AFRICAN BUSH TRAINING

Here are a few Gecko facts you need to know: Most species of gecko don’t have eyelids, so they lick their eyes to clean them. Geckos range in life span depending on the species, but many will live around five years in the wild. Geckos use their tails to store fat and nutrients for lean times. Most geckos can detach their tails — and regrow them later if necessary. Geckos are able to produce various sounds for communication, including barks, chirps and clicks. Geckos' amazing toes help them stick to any surface except Teflon. Geckos typically eat fruits, insects and flower nectar. Geckos give birth by laying eggs. The female can be pregnant with her eggs for years before she lays them. For example, the harlequin geckos' pregnancy lasts three to four years. When the eggs are ready, a gecko lays her eggs in leaves and bark. These lizards have sticky feet that allows them to climb up slick surfaces. Their toes have microscopic hairs called setae that give them this sticky ability. ...

The  sunbirds  are placed into the taxonomic family, Nectariniidae, which was so  named  because most of these birds feed on (you guessed it), nectar. Their thin downward-curving bills and brush-tipped tubular tongues are adapted specially for nectivory. Distribution and habitat  Occurs from Angola to southern Tanzania south to southern Africa, where it is common to locally abundant across northern Namibia, northern and south-eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and north-eastern South Africa. It generally prefers semi-arid savanna woodland. Brood parasites  It has been recorded as host of the Klaas's cuckoo. Food  It mainly eats nectar supplemented with arthropods, often joining mixed-species foraging flocks in the day, along with other sunbirds at large sources of nectar. In the late afternoon it regularly hawks insects aerially and gleans invertebrates from foliage. Breeding  The nest (see image) is built solely by the female in ab...

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com DURATION: 3 Months Full-time   The course centres around three primary topics of importance, which include an introduction to hospitality management, an overview of all the key operations in hospitality and the responsibilities to uphold industry standards.    This HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, offers a comprehensive introduction to this dynamic and diverse business sector.  The course is designed for those with a strong interest in hospitality management, though no specific experience. A series of eight detailed modules gradually introduces students to every important skill, trait and insight required to begin or advance an exciting career, followed by practical work experience in a typical bush camp and high profile guest lodge. QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDED: Lodge Leadership, Game Lodge Management, Accommodation Services, Professional Cookery & Kitchen Operations, Hospitality Reception, Food & Beverage Services, Ev...

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com Tired of the hustle and bustle of the city? Get away for a day or two and experience Africa's  wildlife like never before ... Camping Trips often include watching the sunset , sitting by the fire and unwinding visits with friends or family. Here are a few simple tips to follow next time your in the Kruger : Take a camera. Always keep your permit in the car with you . Be careful of monkeys and baboons . Get up early and stay out late. Drive the dirt roads for less traffic. Look out for upset birds and monkeys. Dress for heat, even in winter. NEVER STOP LOOKING . Get two-way radios if with friends ! Walk around the camp perimeter at night. Be respectful of the animals. Have a cracking day ! Share , Share , Share....

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com Vultures face multiple man-made threats, including but not limited to poisoning, power line collisions and electrocutions, direct harvesting for cultural beliefs, and ever decreasing foraging ranges.  Some vulture species are threatened with possible extinction within our lifetime unless we can curb the ongoing downward spiral now! Some populations have plummeted by over 90% in the past 30 years. Vultures are scavenging birds of prey. A typical characteristic of most vultures is a bald head, devoid of normal feathers. Vultures are found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. There are 11 species of vultures in Africa, with the majority listed as endangered, such as the Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres), which has already been classified as extinct in Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Vultures clear up to 70% of Africa’s carrion and are extremely beneficial to humans, considerably reducing the spread of diseases, some of which can be fata...

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com African jacanas are conspicuous and unmistakable  birds . They are about 30 cm long, but females are larger than males. They have chestnut upperparts with black wingtips, rear neck, and eyestripe. The underparts are also chestnut in the adults, only in juveniles they are white with a chestnut belly patch. The blue bill extends up as a  coot -like head shield, and the legs and long toes are grey. The jacana has evolved a highly unusually  polyandrous  mating system, meaning that one female mates with multiple males and the male alone cares for the chicks. Such a system has evolved due to a combination of two factors: firstly, the lakes that the jacana lives on are so resource-rich that the relative energy expended by the female in producing each egg is effectively negligible. Secondly the jacana, as a bird, lays eggs and eggs can be equally well incubated and cared for by a parent bird of either sex. This means that the rate-limi...

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com DURATION: 21 Days Full-time   Start your career in conservation under the mentorship of renowned conservationists, ex-Kruger Park rangers and veterans in in the field; or just join the course for a life changing wilderness experience…the choice is yours, but one thing is certain - what you will learn and experience is priceless!!!   This “feet-wet & hands-dirty” course has been developed to teach students the fundamentals of sustainable and responsible wildlife management as they actively partake in the daily running of a wilderness concession located in the world famous Greater Kruger Park!!!   COURSE CONTENTS:   Conservation Action Planning, Laws & Legislation, Bio-diversity Conservation, Natural Resources Protection, Veld Management, Ecological Processes & Principles, Plant & Animal Care, Land Degradation, Invader Plants, Bush Encroachment, Road Maintenance, Fire Management, Animal Health Monitoring...

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com Have good eyes and ears, and a good brain. At its most fundamental level, birding involves seeing and hearing birds, and then processing the visual and aural input to the birder’s brain. Start young. It is more difficult if you begin as an adult or even a late teenager. Don’t get cocky. Teen birders, who, despite brilliant sensory and neural apparatus, are eerily capable of mistaking a common Savannah Sparrow for a mega-rarity Baird’s Sparrow. Stay with it. The longer you bird, the better you learn. Know status and distribution. This information makes a huge difference in the bird identification process. Learn vocalizations of as much birds as you possibly can. Understand behavior. Recognizing behavioral clues is a key component of bird identification. Go naked! You don’t necessarily notice stuff when you’re birding with binoculars or any other equipment. Have fun. Birding doesn’t promise a cure for cancer. Birding doesn’t provide a clear path to world...

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com DURATION: 21 Days Full-time   The FGASA APPRENTICE THEORY INDABA is all about ensuring that the highest's standards are maintained in the introduction of new guides to the   industry?   The FGASA APPRENTICE THEORY INDABA brings ‘self-study” and part-time students together, once month, for three weeks in the bush at the AFRICAN BUSH TRAINING campus to attend lectures on all the modules prescribed by FGASA for the   Field Guide Level 1 (NQF2) qualification.   During the three weeks in the bush our qualified and registered FGASA trainers will ‘walk’ you through the syllabus preparing you the best they can for the national exam sittings.   Although the focus is primarily on theoretical training we also do practical work in the Kruger National Park to ensure that students are able to put the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom into practice when operating out in the bush.   STUDENT FEE: R ...

Learn more at https://abt-edu.com Duration: 3 Months Full-time   Join the ‘Conservation Services’ community today and contribute to wildlife conservation in Africa... The aim of this course is to provide students with the skills to succeed in a rapidly-changing nature conservation environment where innovation is key. Graduates are equipped with a comprehensive range of technical, managerial, research, communication and life skills for employment in the field of nature conservation. The purpose of this qualification is to supply the nature conservation industry with people who can competently contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and provide knowledgeable assistance to natural resource and reserve managers.   QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDED: Wildlife/Reserve Management, Wilderness Protection (Anti-poaching), Field Ranger Training, Game Ranching/Game Breeding, Wildlife Rehabilitation, Wildlife Research, Conservation Action Planning, And much more... Contact us at in...

  Here are a few interesting facts : Butterflies and moths are part of the class of insects in the order Lepidoptera. Butterflies are flying insects with large scaly wings. Like all insects, they have six jointed legs and three body parts: the head, the thorax and the abdomen. The wings are attached to the thorax and they also have a pair of antennae, compound eyes and an exoskeleton. The butterfly starts its life as an egg, laid on a leaf. The caterpillar (larva) hatches from the egg and eats leaves or flowers. It loses its skin many times as it grows, increasing greatly in size. Eventually it turns into a pupa, or chrysalis and finally a beautiful adult butterfly emerges and the cycle continues. An adult butterfly has a very short life: just three to four weeks. However, the entire life cycle of a butterfly can range between 2 and 8 months, depending on the species. It might sound strange to us humans, but butterflies rely on their feet to taste food. Their feet have taste sensor...

Learn more at https://africanbushtraining.com 3 Months Full-time This Course prepares students for active participation in the African Eco-tourism and Game Lodge industry, by nurturing competent guides, with well formulated career paths in the various speciality fields of a professional guide.  This includes a good knowledge and understanding of the African wilderness and the development of vitally important additional skills such as bush craft, snake handling, first aid, tracking, birding, wildlife photography and environmental education. COURSE CONTENTS: FGASA Apprentice Field Guide (NQF2), Snake Handling, First Aid, Environmental Education, Bush Craft/Survival, Wildlife Photography, Wilderness Tracks/Signs, Advanced Birds Birding Contact us at info@africanbushtraining.com

What better way to experience the ultimate in safari experiences - picture walking through the untouched wild of South Africa, to your left a 1000-year-old Baobab tree, to your right a herd of giraffes getting ready for the day ahead. Step by step, you’re connecting with nature in its rawest form. It’s a magical experience you will never forget. Kruger National Park walking safaris are guided by experienced rangers with an extensive knowledge of the area, the wildlife, birdlife and indigenous vegetation.The camp-staff cook and clean while your guide leads you into close encounters with the African wild. Feel your excitement build as you track the South African Big 5 on your walking safari. On your walk, you’ll learn about the ecology, the birds, the game, the plants and insects, and also how to interpret the signs of the wild, including animal spoor (footprints). When you come face to face with that elephant, or watch that dung beetle labouring with his ball of dung, you'll realise...

Learn more at https://africanbushtraining.com COURSE TYPE: Full-time Training DURATION: 25 Days STUDENT FEE: R 29 000:00 INCLUDED: Meals, Accommodation, Study Material, Meals, Accommodation, Study Material, ABT Shirt, Cap & Certification COURSE CREDITS:The course is fully endorsed by CATHSSETA, FGASA (Field Guide Association of Southern Africa) and accredited by the ISCI (International Students Conservation Initiative) COURSE MODULES: Geology: Rocks & Soil Ecology: Processes & Principles Astronomy: Stars & Planers Weather & Climate Botany: Grasses, Scrubs & Trees Mammals: Animal Studies Ethology: Animal behaviour Birds & Birding Freshwater Fish Reptiles: The scale ones… Arthropods: Insects, Scorpions, Spiders, etc. Conservation Management Amphibians: Frogs & Toads Early Human Habitation Wilderness Tracking & Bush Craft And much more... Contact us at info@africanbushtraining.com

This African Lion's population is steadily decreasing in the wild. In just two decades, populations decreased by 43 percent, and it’s estimated that as few as 23,000 remain today. One of the main causes is the alarming rate at which they are losing their habitats due to expanding human populations and the resulting growth of agriculture, settlements, and roads. As lion habitats shrink, the big cats are being forced into closer quarters with humans. This, coupled with a decrease in their natural prey, causes them to attack livestock. In turn, farmers oftentimes retaliate and kill these big majestic cats.  These big cats are being killed in rituals of bravery, prized as hunting trophies, and, increasingly, for their body parts' perceived medicinal and magical powers. While most cat species are solitary, this big cat is an exception. It has developed a social system based on teamwork, division of labor, and an extended family unit. The average pride consists of about 15 indi...

Giant plated lizard (English),  reusepantserakkedis   (Afrikaans),   uxamu   (isiZulu),   chamu   (siSwati) The giant plated lizard is the second largest lizard species found in South Africa, after the monitor lizard, and they are known to attain a body length of approximately 690 mm. Giant plated lizards are rupicolous, which means that they live among rocky outcrops, mostly on the upper slopes of granite hills. Giant plated lizards are shy and hard to approach – an individual will often retreat into rock crevices at the slightest disturbance and inflate its body, effectively wedging itself into the crevice and making it very difficult for anything to dislodge it.  They occur in most southern African countries including Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Zambia. They are widespread and generally common in their natural range and no conservation actions are recommended. Giant plated lizards have st...

Learn more at https://africanbushtraining.com COURSE TYPE : Full-time Training DURATION: 11-Days STUDENT FEE : R 14 700:00   INCLUDED: Meals, Accommodation, Study Material, Uniform Contribution, Membership-, Exam-, Assessment- & Moderation- Fees COURSE CREDITS: This course is accredited and fully endorsed by the ISCI (International Students Conservation Initiative). COURSE MODULES: Introduction to Game Ranching Ecosystems Planning & Management Nutrition in game animals Genomics as a tool for the wildlife industry Predator Management Game Capturing Methods Diseases & Parasites Animal Health Monitoring Species Accounts And much more… Contact us at info@africanbushtraining.com

Learn more at https://africanbushtraining.com COURSE TYPE: Full-time Training DURATION: 21-Days STUDENT FEE: R 26 700:00 INCLUDED: Meals, Accommodation, Study Material, Uniform Contribution Membership-, Exam-, Assessment- & Moderation- Fees   COURSE CREDITS: This course is accredited and fully endorsed by the ISCI (International Students Conservation Initiative).   COURSE MODULES: Introduction to Wildlife Management Conservation Action Planning Laws & Legislation Bio-diversity Conservation Natural Resources Veld Management Ecological Processes & Principles Plant & Animal Care Land Degradation Invader Plants Bush Encroachment Road Maintenance Fire Management Elephant Management Animal Health Monitoring Game Fencing And much more… OR CHOOSE  COURSE TYPE:   I-LEARN Distance Learning & Full-time Contact Training DURATION & STUDENT FEE: PHASE 1: R 8 000:00 (I-LEARN Online Classes) PHASE 2: R 1...

The White-browed Sparrow-weaver was collected and formally described by Andrew Smith a Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist. Smith organised an expedition to the interior and he travelled to near the Botswana border in 1834-35, collecting many new birds, reptiles, mammals and other along the way. It ranges from 17 to 19 cm (6.7 to 7.5 in) in length and is characterized by a broad, white eyebrow stripe and white rump visible in flight. While the male white-browed sparrow-weaver sports a black bill, the female's bill is horn-colored (light gray); that of the juvenile is pinkish-brown. In Zimbabwe, the white-browed sparrow-weaver shows faint brown spotting across its white breast. The white-browed sparrow-weaver is monogamous, co-operative and colonial. There are a single breeding male and female in each group. The breeding pair, assisted by the helpers, build an untidy straw like ball nest, with more than one entrance hole. The second entrance will be closed whe...

Learn more at https://africanbushtraining.com Course Overview   COURSE TYPE : Full-time Training DURATION: 55-Days STUDENT FEE: R 64 500:00 INCLUDED : Meals, Accommodation, Study Material, Uniform Contribution, Membership-, Exam-, Assessment- & Moderation- Fees COURSE CREDITS : The course is fully endorsed by CATHSSETA, FGASA (Field Guide Association of Southern Africa) and accredited by the ISCI (International Students Conservation Initiative)   COURSE MODULES : Geology: Rocks & Soil Ecology: Processes & Principles Astronomy: Stars & Planers Weather & Climate Botany: Grasses, Scrubs & Trees Mammals: Animal Studies Ethology: Animal behaviour Birds & Birding Freshwater Fish Reptiles: The scale ones… Arthropods: Insects, Scorpions, Spiders, etc. Conservation Management Amphibians: Frogs & Toads Early Human Habitation Wilderness Tracking & Bush Craft And much more... Contact us at info@africanbu...

Learn more at https://africanbushtraining.com Full-time Contact Training DURATION : 30-Days STUDENT FEE : R 35 000:00 INCLUDED : Meals, Accommodation, Study Material, Uniform Contribution, Membership-, Exam-, Assessment- & Moderation- Fees COURSE CREDITS : This course is accredited by TRIDEN Hospitality Staff Investment Projects and the ISCI (International Students Conservation Initiative) and is aligned with CATHSSETA requirements for the National Certificate. COURSE MODULES: Housekeeping Service Porter Service Table & Drinks Service Professional Cookery & Kitchen Operations Front-of-House operations (Reception) Preventative Maintenance Guest Relations & Customer Service Function Management & Coordination Lodge Leadership OR CHOOSE  I-LEARN Distance Learning & Full-time Contact Training DURATION & STUDENT FEES PHASE 1 : R 8 000:00 PHASE 2 : R 14 000:00 (10-Days Practical Contact Training) TOTAL :   R 22 000:00 IN...

Let's start with the basics: Millipedes are not worms, nor are they  insects . Insects have six legs, and obviously millipedes have many more. It turns out scientists did not choose the Latin prefix in their name, "milli-," meaning 1,000, as a way to convey the precise number of legs these organisms have. Their colloquial nickname "thousand leggers" is not accurate either. Millipedes fall within a phylum of organisms called  arthropods , a category that includes invertebrates as diverse as spiders, scorpions and butterflies. All arthropods have in common a hard exoskeleton, segmented bodies and jointed legs. What distinguishes millipedes is that for each segment of their body, they have two pairs of legs, instead of one pair as you would see with, say, centipedes. This gave way to the more accurate name used by scientists:  diplopoda , meaning "double foot." Having so many legs is part of what makes millipedes so adaptive.  Fossil evidence suggests  th...

Learn more at https://africanbushtraining.com Searching for wild animals with a  safari vehicle, that’s what  ‘Game Drives’ are about... Morning game drive Wild animals are mostly active in the early mornings and late afternoons. That’s why the Game Drives always start early, about 5 o’clock in the morning. Game drives last 3 to 4 hours and include an extensive breakfast. Coffee and snacks are also included in the Game Drive. Afternoon game drive At around 16:00 o’clock the ‘afternoon game drive’ sets off, and also takes about 3 to 4 hours. Stops for snacks and drinks are often included, drinks appropriately called ‘sundowner drinks’, considering you’ll enjoy them simultaneously with the sunset. Afterwards, you’ll continue the ride in the dark, after the sun has set.  This enables you to admire the animals in both day and night. The Game Drive safari can be wrapped with up by a South African dinner, where you can relive and share your experience b...

©Lafras Taljaard The moths are easily identifiable by their markings, which feature a large orange eyespot on each hind wing and two black and white bands isolating two smaller eyespots. Males have long, feathery antennae that they use to find a mate during their brief three-to-four-day lifespan. Gonimbrasia belina  is a species of  emperor moth  which is native to the warmer parts of  southern Africa . Its large  edible   caterpillar , known as the  mopane worm , feeds primarily but not exclusively on  mopane tree  leaves. Mopane worms are an important source of  protein  for millions in the region. The species was first described by  John O. Westwood  in 1849. Like most caterpillars, the mopane worm's life cycle starts when it hatches in the summer, after which it proceeds to eat the foliage in its immediate vicinity. As the  larva  grows, it moults four times in its five larval stages, after which the mopane w...

©Armand Otto Tough conditions breed tough animals and the Nile Monitor definitely has what it takes to survive in its harsh African habitat.  Creature Features  Species: Varanus niloticus  Length: Can reach 2.5m including Tail Weight: Can range from 7-10+ Kilograms  Prey: Insects, frogs, smaller reptiles, rodents, carrion, fish  Life span: Up to 15 years  The Nile monitor is a Nasty predator with a ferocious appetite. It spends its day searching for food of all kinds including carcasses and leaves. Any animal that gets between this lizard and a meal better beware as they have been known to protect themselves against leopards and crocodiles. This reptile is adept on land and in water, it will even climb the tallest of Nyala trees to snag a meal.  Snake tongue: Monitor Lizards have a long forked tongue just like snakes.The tongue is flicked out and used to retrieve scent particles in the air to detect food or potential mates. Enjoyed these facts ? Please...

Appearance The Brown Headed Parrot is another green bird with a brownish grey head. It has yellow under the wings at the front which unfortunately can only be seen properly when in flight. The iris is a greyish yellow. Brown heads have a basically whitish beak, with black on the tip of the upper mandible. How much black is present depends on the individual. Some brown heads have yellow eyes but they are a dark, grayish yellow. Others have light gray eyes even as adults. All juvenile brown heads have dark gray, almost black eyes, which lighten to their adult color by the time the bird is a year old. Brown heads have a brown shade of gray which gradually fades into the green on the neck. The brown head's scientific name, cryptoxanthus, means literally 'hidden yellow' and refers to the yellow coloring on the underside of the wing. Brown heads are small parrots. They're about 9' long including the short tail. Diet They feed on a variety of seeds, nuts, berries, flowers,...