Amazing Na'ankuse

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Up at a leisurely time this morning and a nice breakfast at Elegant House in Windhoek. Laston picked us up for the transfer to Na'ankuse where we discovered one of our photo tour group had already checked in and was on a feeding tour of the animals.

This is an amazing place run by Marlice and Rudy van Vurren, but mostly it's Marlice who has a special relationship with the animals. They have many staff and lots of willing volunteers to lend helping hands for this huge menagerie that includes a pack of African wild dogs, lions, leopards, cheetahs, baboons, caracals and a huge assortment of farm animals.

For anyone traveling to Namibia, we highly recommend a visit to this magical place. It came to the media attention when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie visited and subsequently donated a few million US$ to support the Foundation. But we could see that many many people support their work with donations.

Na'ankuse also has a television series "Wild Animal Orphans" for those who subscribe to nature channels. Na'ankuse is a huge place. They take in or rescue all sorts of orphaned or injured animals and try to return as many as possible to the wild. Those that can't be returned to the wild find a good permanent home at Na'ankuse. The Foundation conducts research on methods for farmers to co-exist with the wild animals. For instance, they have discovered that 'guard' donkeys embedded with a cattle herd will fight off any predators. Yes donkeys! This saves cheetahs and leopards from being shot or poisoned by the farmers. Similarly, a special breed of dogs will guard sheep and goats.

Marlice has a special place in her heart for cheetahs and baboons, but it was a cheetah named Kiki that stole our hearts. In late afternoon, Marlice brought Kiki to a small pond on the property and we photographers had the opportunity to photograph the cheetah in her natural environment, with reflection in the pond, walking in the grass, and on a small hill with the setting sun that created an incredible silhouette. The ten of us plus our leader Jim Zuckerman were in photographer heaven. Marlice and Rudy then joined us for a sumptuous three course meal.

The next day, again with the guidance of Marlice, we were able to enter the African wild dog enclosure where, surrounded by the entire pack of 15 dogs up close and personal and protected by volunteers, we photographed the dogs to our hearts content. At ground level, on our knees - no fences! It was an amazing opportunity that you just don't get in the wild. Unless you relish being eaten by a voracious pack of wild dogs, that is. They spare nothing when they are hungry, and were certainly wild. Marlice and Rudy are looking for a suitable place to release the pack back into the wild now that they are no longer helpless orphaned puppies.

Next we went from the dogs to the lions, this time NOT into the enclosure, as they were most definitely vicious and would have attacked on the spot. This time, we were satisfied to photograph them through the wire fence, but even then we had to keep our distance. Then on to the leopards, which Marlice had raised from orphaned kittens, also photographed from a safe distance outside the enclosure now that they are full grown and dangerous.

In the afternoon, Kiki made another appearance right in the Lodge and Marlice was able to entice her onto the sofa for a special photo shoot. Later in the day, as the afternoon 'golden hour' approached, we were taken to photograph the caracals, right inside the enclosure, donkeys, baby zebras and a troop of meerkats. The baby donkey was so rambunctious, that it went behind one of our group and he stumbled over backwards. No great injuries, but we have wonderful memories of this incredible place.

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