7:30 found us in the van ready to go! Everyone was excited to get back to work, even though the weekend had been marvelous. We met Rita at Batiki and split up between 2 bakkies (little white trucks with racks on the beds). We were there to document several animals that would be put up on an online auction to be purchased by other preserves. This farm keeps detailed records on each animal, and provided great detail in their auction listings as well.
Our first quarry was an impressive kudu bull. He was darted quite quickly, blindfolded and eaer plugged to prevent him being disturbed by our activities, and we gathered around him to measure his spiral horns, confirm his microchip number, photograph him and his teeth, and take a DNA sample. The tips of his horns had been protected by heat-shrink plastic tubing to prevent their breaking off--much of an animal's value corellates to the length of their horns, so breakage is to be avoided. We had to remove the tubes from his horns in order to measure them, then replace them with a new set so he will have the advertised horn length when sold at auction. All of this information will help potential purchasers select the animal that will best serve their farm. He recovered quickly and bounded off into the grass.
Next we needed to do the same with a mature sable bull. Again, he was darted, went down, and had his data collected. His horns also had tubes on them, so these were removed, the horns measured, and new tubes applied. In addition to the other procedures, this bull needed to have a sample of feces collected, so Adele, Emmalee and Lilli went direct to the source to obtain it.
Our final objective was an impala ram. Impala are notoriously difficult to dart. For one thing, they are a small target. They also run. A lot. And they are quite fragile under anesthesia--a slight overdose can be fatal, but too little drug won't stop them running, and prolonged running can damage their muscles. So...we knew that this might present a bit of a challenge.
Rita and one bakkie set out to dart the impala, while the other crew waited in the shade. Finally, a call came over the radio that the animal had been darted but was running and coming our way. We could see him running up the track along the fenceline towards us, and watched carefully to see where he would go down. He slowed, then suddenly veered off the track and into the bush. Our truck took off in pursuit, attempting to stay on the track while keeping him in sight. He ran. And ran. Into the grass, through the brush, back out onto the track. No sign of his going down anytime soon, but he was clearly not fully alert, either. It became crucial to capture him quickly so he did not injur himself.
Each time he came near, a couple of people would get out of the trucks to try to grab him; if we could grab him by the horns, we could bring him down and give him a bit of additional sedation and accomplish our work. He trotted directly toward the catcher, then, just out of reach, dodged to one side and resumed running. We dove back into the trucks and went careening around curves and corners, over bumps and ditches like some kind of hyperrealistic carnival ride. Another approach by the ram, another last-minute duck-out, another scramble and chase. And repeat. Dust flying, sun getting warmer, tensions mounting.
An attempt was made to dart him a second time with a partial dose. No success.
More chase. More dust. More frustration.
Rita was finally able to hide on foot and dart him a second time. Hopes were high that this would now go to plan, he would lie down quietly and let us get the work done. I have to hand it to him, he was tenacious! After several more rounds of chase, the farmer was finally able to grab a horn and hold him.
At that point, it became obvious why he had not responded as expected to the dart(s). Because of his small size and his speed and ability to leap, one dart had hit him in the backbone and was unable to inject into the muscle, and the other hit him squarely in the tail, like some perverse game of pin the tail on the donkey. We blindfolded and earplugged him, removed his horn tubes, measured, photographed and documented as before. This was made a bit more challenging as he aroused periodically and leapt to his feet. We gently lay him back down and proceeded to try to complete our work quickly so he could be released. At last we moved away, his blindfold and ear plugs were removed, and his horns let go. He jumped up and went running off into the grass and brush. It is difficult to say whether the humans or the impala were more relieved.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon shopping in Hoedspruit; I didn't take any photos of that, so it you want details, check your bank statement. I'm sure they did plenty of damage!
Back to the lodge for a typical supper of pap and mince (a rice-like corn dish with something like sloppy joe meat spooned over top) and fresh salad.
Then we celebrated El's 20th birthday! Chocolate peppermint cake, complete with party hat and candles. (The Birthday Glasses mysteriously disappeared between Lindsey's birthday and today...)
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