Study With Wildlife

Through guided game drives, walks and sleep outs, this course covers the theory and practical knowledge behind life as a Game Ranger and includes the following elements:

Bushveld ecology

• Ecology is the branch of biology that studies the relations between organisms and their environment. As a game ranger it's important that you have a good understanding of the role an animal plays within its ecosystem and how they are connected. For example, hyenas are very important to the health of the ecosystem. As scavengers, they clean up a huge amount of dead matter and as hunters they help maintain the genetic health of their prey groups.

Mammal biology and identification

• Most lectures will take place out in the fresh air where you will learn the biology and anatomy of African mammals and the skill of identifying wild species that you may encounter in the bush on game drives and walks.

Geology

• Geology is the science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rocks. South Africa has numerous famous geological features and this aspect of the course will give you a fascinating insight into how today's landscapes where formed looking at the native rock, its composition, properties, history and processes of formation.

Animal behaviour

• Why do animals demonstrate certain behaviours and what is the reason behind such traits? Are they inherited or acquired? Animal behaviour is the scientific study of everything animals do. It involves investigating the relationship of animals to their physical environment as well as to other organisms, it includes topics such as how animals find and defend resources, avoid predators, choose mates, reproduce and care for their young.

Bird identification

• The Limpopo province is one of the best provinces for bird watching with over 500 bird species found in Kruger National Park alone. You will learn about different species and how to identify them based on physical characteristics and habitat preference.

Tracking and spoor identification of game

• A spoor is any sign of a creature such as tracks, trails and droppings used for animal tracking and to survey what types of animals live in an area. This course provides an introduction into animal tracking using spoor identification skills. Should you wish to take tracking to the next level for a more in depth study, we also run a Wildlife Tracking Course which focuses purely on developing this skill and is held in the stunning Botswana wilderness.

Dangerous game and their behaviour

• Game drives will allow you to venture into the world of some potentially dangerous animals where you will learn which animals pose a threat, the warning signs to look out for and how to track them safely.

Basic fire arm handling and theory of 4x4 driving

• We ensure that all our volunteers and students operate safely in the bush with rangers who always carry a rifle with them on game drives and walks. A good ranger, however, is an expert in animal behaviour and how to deal with dangerous game. They know what signs to look out for to avoid any confrontation without ever having to use their rifle, although the ability to handle one is essential in their training. Your course syllabus covers this and the theory of 4x4 driving for game drives.

Snake and insect identification

• It's important to be aware of the different insects and snakes you may come across in the bush, those that are harmless or poisonous and how to identify different species. You will receive informal and practical lectures on this.

Astronomy

• Astronomy is the scientific study of celestrial objects such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae and galaxies. Many nights on conservation projects are spent eating meals under the stars. The bush environment, unlike the city, has no artificial light making star gazing a popular activity when enjoying an evening braii or on a sleep out.