Game Count 1973
It was JOHN DURBIN, Matabeleland Secretary of the Natural Resources Board, who first told me of the large-scale game count planned for Wankie Park in October 1973, and of how the department of National Parks and Wildlife management was in need of volunteers to help.
This, I thought, is where the Matabeleland Branch of the Society, indeed the Society as a whole, must co-operate to the utmost. It would be after all the essence and one of the most important of our aims that of participation in active game conservation.
A letter from Regional Warden Boyd Reese in reply to my letter of enquiry about the exercise confirmed the need for as many volunteers as was possible.
An appeal went out to members through our local Newsletter, circulars and public announcements at the appropriate monthly meetings, with the deadline for offers at help set for the end of August, 1973. The information sheets sent by the Department, together with a questionnaire and a profile sheet on species identification were sent to those members who had confirmed that they would be available to help. The species identification sheets and questionnaires were ably produced by Ann Bean, one of our Committee members.
Panic
A brief period of panic stations was endured when the date of the count was changed from the 12th-13th October to the 11-12th October. This resulted in some members having to drop out, but we were left with a final total of 25 members, which was most gratifying.
A final briefing was held in the National Museum for the Matabeleland members on Saturday September 8th at which they were given the basic modus operandum and what equipment to bring.
At this point I should like to express the gratitude and thanks of our volunteers to the Department for the generous offer of free accommodation for the nights of the 10th and 13 October. 0800 hours, 12th October, found us, together with Departmental staff members and many local residents from the Wankie and Gwaii areas who had also volunteered, in the conference room of the new laboratory and administration block at Main Camp.
Water Holes
Research Officer John Rushworth gave the final briefing and allocation of water holes to the different teams, who were also issued with a special data-recording form which basically covered species, herd structures, time of drinking and total numbers. The observation teams were formed into a number of convoys each led by a Departmental member to ensure that each team was dropped off at its correct waterhole.
My wife Pam, Brian Best and myself were allocated the Kennedy No.1 Pan, 32 km. from Main Camp, and whilst a route it was suddenly discovered that our food pack had been left behind. After a few brief words about a wife’s domestic responsibilities, and a wifely retort about a husband’s organising abilities, we beat a hasty return to our chalet at Main Camp and collected the controversial food. We were back at Kennedy 1 Pan, settled and ready by 1200 hours, which was zero hour for the game count, and with harmonious matrimonial relationships established once again, I We selected a large Acacia tree as our observation post and hoped that the elephant path close by would not bring too many problems upon us.
Our first siting was a herd of wildebeest (38) grazing on the vlei slowly working towards the pan. These were followed later over the next two to three hours by warthog, zebra sable and giraffe.
Visibility
Shortly before 1700 hours we decided to move our Datsun pick-up a little nearer to the pan for better night-time visibility, and selected an area which appeared not to be used by elephant and had some reasonable cover, although a large anthill a short distance behind could have caused difficulties if we needed to reverse in a hurry.
From 1700 hours through the night and into the next morning up to 0430 hours, 12th October, the scene was dominated by elephant. We certainly had the greatness of this animal with its size, the silence and grace of movement and the air of dignity imprinted upon us during these hours. The play-fighting and mock demonstrations of the young elephant with each other, the young calves between the legs of their mothers, and the occasional outbursts of trumpeting we shall not forget in a hurry from our education in elephant behavior. Neither shall we forget some of us moments of concern when trunks were hovering in the air trying to make out what we were. In particular was the herd cow who led her herd across us from left to right and then back again with trunk sampling the air, at a distance approximately equal to the length of our Datsun truck when measured next morning. Needless to say, we were all mentally encouraging her to leave us as soon as possible-we were insignificant human beings not worthy of her majestic attention. The increase in our pulse rates and dryness of our mouths told us that our endocrine system was also wishing this cow elephant on her way!
Other species provided interesting observation such as the pair of black-backed jackals who drove a single spotted hyaena away from the dried up remains of a giraffe leg by persistently nipping his or her rear legs.
