Our meetup on the Osmers Farm
Lily (left in green fleece), Rita (center in hat and sunglasses) and Sammi (who appears delighted) waiting for "go".
We gathered in a clearing and introduced ourselves while Rita prepared her darts. Andre's crew were quietly waiting in their truck, ready and confident in their Parawild Capture Team uniforms. Andre' himself, who looks a bit like a giraffe and who I met last year while working with a giraffe, was coordinating trucks, checking radios, fixing the trailer hitch on our vehicle and generally getting things set up. I live in dread of mistakenly calling him Andre' Giraffe one day.
My view from the back of yet another truck. This one was the exception, in that it was khaki instead of white!
A panorama from the back of the truck--scroll left and right to view. Even without giraffes, this view is worth the trouble!
Heli's up.
Heading for the giraffe
Transporting giraffes is quite an undertaking. The giraffe must be spotted from the air, identified as the one wanted for transport, darted--usually while running--and then located by the recovery team and reached with the transport trailer within a very few minutes so that the drugs can be reversed before the risk to the animal increases. On a huge property criss-crossed with 2-tracks, overhanging trees (giraffe trailers are quite tall, especially with giraffes in them!), and thick brush, hauling a trailer to the loading site is not for the faint-hearted!
At last, we heard the helicopter go up, so we jumped into the back of Jessica's truck and she began heading the truck and trailer in the direction of the giraffe sighting. The radio crackled with incomprehensible static-muffled Afrikkans, but we steadily got closer to where the heli was working, circling a group of giraffes. The red dusty earth was littered with quartz and mica, and the ground sparkled as if it was covered with diamonds. We even left sparkly dust in our wake! The radio notified us that a giraffe had been darted, and the heli was tracking it overhead. We trailed after on the ground, trying to find tracks that took us closer, dodging overhead trees and rocks underfoot. Eventually, the helicopter hovered over the place the giraffe went down, and we approached as closely as possible. Andre' and his team had already arrived, placed a blindfold and ear plugs on the giraffe to decrease panic, and put a halter on her head and a rope around her neck, between her forelegs, and around the outsides of her hind legs. The halter and neck rope would help them steer her into the trailer when she got up. She was lying on her side and not looking very big at all. Rita gave her the reversal drug IV, and she almost immediately shook her head, then sat up like a dog, and stood. Suddenly, she looked HUGE! She stood there, swaying gently, then began to move forward as Andre' pulled on the halter. It really looked very much like leading a poorly trained horse as they progressed toward the trailer. The trailer itself is about the size of a small 2-horse trailer, with tall sides, an open top, and a loading ramp. When she got to the ramp and placed her first foot on, she backed quickly away. Rita used the cattle prod and she walked forward, then back, danced around a bit, then walked into the trailer. The team immediately closed the trailer and then slid heavy pipes in place behind her to help her keep her feet. Ropes were removed, except for the halter, and we headed out with the trailer. Now overhead branches became even more crucial. In some places, it was impossible to avoid them, and some of the parawild team used machetes to chop off the low limbs to allow us to pass safely.
Giraffe down. Note the ropes on the outsides of her hind legs. These help steer her into the trailer.
Andre' (whose last name is NOT Giraffe!) and Rita surveying the situation. If you look closely you can see that the giraffe is wearing a blindfold and that someone is sitting on her head to keep her down, just as one would with a horse.
A better view of the giraffe prepared for transport. She is wearing a blindfold, and the yellow tape around her ear bases both help retain her earplugs, and remind us to remove them. She also has a livestock halter on, passing between her ossicones (hornlike projections at the top of her head) and her ears. Rita is administering a partial reversal of the tranquilizer, which will allow the giraffe to recover enough to stand and walk to the trailer, since carrying her is not really an option!
And the giraffe soon sits up
While she catches her breath and equalizes her blood pressure, we take tourist photos.
Allyssa with Andre' and Rita (don't worry, Jessica took front views, which I will post when it's not bedtime.)
Danielle
Rebecca (?)
Harley
Luke
Rita is ready to move a giraffe! (Photobombed by a kid from the other group)
And this is what a giraffe in a trailer looks like!
Giraffe on the move!
Video of the first giraffe
Giraffe 1 continued
Giraffe in trailer
Releasing the first giraffe
After a long, rough trip up to the gate, we traveled down the road only about 15 minutes, then in at another farm. a short 10-minute drive brought us into a camp where a large group of rhinos were hanging out. After eyeing them for a few minutes, they retired to the trees around the edges of the camp, and we set about releasing the giraffes. The tape securing the blindfold and ear plugs was cut, and the final dose of tranquilizer reversal given into the muscle. Almost instantly, the relatively docile animal became more active. The pipes across the trailer were removed, ramp lowered, and she strolled out seemingly without a care. The second one strolled out, turned and took a few steps toward us, then kicked out her hind foot at us before walking calmly away.
Removing the blindfold and ear plugs
can be a bit challenging when the patient has a neck this long!
Halter coming off
Final reversal injection going in
And she walks calmly away
To begin her new life
The third giraffe did not go quite as much to plan. She was darted from the helicopter, but did not go down as expected and continued to run. She had run for at least 15 minutes after being darted, which was long enough to be concerned about the effect of the drugs on her. The heli kept tracking her while it was decided that they would dart her with the reversal agents in a drop-out dart, which would dispense the medication and then dissolve and fall out on its own. Rita prepared the dart and Andre' ran it to the heli team. Just as they got back in the air, they radioed that she was looking unsteady. She made one last run, and crashed into the 10-foot-tall electrified wire perimeter fence. She went down, but one foreleg was entangled under the woven wire portion of the fence, and several other wires were over her legs. Since she tipped the fence outward, she was lying at the top of a steep embankment directly above the main road. This was not looking great.
We arrived as Andre' was placing the earplugs and she was already blindfolded. The halter and neck rope were on, but she was still lying where she fell on the fence. The 2 student groups were enlisted to stand on the fence and hold it down so that it would not spring back up when she was moved, and the capture team physically pulled her off from the fence. Unfortunately, that meant that they also pulled her toward the drop to the road. She was maneuvered to face back onto the property, and her tranquilizer partially reversed. With some coaxing, she stood and allowed Andre' to lead her over the fence wire toward the trailer. However, as she approached the trailer, she slowed, and her first foot on the ramp resulted in her slamming on the brakes. She would not be maneuvered into that trailer! Repeated re-positioning of giraffe and trailer continued until we had to leave to go horseback riding. At some point, she was loaded and moved to her new home to begin a new breeding program.
The giraffe took down the 8-foot high wire fence, including the electricfied portion. Power was cut immediately, but she remained entangled in the fence.
Giraffe entangled in the fence
Meanwhile, we were late for riding; we zoomed up the road past our lodge and back to where Tam was waiting for us. Time had flown by, and we realized that we had been working from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm without even water, let alone lunch. We ate and drank hurriedly on the road.
Tam re-assigned horses for the ride and everybody mounted up, and Lily rode with us. Allyssa had a migraine and stayed behind in the van drinking water. We soon rode out, with me right behind Tam on Beau. He had a reputation for walking fast and crowding other horses, who tended to be leery of him since he was the herd boss. Once again, we walked a while and Beau and I got comfortable together: He, like the other horses I have ridden at Tam's, was quiet and businesslike, but very well trained. He just wanted very light cues, and responded instantly.
The group rides out
Sami taking a photo while Luke's horse sneaks a bite. Lily is in the middle in the green shirt, still aboard her horse!
Our first trot was a bit rough: Beau is not a smooth horse, and I quickly developed a cramp in my left thigh. I determined to "ride it out", and kept on trotting with the group. It eased a bit, we slowed to a walk, and the ride continued. Up and down, over rocks and sand, on paths and tracks. The Golden Hour was approaching again, and the light became liquid and lovely. We trotted again, then had a canter. Beau was ready to go, and immediately cantered when asked. We thundered up the trail, when suddenly I heard faster hoofbeats coming behind me. Tam signaled for a walk, and I slowed Beau; just before he slowed, he dropped his head and gave a couple of bucks! I brought his head up and turned him to the left and he responded immediately. Just at that moment, Lily's horse came running up behind us, nearly running into us. Beau stood patiently while they caught their breath and the rest of the group caught up. Lily has not done much riding and she was a bit flustered.
Riding in the Golden Hour. Go, FFA!
Heading back, bringing up the rear
The bush is lovely just before sunset.
We rode on, and for the next canter, we split into 2 groups, and 3 of us cantered off, with the remaining horses to follow more slowly. As we crested the hill, I heard Lily's voice behind us--her horse had decided he was following us no matter what! She had had quite a gallop, but managed to stay on again! We walked peacefully for a while as the sun began to set behind the mountains and the sky edge turned red. For one last gallop, the less experienced riders went ahead this time, avoiding further unplanned gallops for Lily. We followed and had a lovely little gallop. Although Beau was known to walk fast, especially toward home, he contentedly brought up the rear, not even crowding the horse in front.
We got back, dismounted, and said our good-byes. Tam would soon be moving farther away, so we would not be riding with her next year. Although she assured me that there would be plenty of good places to ride, I will surely miss her good organization and excellent horses.
The van ride back was alternately exhausted silence and overtired giggling. We were happy to get back to the lodge, unload, and await Jane's supper. We gorged on sweet potatoes, vegetables, mashed potatoes, meatballs and salad, and finished with gelatin and custard again. The lounge emptied soon after; we are all pretty exhausted, and we have a 4:45 am departure tomorrow for Jamala to visit the elephants. I suspect I may be a bit stiff and sore in the morning, between some bruising and more riding. Time to get in better shape, although I still seem to feel better than most of the students!
Wifi is acting up, and I have to get up in 6 short hours, so I will post the remaining photos and videos tomorrow.
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