Entabeni Nature Guide Training

  South Africa

Waterberg

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Monthly & Bi Annually

Description: 6 Month Program:

Six months are spent, watching the African seasons change, learning and beginning to understand how these changes affect the animals and their surroundings.

In our six month program we will endeavour to broaden your understanding of nature guiding and all of the related industries, by spending a full 6 months completing theoretical and practical training with our highly qualified instructors, completing many separate certificate courses. This will prepare you for choosing a career within our industry. We have selected outstanding partner companies which conduct various new aspects of our course, including Ecolife who are an accredited course provider for the University of Pretoria (to present our Game Capture and Animal Husbandry components), the National Professional Hunters School and SMART Solutions for our first aid and fire fighting courses.

About our 12 day course covering the aspects of a career in Professional Hunting.

This is conducted by Melville du Plessis, a respected hunter, and teacher with nearly three decades of experience in this field. His massive experience with international clients makes his course informative and definitely fun, but very busy with a huge amount of lecture time to learn all that needs to be taught.

NB- Please note that at no point on this course will you have to hunt or harm any animal!!

You will learn the laws pertaining to this multi-million dollar industry, learn how the animals are measured and categorised, learn how to shoot scoped rifles, learn about CITES and other trade issues, ballistics, hunting ethics and bullet placement amongst other interesting facets.

We understand that not everyone is a hunter, or wants to be one but we feel strongly that this highly emotive subject needs to be understood. Education is the key to a wider understanding of this aspect of the nature industries which is here to stay, so let's learn more about it!

About our Game Capture Course:

A 22 day course on the capture of game, animal husbandry and wildlife management with Ecolife, associated with the University of Pretoria. This program is a scientific approach to game reserves, traveling to various Lowveld venues and centres for game breeding including trips to the Kruger National Park, Swadini, Loskop dam, a famous Cheetah rehabilitation centre, various general wildlife rehabilitation centres, a birds of prey rehabilitation centre and much, much more.

Note: Credits will be earned towards university wildlife degrees associated with the course content, for further details please use our link to Ecolife and check out their site...

FGASA courses offered during this training time include being taught to function as a part of a professional guiding team, and complete the full FGASA Level 1, as well as the theoretical level 2 and Trails components. The THETA NQF 3 will also be done in this process. Our qualified in house SKS and level 3 guiding instructors and national assessors will conduct this component in the world famous Entabeni Safari Conservancy, with elephants, lions and cheetah roaming in and around our camp, amongst many other species. Our accommodation is very comfortable, with ensuite ablutions per room, shared by two students.

We will also present a specially designed anti poaching program, teaching the nuances of conservation, active law enforcement, animal protection and arrest procedures including specialist anti-poaching track team operation. A rare and intricate level of man-tracking will be taught to the student over this intensive time period making this an interesting and useful component of the course. Guest lecturers in survival and conservation law will assist with this program.

About our Anti-poaching Program:

It is directly based on the man tracking techniques conducted and trained in the South African Army. This is to widen ones perspectives of poaching in South Africa and covers many new skills outside of the standard tracker training. A combination of lectures, practical hours, actual anti-poaching exposure, horsemanship familiarisation courses and time in lectures with Conservation officers who are currently in the field. They will conduct anti-poaching law and also practical scenarios which will result in a better understanding of the how's and how not to's of Anti-poaching.

As ever the tracking of animals is also important, with emphasis on the Cyber tracker system of evaluation and our own unique training methods. This is a FGASA accredited system, and will be certified as such. We will conduct the Cyber tracker track and sign assessments here on the reserve.

We will also complete specialist scorpion and arachnid, snake and snake handling and bird courses certificated during the program, with many well known guest lecturers adding great value to the program (see the guest lecturer's page).

We will also complete the SASSETA assessments and exams covering the unit standard 10750 use of a rifle, as well as the law pertaining.

Qualifications and Certificates:
* FGASA Level I Theory (subject to an 80% pass mark)
* FGASA Level I Practical (subject to passing the theory and being deemed competent on an assessment drive)
* NQF 3 this is linked directly to the FGASA practical (THETA Assesment)
* Cybertracker Certificate (70 - 79% pass Level I, 80 89% pass Level II, 90 100% pass Level III)
* FGASA Tracker Certificate directly linked to the Cybertracker assessment result
* First Aid Level I & II
* FGASA Trails Guide Theory (subject to a 75% pass mark)
* SASSETA 10750 Use of a Rifle
* SASSETA Law of the Firearms Act
* FGASA Level II Theory (subject to a 75% pass rate)
* Entabeni Nature Guiding Diploma upon successful completion of our exam sequence
* Scorpion Course Certificate
* Snake and Snake Handling Course Certificate
* Birding Course Certificate
* Game Capture and Animal Husbandry Course Certificate (incl university credits)
* Professional Hunting Course Attendance and Results Certificate (this does not mean you are a professional hunter, as there are huge experiential components to add to this)
* Anti-poaching course certificate
* SMART First Aid Level 1 and 2 and Fire Fighting Certificates.
* And more.....

Books and uniform included in course fees:
* Level one study guide
* Level 2 study guide
* Trails study guide and log book
* The South African Bushveld (Lee Gutteridge)
* 3 sets of uniform (2 shorts, 1 long pants, 3 shirts, 1 cap)

Things to bring:
* Sleeping bag
* Pillow
* Raincoat / Poncho
* Toiletries
* Any medication that you need
* Any luxuries that you would require chocolates, sweets etc.
* Water bottles
* Day pack rucksack
* Walking shoes
* Sandals for around the camp
* Camera & film
* Pocket knife (if you have one)
* Torch
* Note books & pen
* Sun hat & sun cream
* Binoculars
* Natural coloured clothing
* Warm jacket for night drives
* Spending money is entirely up to you we do however keep a stock of Entabeni Nature Guide Training T-shirts, Fleeces, Beanies, Badges, Caps etc in a small curio shop that you can purchase.

Twenty-five Day Course:

We offer a dynamic, intensive, practical and theoretical 25 day Nature Course which focuses on the natural history of the Waterberg area as well as Southern Africa as a whole.

We spend thrilling days amongst Africa's wildlife including the legendary Big Five. Mornings and afternoons are spent exploring the unspoilt wilderness areas of the Waterberg. The nights are spent listening to the African sounds around a roaring campfire in our rustic, tented bush camp or learning a bit more about the stars or nocturnal animals.

You will be staying 2 per tent in canvas bow tents which are built on low decks in the middle of the bush alongside our one year program lodge.

There are communal gas heated showers & toilet. All meals are prepared for you by our qualified chef.

We have a beautiful double storey lecture hall with a breathtaking view of Hanglip Mountain where we will conduct some of our lectures. All necessary reading material for level I is included however it is beneficial to bring along a bird, tree & mammal book as these are not included.

The first national level of guiding will have been accomplished at the end of this course (subject to a 75% exam score)

Qualifications:
* FGASA Level I Theory (subject to a 75% pass mark)
* FGASA Level I Practical (subject to passing the theory and being deemed competent on an assessment drive)
* NQF 2 this is linked directly to the FGASA practical (THETA Assessment)
* Entabeni Nature Guide Training School Certificate on successful completion of the course
* Cyber Tracker Track & Sign assessment
* First Aid Level I course
* Also included in this course is all your FGASA registration, exam fees & subscription.
* The first national level of guiding will have been accomplished at the end of this course (subject to a 75% exam score)

Recommended books to bring:
* 25-day Course (To be purchased by the student)
* Newmans or Sasol Bird book
* Field guide to trees of South Africa (Braam & Piet van wyk)
* Smithers mammals of Southern Africa a field guide by Peter Apps

Things to bring:
* Sleeping bag
* Pillow
* Raincoat / Poncho
* Toiletries
* Any medication that you need
* Any luxuries that you would require chocolates, sweets etc.
* Water bottles
* Day pack rucksack
* Walking shoes
* Sandals for around the camp
* Camera & film
* Pocket knife (if you have one)
* Torch
* Note books & pen
* Sun hat & sun cream
* Binoculars
* Natural coloured clothing
* Warm jacket for night drives
* Spending money is entirely up to you we do however keep a stock of Entabeni Nature Guide Training T-shirts, Fleeces, Beanies, Caps etc in a small curio shop that you can purchase.

Highlights: Our 12 day course covering the aspects of a career in Professional Hunting.

This is conducted by Melville du Plessis, a respected hunter, and teacher with nearly three decades of experience in this field. His massive experience with international clients makes his course informative and definitely fun, but very busy with a huge amount of lecture time to learn all that needs to be taught.

NB- Please note that at no point on this course will you have to hunt or harm any animal!!

You will learn the laws pertaining to this multi-million dollar industry, learn how the animals are measured and categorized, learn how to shoot scoped rifles, learn about CITES and other trade issues, ballistics, hunting ethics and bullet placement amongst other interesting facets.

We understand that not everyone is a hunter, or wants to be one but we feel strongly that this highly emotive subject needs to be understood. Education is the key to a wider understanding of this aspect of the nature industries which is here to stay, so let's learn more about it!

About our Game Capture Course:

A 22 day course on the capture of game, animal husbandry and wildlife management with Ecolife, associated with the University of Pretoria. This program is a scientific approach to game reserves, travelling to various Lowveld venues and centres for game breeding including trips to the Kruger National Park, Swadini, Loskop dam, a famous Cheetah rehabilitation centre, various general wildlife rehabilitation centres, a birds of prey rehabilitation centre and much, much more.

Note: Credits will be earned towards university wildlife degrees associated with the course content, for further details please use our link to Ecolife and check out their site...

FGASA courses offered during this training time include being taught to function as a part of a professional guiding team, and complete the full FGASA Level 1, as well as the theoretical level 2 and Trails components. The THETA NQF 3 will also be done in this process. Our qualified in house SKS and level 3 guiding instructors and national assessors will conduct this component in the world famous Entabeni Safari Conservancy, with elephants, lions and cheetah roaming in and around our camp, amongst many other species. Our accommodation is very comfortable, with ensuite ablutions per room, shared by two students.

We will also present a specially designed anti poaching program, teaching the nuances of conservation, active law enforcement, animal protection and arrest procedures including specialist anti-poaching track team operation. A rare and intricate level of man-tracking will be taught to the student over this intensive time period making this an interesting and useful component of the course. Guest lecturers in survival and conservation law will assist with this program.

About our Anti-poaching Program:

It is directly based on the man tracking techniques conducted and trained in the South African Army. This is to widen ones perspectives of poaching in South Africa and covers many new skills outside of the standard tracker training. A combination of lectures, practical hours, actual anti-poaching exposure, horsemanship familiarization courses and time in lectures with Conservation officers who are currently in the field. They will conduct anti-poaching law and also practical scenarios which will result in a better understanding of the how's and how not to's of Anti-poaching.

As ever the tracking of animals is also important, with emphasis on the Cyber tracker system of evaluation and our own unique training methods. This is a FGASA accredited system, and will be certified as such. We will conduct the Cyber tracker track and sign assessments here on the reserve.

We will also complete specialist scorpion and arachnid, snake and snake handling and bird courses certificated during the program, with many well known guest lecturers adding great value to the program (see the guest lecturer's page).

We will also complete the SASSETA assessments and exams covering the unit standard 10750 use of a rifle, as well as the law pertaining.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Qualifications: Needs to speak English

Cost in US$: 6 mths 9,700.00 USD; 25 days 1,800.00 USD

25 Day Program:
* Accommodation in a big 5 area
* meals
* registration fees
* laundry twice a week
* lectures
* outside lecturers
* first Aid course
* (Field Guide Association of Southern Africa - FGASA) FGASA registration & 1 year subs
* FGASA Level I theory & practical
* Cyber Tracker track & sign program
* game drives in a big 5 area
* wildlife photography

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: People who attend our course's are nature lover's who have a desire to have fun in an awesome, wild, learning environment. They love wildlife and the outdoors and want a true African experience amongst our big game. These are often people who are looking for their ultimate African adventure...

Age Range: 18 - 50

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to South Africa Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 10 - 20

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview

Entabeni Nature Guide Training's Mission Statement: We offer the very best in experiences with Africa's nature and wildlife, under the expert tuition of highly experienced trainers. This is done in a safe and fun way, making sure that all of our customers have an African experience they will never forget. We endeavour to provide the best we can at a cost effective rate, but never to provide less than the best we can.

Year Founded: 2004