One of the great privileges of living in the Crocodile River Reserve is sharing your space with free-roaming wildlife. But when baboons and monkeys start helping themselves to your kitchen, what can you actually do about it?
Justin guided us through a carefully curated selection from the CRR’s impressive bird list — and while covering all 255 recorded species in one morning was never going to be possible, he chose beautifully. The majestic Brown Snake Eagle, the charismatic Arrow-marked Babbler, the humble Dove, the mystical Grass Owl and the very special Orange River Francolin were among the stars of the show. The presentation was, however, occasionally — and hilariously — interrupted by a group of Hadeda Ibis who clearly felt they deserved a mention too.
The weekend of the 14th and 15th was very busy for the School Programme team, with a Wild Crew outing on the Eastern side and another one on the Western side on the Sunday. The theme was seeds – those tiny little things that seem so insignificant but feed the world!
Testing the water and finding healthy results reinforced the importance of wetlands as natural filters in our water systems, and highlighted what can be achieved when a natural environment is properly cared for.
With so many hands-on activities, we did not even have time to examine our finds under the microscope, but there was no doubt that the children appreciated the vast biodiversity we discovered in such a small section of the wetlands. We made sure they understood the functions of wetlands and the important role they play in the lives of so many species, including our own.
Before we’d even reached the veld, everyone had already caught their first bug, causing great excitement! Once in the long grass, each child had a turn using the sweep nets, and on our return to our ‘base’ at The Sheds, we identified the insects, observed them under a microscope, and then, of course, released them back into their habitat.
We started by exploring how birds are adapted to what they eat and where they live. From sharp beaks to clever claws, every feathered friend has its own design for survival. Our walk took us through five different habitats, each alive with birdsong and movement.
On our recent Wild Crew outing, we took full advantage of the warm weather and spent almost the entire day outdoors on our nature walk. It took some time to reach our planned destination – a ridge on the Egoli Granite Grasslands – because there was simply so much to see and explain.
Looking back on what the CRR School Programme has achieved so far in 2025, and seeing the little veld flowers popping up in the Egoli Granite Grasslands even before the first rains, I am reminded just how important our lessons on seeds have been. This topic may not seem quite as exciting as water, history, or geology, but without seeds—where would we be?
Clearly, rocks do rock, if the number of children and parents who turned up for this event was anything to go by. Everyone enjoyed the walk to Koppie Alleen, and the climb to the top was a real adventure! Understanding the vital role rocks have played in the forming of the planet, and their contribution to the environment in the past and now, gave everyone pause for thought.
Rivers are such a vital resource that inspiring the next generation to care for them — and teaching them how — is a no-brainer. So on Saturday, we headed off to a small stream in the CRR with our Wild Crew. And on this outing, they really lived up to their name.
True to nature, the children couldn’t wait to get their feet wet despite the cold. They were told to remove their shoes and socks, roll up their pants, and were handed water testing strips, petri dishes, and little bottles with pipettes.
