The Gravelroader Caravan is designed for easy camping, particularly with family lifestyle in mind and taking the Camping to the next level.
- Fridge
- Gas Stove
- Water Tanks
- Double Beds
- Bathroom with Shower
This unique home lends itself to the pure African experience and comprises of 3 spacious rooms perfect for all guests with breath taking views and minutes away from the African Big 5.
This exclusive Home consists of 1 Main House and 4 separate units sleeping 2 people in each unit. The main house comprises of a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom in each main and dining area, lounge area with fireplace and more while soaking in the breath-taking views the reserve has to offer. This home comes with an additional unit that can be setup as kids’ playroom or an extra accommodation space called the Rampus Room.
Main House:
Units A, B, C and D:
Rampus Room:
The Gravelroader Caravan is designed for easy camping, particularly with family lifestyle in mind and taking the Camping to the next level.
This property has 4 Individual bedrooms, Sleeping 2 people each. These rooms are not self-catering, does not have a main house nor swimming pool.
This property has 4 Individual bedrooms, Sleeping 2 people each. These rooms are not self-catering, does not have a main house nor swimming pool.
Entabeni Private Game Reserve, housing the Big 5, requires the services of a Head Ranger to join their dynamic team.
Purpose of the job
• Managing the Ranger team, vehicle fleet and equipment
• Providing sound leadership in the department to ensure that all guests have an exceptional and value-added safari experience during all game drives, bush walks and the like
• Ensure the company’s ethos and culture is maintained in the Rangers department
• Liaising with Reserve Management, Hospitality and other support functions
Desired Experience & Qualification
• FGASA level 2 qualification
• Valid Driver’s license (code 08) and PDhP
• DEAT registered.
• FGASA Membership
• At least 2 – 3 years relevant experience on a Big 5 reserve
• Valid First Aid Certificate
• Trails and / or back up trails qualification advantageous
• Firearm Handling Competency
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Fully Computer Literate
• Proven Supervisory / Leadership skills
Duties & Responsibilities
• Executing your duties in a manner that is fully compliant with legislation and Company regulations.
• Managing of the Ranger Department
• To ensure all interaction with guests are professional, welcoming, and personalised to ensure the highest level of guest satisfaction
• Assist with the checking in/out of guests and transfers
• To communicate lodge and game drive rules to guests
• Conducting pre-game drive briefings to acquaint all guests with relevant rules
• Liaise all booking activities with reception
• Hosting of guests
• To perform any other duties assigned by the General Manager
Only duly qualified applicants will be considered and communication with applicants will only be entered into on discretion of the Company
Please send your CV, including a head & shoulder photo, to hr@entabeni.co.za
Closing date for applications: 26 July 2022
ENT Head Ranger
Position Overview
• Manage all repairs, maintenance and gardens of the Lodges and Resort.
• Manage the maintenance team and ensure quality work of staff in the different sub–departments.
• Ensure daily & general duties are carried out diligently, efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Form part of the General Manager’s Team.
Package & Remuneration
Salary to be discussed during interview.
Position is Live–in (Unfurnished house, free water& electricity).
Desired Experience & Qualification
• 3–5 years’ experience in maintenance managerial position within a lodge / resort environment
• Working knowledge of plumbing & electrical, a qualification will be an advantage
• Building, sewerage, and water supply system experience are desired
• Mechanical skills
• Must have excellent problem–solving skills
• Must be able to work with a team and as an individual
• Must be able to work under pressure
• Must be trustworthy and reliable
• Excellent organizational skills
• Sober habits due to standby duties & responsibilities
Duties & Responsibilities.
• Ensure the general maintenance and upkeep of the Lodges, Resort, staff accommodation, electrical and
water supply & sewage systems.
• Perform daily tasks & responsibilities as per the job description and schedules provided.
• Ensure that work is performed to a high standard.
• Assist the staff with daily duties & responsibilities.
• Reports to the General Manager.
• Ensure all necessary administrative duties, including but not limited to team timesheets, ordering of stock
items, log faults, stock takes, reports, record keeping, Management reports etc.
• Ensure equipment is clean, in good working condition and stored in the correct areas.
• Training of employees as required.
Please send your full CV, head & shoulders photo, and references to hr@entabeni.co.za
Closing Date: 20 May 2022
The South African province of Limpopo is as diverse in its wildlife as it is in its unique archaeological and natural attractions. Its vast expanses of bushveld wilderness are the natural habitat of scores of species that include mammals, reptiles, insects, birds and plants. This makes Limpopo the perfect destination for nature-lovers and wildlife enthusiasts that want to experience the wilder side of South Africa.
Because Limpopo remains predominantly rural, there are vast expanses that are still untouched by human development. They are aesthetically breath-taking and are generous in their abundance of fauna and flora. This means that there is even more space available for spectacular nature reserves, game reserves, and national parks.
The Mapungubwe National Park is famous for its sandstone formations, mopane trees, and incredible wildlife (including elephants and rhinos). The Kruger National Park is a world-renowned safari hotspot and is home to the Big Five. With an area of just less than 20 000 square kilometres, it is one of the largest reserves on the African continent, and is its oldest. It has over 2 000 plant species and 500 bird species within its borders. This means that it is a very special oasis of all things wild and wonderful. In addition to lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo; Kruger is home to the side-striped jackal, hippo, honey badger, African wild cat, sable, and many more exciting species. At the Marakele National Park, visitors can look forward to seeing elephant, rhino, big cats, and more than 800 breeding pairs of the elegant Cape vulture. The Entabeni Game Reserve offers a natural beauty of a different kind. It is part of the Waterberg biosphere (which enjoys a world heritage status) and boasts a mosaic of sandy wetlands, picturesque streams, and imposing mountain ranges; in addition to impressive plants and animals.
Guided game drives through the parks and reserves are rewarding, as the experienced rangers know this land and its rhythms. Many of the parks are also accessible to visitors driving their own vehicles. Stop at the various lookout points, photograph the animals at the watering holes, or watch in silent awe as a predator stalks its prey. Game drives in the early morning or evening reveal an entirely different variety of animals to those at night, when nocturnal species emerge to find food and water. Some of the reserves also offer walking safaris so that visitors can be part of the raw bushveld in a very personal way. Feel the crunch of the grasses underfoot, smell the heat of the earth as it rises, and hear the calls of the birds soaring overhead.
The game and nature reserves in Limpopo are only about four hours’ drive from Johannesburg and its international airport, making them particularly accessible. There is a huge array of accommodation options in the area; ranging from very affordable spots for the family to more luxurious game lodges.
When talking about endangered animals, those that often get media attention like rhinos and pangolin spring to mind but there are several others in South Africa.
The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) has created a Red List on which they publish endangered animals from around the world that face human-induced threats to their survival daily.
READ: Women rangers are protecting wildlife in Africa’s poaching hotspots
Here are 10 endangered animals in South Africa, and ways you can contribute to their conservation.
UCN Red List status: Critically endangered
It’s easy to overlook an animal that is only 3cm long, but once you know of its existence, it’s hard not to care about its future. The Pickersgill’s reed frog is one of the most endangered amphibians in South Africa. It’s endemic to the coastline of KwaZulu-Natal where their numbers are shockingly low and vastly spread out along the coast.
Major threats?
Coastal development, habitat fragmentation, and draining of water used for agricultural and urban development.
Current conservation efforts?
Two of the wetland areas where they live are currently protected. South Africa’s very first captive breeding project for the conservation of a threatened amphibian species has included the Pickersgill’s reed frog. The project is run by the African Association of Zoos and Aquaria. The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has named the Pickersgill’s reed frog its flagship species for its amphibian conservation programme.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status: Endangered
We easily underestimate the importance of vultures, perhaps because the term in itself has quite a negative connotation. But the essence of being a vulture is to clean up, and therefore, do good. By eating off carcasses they prevent diseases from spreading amongst the animal kingdom. Cape Vultures are only found in Southern Africa, limiting the already decreasing population.
Major threats
Loss of habitat, electrocution on pylons or collision with cables and unintentional poisoning.
Current conservation efforts
VulPro is one of the leading Cape Vulture conservation organisations in the country. They aim not only to conserve and protect Cape Vultures but also to raise awareness around them. They launched a breeding and rehabilitation project fairly recently and the first captive-bred vulture chick hatched on 1 September last year at the Johannesburg Zoo.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
No one can deny the grace and beauty of the fastest land animal on earth. These beauties have been the subject of countless incredible wildlife images, with their dark tear stains and perfectly spotted agile bodies. Unfortunately, many farmers don’t feel the same because cheetahs are smart enough to know that a sheep is a much easier catch than an antelope on the run. Many farmers end up poisoning, shooting or trapping the cheetah culprits.
Major threats Farmer-predator conflict, loss of habitat.
Current conservation efforts
Cheetah Outreach in Somerset West and the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia are but two organisations that are dedicated to conserving cheetahs in their natural habitat. Both have active guard dog programmes that place Anatolian shepherd dogs on farms to chase away predators. As cheetahs aren’t aggressive animals, they’ll rather find dinner somewhere else than face a physical confrontation. These programmes have proven to be very successful.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status: Endangered
There has long existed a very negative misconception around the African wild dog or painted dog. Violent snaring of wild dogs is one of the most brutal ways of killing, and unfortunately, this happens much too often in our wildernesses.
Major threats Human persecution
Current conservation efforts
There are many conservation organisations spread out around Africa that are working hard to protect the African wild dog in its natural habitat. In South Africa, the only viable population exists in the Kruger National Park and the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. The Endangered Wildlife Trust has sponsored a major monitoring and reintroduction programme here. They have already successfully reintroduced wild dogs into the park and hope to continue doing this great work.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
The blue crane is South Africa’s national bird, and although there are small pockets and occasional breeding pairs found in neighbouring countries, they are mostly found in the Western Cape. Because they have a blind spot in the vision, they tend to collide with power lines and since they have very long, dangly legs, they get entangled in the wires.
Major threats
Habitat loss, collision with electric wires, poisoning.
Current conservation efforts
The Endangered Wildlife Trust has an active African crane conservation programme that aims to lessen the threats that face blue cranes, as well as wattled cranes, grey crowned cranes and black-crowned cranes. They’re working hard to implement ways of making power lines more visible to blue cranes. There’s more about blue crane conservation here.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status: Critically endangered
This little nocturnal rabbit can only be found in the Karoo regions and is currently the most endangered mammal in South Africa. It only lives in the deep silt flood plains of seasonal Karoo rivers and can’t be found anywhere else in the world, making it incredibly vulnerable to habitat loss.
Major threats
Loss of habitat due to cultivation and livestock farming
Current conservation efforts
The Endangered Wildlife Trust runs a very active riverine rabbit conservation programme that aims to conserve the biodiversity of the Karoo region. They also encourage private landowners to participate in conservation stewardship.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status: Endangered
This delicate little creature, with a head like a horse and a tail with a perfect curl, occurs naturally in three estuaries around the country, namely Knysna, Swartvlei, and Keurbooms. Unfortunately, the Knysna estuary is also very important to South Africa’s fishing industry and the major industrial developments are proving challenging for the seahorse’s survival. The continuous urban expansion is not helping either.
Major threats?
Habitat loss
Current conservation efforts?
SANParks are doing their bit to restrict further urban development around the Knysna estuary. The Knysna Basin Project has been researching a small field station since the early ’90s and their reports also contribute to a better-protected lagoon and estuary.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status:
Endangered – Critically endangered
Golden Moles rank surprisingly high on the list of most endangered animals in South Africa; with five different species reaching the top ten most endangered mammals in the country. You may not see them often, but these tiny diggers are on their way to extinction.
Major threats?
The development (mining and agriculture) of South Africa’s grasslands.
Current conservation efforts?
Juliana’s golden moles are currently protected in the southwestern area of the Kruger National Park (Mpumalanga), and the Nylsvley Nature Reserve in the Northern Province. The University of Pretoria and Cape Town have both done extensive research on the habitat and survival of the golden moles.
How you can help
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
These cheerful-looking birds occur mostly in the highland grasslands of the Drakensberg, a beautiful region, but also South Africa’s most threatened grassland biome. They are endemic to South Africa, in the area near Dullstroom in Mpumalanga to the northern section of the Eastern Cape and also a small section of Lesotho.
Major threats?
Habitat loss due to commercial livestock farming in the areas where they stay
Current conservation efforts?
The Natal Drakensberg Park and other nature reserves give the yellow-breasted pipit a safe haven. The proposed Grassland Biosphere Reserve, centred around Volksrust and Wakkerstroom, is also estimated to hold a significant proportion of the global population.
How you can help
Join the EWT and donate or choose them as your beneficiary when you get a MyPlanet card, free of charge.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern, but decreasing
On an international scale, the oribi may not be very endangered, but it’s actually one of the most endangered antelope that roam the South African plains. It’s called a specialist grazer because it doesn’t eat just any type of grass and therefore it’s incredibly vulnerable to habitat loss.
Major threats?
Habitat loss and illegal hunting (poaching)
Current conservation efforts?
There exists an illegal hunting forum to assist with illegal hunting and poaching issues. An Oribi Working Group has been established within the Endangered Wildlife Trust to focus on their specific habitats and on conserving them.
How you can help
Join the EWT or choose them as your beneficiary when you get a MyPlanet card, free of charge.
If you’re heading out on safari, it’s a great idea to do a little research on some of the animals you’ll encounter while you’re in the bush. We’ve rounded up15 interesting safari trivia facts that you can wow your fellow safari-goers with!
Helmeted guineafowls spend their days feeding on the ground but roost in trees at night to avoid predators. Some Luangwa leopards, however, have become adept at hunting them in the treetops!
Did you know that a crocodile has three eyelids? As well as the top and bottom, there is a clear eyelid that protects the eye underwater.
An elephant’s trunk is probably the most versatile and useful appendage on the planet. It is a nose, an arm, a hand, a voice, a drinking straw, a hose and much more, but youngsters may take years to truly master its usage.
A giraffe is one of the few animals born with horns. A baby giraffe’s horns lie flat against the skull when it is born and pop upright during the first week of life. The ‘horns’ are formed from ossified cartilage and are called ossicones.
The Nile Crocodile has between 64 and 68 cone-shaped teeth, which are constantly being replaced as they get lost or damaged. An individual tooth lasts for about 2 years and a single crocodile might go through over 2000 teeth in its lifetime.
Play, both with adults and littermates, helps young lions to develop such skills as stalking and pouncing.
The pied kingfisher is believed to be the world’s longest bird (measured bill to tail) that can sustain hovering flight in the air. This hovering ability allows it to hunt over shallow water without a perch.
The horns of a male buffalo differ from those of a female by broadening into a heavy shield, known as a boss, across the forehead. Horn length may be as long as 160 cm along the outer curve in large males, with a horizontal spread greater than 90 cm.
Did you know that baby hippos are usually born on land or in shallow water, but suckle underwater? They remain with their mothers for up to eight years.
Leopards tails are so long so they can act as counterbalances when running, jumping or climbing trees.
Did you know that the collective noun for a group of oxpeckers is a “fling”?
Leopards have been recorded feeding on over 90 different prey species. Their diet includes insects, rodents, birds, reptiles and carrion, but medium-sized antelopes are a favourite target.
Recent research shows that a clear record of an elephant’s diet can be obtained by analyzing the proteins that make up their tail hairs.
Spotted hyenas make up to ten different types of vocalization. Recent studies have shown that the pitch of the hyena’s “laugh” reveals its age. “whoops”, with long inter-whoop intervals, are primarily used to signal that two individuals have become separated while “grunts” or “soft growls” are emitted when hyenas of the same clan come into close contact.
Thanks to their habit of wallowing, warthogs often develop a mud ball on the end of their tails? When it gets too heavy it pulls out the tail hairs and falls off… leaving a rather unusual item for the safari guide to identify!