Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre

After we had our fill of pancakes, smoothies and coffee, we made a lengthy stop at the Moholoholo Rehab Centre. They started off the tour with a lecture about the centre and then moved onto introducing us to all the animals in the park. I managed a few shots but as one gets so caught up with paying attention to the guide,  I forgot to take shots of everything we encountered. It turned out to be an amazing experience. Hope you enjoy it as much as we all did!
Many injured or poisoned animals are brought to the centre and the main aim is to release them back into the wild, once they have fully recovered from their injuries. Sadly, some of the animals have to be kept at the centre as they would not be able to survive on their own in the wild if they were to be released.

I just love the colours in this Bateleur Eagle. This is a juvenile with its bright colours. As it ages, it loses its beautiful colouring and turns brown.

As you can see, he's quite tame and allows people to touch him....

......lucky youngster....

Lappet-faced vulture greeting us at the fence! In the wild, they are known to be the "bullies" of the crowd!

A variety of eagles in one cage.

These are snares that have been found in the surrounding area. The trapped animals suffer a horrific and lingering death if not rescued early!

Now off to the vulture enclosure. We were invited to enter the massive cage and 4 volunteers were needed to feed and hold a vulture. I don't need to be invited twice, so volunteered!

This is a white-backed vulture.

2x Hooded vultures.

A white-backed vulture strutting his stuff and waiting for his first victim!

Quite a majestic-looking animal!

Richard ( a volunteer to Campfire Academy) - from Sweden - was the first brave volunteer!

Then Stefan's mom took the stand....

....now my turn! Oh my sack!!! I remember how heavy they are, as I have held a vulture in the past... a couple of years ago... at the same centre!

Gee!! but you are a heavy boy!

A piece of meat also fell onto the ground and this hooded vulture grabbed it!

Well, that's all for today! thanks for stopping by! See you tomorrow again. God bless and take care!

Pancake Paradise...

After much walking, talking and looking around we had our fill on an array of pancakes, smoothies and coffee in the nearby restaurant, whilst we enjoyed the breathtaking view of the nearby mountains!

Savoury pancake and salad

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Banana and caramel pancake

I'm pleased that you could enjoy the sweet treats with me! Thanks for the pleasant company so far!  See you tomorrow as we visit Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre! Have an awesome week. God bless.

Hoedspruit - Day Excursion...

Down a dirt road.....
After we left Jessica, Brass organised a visit to a 3000 yr old Baobab tree and a divine meal of pancakes and smoothies at the nearby restaurant.

              I just love this view of the mountains

Oh!! and we passed this unusual watch dog along the way to the Baobab tree and restaurant!

A wishing well outside  the restaurant

Our group approaching the old tree that has collapsed from its enormous weight

Cheney, in the foreground, Stefan and his mom and his dad and Bev at the back

Look at the size of the tree branch in comparison to the size of Brass's small body!! It's incomprehensible!

It's sooo big that one could move in and live there!

My angel and Stefan. He's also a fellow student who hails from Cape Town. His parents took the long drive up from there to attend their son's graduation as well.

Part of the fallen tree!

  

Came across these "half mens" tree - (Afrikaans for "half human tree). Their strange shapes resemble the human form reaching upwards!

Thanks for stopping by! See you next time for a look at our delicious meal of pancake and....

Time to relax now...

..... with "Jessica" the world famous hippo!
 Brass organised an exciting and very informative day for us all on Saturday - after the graduation at Campfire Academy the previous night. We started the day off with a visit to Jessica the world famous hippo.
 She was rescued in the 2000 floods that swept through the Limpopo Province, as she was washed up onto the banks of Tonie Joubert's property; her umbilical cord still attached to her. The Blyde River was in flood and little Jessica became the new member of their household! She grew up in their home and became almost human. She sleeps on a mattress on the verandah at night with a crew of English Bull Terriers who are her best friends!
Jessica now swims in the river at the bottom of Tonie & Shirley's garden & visits them every day for some black Rooibos tea and a few kilos of raw veges. She is still allowed to enter their house at her leisure and even watches a bit of TV! She has also starred in 97 movies and is famous around the world!
We were invited to personally meet Jessica down at the river and feed her her bottle and some veges. Wow!! Awesome! I couldn't wait, knowing that hippos are guilty of killing more humans than any other animal in Africa!

Our visit started off with an informative presentation about Jessica, hippos, wildlife and Africa!

Mom and Cheney watching the presentation.

One of the Bull Terriers who is sooo friendly that he climbs up onto the table to look you in the eye!

Meet our own Jessica!

Eating sliced sweet potato...

Richard, one of the Swedish students, having a go...

I also tried my hand at feeding her. Hippos have such thick skin

Time for a little kiss!!

Rooibos tea. Apparantely Jessica drinks about 20 litres of this brew every day!

The love of his life...

Bev also loved the contact with Jessica

Come on, dad!! Give us some more

Our Cheney also loved Jessica and has volunteered her services at this sanctuary

Well that's Jessica and I trust that you have enjoyed the visit with her as much as we did. See you tomorrow for our next stop to......