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Finals 2006 :: Mozambique

The updates are made possible by the sponsorship of the Satellite Internet Connection from BGAN Communications Africa!

DAY 14:  AWARDS CEREMONY

It was in record time, that all the Fortuners were unpacked, and all the logistics repacked on the vehicles that will be driving back to Worcester and finally be offloaded at Klipbokkop for a much earned rest! The guests were starting to arrive and all the contestants looked their best, with the last clean shirt saved especially for today.  During the ceremony, we watched a slide-show specially compiled by Pieter Oosthuizen, that spoke more than any words or speeches could say.  The researchers had a few minutes to capture their high-lights and share their impressions on the Final.  It was generally expressed by all - An experience of a lifetime!

Every contestant received an Overland Expedition Certificate	Team Poland received the 4x4 Eco Challenge Trophy for the best developing team	The Fleetwood brothers won the National Luna Trophy for the best support team from Petro Marais	Hannes and Nico won the Toyota trophy for the best Eco Contribution from Brian Eades	Dewald and Pierre Brink, won the Goodyear Shield for the Best Team Spirit presented by Lize Hayward As Overall winners, both received a Garmin 276C sponsored by Avnic Trading

DAY 13:  DEPARTING FROM KRUGER FOR UN-CIVILISATION

It was with mixed feelings of sadness and excitement that the teams packed up and started heading out of Kruger for the long road back to Johannesburg.  We left Kruger Park at Phalaborwa gate and drove through the beautiful Magoebaskloof. All of the people are eager to get back to their homes, but not so eager to get back to the work and noise and city stress.  Fortunately we still have one evening at Rhino and Lion Reserve, where we hope to hear the call of the jackal again.

Leaving Kruger across the Letaba river bridge	Goodbye Kruger	Driving via Magoebaskloof	En-route	10 out of 10 for the 4x4 Eco Challenge 2006

DAY 12:  FUMANI PRIMARY SCHOOL AND LAST EVENING AT TWANANA

It was early rise and departing from the camp for the drive to the Fumani Primary School just outside the western border of Kruger National Park.  This was a revisit after last year's experience, and the huge impact that it had on all the people involved.  We also had a rematch to do - to even the score of a soccer match where the youngsters of Fumani school won last year.  HiQ has since adopted this school and donated an annual scholarship to the best boy and girl student of the school to enable them to complete high school.  Their greatest wish was for us to return again and become closer associated with them - more than friends but a part of their family.  Elmarie received a very special gift from the ladies of the school, in the form of a traditional handmade sarong, that is only worn on very special occasions, together with a set of beads. We were welcomed again by the traditional dances, excited screaming of the children, short recitals and even a short dance extract from Sarafina.  We were also honoured to have the local chief of the area as well as the Induna, came to visit us and watch all the proceedings. We handed over the cheque from HiQ as well as several gifts and Wessel Lombard handed over a copier sponsored by Toshiba.  Now it was time for the soccer match, and the men started warming up. This year we had a great trump card in the form of Corrie, the birthday boy, to show us that even at 39 years of age, he can still do some great tricks.  With the safe hands of the Doc as the goal keeper, we managed to keep the Fumani team score down to one and the Eco Challenge team won by scoring two goals. Everybody drove back to Twanana very tired, dusty and with many aches and pains, but broad smiles on their faces.  They were again touched by the warm reception and great need of this specific community.   Tonight was also the night of reckoning as each and everybody was charged before the "Rondvallende Hof" for minor and major mock-charges.  Suffice to say - it was a very enjoyable evening, even by the hardened criminals or "gewoonte misdadigers" amongst us, who kept interrupting the court procedures and got punished accordingly.

Sarafina Dance	Traditional Dances	Elmarie receiving gifts	Fumani School soccer team	Spectators of all sizes watched the action
Our secret weapon in action	The coach was brought in to tip the scale	Patience Mdungazi, from Kruger's "People in Conservation" project and Lombard Shirindzi, Section Ranger of Shangoni, consoling the loosing team	New/old mode of transport	Andrew Bowren of HiQ Automotive with cheque of sponsorship to Fumani Primary School

DAY 11: TWANANA AND KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

After two days of long and difficult driving, it was heavenly to to just relax, unpack the vehicles, enjoy the showers, and a late brunch. And also the privilege to camp at Twanana, on the riverbank with its wildlife surrounding you, was the ideal situation to just relax for a little bit. But not for long as Johann and his field guides, had laid out route with hidden snares and objects that poachers use in the park, in order to test their bush observation skills.  20 Articles were placed very obviously next to the trail and the best score was 13 out of 20.  Objects like a rhino foot, R1 rifle, snare lines, panga etc. The birding activities was a highlight, with the capture of several owl species, including the Barred Owl and the African night jar.  Marius Burger did a slide show on the reptile project and the teams were entertained by Josslyn and her guitar, much to Byeboer's delight.

Corrie and Gerhard enjoying the setting	Birding on the banks of the river	Fierynecked Night Jar	With its big beak to catch insects in flight	African Scops Owlet
Barred Owl	Josslyn sing-song	Repeat Offender - Geharde Krimineel	Rondvallende Hof

REPTILE SUMMARY BY MARIUS BURGER

The reptile harvest got off to a slow start. However, as the group moves inland they are starting to uncover more of the scaly critters. The tally to date is 19 species, 15 of which are lizards. The gecko fauna is particularly rich, comprising six different species. One of these, Marley's Flat Gecko, had never before been recorded from Mozambique . So this is currently the catch of the trip in the reptile department. A highlight for Marius was the Mozambique Writhing Skink, because this was his first personal encounter with this bizarre lizard. However, the favourite of the contestants is a beautiful Rock Monitor (Leguaan) that was discovered in a dead tree trunk.

The other reptiles are Green Turtle from Bartholomew Diaz Island , Nile Crocodile from the Save River , and two snakes, Brown House Snake and Mozambique Sand Snake.

DAY 10: EN-ROUTE TO KRUGER

By 06h00, the camp was packed and the vehicles started rolling our of the fly-camp. It was another day of traveling through untouched areas, with a few little villages far between. The variety of Baobab trees, just begged for a picture, and all the vehicles and contestants were set up for a group photo. We realised that it was the 4th year in a row that we had Baobabs on all the Finals of the 4x4 Eco Challenge. Certainly symbolic, as it is considered by the locals as a sign of fertility.

Entering Kruger National Park through the Pafuri Gate, with a picnic under the giant Jackal berry trees, surrounded by game, certainly called for a change of mind. All of a sudden we were aware of other tourists, other vehicles and even a tarred road or two. Within the first 4 hours we saw elephant, lion, buffalo, hyena as well as nyala, impala, and lots of bird life. Tonight we will be sleeping in Twanana - a very special ranger's camp, and you can feel the excitement in the air.

DAY 9: DEPARTING FROM THE SAVE RIVER FOR MAPAI

Before leaving the banks of the Save River, we first went for a quick look at the hippo pool and found plenty of them in the water, as well as a very long crocodile.
Now it was time to re-inflated the tyres and put them through a new test on gravel surface. We said goodbye to Fanie and his men, and started heading for Mapai.
It was slow driving with lots of dust, and very bad roads. We stopped for lunch and Marius managed to get some more specimens next to the road. Priscilla had a field day with all the different morning glories, and beautiful trees, and the birders were also very happy and actively pointing to the left and right. At times the Gentle Giant had to call them to silence, in order to avoid accidents and ensure safety. The blue Toyota Double Cab were lovingly named "cuckoo's nest"

By 16h30, it was decided to pull off the road and camp alongside underneath a beautiful cluster of Mopani trees. The fly-camp was erected in record time, and Marius managed to catch a veldt leguaan and hide it in Thabo's crate, where it scared him spit less later, when he came to look for a pot.

The decision was unanimous - tomorrow morning will be an early start, to try and cover the remainder of the road towards Pafuri, and the border post. That will give us an additional day in Kruger, which was agreed by all as a very special bonus. Our Polish team are really being spoilt, and will have lots to tell once they get home.

Convoy of bicycles	4x4 Eco Challenge turning point	Baobab Lane	With Baobab vehicle in tow	Fly-camp en-route to Mapai

DAY 8: EXPLORING THE SAVE RIVER BANKS AND ZINAVE

Today the scientists went off and explored all their different fields of expertise, and a short summary will be included in this update. The tranquility of the area and the beauty around, made each and every one so thankful for the opportunity to be in these remote spots, where the normal tourist will never be able to stay over and explore. It was also Hanes's birthday and that was celebrated late into the night.

Andre and his team went off very early to put up their nests and caught many interesting, colourful specimens, names to follow. Corrie and Samantha already started the first evening while, we set up camp, and shouts of excitement and despair followed in short succession. Corrie caught a specimen that he thought he had studied for the past 5 years, only to loose it the next second. Every available person chased after the bat, to try and catch it again, but did not succeed.

Priscilla went a walkabout to the nearest small village, in order to find medicinal plants and gather more information on how the local people survive here, without livestock. She found lots of beer making in process by the locals and the Illala Palms. Even the young children get beer from an early age. Gerhard and Fanie went with the birders to explore more new water pools and Fanie managed to sink his Landcruiser in some quicksand. With the help of PG, lots of contestants and some ropes,
he was soon rescued, only to remark afterwards, that he know realised how little he knew of 4x4 and recovery.

By midday it was just to hot, and all retreated to the shade of a lovely big Anna tree, for a quick rest, and as soon as it grew cooler, activities restarted. Corrie and Samantha soon netted the elusive bat again - report to follow. Marius was also gathering a few new specimens. By nightfall, everybody again enjoyed Frank and Thabo's catering, and the birthday party.

Stuck in the river	Recovery Operation	Priscilla goes walkabout	Palm beer making	Back on off-road mode
Marius with his lunchtime find	Life amongst the locals	Local Houses	Wessel in frame	Locals hunting for food

DAY 7: SAVE RIVER TO ZINAVE

Another early start, and we continued to drive through forest areas, that had the botanists so excited that we could hardly get a word in edgewise. They gave the convoy a running commentary on all the untouched bush and beautiful Mopani forest, with comments in between from the birdies about all the different species flying around.

We turned off from the more used road, and started following a faint track through shrubs and trees, until we reached the river, where we all had to engage low range 4x4 and drop the tyre pressures considerably. This river reminded us a lot of the sugar sand on the banks of the Orange River , where many a contestant met their match in the sugar sand.

The contestants really enjoyed the opportunity to put their skills to the test and the Goodyear Wrangler Tyres, switched form gravel to sand and aquaplaning with no problem. The Toyota Fortuners just kept on going, even though the water sometimes got really deep. With big smiles and very satisfied customers, lunch was served and all went off into the adjacent forests in search of reptiles, birds and strange plants.

Tonight will again be a most privilege sleep on the river sand, with the hippos providing us with the night sounds.

DAY 6: END OF DHOW RACE AND DEPARTURE FOR SAVE RIVER

After an exhausting night on a deserted Island - not due to anything work related - the contestants rose early, boarded the dhows and the real race started back to BD Lodge. This time they flew against the currents but with the wind at their backs. In a record time of 90 minutes, the first dhow moored with Team One and Three on board. The captain and his team were so tired, having rowed and using their sails to get the maximum speed out of their dhow. This landed them the grand sum of 10 Million metticas - a substantial sum that created quite an excitement around. The contestants were sun burnt and soaked, but after a hearty brunch and a great shower at the Lodge, it was time to pack and roll out, as the tides started turning which gave them access to the beach.

Captain du Porta and his police associate escorted us all the way and after restocking and refueling, we hit the EN 1 north in the direction of the Save River. We tried to make up time, but was forced to camp en-route, amongst the freshly burnt-out veldt for the night. Frank and Thabo did their best and in record time, fed the 45 guests and all went to bed fairly early.

Dhow Winners	No 2 Dhow winner	No. 3 Dhow Winner	Price giving after the Dhow Race	Out of appreciation for their hard work, the rowers received their 4x4 Megaworld Dry Bags from the contestants
Fortuners in 0ff-road action	Rise and shine and ready to roll	Marius and the contestants overturning tree stumps in search of reptiles	Food truck and Maintenance bringing in the rear of the convoy	Water crossings galore

A SHORT REPORT FROM ANDRE BOTHA ABOUT THE BIRD FINDINGS

The 4x4 Eco-Challenge Group has so far recorded over 170 species of birds on the route. A number of habitats have been covered including coastal forest, mangrove swamps and open woodland reminiscent of the southern parts of the Kruger National Park. Highlights of the trip are numerous, but species such as Gorgeous Bush Shrike, Green Coucal, Woodward's and Pale Batis have been recorded on a number of occasions. During the dhow-trip today, however, the sighting of two pelagic species largely confined to tropical waters have usurped the position of "mega-ticks" on the trip thus far. Both Greater Frigatebird and Brown Booby are considered to be regional rarities in southern Africa and these sightings most certainly will contribute to the few records currently known for the region. In addition, the staff of BD Lodge provided an additional highlight in the form of the ring recovered from what we believe is a Southern Giant Petrel that was washed out on the beach a while ago. The photographs that they took of the carcass clearly show the yellow-green bill of this species. What makes this record so remarkable is that this bird was most likely ringed on either Prince Edward or Marion Island as a chick in the nest and has been recovered after its death along the Mozambique coast, approximately 2000kms from where it left the nest. The bird was also recovered about 1000km north of its usual range in the southern Indian and Atlantic Ocean. The details of the ring will be forwarded to SAFRING to acquire further information about the date and locality where the bird was ringed, but most certainly represents an excellent example of the importance of bird ringing in learning more about the movements and longevity of birds in general.

DAY 5: BD Lodge and start of Dhow Race.

it as early rise with frantic activities to pack as light as possible, but not to leave the most essential behind. After breakfast, 18 dhows sailed in and moored off the beach, and the contestants scrambled on-board and they set sail for the island. The winds and current were against us and it took the last dhow 6 hours to reach the island. One mast broke down but help was at hand, and the contestants managed to hitch a ride with another dhow.

The started exploring the island under the leadership of Marius, and spent the night in semi-survival style. Fish was the first option for dinner, so all had to try and get something for the pot or else they might have to dig for bulbs etc.

Ready, steady, GO	Johann lost his hat, but was very lucky to get it back!		Last arrivals are safe on land	We depend on you guys!
Lauren enjoying the company	Island style

DAY 4: BAT CAVES TO BD LODGE

Today was D-Day for the batties - Samantha and Corrie were ready and first out of the blocks the minute the vehicles stopped in a clearing in the veldt near the caves. They did a quick survey and came back breathless - due to lack of oxygen and excitement at the many varieties of bats that virtually crawled all over the cave roofs.
With the help of PG and Gerhard and a couple of the contestants, they managed to gather a few unique samples, record the eco-location sounds and wanted with all their might to stay behind for the rest of the week.

But the convoy rolled north the next morning via Inhassorro where Fanie du Plessis and the local Captain du Porta escorted us down the beach towards the lodge where we set up camp for the next two days. BD Lodge, situated on Bartholomeus Diaz Point, is as close as you can get to the idyllic Island style of living one can only dream of. For those who are interested, go and look on www.mozadventures.com An impromptu fishing rod competition was held, to determine who will choose the best dhow for the race the next morning. The team who managed to cast the furthest, was Team 4, and they decided to give the privilege to Fritz van der Merwe, the birthday boy as a gift. The teams had leisure time, afterwards to fish and swim and relax on the beach. Their tents were pitched as close as possible to the surf and all had a great time on the beach.

Corrie with biggest Fruit Bat	Sam with smallest Banana Bat	PG in Action	Bat Cave	Fruit bat
Beach Drive	The Polish teams was so overjoyed at the site, that they decided to unfold their flag	Convoy on the beach	Setting delux!	I love it when a plan comes together!
PG, instrumental in making the plan come together!	Willie van Greune from Toyota also joined the fun

DAY 3: PARADISE MAGOO

Shouts of excitement and vibes of enthusiasm was heard all the way driving into Paradise Magoo's winding sand roads. The scientist were jumping up and down and could hardly wait to get out of the vehicles and into the veldt. The contestants saw sand dunes and was already sizing them up for the challenge.
With Gerhard's sobering comment " Guys, there is so much more than sand dunes around - just look about you!" It was time to unpack, settle in and explore Paradise.

Our Polish team had a big surprise waiting for them at Paradise Magoo. Kris Rozmiarek, a partner of Wynand came specially to meet them and help them adjust to these crazy Africans. Wynand Steyn, and his wife Heila and their daughter Carla treated all to a magnificent fish braai which filled all the tummies and it was soon of to bed.

With a few showers overnight and during the morning - and strong winds, churning the waves, there was very little opportunity to catch some fish. The bat experts
caught some great samples of the biggest bat as well as the smallest bat in one evening. Birding was not so easy with the strong winds, but some of the very interesting specimens they captured in their nets was a tambourine dove.

Marius was up to his usual antics and got a few scary samples of scorpions - to the amusement of all. He was very happy with one of the gecko which was a species of flat gecko - ID still to be confirmed. However the contestants were more thrilled by s chameleon - African flapped-neck chameleon. Priscilla was very happy to discover the Kosi Bay Acacia - Acacia Kosiensis in the coast dune forest just north of Xai Xai. It was the first discovery of the tree so high up in Mozambique. Many medicinal plants were seen and explained to the contestants while walking the ancient sand dunes of the flood plains of Mozambique. She also gathered herbarium reference material for the University of Pretoria.

Arriving at Paradise Magoo	Paradise Magoo campsite	Camping	Renier and Jacques looking for birds	Hard work Joos
Andre Botha ringing a red capped Robin-chat				Brown Boody
Paradise Magoo	Renier setting up the satelite terminal that MBV SATCOM AFRICA sponsored	Early morning coffee	Hunger attack	Beautiful beaches of Mozambique
Team Antics 1	Johann and Priscilla on their favourite topic	Kris and Polish Team	Marius and his usual jokes	Marius Marius!!!
	Chameleon	Priscilla with plant samples		Group Photo at Paradise Magoo

DAY 2: KUDU LILY ECO BAVARIA TO PARADISE MAGOO, MOZAMBIQUE

We woke up with the sound of thunder, a few baboon shouts, and the rain started drizzling. It was a mad scramble to fold down tents, pack the vehicles and just as we finished, the skies opened up and gave us some time to admire the area. And what a magnificent overnight spot, underneath the granite boulders of the Lowveld.
.A wide variety of plants, typically renowned to the Lowveld, is found in the vicinity. The Kudu Lily, from which this Eco Bavaria got its name is colonised on two specific areas on the estate. Over 70 species of birds are nesting in its natural habitat whilst fauna such as Duiker, Steen buck, Bushbuck, Kudu and even Leopard are still to be found. Small wild to be spotted on a frequent basis are Baboons, Monkeys, Badger, Porcupine, Bush pig, Jennet and Serval.

The 4x4-route consist of three circle routes that provides a wide variety of driving experiences ranging from bumpy, rocky surfaces to sandy, wet and muddy surfaces. Unfortunately our schedule did not allow us the opportunity to explore some of these tracks, but we will be back!

After a tedious border crossing at Komatipoort we were escorted by Juan of the AA, who helped us through all the roadblocks and escorted us to the Trentyre branch in Maputo, where Carlos and his team waited for us. It was very obvious to hear the radio growing progressively silent, as the teams were introduced to Maputo and its inhabitants.

It was with great relief that we started heading out of Maputo to the Paradise Magoo Lodge some 40 Km. north of Xai Xai, where we will be staying for the next two days.

Maputo	Maputo	Maputo	Goodyear in Maputo is always a most welcome site	Paradise Magoo

DAY 1: RHINO LION RESERVE TO KUDU LILY ECO BAVARIA , NELSPRUIT

Today is all stations go and the group is eager to get the convoy rolling, and get out of the city, traffic, cellphone reception and general reminders of work and deadlines.
We had a hearty breakfast and driving in constant showers, which can only be considered a good omen, as in Africa, rain is always considered a blessing.

We took a couple of back roads to Nelspruit - educational trips we call it, and most enlightening to all who has not seen the old Transvaal in its winter shades.
Stopping at Nelspruit for a marathon half-hour shopping, we rushed to get to Kudu Lily Eco Farm, before dark, in order to appreciate the beauty and all the effort that Theo and Fasie prepared for us. The farm is situated 12 km outside Nelspruit next to the N4 route on the way to Malelane and 40km from the Kruger National Park.

We quickly had to engage low-range, and crawled up the steep inclines very carefully with our vehicles loaded to capacity. However, the mist and rain clouds rolled in shortly and we huddled around the fire, while enjoying Anna's delicious food and celebrating Pieter Oosthuizen's birthday!

We will have to wait until the next morning to admire the surroundings with its breathtaking views.

Sunrise over the Lowveld	Kudu Lily Eco Bavaria		4x4ing at Kudu Lily Eco Bavaria	Breakfast is served!

DAY 0 - GET TOGETHER AT RHINO AND LION RESERVE, KRUGERSDORP

With all the logistics finally coming together, sorted and semi-packed, we only waited for the contestants, scientists and

TV crew to join the group.  Rhino Lion Reserve looked after us so well and really made the workload much easier for all.

Thanks to Tim and his great crew for all their help and support and Toyota for footing the bill.

Our Polish team arrived while the rain started to pour, and they could not und

erstand this cold and wet Africa .  We had a great treat in stall for them, as the sun started to shine; we hopped into the Toyota Fortuners and did a short game drive into the lion enclosure which brought them into close contact with some of the big cats.  The lions had a very close look at these shining new vehicles and took a sample bite on one of the Goodyear ATR tyres, which left only a slight scratch mark.  Not a good place to have a puncture! 

After all the team briefings and information shared, it was time for a traditional barbeque and the real bonding started, with the help of some traditional Ukrainian Vodka. 

Convoy ready and waiting for contestants	Pitching tents in the rain	Meeting the King of the jungle	Versus the King of the off-road world	And some of the heavy weigts of the jungle

Scientists joining the Final Event

	Johann Oelofse– Section Ranger Mooiplaas KRUGER Johann’s extensive knowledge of botany and ornithology developed in his childhood days in the Northern Transvaal bushveld. After a period in the city and at sea as a sailor with the Navy he broke away to a life in the bush. Johann obtained a National Diploma in Nature Conservation which paved the way for him to become a Game Ranger in the popular Kruger National Park. 27 Years later Johann still lives in Kruger and is currently the Senior Section Ranger based at Mooiplaas, an area of 103’000ha that shares a 40 km long boundary with Mozambique. Johann obtained a Veldt and Game Management diploma and later his Masters Degree in Nature Conservation. Johann has a special love for botany and the trees that make the bush country what it is, as well as the diverse birdlife in the Lowveld and Kruger Park.
Priscilla Swartz—Botanical & Ecological Scientist Priscilla is one of the country most knowledgeable and practical botanists with a deep understanding of African medicinal plants, edible plants as well as the flora from arid, wetland, forest, grassland and fynbos areas. Through her years of experience with living in the bush and deep involved with South African and even international institutions, she has been awarded many accilades and awards for her ground braking research and dedication. Currently, Priscilla is the Director of Ecoscene Environmental Consultants where she conducts ecological surveys to assist developers in their Strategic Master Planning.
	Marius Burger—SARCA Project Herpetologist Mozambique is currently the most unexplored of all the countries that border South Africa. This is a place where new discoveries are waiting to be revealed. So, what exactly is the expected herpetological richness of Mozambique? Well for the time being we can only speculate because we just don’t know what the real situation is. The ballpark figure for amphibians is about 80 species for the country, but reptiles is a guess of about 100 species. Most of the 4x4 Eco Challenge route will traverse terra incognita, and thus we will be in a good position to make significant contributions to the knowledge of this country’s herpetofauna.
Samantha Stoffberg– Researcher PhD Zoology Sam has a special passion for flying mammals and have been working on bats since 2001. She is currently obtaining her PhD at the University of Cape Town. Her research involves looking at the echolocation calls of horseshoe bats as well as genetic research. Sam is a founder-member of the non-profit voluntary association called Stone Dragon Education. This institution runs hands-on biological and environmental camps for young people in both primary and high schools.
	Corrie Schoeman—Researcher PhD Zoology Corrie Schoeman completed a BCom (Law) degree in Johannesburg in 1991. Corrie then worked in South East Asia for 5 years before returning to Cape Town and enrolled at UCT, studying Biology. In 2000 he obtained a BSc degree in Botany and Zoology and his Honors in first class the following year. In 2006 he was awarded a PhD in Zoology for a thesis that investigated the relative influence of two biotic filters of the bat community. Currently, he is at the Percy Fitzpatrick Institute investigating the influence of biotic and abiotic filters on the community structure of birds across Southern Africa.
Andre Botha-Manager Birds of Prey Working Group Andre’s interest in bird conservation started 25 years ago, and as his career progressed Andre had profound influence on the conservation of birds in South Africa. Notably, was his involvement with Birdlife South Africa, developing the first site based conservation project at Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga. It is a training centre for the empowerment of bird guides from previously disadvantaged communities. More than 300 learners have been trained there. In 2002 he went into fulltime guide training and consulted tourism companies. Andre resigned in 2004 and joined the Endangered Wildlife Trust in his current position. He is also a qualified bird ringer and have ringed over 5000 birds of more than 230 species in Southern Africa to date.