WHY DO I DO THIS JOB?

It’s a question that I’ve been pondering over the last while. Even though the average Joe would slap me and remind me: “You get to see amazing animals on a daily basis!” Yet, there is much, much more to it than meets the eye. A lot of people see the occupation of a ‘game ranger’ with a definite silver lining of romance and excitement. They fail to think of the long hours we work, the (sometimes) very demanding people we have to spend time with and the months away from loved ones. It's hard work. But why do I still come back to Northern Zululand after every 6 weeks? Why is there that longing that creeps up on me by the 2nd week of my cyclic leave? One word: Beauty

There is just no comparison to that feeling of driving out of the lodge’s driveway and into the vastness of Africa’s wild. The anticipation of the morning ahead. The strategy that goes with tracking down animals. The camaraderie with the genius tracker on the bonnet that tingles pure excitement and relish. The fresh smells of drainage lines on winter evenings and the rich aroma that rises from the dry earth as the first rains replenishes it with life. The thrill of watching a pride of lions surround an unvigilant group of wildebeest only to walk away empty handed or trying to keep your focus on a cheetah running at full tilt after a herd of impala. The lazy sound of wind breezing through the grass as you scan over the horizon towards the ancient vegetated sand dunes of Northern Maputaland. The emotional feeling that goes along with seeing an animal gasping its last breath to seeing a new generation of a species bracing itself against unknown adversaries. The astounding look on guests' faces when they set eyes on a leopard for the first time. Or the humbling experience of a male lion striding passed you a mere metre from your leg.

This why I love this job, for the pure unadulterated Beauty of it. Beauty – the place where Purity and Innocence meet.

Posted: Phinda by Jacques-Pierre Joubert, Date: 7 June 2012