Video supplied by WildEarth It was a joyous occasion celebrating the newest addition to the Amakhala family: an adorable and oh-so-little newborn baby hippo! It was born around the 7th of August and is the second calf born on the reserve. Well done, mama hippo! A team from WildEarth accompanied by naturalist Lauren Arthur and David (Dawie) Eastaugh
came across the tiny pink-eared baby hippo while visiting Amakhala Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape province. It was still so young, the umbilical cord was still visible. Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), which means “river horse”, are generally considered to be the third largest living land mammal, after elephants and white rhinos. Male hippos can weigh 1600 - 3200kg and female hippos weigh between 655kg and 2344kg. Just a hippo hide alone can weigh half a
ton! The Amakhala team is delighted to welcome another member of this iconic species to the Amakhala Game Reserve’s ecosystem, which is an ideal habitat for hippos. Currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, hippo populations have been decreasing as their habitats shrink due to human destruction and urbanisation, making it vital for game reserves and protected areas to provide a safe haven for these magnificent
creatures. Celebrating World Rhino Day This year, Amakhala Foundation celebrated World Rhino Day, held annually on 22 September 2022, with children from the local village
pre-school. #WorldRhinoDay is a very poignant time for Amakhala: while we celebrate our majestic rhinos roaming the Reserve; we also remember and pay tribute to our rhinos - Chippy, Isipho and Geza – that were lost to poachers, along with more than 9000 other rhinos across South Africa over the last 14 years; and we renew our commitment to protect and ensure the survival of this iconic species and all other wildlife on Amakhala Game
Reserve. The theme for this year’s #WorldRhinoDay was “Five Rhino Species Forever”. With the aim of introducing the children to the five different species of rhinos at an early age, Amakhala Foundation staff hosted five of the eight learners aged 1- 4 years currently attending the nearby iJosi pre-school along with their teacher. The learners enjoyed a short, simplified lesson focused on the differences between the five different rhino
species and why we need to protect them, followed by a snack and a fun activity during which the children painted a rainbow rhino, and did a great job while having a wonderful time! Kenton Rhino Run For World Rhino Day World Rhino Day is a global conservation initiative and is celebrated annually on 22 September 2022. The theme this year was ‘Five Rhino Species Forever’ to raise public
awareness of the five rhino species in the world: Black Rhino, White Rhino, Javan, Sumatran and Greater One-Horned. A team from Amakhala Game Reserve took part in the annual Kenton Rhino Run, in association with Sunshine Coast Tourism and Outdoor Focus, in support of Chipembere Rhino Foundation. The Kenton Rhino Run is a global trail running event to raise awareness and funds against rhino poaching, with great support from the Kenton community with donations of time,
sponsorships and prizes for runners and walkers. More than 9,353 rhinos have been lost to poaching across South Africa since 2008 and there are just 15,023 White
and 2,056 Black rhinos left in our country. According to the IUCN Red List, black rhinos are classified as critically endangered, while white rhinos are classified as near threatened. Rhino lovers who couldn’t join can still support the cause by buying the Mastertons Coffee & Tea Specialists’ Chipembere Blend Roasted for a Cause, available from leading retailers, as R5 from every bag of coffee sold is donated to Chipembere Rhino Foundation. Amakhala Game Reserve Lodge News
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We were extremely pleased to host a long expected visit from Worcester University at Woodbury Tented Camp recently. This was the product of a long-standing relationship between one of Woodbury’s owners, Jennifer Gush, and Dr Chris Brown, formerly of
Rhodes University where he lectured Jennifer, and now the principal lecturer in Animal Biology at Worcester. Chris’s students had a ball conducting research projects around the camp, including insect collecting, camera trapping and bird counts. Each student will be making a presentation on their findings at the start of the next term. We wish them the best of luck! |
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Quatermain's 1920's Safari Camp
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Want to experience the perfect safari for you? Quartermain’s is the place to enjoy a bespoke safari package created just for you, and by you! At Quartermain’s you can enjoy the comfort and space of your own private safari vehicle, along
with all the benefits of a dedicated ranger catering to your specific needs and interests, before savouring a truly intimate and delicious dining experience. Did you know that Quatermain's 1920's Safari Camp can also be booked out on an exclusive use basis? This charmingly rustic camp, which can sleep up to 6 guests, is available for bookings for groups of 2 - 6 persons to enjoy a tailormade experience in nature. Meals, game drives as well as game walk lengths and times can be arranged
to suit your needs and children of any age are welcome with exclusive use groups. For tailored safari packages, please contact co-owner Julie Brand at [email protected] |
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Hearty congratulations to the Bukela rangers, who came out on top at this year’s Rangers Awards, during the annual award ceremony which took place on the 11th of August. Two of our very own rangers were recognised for their outstanding service
and dedication at this platform for acknowledging and appreciating the exceptional guides of Amakhala who create great safari experiences for our guests.
Celebrating six years of guiding, Mluleki (Lucky) Nokhanda was awarded a Long Service award - a wonderful achievement and a milestone we are so proud of. Our beloved Monde Galelimali, set for a great future in conservation, walked away with the Rookie of the Year award.
We are delighted to have our rangers, who are an integral part
of the unique Bukela experience, recognised in this way for their exceptional contributions. |
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Over at Woodbury Lodge, no idle hands could be found, as the entrance to the lodge and reception area were revamped in style to provide guests with more convenient parking for their own vehicles and access to the land cruisers at game drive times. The
lodge gardens have also had some extra TLC in line with these upgrades. We are grateful to have many international guests returning to Amakhala, and pleased that they are able to turn their dream of an African safari into a reality at Woodbury Lodge. |
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It’s been an incredibly busy few wintery months at Leeuwenbosch: we have had a fabulous mix of visitors, welcomed back some of our loyal agents who are sending us very special guests, and celebrated the exciting births of a baby hippo and a baby
giraffe.
Groups of veterinary students from universities from all over the world stayed with us for 16 days at a time, working with our owner Dr William Fowlds to save, help and learn about the wildlife on Amakhala and the surrounding reserves. What an incredible experience it is for these students to be part of this important work in this amazing place.
We also hosted a beautiful wedding for 160 guests, as well as two engagements, so love is definitely in the air at
Leeuwenbosch. Our game drives have not disappointed, keeping our guests in awe until they leave as friends – exactly what Leeuwenbosch is famous for! |
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Guests at Hlosi Game Lodge recently enjoyed a phenomenal sighting! The two Amakhala hippos who took up residency at the waterhole just outside our family-friendly lodge, had welcomed a little calf to their family overnight.
Not too long ago,
the hippos arrived at their new home at Amakhala, the perfect habitat with a large and safe area for the hippos. This hippo birth is also a significant moment for the Amakhala team on their mission to return the land back to its magnificent indigenous wildlife. The baby hippo is doing well, spending happy days in the sun and putting on quite a show playing in the water next to mom, much to the delight of the staff and the guests at the Lodge. It's still too early to tell if it’s a
baby hippo boy or girl, but watch this space: we’ll share the happy news as soon as we know! |
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Amakhala Foundation
Amakhala Expedition 2022 The Amakhala Foundation, in partnership with Ulovane Environmental Training, proudly hosted the Amakhala Expedition in July 2022.
A group of 37 Grade 7 boys, as well as four
teachers, from St Andrew’s Preparatory School in Grahamstown enjoyed a week of sleeping out, hiking and learning about tracking, night skies and making fires, amongst many other interesting activities and skills training. During the Expedition, the boys’ leadership, teamwork and communication skills were also put to the test and there were a few new additions to this exciting programme, including Archery and Tug of War. An
almost an entirely new Amakhala team had to be recruited this year, working with Ulovane, whose mission is to develop exceptional nature, trails, marine and bird guides who are committed to the conservation and eco-tourism industries in Africa. Overall, the camp was a great success, and we trust that it made a significant impact on all 37 boys, igniting their passion and respect for the African bush and its wildlife. As Mr Marc
Paul, Grade 6 teacher and Deputy Headmaster, said: “A massive thanks from St Andrew’s. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with us. What an amazing, enriching and awesome experience!” The Amakhala Foundation, together with the Amakhala Volunteers, hosted children from surrounding local schools for Arbour Day celebrations on 7 September 2022, as part of National
Arbour Week. The theme for the day was “Why are trees special”, and did not only focus on trees in general, but also on “survival skills” utilising trees. A total of 56 Grade 1, 2 and 3 learners from Lucebiso Primary School, Sidbury Primary School and Alexandria Christian Academy enjoyed great lessons about the importance of trees, provided through fun activities that included painting, dowsing or finding water using sticks, as
well as building strong and waterproof mini shelters using wild olive stick and branches, to name just a few. Some were visiting Amakhala for the first time, but the excitement and smiles on all the faces proved that everyone enjoyed themselves. Learners rotated in groups to attend three different “bases”, each featuring a lesson and fun activity focused on a speciality of trees, covering topics such as photosynthesis and the
oxygen cycle. The programme concluded with a “circle game, in which learners had a chance to be oxygen, water, soil and space, with the aim of learning to protect and respect the trees. |
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