Of Prickly Pear & Exotic Birds

Day 3 of our first week sees us clearing Prickly Pear, an alien plant introduced by the farmers that is now causing havoc in the African bush.

Prickly Pear was introduced because it is a plant that retains water and was ideal for mixing in with the feed for cattle.  It was also planted as a border hedge to prevent animals from destroying domestic gardens. 

Our task for the day is to help the PAWS staff clear a patch of Prickly Pear.  We pile the stuff in wheelbarrows and haul it away while they uproot the pesky plants. 

It is really satisfying work except for the thorns.  Besides the big thorns which are easier to avoid, there are minute thorns, almost like hairs that seem to get on all sorts of body parts as well as in our gloves and clothes.  We use tweezers to remove them but they are painful and even days after we had finished this task involuntary yelps from a number of us fill the air as each of us discovered more thorns!

Our treat for the day was another game drive.  Although we didn’t come across any big cats, we find many exotic and colourful birds, including this swallow tailed bee eater, a grey heron beautifully reflected in one of the dams in the reserve and a red-crested korhaan. 

On our way back to camp we spot a blue wildebeest for the first time.  There is never a dull moment in the Okonjima reserve.   “Never mind searching for who you are.  Search for the person you aspire to be”.  Robert Brault