Chinotimba

We were up at 6am to shower, pack, and at the truck for 7am breakfast. It was nice not to have to take down a tent! It was the first morning proper of the new group and there were a few teething problems! We are in new chore groups. My group is on food prep today, and Mark’s group is on truck. We had to advise the newbies in the wash-up group about how to flap!! There was some confusion about where everyone was sitting on the truck, and there is a distinct lack of space as all the newbies have stored their big bags where the sleeping mats should go! I’m sure everyone will settle in in the next couple of days – fingers crossed!

We were on the road by 8am for a short 30-minute drive to visit the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, a project supported by Intrepid. We had a talk about the Trust’s work. It was fascinating to learn about how they work with local communities to manage the conflict between humans and animals. They also have a comprehensive anti-poaching programme. We visited the lab to find out about research the scientists are doing into diseases which are affecting the wildlife. They rescue injured animals and release them back into the wild. The one exception is a 10-year-old white-backed vulture which has been at the Trust since she was a fledgling. One of her wings is deformed, so she is unable to fly. She couldn’t survive in the wild, so is cared for at the facility, and has become the Trust’s ambassador. With a life expectancy of around 50 years, she could be in the role for a very long time!Read more