|
DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage is a registered non profit organisation and the accommodation we provide helps to cover the running costs of the wildlife orphanage and the education of local underprivileged children.
We are on a 700 ha. private game farm located in the Limpopo Province, close to the town of Hoedspruit in South Africa.
Staying at Daktari is a unique experience. You will be in the middle of the bush. During your stay at Daktari you will be able to help us in our objectives by helping the children and caring for the animals, or just relax and visit the surroundings.
http://www.daktaribushschool.org
When we were younger, there was a TV program called Daktari. It was about a family in Africa, who looked after and raised many different types of orphaned wild animals. As kids we loved it and I remember getting deeply emotionally attached to the different animals.
Subsequently, having grown up in the bush in Africa and through my work as a ranger, I have taken care of many orphaned animals, all the way from small bush babies, giraffes, elephants and lions - even injured birds that had flown into power lines or windows.
|
My wife, Michèle also used to watch Daktari in France where she grew up. Already then she vowed to live in Africa one day and to look after animals herself. Her dream came true when we met on a game reserve, and she was able to assist in hand-raising a baby zebra which had been attacked by lions, an orphaned wildebeest, and two small orphaned warthogs whose mother had been killed by lions. Since then, there have been many more.
Michele Merrifield and her colleagues managed to save this baby zebra which was attacked by a lion. It was badly mauled, and only through love and dedication could it have survived. The companionship of Michele and the baby Gnu (wildebeest) were, we believe, the essential catalysts
A very good friend is a quadriplegic. The joy he had (and us!) when we spent time together and his ability to help in raising these animals inspired an idea. We learnt, through our friend, that there is always a way to 'make a plan' so that he could assist in much of the day to day work needed to look after the animals. We rose to the challenge and modified or altered tools so that he could assist the animals nevertheless! Thus 'making a plan' is central to what Daktari is about.
Ed Bailey, our quadraplegic friend from America, with a baby lion cub, abandoned by its mother because it was the runt of the litter and much smaller than his siblings.
The objective of Daktari is to have volunteers to educate children and provide the nursing for the animals. We focus on our local underprivileged children. The key to protection of the environment lies in education. The children of today are going to be its future custodians. It is a sad fact that many of the underprivileged rural school children have never had the opportunity to see indigenous wildlife which is their heritage. The wildlife orphanage is used as a medium to inspire and educate underprivileged children to care for their environment.
One of the rural under-privileged school groups being shown animal tracks and signs by Ian on a bush walk.
Julie the duiker was caught by poachers. They broke both front legs so she could not run away. They did not want to kill her immediately as the meat would go rotten in the heat. They would kill her later, when they were ready to eat her.
In the area there are many attractions, game drives in big five reserves, hot air ballooning, white water rafting, tours to the Kruger Park, reptile park, rehab centres, a cheetah breeding project, Blyde River Canyon and many more!
We would be more than happy to tell you more about the project, and our accommodation - just email or call. If you would like to get involved in the project - any help is greatly appreciated! Even a simple donation of R50 per month will go a long way to help our animals, children, education, the environment, and even the country! Contact and bank details are:
DAKTARI Wildlife Orphanage South Africa
P.O. Box 1599 Hoedspruit 1380
Tel. (082) 656 2969
Fax: (086) 625 7728
Bank: First Naional Bank
Banch: Hoedspruit 270652
Acct: 62044965129
Swift Number: FIRNZAJJX926
Web page: www.daktaribushschool.org
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
