29
Aluredian
The other main activity was recording the
effects of feeding elephants on bush by
measuring the height of vegetation in 10m
square plots within the concession. To get to
these involved walking with an armed guard,
and one of the more exciting experiences was
being driven off one plot by a herd of 50
buffalo! The task of the first research season
was to sample 600 10m x 10m plots and then
resample these every year for the next five
years - an ambitious target that will produce
some very important data for future
management schemes for elephants in African
game reserves.
The game we saw and encountered was
wonderful, and most of it seen at very close
quarters, and in many cases, on foot. The staff
at both camps were incredibly helpful and we
all felt that we learnt an enormous amount, but
also genuinely helped in contributing towards
the conservation of the unique wildlife found in
the African bush.
My wife Elisabeth and I wanted to say a
special thanks to everyone on the trip - they
could not have been a better group for this our
last expedition with the King's biology
department. Many thanks from 'Mamma and
Papa P' - as we were known by the end of the
expedition! South Africa
conservation
trip
by Roger Poland