luck'. Ha, funny how folk law can get misconstrued!

One story we learned the last time I was there was about one of the Opa's (Grandads) he had scars all over his body and it turns out when he was hunting he crouched low, but had a poison arrow in his belt, this arrow ripped into his arm and in fear the poison could kill him they cut him all over to let his blood out and prevent him from dying. Now I am not sure about the methodology - or the pain from that (all I see is an injured arm, serious poisoning, severe blood loss and multiple stab wounds) however he survived so something worked.

[Pic courtesy of Jack Somerville]

This is the guy who injured himself on a poison arrow and experienced blood letting 

This lovely group went back today as their month is at an end, in a few days group number two arrives and I am sure we will have more fun and learn plenty with them. 

When you see these guys in their skins walking, foraging and saying attention to nature in the way that they do and you see how much they know about the plants and animals it amazes me how far removed we have become from nature. We could re-learn so much.

"It would be a very humbling experience for me to be in the presence of a people who live so close to nature, who are conservationists in the true word and who align their lives with the elements.  The way they intimately know nature and the instinct they have about living in the wild makes me realise how all the knowledge of the world is incomparable to a life’s experience. They absorb everything there is to know about their environment daily, learning new things and recalling old, they learnt to live with what they had and that I admire.  The way they know where to find food, or when it will rain, which plants to use to make poison and which to use for healing, a highly intellectual people in their own field." - Coral Fourie

[Pic courtesy of Jack Somerville]

Every session ends in a dance, traditional dancing about animals, stories, healing  trance and just fun singing and dancing. This can go long into the evening......

Good night!

Posh party for a baby

It seems there is nothing like being overseas when something happens in your home country. I remember sitting in Jo'berg airport on my way back to the UK in 2011 on the weekend of the Royal Wedding as Kate and Wills geared up to say their vows and watched the worlds media focused on London and the rest of the UK. I sat in the airport lounge and thought about what a funny little country Britain really is, with all our traditions and Royal red coated soldiers and how the masses turn out and go loopy for royalty and such occasions.

"I couldn't be a royal. It's like living in a supersonic goldfish bowl." - Ozzy Osbourne
 

So facebook told me of the announcement of the birth of Prince George - with status updates of 'how exciting', 'It's only a flippin baby' and 'Leave them alone people should be happy for them.' Personally I think its great news for them, but as I don't know them on a one to one basis so for me the babies born of my friends have been much more exciting, but its nice to see most of the world celebrating this birth. 

"People think I hate the Royal Family, but that's not true." - John Lydon 

So, coming back to being a quaint little country - its amazing to see the UK celebrate - its even stranger to be in another country and invited to celebrate such an event. One of the ladies who I work with has contacts to the Brit High Commission and the next thing we were invited to a garden party in honour of the new prince. With far too many ladies in hats and scones and clotted cream with the British Flag flying high we felt like we were in some sort of strange 1970's colonial movie. It was all a bit awkward at first as we had gone in jeans (smart ones with no rips or baboon poo on). We saw the hatted ladies and suited gents and were very relieved when a few more jean cladded invitees arrived. All in all we did have a lovely afternoon, and I think it was a good excuse for Brits to get together and also network. Having met the commissioner I also successfully managed to get a new business contact and we also met a rather attractive masseur / personal trainer who I am sure we might need to work with again at some point! 

Strange to think if I were in the UK or another country (perhaps) I don't think I would have been on such an invite list!! 

We have been having some fun recently with the porcupines digging into the junior and senior baboon camps at night, which means on occasion we have had marauding baboons running around by the morning, grass from thatched roofs everywhere and on one occasion Marlon one of the juniors was found in the office sat at the desk typing on the computer! 

"There once was a brainy baboon who always breathed down a bassoon, for he said, "It appears that in billions of years I shall certainly hit on a tune." - Ezra Pound

Perhaps he was testing the theory about eventually a baboon writing the entire works of Shakespeare if sat at a computer long enough. However, I am more convinced left long enough baboons would delete (not write) the entire works of Shakespeare.

We have ended up putting a low electrical wire on the outside of the camp to put off the porcupines who are keen on discarded oranges left in the baboon camp. 

“If you start throwing hedgehogs under me, I shall throw a couple of porcupines under you.” Nikita Khrushchev

In other baboon antics little Sheela has grown quite a lot and got to the age where she is testing people and seeing what she can get away with. Her usual morning cuddles that she comes to the office for have now extended into her coming to the offices rather than going on baby baboon walks, she finds it hilarious to run around and not go out with the others and tries to escape whenever she can. Like a teenager with a note from mum refusing to do PE at school.

"Actors are the best and the worst of people. They're like kids. When they're good, they're very very good. When they're bad they're very very naughty." - Kenneth Branagh 

[or should that be baboons]

I have been lucky enough to see my babies the other night. I ended up going on one of our night-time security drives (checking for poachers and putting them off) and they came pottering out of the bush. We had lovely cuddles even if they were very confused as to why I was there in the middle of the night. Donsie had her nose pressed up against the glass as we drove off   - Frankie is too cool for all that (or too wild)! 

Apparently they also came to the house the other day and Donsie has worked out the handle to the back door and pottered in with Frankie behind her. She got an apple as a reward for her efforts so I am sure she will be back!

"The terrorist uses surprise and stealth, and the only way to defeat that is by having accurate and timely intelligence." - Bill Nelson 

Ok, ok it was just an apple!

Animal and technological incidents

So, once again, back to farm life...

"Only he can understand what a farm is, what a country is, who shall have sacrificed part of himself to his farm or country, fought to save it, struggled to make it beautiful. Only then will the love of farm or country fill his heart." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery 

Over the last couple of weeks I seem to have gained two things - a static charge which goes off every time I touch metal or any other being, which was a bit of a shame for poor Lala who got a shock on her wet nose the other day when I was giving her her doggie pill that she hates to take anyway! I have also gained a huge ability to repel technology - most of my electrical items from my electric blanket to my hard drive seem to have died in some way or another. Maybe I am developing some sort of static powered anti -super -power?!

"I don't have a super power" - Ang Lee

In addition to my luck with technology I have also managed to be chased by a porcupine - which was quite scary (and no they don't throw their quills)

“Prickly

When I'm feeling
porcupine-y,
I get nasty,
I get whiny.

Stay away or
I might stick you.
My sharp words are
quills to prick you.” 

― Laura Purdie Salas


 I have also been rammed over and knocked about by our huge goat ram covered in bruises with a twisted ankle :0(

"New York is my Lourdes, where I go for spiritual refreshment... a place where you're least likely to be bitten by a wild goat." - Brendan Behan 

Despite all the bad luck I did have some very good luck and on the evening  I saw the brightest, closest most impressive shooting star that burned up into pieces.

"I guess I could still watch the clouds roll by, make a wish on a shooting star" - Piglet


I was also lucky enough to see the big male leopard on our farm! One of the drivers had spotted him and came back for a few of us, he has been hanging round one of our leopard camps as one of the females has been on heat. We drove around quietly a couple of times and then spotted him in the road, just as he swaggered off into to the bushes. Very impressive boy! 

"I went to South Africa on safari and came eye to eye with a beautiful leopard. We were so close; I was staring at him for a long time and I felt a recognition with my own nature." - Bai Ling 

Here he is for you....

The last few weeks have been very busy. We usually have around 30 volunteers at one time and at the moment we have around 70. Its great fun and we are getting a lot done, but its also a bit hectic! For some reason things always seem to happen at the weekend also. 

"I've got a hectic schedule, but I wouldn't have my life any other way." - Dominic Monaghan 

This weekend has been crazy, with so many people we have some of our volunteers staying in holiday homes, so I have been dropping and picking them up. I dropped them Friday evening and went for then at 7am Saturday, after a coffee I had a funny feeling and  decided to check on the new baby oryx, I didn't know but apparently it had been getting weaker and weaker and I found it with only hours to go, I called our Director, but sadly, nothing could be done for her. 

Baby oryx's are so sweet looking - more of a tan colour than a grey like the adults and all antelopes seem to have such sweet eyes.



Next thing we get a call that a cobra has been spotted on the baby baboon walk and a very quick thinking volunteer gathered up the people and baboons, called us and headed back without incident. Our researcher decided to go off with his research volunteers to see if he could find it with no luck. He is hoping to dig it out in the next few days and relocate it. He wanted to go over the weekend and I suggested he wait for the week so as not to 'tempt the weekend gods' they can be quite volatile!

  After running round all day with agents we then had a braai and I had my guests to run home. On the way back I was stopped by someone wanting me to take a kitten back to my house to stop the jack russell trying to have its way with it. Mother Nature can be strange at times!

"One of the things I enjoy is the challenge of Mother Nature." -  Nik Wallenda 

I have been lucky enough to see my babies a couple of times over the last few weeks and they are growing and wandering further and further. Sometimes they are with the donkeys and sometimes the zebras (like a couple at Christmas time sharing which family they go to). As they wandered off yesterday with their friends they stopped and looked back at me as if asking me to go with. Sometimes its sad I cant live in the veldt with them and they cant live in a house with me!

"Every goodbye makes the next hello closer." - anon

In sad news over the last couple of weeks Jaci's skin infection has been getting worse and worse and she had been losing weight and becoming a sad dog, the ultimate decision to put her down was taken and a few of us took her into the vet last weekend, very sad to say goodbye to an old friend.

"A good-bye is never painful unless you’re never going to say hello again." - anon

"Being strong sometimes means being able to let go." - anon

Both sadly and excitingly this place is a microcosm of the cycle of life, we lose animals - some after a few hours or days nad some after many years and on the flip side we gain animals sometimes one a month, sometimes several a day. Over the last few weeks we have gained a new baby baboon, Kimi 


who somehow came with a pygmy goat- coco.