As of 7th May PAWS volunteers will get the chance to get even more involved in the ‘behind the scenes’ operations with AfriCat and on the Okonjima reserve!! These opportunities will include tracking and closely following newly collared leopards in the reserve. This exciting activity gives PAWS volunteers the chance to be some of the first people to spend time with these magical and elusive leopards. This work is important for Okonjima reserve, as it means that the leopards become used to vehicles and people and so are not disturbed when viewed by guests staying at the Okonjima Lodges. On the AfriCat side, we will be tracking and monitoring cheetahs newly released into the 20K area while they learn the skills needed to become self-sustaining cats. Other important tasks will include working within the cheetah welfare enclosures to ensure that these beautiful and endangered animals are getting the best quality of life possible.

To enable us to give these activities the full attention that they need, we will need to reduce our weekday game drives from five afternoon drives to three afternoon game drives per week. As a lot of the work we will be doing will be tracking newly collared leopards in the Okonjima Reserve, this should indeed add an extra dimension to game viewing opportunities!! Weekend games drives will not be affected.

All the other jobs that PAWS does on a regular basis such as fence rolling, bush clearing and cheetah enclosure maintenance will carry on as normal and will not be affected by these changes.
We hope that future PAWS volunteers are as excited by these opportunities as we are, and we very much look forward to welcoming everyone to our project based here on the Okonjima Reserve!!

I had already been doing voluntary work at home with children and my uncle had just come back from doing voluntary work in South Africa on a lion project. So I looked on the internet and found PAWS through Real Gap.

Why did you first come to PAWS?

Because it was the cheapest project!! (Ed: yes we are v good value for money!!)

What has kept you coming back over the years?

When I come back, I can see the difference that has been made in a relatively short period of time. I can really see how the bush has been cleared in the areas that I had been working in previous years. And also I like the overall aim of the PAWS project, which is to clear the bush for the cheetah and work towards restoring the original habitat of Namibia.

What are differences you have seen the over the years?

PAWS is now working more closely with Africat, doing a lot more work within the cheetah enclosures. Also within the Okonjima reserve itself and the areas I’ve helped clear, you can see the grass coming back and also the difference that makes for the wildlife. There are a lot more animals in the areas that are being opened up, including oryx, eland and impala. This year was the first time that I saw a really large herd of red hartebeest, before I’d only ever seen one or two!!

How do you feel being so involved with PAWS over the past 4 years has influenced your views on conservation?

I now realise how key it is for Namibia to educate the next generation in conservation, especially as so much of the animals occur naturally on farm land.

What is one of your favourite memories at PAWS?

One of my funniest memories was when Clive got out of the vehicle to test the firmness of the road ahead during the wet season. He almost completely disappeared down an aardvark hole!

And your favourite animal sighting?

So many!! One was the first time I saw Mufana, one of the large male leopards on Okonjima reserve. Iit was first time I’d seen a leopard in its natural habitat. And also seeing the cheetah in their natural habitat, they are just so much more relaxed than they when you see them in the zoo.

And finally, will you come back?!

I hope so!!! If I could I’d stay on longer now! Each time I say it will be my LAST time, but I seem to find my way back.

Thank you Becky! And also a HUGE THANK YOU for all your work and effort over the years in helping PAWS in our work for the cheetah and wildlife on Okonjima Reserve!!

It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that Clive and I will be stepping down from the management and running of P.A.W.S. on 2nd December 2011. As was always our agreement with Mr Wayne Hanssen, the owner of Okonjima’s Game Reserve, P.A.W.S. would return back to the management of Okonjima after 3 years, this deadline is fast approaching I’m afraid.  After much thought and discussion Clive and I have decided to stand down and pursue other avenues and careers in life.However please don’t fear because as from January 2012, P.A.W.S. will officially become the AfriCat Foundation’s volunteer programme and therefore our volunteers will get to experience an even greater variety of jobs both at Africat and in Okonjima’s 55,000 acre game reserve. There will be some exciting new jobs for our volunteers including a greater focus on the research side of work for The AfriCat Foundation including game counts, game monitoring, grass counts etc. This is all very positive and will help the volunteers to gain an even greater understanding and insight into the workings of our beautiful reserve. The fence clearing and bush chopping will still remain of course as these jobs are an integral part of what we are doing here.  The future of P.A.W.S. looks very bright and exciting indeed with new volunteer challenges and directions ahead. It can only go from strength to strength and with the continued support of all our wonderful volunteers both past and present, P.A.W.S. will continue to grow and achieve its ultimate goal of restoring and returning our precious land back to nature.

Please note for details about our replacements and their biographies please check out “About US” on the P.A.W.S. website.

Lastly, we just want to say a HUGE THANKYOU to all of you who have continued to support P.A.W.S since your visit, we are truly grateful for your commitment and dedication!  Clive and I are still here until we close on 2nd December and will continue to train and monitor our new replacements to ensure they continue to maintain the high standards we have set here, they are doing fabulously so far and I don’t think Clive and I have anything to worry about!

Clive and I would like to extend a huge thank you to Marius, Krista & Andre and Jackie who have very kindly sent through donations to P.A.W.S!  As always these are greatly received and very much appreciated and will go towards more tools and machinery replacements for the new team to use in 2012!  All the Bundu Bashers need new blades and believe me these don’t come cheap! 

Marius Mjelde joined P.A.W.S. from 30.07.11 to 26.08.11

Andre Schippers & Krista Mulda joined P.A.W.S. from : 27.08.11 to 09.09.11

Jackie Barber joined P.A.W.S.  from : 10.09.11 to 23.09.11

Thanks again guys!!!

So a BIG thank you to the following volunteers :

Adele Coulter who joined P.A.W.S. from : 24.09.11 to 07.10.11
Jean Bently who joined P.A.W.S. from : 24.09.11 to 07.10.11
Sula Gleeson who joined P.A.W.S. from 08.10.11 to 21.10.11
Lisa Cussons who joined P.A.W.S. from 08.10.11 to 21.10.11
Kate Titford who joined P.A.W.S. from 08.10.11 to 21.10.11

Our vegetable patch is growing great guns now and thanks to Beth and her team of helpers, Peter, Felix and Haingura above, we are finally reaping what we sow!  We have cabbages galore currently with lettuces, raddishes and spring onions closely following.  Our tomato plants have still to flourish but now we know that this garden is a success we can plant a lot more next year, watch this space!  It’s such a delight to be eating our own home grown produce at lunchtime and who knows what we may achieve next year!  Well done Beth, keep up the good work!