GVI Wildlife Reserach 6 month Internship

Amazing, life changing, 6 months of my life that I will never forget. I was part of the Wildlife Research Expedition as an Intern for 6 months in the Limpopo Province. GVI was based at two camps Venetia Game Reserve and Karongwe Game Reserve. The first 5 week were spent in “basic” training mode learning how to identify and track animals, radio telemetry techniques and how to cook for over 25 people. I will never forget my first sighting of a wild elephant his name was Botswana and he was dust bathing at 6am in the morning in the creek bed in front of our tent. Then I moved to Karongwe. Seeing Zero their male pride lion for the first time was heart stopping, the smell of a month old giraffe kill I will never get out of my nose, the joy of seeing my first Porcupine, walking in on the cheetah boys, the thrill of my first leopard, and the unforgettable sound of Hyenas laughing as we spent the night camped in the river bed. I was taken on as Mountain intern and got to explore the magical Mariepskop Mountains, hiking to waterfalls, watching the sunset over Swadini Dam, catching frogs, learning how to measure a shrews foot. The staff are all fantastic some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated people you will ever meet they are passionate about what they do. My last night is etched into my mind driving along the road outside the reserve only to find the whole pride of lions sitting on the fence line getting ready for night time lion activities, the cubs being playful and Zero roaring in the distance.