The first Newsletter of 2012... enjoy :o)

2. On 16th February our beautiful donkey Sunny gave birth to her first
child, a bouncing baby boy! Welcome to the world little Shady!
Mother and baby are both doing well :o)
You can do it
I did it
Shady,
mummy!!
there’s a
I’m walking!!
good boy I’m so proud
of you!

3. Our first week in January brought us eight children from a local orphanage.
They were such lovely, happy children, despite their situation.
We wanted to make this week extra special for them so with the help and
generosity of friends, we arranged for them to have a game drive with
Siyafunda, a wildlife research project nearby, and also a trip to
Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, followed by lunch out.
The Children were so happy with their week at Daktari, with some saying it
was the best week of their lives.
Thank you Claudia
from Siyafunda, and Brian Jones
from Moholoholo for helping us
have such a great week!

4. We have some big news to start off 2012 - we have said our tearful goodbyes to our two lovable warthogs, Miranda and
Samantha. After taking care of them for a year, in which they grew bigger and bigger, it was time for them to live their own life!
They were free to go while at Daktari but loved people too much so they stayed around. That was very nice and sweet, but we
raised them to release them - not to keep them as our pets forever – and with their growing tusks it was not an option anyway.
Luckily we found a great new home for them with lots of space and delicious grass!
On a very, very rainy Christmas Eve we loaded the pigs (with some difficulty) into the back of the bakkie. First we put their
house in, and then constructed a ramp into the back. We used food and cuddles to tempt them into their house, then closed
up the back and drove them to the private reserve nearby. It is a gorgeous space with lots of land and only three houses, and
will be perfect for our girls.
Camp seems oddly quiet without them, and we do miss them a lot. We know that this was the right decision for the animals,
though, and it feels good to know that they will be happy in their new home!
We love our new home!!!!

5. We had a VERY exciting day at Daktari. Our awesome vet, Peter Rogers, came by to do
a check-up on our leopard, Shiloweni, and make sure he's doing ok.
While he was sleeping, the volunteers quickly cleaned up his camp... 2 years worth of
impala bones were removed with military precision! Everything went to plan, all the
volunteers got a chance to touch Shiloweni and get their picture taken with him. We
took the children to the viewing deck to watch the proceedings, and when we were
given the all-clear by Peter Rogers we took them into the camp. The children were so
excited to be near to and touch a leopard!
One of the kids said, "At first I was scared... but he was so beautiful!”
Shiloweni is in excellent health and now has a nice clean camp to roam around in.
It was such an amazing experience for everyone!

6. A new school year started so also a fresh start for the Daktari Eco Clubs! We started
with elections for the clubs, who would be the president, chairperson and treasurer
for their club. We had at least three candidates for each position! They held their
speech in front of their fellow club members, they were so nervous! After the
speeches each member had the opportunity to vote for their choice. They all took it
very seriously!
Joseph running for
president at Ramatau Eco Voting, who is the best candidate….
Club.

7. We also had the opportunity to plant some new trees at Maahlamele school. We
made holes, planted and watered the trees. So they can grow nicely into big trees. The
children all worked hard and took care of the trees.
The children know now why it is so important to have trees, because without them we
won’t have oxygen to live!
In the picture on the right you see one of the boys, Marothi, with his Daktari tree. He
took care of it for over a year now and he is really proud to show everybody his own
tree!

8. We had lessons about rubbish and why plastic is so bad for the environment, we talked
about extinct and endangered species and we also had some extra time to play some
games.
We have about 40 members at Ramtau and 60 members at Maahlamele Eco Club. These
are a lot of youngsters! So every week a volunteer joins me to the school to assist me with
the lessons. I also have the help of 6 students who finished their matric and are selected
for our new project. Really, I need that help 
You can follow me and the Eco Clubs on Facebook, DAKTARI Eco Clubs.
Risette, Daktari Outreach Manager

10. Volunteers Jan-Feb
Clockwise from top: Rachel from Australia,
Jackie & Noor from The Netherlands,
Floriane, Jeremy & Laurie from France, Cedric
from Switzerland, Melissa & Sonya from
Canada, Severine from The Reunion Islands,
Ross from Malaysia,
And Karla, our new Volunteer Coordinator
from Germany

11. HOLY RAIN DROPS BATMAN! Using our Imaginations…
With January came the RAIN! Our As the children couldn’t go to Makalali
dam burst, trapping us on the because of the rain, we brought Makalali
sodden grounds of Daktari Island to the children! Volunteers dressed up as
by a raging river of doom! (on the different professions and answered the
plus side the rain was warm and it children’s questions, before going on a
wasn’t windy!!) “game drive” in the bar! We pretended
to be animals and were “spotted” from
the game vehicle by the children.
Everyone had soo much fun!!
Tortoise Escape!! For a second week the kids couldn’t go
This little tortoise has taken a to Makalali, this time we painted their
shine to climbing the fence of his faces so that THEY could be the animals!
enclosure. I think he’s been
spending too much time watching Vulture Restaurant
the monkeys!! We were donated a load of ostrich
bones for our animals. We put the
many leftover bones out into the
bush then watched as the Vultures
Goodbye Laura and Marabou Stalks came to feed!
As a leaving present to Laura, the
volunteer coordinator, the boys
decided to throw her in the
pool! Lots of space to work!
Mirabelle has taken up residence on
my desk, which makes working quite
difficult! It’s a good job she’s cute!!
We desperatly miss our Laura

12. Cyclone Dando hit The flooding at Daktari was
Mozambique on 16th nothing compared to the
January, the resulting floods that hit
floods ran down into Hoedspruit, our nearest
South Africa causing town. At Daktari we were
dams to burst and lucky that we have many dry
rivers to swell. More river beds and land for the
storms are expected water to run off. In the town
to hit Mozambique there was no such release for
over the coming the water. Many were left
months, hopefully stranded on the roof of their
affecting us to a house and over 135 were
lesser extent! airlifted to safety by
helicopter.

13. Thank you to Anja and Gerrit from The Netherlands who donated €250 from
the Marienborn school fair.
Johnson Controls in Germany held a family day for their employees
and asked them to donate to Daktari, they raised €1164 which the
company matched to make the total donation of €2328!!
Another thank you to Hills for their continual support and
for keeping us stocked with dog food
Thank you to “les amis felins” who gave €100, it is much
appreciated!
All of us at Daktari would like to give a special thank you to Michele & Ian’s friends
for taking them away on holiday over the christmas break. It was long overdue and
very much needed, and they both returned to Daktari happy and refreshed. So
again, thank you, if you hadn’t taken them, they’d never have gone!! :o)

14. Daktari has been working closely with LEDET
(Limpopo Economic Development,
Environment and Tourism) recently, and in
January we received a call to say they were
coming to see us as they had something for
us. We were so pleased when they arrived
the next morning with 20 baby trees for our
Eco Club Kids to plant at their schools!

15. Ian and Michele would like to say a very special thank you to one of our great
donors who invited them for a wonderful fishing trip in Zambia. This corporate
donor who wishes to stay anonymous, understands how tiring it is to run a non
profit organisation, while never having enough funds or good reasons to go on
holiday. This year they had a real treat and flew to Zambia for 10 days fishing in a
lovely lodge. Obviously fish shall not be killed and/or hurt, and are released.
Michele who initially went to get a rest, got a new addiction: Tiger Fishing!!!
A REAL THANK YOU to our sponsor for this wonderful time and to Shackletons for
their wonderful place and welcome!!!
I never knew how much rest I needed until it has been given to me. I will
never forget this wonderful gift which made us stronger and ready for
new challenges in 2012. Thank you for thinking of us and taking care of
our health too.

17. Daktari is always looking at different ways to develop, and make more impact on the
environment and the future of our South African children. The international economic crisis has
made our fundraising more and more difficult and we need some help to focus seriously on it.
We have decided to offer two long term office positions to help us achieve our goals. One
position is for Marketing & Communication and the other one is for Fundraising and Outreach
programme Assistance. If you are interested in one of these long term (9 to 12 months)
volunteer positions (not paid) please contact Michele at info@daktaribushschool.org
Our Urgent needs for Development:
- 1 Mac Laptop (for the new office volunteer so he/she can access our Mac Network)
- 1 New office building so we aren’t so crowded and can concentrate.
Estimated cost R80,000 (€8000 / £7200)
- 1 Camp extension for our leopard Shiloweni so we can safely clean his camp regularly.
If you can help with any of these developments please contact Daktari at info@daktaribushschoool.org

18. Shiloweni still needs more sponsors
of R200 per month, to fill his big
appetite!
Caline still needs a sponsor Our little cutie Tiki needs a Tugela & Molopo need someone
for her & her baby Elfie, sponsor for just R150 per to sponsor them for just R200
just R300 a month each. Month each per month.

19. In South Africa Outreach
Bank: First National Bank, Hoedspruit, South Programme
Africa Teach over 200 Eco
Swift number: FIRN ZA JJ Club kids in rural
Branch Number: 270652 villages
Account Number: Cheque Account (Non-Profit)
62044965129 UK US
Name: Daktari Wildlife Orphanage, South Africa Click on required Global (Tax (Tax
Giving icon to donate Deductible Deductible
In The Netherlands in UK) in US)
Stichting Daktari Bush School Nederland
KvK 53826736 Children Project
ANBI Stichting Environmental
ING 5254438 te Rosmalen Education for over
300 underprivileged
In Germany children
Bank: Sparkasse Münsterland-Ost
Bankleitzahl: 40050150
Konto-Nummer: 1350 88 888.
From the USA
Name: Spendensammelverein Münster e.V.
Reference: DAKTARI-Südafrika – Busch-Schule & Text GIVE 2376 to 80088 to give $10!!
Wildwaisen - Station $10.00 donation to GlobalGiving. Charges will appear on your
wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All
purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and
Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 80088 to STOP. Text HELP to
Donate by Pay Pal 80088 for HELP. Full Terms: mGive.org/T. Privacy policy:
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20. This should fool
those stupid
poachers!