Field Trip: Kruger National Park, South Africa

A group of degree students from Cornwall College Newquay have joined the fight against wildlife poaching as part of a conservation experience in South Africa.  

The students have just spent a week in Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa, to learn about what is being done to counter a huge increase in wildlife poaching over the last decade.

Elephant poaching in South Africa has skyrocketed in recent years, with an increase in the number of illegal killings year-on-year since 2015. Kruger National Park is the largest target in southern Africa with 67 elephants poached throughout 2017.

Under the guidance of Eco Training, a wildlife education company offering gap year opportunities, safari experiences and inspirational wildlife courses, the students were immersed in the heart of wilderness areas of the Maluleke Concession in the northern section of the national park. This area offers varied vegetation, folklore of the early explorers and great wildlife viewing including leopard, buffalo, lions, elephants and a huge variety of birds and insects.


We caught up with three students: Corey Hawkins (FdSc Animal Husbandry & Welfare), Elle Adams (FdSc Conservation & Ecology) and Helen Williams (FdSc Animal Behaviour & Psychology) to find out some of their most memorable moments from the field trip:

How was the field trip?

Helen: This was the most amazing trip of my life. I got to see and learn so much, as well as making lots of new friends. Everywhere we stayed was fantastic, the food was amazing and all the people were so friendly and welcoming.

Corey: It was an incredible experience. From the minute we landed in South Africa to taking off again at the end was just amazing! It is strange getting into the South African routine but once we’d done it a few days, it felt like I’d been doing it all my life. Early mornings and bushwalks in the National Parks made the day pass so quickly it felt like half the day had gone, yet it was only 11am!

Elle: The conservation experience was a once in a life time opportunity that will stay with me, and many of the others, forever. 

Students and staff at the Hoedspruit End
angered Species Centre 

What was your motivation to go on the trip?

Helen: I have always wanted to go to South Africa. I knew that there was no way I could do this trip with all it offers for the same money ever again so it was a bit of a no brainer for me to be honest. Plus all the great connections you get to make are well worth it for the future. 

Corey: For my future career once finishing my degree, I’m looking into working as a Zookeeper. My previous experience of working with the animals at Newquay Zoo gave me more of an insight into the types of animals I wish to work with one day. I wanted to go to Kruger because I wanted to go and see these species in the wild and bring back the knowledge I gained from wild behaviour, feeding, etc to use for animals in a captive setting.

What have you taken away from the trip personally? 

Helen: I learned so much on this trip about birds in the area we were in as well as all the differences/similarities in the land conservation between there and the U.K.

I have taken so much from this trip but if I had to choose my top three they would be: holding the elephants trunk while it was being collared. Visiting the community centre and meeting the ladies and children there. And the friends I made at the Eco-Training camp.

Visiting the Maluleke community 

Corey: I now have an even greater respect for the people that work in conservation and how they manage and protect their wildlife from poaching and trade. Being an Animal Husbandry student, I have broadened the range of animals I have worked with, including big cats, Elephants, and Antelope. This would look good on my CV for looking at Zookeeping jobs. 

Elle: I am extremely glad that I got to share this experience with a group of amazing people. Kruger is a place that is full of beauty in more ways than one. Not only is there amazing and interesting wildlife there, the people are so caring and dedicated. I know that this isn’t going to be the last time I go to Africa and I am sure it won’t be that last time for many of the others either. If anyone is wondering whether to go on the trip, I would definitely recommend it.

 This trip has opened my eyes a little cause I realised that there aren’t many places in the world that are truly wild. There were fences for miles and I know its to protect the animals and prevent people from getting in and poaching these incredible creatures. But I can’t help but think we as a human race need to change and stop pinning the blame for everything that is wrong in the world on other people.

Darting and collaring a bull elephant 

Can you tell me a story that was particularly memorable? 

Helen: The most memorable story from the trip has to be going out on that first morning to collar a bull elephant. We went to the airfield meet the team, which included the helicopter pilot, the vet and the anti-poaching team. Then it was just like on T.V. the chopper went up to find the elephants we tracked the chopper in trucks then once they had successfully found and darted the elephant we were looking for we moved in to assist with getting the collar on and caring for the elephant while it was down under sedation. I got to hold the end of the trunk to keep it open while the guys fitted the collar, some others in our group were pouring water over the elephant to keep him cool. It was just an amazing experience that I feel so privileged to be apart of. Once the collar was fitted the vet gave the reversal and we all retreated to the trucks to watch him wake up. This was all before breakfast on out first day there. Just blew my mind in the best way.

Helen Williams holding the sedated elephant's trunk

Corey:  One night when we were in Makuleke, we had a sleep out. We packed our stuff from camp and walked 2 hours through the national park until we got to the site we were going to be sleeping at that night. Everything was running smoothly so far, we’d set up camp and got settled, enjoyed a nice dinner, sat around by the fire, and sorted out who was going to be taking each shift for lookout through the night. We went to sleep after looking at the stunning array of stars, as all was well... until the heaven’s broke. Whoever said that it doesn’t rain in Africa lied. The heavens burst, and we had to pack up camp whilst the guides tried to radio camp to come and collect us. It was fair to say the radio wasn’t working and we got incredibly wet. We eventually got back to camp soaking wet. It didn’t seem very funny at the time but looking bad it was a hilarious situation to be in, really good fun.

Students settling in for their camp out 

Elle: I think the most memorable event that happened for me was on one of the bush walks, we were walking along and came across an Elephant. One turned into two then another came along then before we knew it we were walking parallel with a small herd of four wild African Elephants. 

Elephants being my favourite animal I thought it couldn’t get any better. However, we continued the walk and about 5 minutes later we cam across another Elephant. This was a lone young adult male that was following the other Elephants. He was not as happy with our presence and mock charged at us, but the guiding leader told us to stand still and not run and warned him by banging his stick on his riffle and the Elephant then walked round us a little bit then stopped as if he was going to charge again. After this I could not stop smiling because it was so overwhelming coming face to face with a creature with such beauty showing natural behaviour. Even when I think about it now it makes me smile it is definitely one of my most memorable moments. 

For more information on the range of international field trips available to students at Cornwall College Newquay, please visit HERE