It’s important to be safe while enjoying game drive. We still need you to explain to us all the fun stuff and experience you get there. And you can only do that by being back completely and healthy. With no incidents.
Every conservation area does have rules and regulations. Which helps to guide and guard all the visitors. Sadly, just like the terms and conditions, very few do read them. Most of us just ignore and think we can handle it with no guidance. Until we do something crazy and things turn ugly.
Never Forget
Wildlife kill or get killed. They have no rules to follow or care about any. After all, its their home and they are wild. They have their own ways of living. They only care about what to eat, reproduce and survive. So they will literally do anything to keep it that way.
Some incidence that made me wanna pull some visitors’ ears
If you do game drives frequently, you get to meet different types of visitors. They sometime do crazy stuff either due to ignorance or lack of knowledge.
Taking photos carelessly in the wild
The selfie generation is the most annoying one. While in the wild, put a pose to your selfie moments. There was this family who had got out of their car to take selfies and photos. In the middle of the park. There were bushes nearby. They seem not to understand what danger they were exposing themselves to. Can you imagine they were in company of two toddlers?
Its very dangerous to get out of your car while in the wild. Unless you have a sign advising you so. Anything could have been in that bush. And wildlife could harm you badly before you make it back to your car. So its a terrible and dangerous to get out of your car while game driving.
You may think that you have checked for any wildlife presence. Hence safe to get out. But its wildlife habitat, they know their home well. And hiding favours them. Most wildlife will just allow you to spot them. But if they decide to hide, you will not be able to spot them. Let that sink in and remain in your car always.
Leaving windows and rooftops open
While still at that point, the windows and roof tops should remain closed while manoeuvring the bushes. While in the open plains, you can go ahead and open them. To enjoy the view. But in think bushes where your visibility to the surrounding is challenged. Close any openings.
Your vehicle is your safe haven while in the wild, always remember that.
Feeding wildlife
Almost all conservation areas and safari operators advised against feeding wildlife. They do that for a reason. As much as it may be very tempting, its a terrible idea.
Their diet is very different to what you may end up feeding them. Not only do you contribute to their stomach issues, you also contribute to disorientation of their diet. You hurt and upset their stomach. So lets stop feeding wildlife.
Some use food to lure wildlife closer to their vehicles. Why would you lure danger into your life? No matter how small or cute a certain wildlife seems to you, its a threat to your life. Wildlife are unpredictable and should not be treated as tamed animals back home.
Car crowding
When visitors are able to spot wildlife, they tend to let the other visitors else where in the park to know it. They will call each other and end up creating a meeting in the park. The number will build up around the spotted wildlife. This mostly affect the carnivores once they make a kill.
No one seem to care about the feelings of that particular wildlife. Would you allow people to surround you while eating? That should always ring in your head every time you are tempted to add into the car crowd.
Lets allows wildlife some privacy in their own home. The wildlife can get irritated and attack due to the undesirable conditions we put them through.
Conclusion
Game drives help us to get to know about wildlife. And enjoy their environment. Lets not be a cause of disturbance or death. Keep safe distance and obey the given rules and regulations.
Great advice. Reminds me of the guy in Yellowstone Park over here. He was teasing the bison, then was totally surprised when one of them charged him. Not sure what he was expecting.
Hope he was not badly hurt. I also fail to understand such reckless behaviour.
Safety is vital while enjoying game drive. Stepping out of vehicle is dangerous. Winnie thanks for caring enough to share.
You welcomed
😊