Okonjima, Namibia: 14th September 2009

My Birthday! Matt bought me some new shades and trousers last week in Cape Town, so they’re my pressies.

This morning we started work – we’ll work from 7am to 11.30am every day, then back to the campsite for lunch and a siesta until 3.30, followed by an ‘activity’.

This morning the work involved coiling fencing wire from the old farms fences which is made from galvanised steel - a total nightmare to work with. Unfortunately if the wire is left in the reserve, animals get caught in it and die, so it’s a vital piece of work. It’s hard going, especially when it starts to get really warm around 10am - but it’s rewarding and it’s nice to know we’re making a difference.

In the afternoon we had word that one of the tagged leopards, a female called MJ had made a kill. MJ had a cub three months ago and there was a great chance she’d have it with her – so for the second day in a row we spent the afternoon leopard tracking – with great success – we found her sitting under a tree, near to a dead Kudu, with the 3 month old cub playing around her – great! Nobody knows if the cub is a boy or girl yet but we do know it’s mega cute!

In the evening it was our turn to cook dinner, which was Oryx stir-fry – everything is cooked over an open fire outside by the watering hole, so it was quite an experience. Roma also bought me a cake (which meant a 150km round trip!) and put up a banner and some balloons which was nice!