January has been a busy month again for our wildlife orphanage! We welcomed 5 new babies, four squirrels and one klipspringer.
The DAKTARI team was first raising the 4 squirrels: Tracy, Morris, Wildy and Lana. These little babies fell from their nest earlier than they should. Some volunteers took care of them and they are now enjoying a big enclosure before we release them. Supervised by the team, the children get to help syringe feeding Tracy, Morris, Wildy and Lana, the little playful squirrel gang.
Mid January, a neighbouring farm found a baby klipspringer alone. We named him Barney and have been taking care of him since he arrived. This cute baby is now exploring his house and garden and loves climbing on the rocks.
Children that come to DAKTARI every week have little knowledge about their natural environment and the beautiful wild animals that live around them. Besides teaching them about various important topics like pollution and recycling, the DAKTARI team also inspire the children through interaction with wildlife in and around the camp. Seeing and sometime touching the animals, develop compassion and stimulate the desire to protect them.
This way, the kids get a personal experience with different animals, who become their teachers, showing them the importance of respecting and preserving the natural environment. Over the years, we have noticed that this personal bond between the children and the animals is one that last a lifetime.