A DANGEROUS GREEN HUNT
Hunting without hunting
AS A SCHOLAR in the late ’60s, I worked in the Timbavati at a private lodge during my school holidays. For me the bush was my life. Then I started hunting, mainly for the pot, and this went on for decades. Eventually I became a professional guide and started Wild Savannah Safaris, focussing on the Greater Kruger National Park and other conservancies just west of the Timbavati.
I have always believed that in business you need to offer superior service, and in many cases do something different, in order to be successful. Proudly I was the first to start night vision safaris. These were highly successful because on trips to Sabi Sands and Timbavati, one had to turn off the spotlights just before a carnivore launched an attack so, having night vision pieces allowed my guests from abroad to witness everything. I soon made a name for myself, with National Geographic contacting me. Then a local veterinary surgeon suggested that I include darting or chemical capture in my itinerary. Other operators offered this service well before me but, recognising the opportunity, I took his advice.
This included attaching satellite tracking collars, transponder insertion for tracking and identification purposes, as well as ear-notching of rhinos. After the darting, we allowed the visitors to assist and to touch the animal, thus learning from their ringside seats. They would help carry a lion to the shade, where we showed them how to put eye drops in the animal’s eyes and massage the area around the eyes to prevent them from drying out.
One of my favourite things to do when darting lion, was to show that a lion actually has a tiny sharp claw in the
tuft of its tail. This claw is in fact an extension of the spine.
It is worth noting that when lions are darted you cannot administer a reversal drug to wake them as their systems are not strong enough; if you did this they would perish. This means that when a lion is darted, it is essential that an armed guide stays close to the animal observing it from a vehicle until it wakes up and can walk steadily with no disorientation. This can take several hours (I am not sure if this has changed today). The reason for this is that if a lion was left to fend for itself, other lions or hyenas would kill it while it is in a drugged or semi-drugged stupor.
With rhino and elephant it’s easy; you dart the animal, work on it for a while and then give it a reversal such as Naltrexone. Within 30 seconds that animal is up on its feet and trots off to rejoin the herd.
THE VETS ADVISED me in advance when they had to dart lions for relocation purposes or for satellite collars, or rhino for transponders. This was vital because I could then advertise on my website. I must make it clear, the darting of animals was done to suit the animals, not the tourists.
Serious planning is required for these safaris. The type of animal or animals to be darted, the area to be used, safety and security, manpower such as rangers with appropriate firearms, various logistics and a lot more, is needed to ensure an adventurous but safe safari and smooth capture. You have to be super alert and know where your people are at all times. We carried sufficient back-up firepower including rifles in .375, .458 and .416 calibres.
Something interesting; I was advised that the animals were insured.
If for example an immobilised animal fell off a cliff and died, the landowner would be paid out but, if an animal had to be shot to protect someone, the insurance company would not pay out.
ONE DARTING SAFARI that I will never forget was when I took about a dozen French visitors representing an international pharmaceutical company out into the bush. We planned to dart a dozen sub-adult lions for relocation to another game lodge as there were too many lions on the property.
Two days prior to the darting we took the group on walks and game drives. In between I allowed them to shoot at targets with the gas-operated dart gun. This was an ideal team-building exercise and hosting them included talks on wildlife, the darting operation, what we would do, their role with do’s and don’ts, etc.
On the big morning we set off in three vehicles with our portable radios and rifles to where the lions were located. The cats were used to ‘game spotting’ vehicles and we drove up to within ten or twenty metres of them. After the first shot, the lion scattered but soon settled down close by. The excited visitors chatted away, marvelling at the action. The first lion was now out for the count. We darted others, but with one miss as the dart was carried off target due to a sudden gust of wind. We then gave the all-clear signal and the visitors had the opportunity to interact with my team, pat the lions and take plenty of photographs. After a short while the truck arrived with staff members and another ranger to move the cats.
When patting or handling lions it is essential to wear gloves and that hands are thoroughly washed afterwards with an alcohol-based soap. This is due to the fact that lions often carry Echinococcus tapeworm larvae around their mouths which they transfer among themselves by regularly licking one another. This type of tapeworm larvae can be
I do not believe in firing warning shots
deadly to humans and death can take place within days if one enters your system. My suggestion to PHS is to make sure you have the appropriate disinfectant solution when your clients handle and pose with their hunted lions especially when you do not have surgical gloves.
ONCE THE TRUCK with lions and staff had departed, the two rangers drove the group back to camp for breakfast, with the exception of one tourist who wanted to remain with the vet and I. The three of us hopped into the vet’s vehicle and on the way back, I remembered the vet telling me earlier that the dart flights are fairly expensive, so I suggested that we look for the one that was carried by the wind.
On arrival at the darting area I instructed the Frenchman to stay in the vehicle with the vet while I walked to look for the spent dart. My rifle was in the vehicle but I always carried my Glock .40 S&W, model 23, loaded with Black Talon ammo on one side of my belt and a Benchmade auto knife on the other side. As I headed deeper into the bush looking for the dart, the vet and tourist became partially obscured from my vision because of the trees and thick bush. I soon spotted the bright-coloured flight of the dart but, as I approached to retrieve it, a fully grown blackmaned lion jumped up out of the long grass.
He stood snarling at me with tail whipping, not more than fifteen metres away. I froze and the vet shouted. The lion was growling menacingly and rushed forward, before retreating into the bush. Ever so slowly I walked backwards, glancing often over my shoulder to see there were no obstacles in my way as I retreated. I was sure that if I fell over something, the lion would charge me.
Suddenly he came again, kicking up sand, snapping and snarling – again I froze. The huge lion came even closer than before then retreated into the same bush. This male was part of another coalition and I knew I had a major problem. When he turned, I picked up a rock the size of a tennis ball and removed my Glock with my left hand. I am right-handed but decided to only use my Glock when he was almost on top of me. I do not believe in firing warning shots with a charging lion as this could motivate a full charge.
He rushed at me again and, with my adrenalin pumping, I purposefully threw the rock with all my might at the stony, rocky ground just in front of the growling beast. This resulted in my rock colliding with much larger rocks and wild sparks flew all over. The lion growled louder, snapped left and right at the sparks, and then trotted off until he disappeared far into the bush. He had had enough – and so had I! Relieved, I backed off towards the safety of the vehicle.
IN MY OPINION a .40 calibre handgun was better than nothing but the chances of hitting a charging lion between the eyes without sustaining serious injuries were remote. The lion would have reached me in a second. As for the rock! I still laugh about it.
Throughout the experience I felt totally in control and sensed no fear. Was it the adrenaline that kept me calm? I don’t know. Back in camp the Frenchman asked for my email address as he said he would like to keep in touch. Weeks later I was happy to receive his email with a picture of the lion that charged me.