1st week at Addo!

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Hi everyone ... well internet access here is very limited! I could go a month without access & when do have it we have very little time, so I don't know when i'll get chance to download photos & keep you updated, but so far ...

I have been involved with assisting the rangers with fence patrol (not too exciting) but by doing so you get to see all the animals that the tourists don't, so seen yellow mongoose, zebra, a male & female lion sitting in the shade about 8m away from the 4x4 (which me & other volunteer stand outside on the back of .. all good fun!), antelope, tortoises, vervet monkeys (all around the camp too), bird's of prey (still have to ID these!) & of course lots of elephants. I'm hoping to see the rhino's soon but have to go down to the hide at night for that, maybe at the weekend I will as we get up at 5.30am during the week. So i've got lots of nice photos already & when I get chance I will attach them.

Yesterday we had quite a boring day, we finished work at around 4.30pm & then a student came rushing up to us as the rangers were going to dart a lioness so they could loosen her collar that are tracking her with & give her a general check over. So we all went racing over to other side of park to watch & then we got chance to have a close look & touch the lion when she was sedated. So it turned out to be a good day!

Hopefully they are going to release cheetahs into the park next week so that is something to look forward to!

Other than that the accomodation is of course basic, which I am sharing at the moment with 1 german, 1 swiss & 1 dutch (all girls) who luckily for me all speak quite good english lol. There are also a few researchers on site & we can assist them, so next week I'm going to assist an american girl with elephant research & hopefully will be involved with carnivore (the lions especially) research. The rangers also start game capture in February so it will be good to get involved with that too. So all in all lots to look forward to.

Hope your all ok ... will add another log when I get chance. Take care, Michelle xx

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