A Walk on the Wild Side

Chilling with some Rhinos in the background.

As I sit here writing this, I am at the Aquila Private Game Reserve about 2 hours northeast of Cape Town in South Africa. I presume that Safaris are the number one tourist attraction in the country, and I think judging by Trip Advisor and the prices on some of these expeditions, I must be right. Overall, the South African tourist industry contributes about $27.5billion annually, or approximately 10% of their economy. All throughout the less populated areas of the country, wild animals roam free and relatively uninhibited. In fact, on the drive here, there were warning signs for baboons, and, of course, actual baboons just sitting on the side of the highway, almost to serve as a reminder that there was a time not too long ago that this land was indeed their own.

This peacock couldn't get enough of the reception and dining area.

Now, a recurring theme for me here has been the amazing deals you can find being in a middle-income country. For $350, I am able to get a roundtrip shuttle for an all-inclusive overnight stay at a 4-star resort: meals, drinks (alcoholic & non), complimentary spa package, and multiple game drives in search of the “Big 5” game animals of the African continent – African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, Rhinoceros, and the ever-elusive African leopard. This reserve in particular is on the smaller side, which has its benefits and drawbacks – there is not as much room to roam and therefore less animals, but the experts know exactly where to find everything we are interested in seeing.

Elephants in love.

I was unsure what to think coming into it, but being here is truly the real deal. As we drive through the reserve, hippopotamuses sleep by a watering hole, elephants graze nearby, and herds of Zebra gallop through the vast expanse of land. We must be still near the Elephants, as their feet are extremely sensitive, which enables them to feel the water in the ground as it flows beneath them. The Zebras, I realize, are much closer to donkeys than horses, and our guide notes that their drooping stomachs are filled with gas from their poor dietary habits, which results in unmistakable flatulence with their every move. Springboks, animals of particular importance to Cape Town, relax with each other as our guide explains their history in South Africa and their relationship with the Khoisan people, the oldest of all ethnic groups in Southern Africa.

Who do you think is Queen of this reserve?

Driving further, we get to the lion’s den. Because the reserve is on the smaller side, they are only allowed to roam during certain times of the year, as it would be commonplace for a group of lionesses to hunt down all of the game in the reserve to show their power as rulers of the jungle. Sounds kind of like the human obsession with hunting. Speaking of, Rhinos here have had many issues with poachers in recent history. Aquila maintains 24-hour surveillance with rifles trained to shoot and kill any unauthorized vehicles or persons in the reserve.

Looks like this guy on the right has spotted us.

As the sun began to set, we returned to the resort for the evening. Our guide told us that the only animals we would not be able to see during the day were the leopards, nocturnal cats that lurk in the trees and hunt the antelope in the dark of the night. Laying in my room, I could hear the sounds of the water splashing and the animals groaning, the largest living creatures on land separated from me by only an electric fence.

Strike a pose, big fellow.

The next morning, we rose early to catch the Giraffes as they went for their morning drink. Two of them watched in the nearby mountains, as one took a casual stroll right past our vehicle. We walked as close to it as we safely could, admiring its astonishing height. These Giraffes have trouble growing to their full potential, because extreme drought conditions prevent bushes and trees from growing to a height that supports them. Lack of rain has plagued all of the Western Cape in recent years, with some believing it will soon become a Desert.

The darker the back of the mane, the more senior in the pride of lions. If you see him from the back, its very dark.

Reflecting on this wonderful journey, I continue to think about the way race and colonization built this reserve, because South Africa has a way of always throwing it in your face. Almost everyone who works at this place would be classified as ‘Coloured’, the most common race in the province, with a few blacks doing some assorted jobs. When discussing this with one of the workers, I was informed that in spite of this, the owners are indeed White, much like about 80% of the customers. Origin stories of businesses here, particularly the gold and diamond mines, Safari reserves, and the Wine Estates, are deeply rooted in the history of oppression in this country. Each served to dismantle and disrupt the culture of those who were already here, robbing natural resources, claiming to protect animals used for subsistence, and dramatically increasing alcoholism and developmental disorders.

Views.

As I sit here writing this, bathing in the hot sun, with hi-resolution photos of animals I have no business seeing, being served sparkling wine from the locals whose informal housing structures I rode by as my driver escorted me to my private cottage, I recognize my privilege. Recognize that I am feeding into a system that was built to disadvantage people of color and continues to do so. What can I do to change it? Or, more appropriately: What are the people of South Africa already doing to change it?

The movement is ongoing, and it started, of course, with millennials at universities throughout the nation: free, decolonised education.