The 16th annual Kruger National Park Birding Weekend, held by the SANParks Honorary Rangers of the West Rand region is all set for the last weekend of January. The organisers are expecting approximately 700 participants this year, spread across 19 camps in the park.

The initiative, sponsored by Sasol, raises close to R2 million per annum based on volunteerism. Held over four weekends during January and February, guests will experience early morning and sunset bird-watching game drives, accompanied by expert guides, an outdoor braai and exciting activities and giveaways.  Some of the expert guides include, Geoff Lockwood and Ulrich Oberprieler.

“The event has proved extremely popular and has become possibly the largest birding event held in Southern Africa. The birding weekends are one of the highlights on the annual birding calendar and we receive guests locally as well as internationally from Canada, France, England, Belgium, Australia, Norway, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland. It is estimated that 80% of the guests we entertain have attended previous weekends,” said SANParks Honorary Rangers West Rand region Chairman, Peter Zietsman.

“The purpose of the weekend is to provide birders with the opportunity to identify as many birds as possible, within a 50km radius of their chosen camp. Our aim is to educate and expose people to the wonders of birding. The birding weekends also allow beginner birders to interact with more experienced birders. Guests have a selection of 19 flagship venues, where each camp is home to over 200 bird species,” he added.

In previous birding weekends, numerous rare birds and raptor sightings were aplenty, including Cuckoo Hawks, Verreaux’s Eagles, African Fish Eagles, Marsh Owls as well as White-backed and White-headed Vultures. These recordings are submitted to the Avian Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town for input to the South African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2).

“Not only is Kruger Park one of the top birding areas in the country, it is a weekend of camaraderie between like-minded people, with birders from across the country descending on the park. The Rangers carefully select normally inaccessible areas for the birding drives and normal gate times at the camps no longer apply, with drives leaving at three or four in the morning and arriving at wonderful birding spots by sunrise for the dawn chorus,” said Zietsman.

“Sasol’s involvement in bird wildlife is about conservation and promoting birding as a past time. Having one of the most diverse bird populations in the world, this should be enjoyed by all South Africans. The birding weekends provide occupancy to the Kruger National Park during its low season with the added benefit that funds raised are ploughed back into environmental conservation projects by the SANParks Honorary Rangers,” said Sasol’s Sponsorship Manager, Richard Hughes.

For a list of birding weekends across the country, visit www.birdlife.org.za or www.sanparksvolunteers.org

Ends

Issued by:

Alex Anderson, Group Media Manager

Direct telephone +27 (11) 441 3295; Mobile +27 (0) 71 600 9605;

alex.anderson@sasol.com

Jacqui O’Sullivan, GM: Group Communication

Direct telephone +27 (11) 441 3252; Mobile +27 (0) 82 883 9697;

jacqui.osullivan@sasol.com