Location
The setting for your Eco School Challenge will be the malaria free Eastern Cape of South Africa. This area of South Africa, historically, held one of Africa's highest concentration of Game. Tragically, the early settlers shot out these species that once roamed the area, some 200 years ago. It is now the drive and vision of many people to reintroduce these once native species back to the land. This is your opportunity to join this drive.

Accommodation
You will be staying at Potes Lodge situated adjacent to the Shamwari breeding centre and Wildlife Department. An ideal location to base in the heart of the reserves conservation activity.

All transfers are conducted by AVIS South Africa and are in comfortable vehicles suitable to the groups size. Our programmes operate fully licensed Homologated vehicles for game viewing and conservation activities

Conservation Project

Day 1
Transfer from PE airport to Shamwari Game Reserve
Tea and Coffees on arrival
Briefing for safety, fire drill, indemnity, house rules and regulations.
Orientation of facilities and surrounds
Introduction to wildlife - Horns and Hooves
Dinner - 18:30 Traditional Braai/BBQ

Day 2
Breakfast served at 07:00
Nature walk on Esingeni reserve, wildlife tracks and dung.
Lunch served in the bush
Talk on South Africa, common tress and medical uses for these.
Dinner at 18:30
Night walk and basic astronomy.

Day 3
Breakfast served at 07:00
Pre-trail preparatory hike on Willow Fountain Game Reserve
Lunch will be served in the bush.
Wildlife and human co-evolution - the Khoisan and the rock art (including cave visit)
Learn to make fire like the Bushman
Dinner will be served at 18:30

Day 4
Breakfast served at 07:00
Wildlife, rehabilitation, settler history and tribes of South Africa talk with Basil Mills.
Lunch at accommodation
Pack and prepare for campout in bush
Observe the wildlife on route to the campsite.
Dinner prepared at the campsite.

Day 5
Breakfast made at camp
Return from campout.
Talk on land use changes: Olive farm and ecotourism by Craig Rippon.
Lunch at accommodation
Collect the fire wood for Braai.
Go fishing or relax around the accommodation.
Rifle training
Dinner served

Day 6 & 7
Weekend for leisure and own activities.

Day 8 - depart Esingeni
Breakfast is served at 07:00
Morning spent at Shamwari Animal Hospital helping to care for the patients
Lunch is served at accommodation.
Short afternoon Game Drive
Dinner at Potes.

Day 9
Breakfast is served at 7:00
Tracking cheetah and leopard using telemetry.
Elephant and rhino ID.
Packed lunch in the bush
Talk by Darren on raptors and reptiles in South Africa.
Dinner will be served at accommodation.

Day 10
Breakfast served at 07:00
Brief talk on game management.
Born Free tour with possible feeding.
Packed lunch in the bush.
Shooting with 223 and a 12 gauge shot gun.
Dinner served at accommodation

Day 11
Breakfast is served at 07:00
Talk with Anja Truter on rhino conservation and poaching.
Lunch is served at Potes.
Murray Stoke the resident vet will give a talk on veterinary practice on game reserve.
With a tour of the veterinary centre.
Watch wildlife DVD's (big cat doctor)
Dinner is served at accommodation

Day 12
Breakfast is served at 07:00
Visit community in local township of Paterson.
Lunch served back at reserve
Relax for the afternoon at the accommodation
Dinner is served at accommodation
A night game drive tracking lion.

Day 13
The weekend is for your own leisure activities, which can include Bungee jumping, skydiving or surfing in Jeffreys Bay.

Day 14
Breakfast will be served
You will then be transferred to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg.

CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES

Conservation activity suggestions may be variable according to the circumstance on the reserve, i.e. due to weather or sudden emergency, thus this is not a fixed itinerary. I have included no direct veterinary practice as the day and type of work is not pre-determined.

• Predator, mammal identification using ear notching, body markings
  
• Animal tracking, wild dogs, leopard and lion
  
• Searching for injured animals, newly born young
  
• Observation and participation in veterinary work, darting of predators and mammals
  
• Veterinary situation analysis with Veterinary surgeon
  
• Lectures with Veterinary surgeons
  
• Visit by Mr Mills- interaction with reptiles at Madolos, historical class.
  
• Reed planting
  
• Educational trails through predator free reserve
  
• Visiting African bushman paintings
  
• Star gazing and night drives
  
• Education of flora/fauna- medicinal usage
  
• Visiting and assisting at the Born Free Big Cat Sanctuary
  
• Feeding resident lion. Leopard, cheetah
  
• Learning about Born free charity
  
• Enclosure maintenance