The heart of a savanna ecologist

I have a physiological response to nearing the Kruger Park. It starts by the decent off the escarpment, seeing the rolling grasslands become mountains covered in aloes where the roadsides lined are with umbrella-topped thorn trees and pockets of indigenous forest, where the air hangs with humidity and the smell of wood fires. The road twists and turns its way through the gulleys and passages heading east like the rivers and streams that also snake their way to the ocean. With each passing landmark my physiology changes: muscles relax and breathing deepens. My heart rate slows and races ambivalently. Slowing in response to the drugged air of relaxation and racing due to the hidden excitement in store, hoping for excellent sightings and sincere rest and relaxation.



The Lowveld and Kruger featured often on the holiday calendars of my childhood and the 'magic' resonates with me still. While "The Wombles" may have been my earliest exposure to environmental awareness, the Kruger was the nursery of my passion for savanna ecology.

This past weekend the only difference to the normal pattern was that I drove to Kruger on my own. Plenty of time for self-reflection and mandatory sing-along with appropriate travelling tunez on my iPod, Blossom. After nearly 6 hours of private karaoke my voice was hoarse. But in the Park there's plenty of time to recoup.

This short trip was planned to visit with a friend who is an academic staff member on the fall semester OTS course. Finding out more about the course and the people who run it and the students who attend it, was enriching. The students were open and welcoming and the staff friendly, hospitable and generous. I am envious that I didn't get the opportunity to go on such a course in my early postgrad days. So much to learn so little time.



While game viewing was limited there were plenty of opportunities for relaxing. The most exciting sighting was a full-on savanna fire. I now have a folder full of photos for the fire lectures I give to the undergrads. The memorable moment of the trip had to be the mini-bus full of people stopping between us and the flames, less than 5m away, to ask in a high pitched voice: "What do you guys see?". Our initial response after gasping in horror was a timid: "The fire?". Like duh, isn't it obvious we're ecologists and we're watching an ecological process happen in real time only the other side of the road.



In the quiet times of sun-up and sun-down Lake Panic provided a photogenic spot where the clicking of camera shutters and animal calls were all that disturbed the settling air.



At the heart of it all I love Kruger and all I have learnt from this special place.

Web album of selected photos here.

P.S. Thanks Jen and OTS for a special weekend.