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Animal conservation in South Africa

Lions, tigers and chainsaws
John Kandell worked on an animal conservation project in South Africa...

"We are now working at a lion park in Jo'burg with the imaginative name of 'Lion Park'. Having moved from Cape Town at the end of last month we have just spent the last couple of weeks at a tented camp and have now moved to a backpackers' somewhat nearer civilisation. The camp was 14km away from the nearest web cafe and 200 metres away from the lions' night enclosures. The first means quiet times off and the second provides roaring. This is amazing when you first hear the prides calling to each other but loses its appeal on the eighth night at 3am.

The camp itself is of the luxury type with duvets and proper beds but has the traditional 'walk to the loo in the middle of the night' common to all campsites. However, here you can encounter the non-carnivorous species (zebra, oryx, wildebeest, spring and gemsboks) on the way as the site is unfenced. If you encounter any of the carnivores, something has gone a touch wrong.

On the first day we were taken to see the cheetahs being walked from day enclosures to the nursery. This entails catching the cheetah by the tail and using it much like a dog's lead. I managed to catch one as it sped past the handler and was pleased not to be bitten. It turns out they are the gentlest of the parks animals, often wondering up for a lick when one cleans their cage. This impresses tourists who think we are defying a deadly hunter.

Most of my time is now spent with the lions, my favourites being the six-month-olds. Frankly, if you can get me sweeping cages and pooper-scooping and not have me complain, it has got to be pretty good.

The worst job is cutting meat, mostly horseflesh complete with hair and occasional mane, which has an interesting effect on the skin-tones of the vegetarians as they get wrist deep in gore.

The best job is being in with lions and dealing with interested customers. Please note the word 'interested', there is nothing worse than people who decide that a safety brief isn't interesting and that lions are just a bigger version of their tabby at home. It is amazing how readily people will put their hand on a lion cub's head.

Still, at least we get some amusement from the unfortunates who do not comply with the sign telling them to move off if a hyena approaches their car in the enclosures. These sad-looking doglike creatures have a fondness for number plates and car tyres, combined with their ability to exert up to five tonnes per square inch bite pressure this results in some amusing insurance claims. Personally, I don't go in with hyenas.

In other matters we have just had election day here; things have been very quiet apart from a few instances of parties pretending to be officials and 'helping' illiterates fill out their ballot papers. The key issues are crime and employment. AIDS, said to have infected up to 40% of the population, is not considered a huge issue. This could be because of reassurance from the Health Minister that garlic and onions can be used to treat it and the revelation by the President, Thabo Mbeki, that HIV is not actually linked to AIDS.

Recently volunteers have been extolled to 'buy a donkey' by Afrikaners in the lion park. Did they really expect the lions to be fed live prey? Or were they keen to see a Zedonk (a donkey/zebra cross-breed - really). On consulting a very amused Ranger we are told that instead of animal purchasing advice we are being given a thank you in Afrikaans!

Our latest challenge has been to produce some structures to make the animal pens more interesting has made things very entertaining.

We find a chainsaw and head for some trees. Working with Rodney, one of the guides, we work out some safety precautions and select our trees. We then clear the area and select the first tree-victim. Rodney confesses a fear of chainsaws. This is strangely reassuring.

After a few 10m trees are downed we decide on a 15m tree. If you have never cut a tree down before, this is big. It also has comedy potential we try to foil by moving everything 20m away - mostly vehicles and people. Sally is appointed camerawoman.

I explain to Rodney how to cut a small V shape in the direction of fall and then cut from the other side. Impressed with my knowledge he asks if I have done this before. He is less impressed when I reveal my knowledge is probably based on watching a TV programme. It is decided that I will make the cuts. Rodney's job is to watch for the fall beginning and tap me on the shoulder so we can run away.

The sawing begins and part way through I turn to Rodney to say the fall will be soon. He replies with an expletive. Instinctively I understand and we run. The tree topples and falls exactly as planned. Even better, Sally has the fall on film but did not catch our run until we walk nonchalantly to inspect our kill.

It then takes two days to cut it up as the chainsaw breaks down often and technical support consists of two Xhosa hitting it with spanners alternated with discussing what might be wrong.

We assemble the cut timber in the cages and then watch the animals investigate and play. This is most fulfilling. It also made me the first Volunteer to be allowed in with the tigers.

After much briefing and being given a can of pepper-spray we enter carrying a large log. The tigers are scared off with my best Sergeant-Major's voice until it all becomes too exciting for one. He charges and leaps at me in the spirit of play. This is bad news. If they topple you they can switch into a bite response and it gets a bit painful until your number two pepper-sprays them. However, an aggressive shout and a punch on his nose sends him away. Yes, dear reader, today I punched a tiger in the face and lived. From then on the animal keeps a respectful distance under our watchful eyes. I am pronounced to have done well.

From there we uneventfully install branches in the two-year-old lions and the black leopards. This has been an excellent day and an evening in the bar will do nicely after yet another excellent meal.

It is particularly satisfying to know we have made something that will have a positive and lasting effect of the animals’ quality of life.

That and chainsaws and tiger-punching!"




Name: i-to-i
Address: Woodside House, 261 Low Lane, Horsforth, LS18 5NY
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