By Sal Roux
Windhoek - Pollyanna Pickering introduced herself as we sat in the bar at N/a’an ku sê (God is Watching Over Us) Wildlife Sanctuary sipping a very fine wine as the Namibian darkness settled around us.
This English artist and her daughter Anna-Louise had just arrived from seeing the gorillas in Rwanda and were now spending five nights here to see the enclosure that her foundation had sponsored to house a pack of 13 rescued wild dogs.
Pollyanna is an acclaimed wildlife artist and the recent recipient of the most prestigious international award in the field of wildlife art.
But N/a’an ku sê has even more famous friends: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who chose to support it in honour of their Namibian-born daughter, Shiloh, through the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which generously supports long-term conservation projects for carnivores and the San people.
It is only through donations that the sanctuary can continue its extraordinary work as both lodge and sanctuary are totally non-profit organisations.
So what is it about this 3 200ha sanctuary owned by Marlice and Rudie van Vuuren that attracts donors from across the globe? The very fact it is all about the animals and the San Bushman goes some way towards explaining this, but for us it was the ethic that animals that could never be rehabilitated into the wild were allowed to live in conditions that replicated their natural environment as closely as possible.
A minimum of 1 hectare is allocated per animal and the area is so big and untouched that it was only with the help of the guides that we spotted any animals.
In once instance it took a shrill “kom kom kom” from our guide before a lion emerged from behind some bushes to enjoy its meal.
More importantly, the ideal was release wherever possible, and a morning spent in the company of Florian, one of the resident researchers, gave us an in-depth look at the work done.
We saw computer images of the daily tracking of cheetah and leopard released into the wild and heard how these animals had adapted, established their own territories and, in some instances, successfully reared cubs.
Florian stressed that the carnivore/human conflict created enormous problems and that, thanks to their excellent reputation, they were regularly approached by farmers, who instead of just killing the “errant” animal, were now happy for Florian and his team to capture and relocate.
This progressive thinking came at a huge financial price as frequently the animals had to be held until a suitable location for release was found (at least 100km away). The animal then had to be collared, relocated and then regularly monitored.
N/a’an ku sê is not cheap and you pay for every activity, but if you consider it as a donation, it puts the price into perspective. On offer is the feeding tour, up close, albeit behind a fence.
We got to see a leopard, a glossy fat male lion and two lionesses, a trio of cheetah, 13 wild dogs, which were rescued as pups, orphaned and injured baboons and the most delightful caracals.
When we went into the caracals’ enclosure, they rubbed up against us and head-butted us. They were apparently products of human intervention when they were young.
Another visitors’ favourite is getting up close and personal with three cheetah who, if inclined, will wrap around your legs and purr like large pussy cats. You can even take one for a walk. We also spent some time with a female cheetah who been reared as a pet and fed dog food and scraps before coming to the sanctuary!
The sanctuary is manned by a team of volunteers who come from around the world. They pay for the volunteer programme and in return get to work closely with the wildlife. Grind aside, they also get to do fun stuff like take the young baboons for their daily walk, or is it the other way around?
The sanctuary is also involved with working with the marginalised San. We met several who lived on the property and worked both in the lodge and with the animals. And the Clever Cubs pre-school gives the local youngsters a great start and is remarkably well equipped.
There is also the opportunity to sponsor a child and ensure his/her education into mainstream schools in Windhoek. N/a’an ku sê has a school bus that takes them to Windhoek every day.
Health is also addressed and they have built a Lifeline Clinic, which offers free medical treatment to more than 4 000 people and is staffed by both a doctor and a nursing sister. Once a month they organise an outreach programme at a San settlement where San women are taught basic health-care and skills.
The lodge itself is eco-friendly. Apart from the quirky use of natural materials, the six suites open on to the veldt through glass doors. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, the dining room had panoramic views and we dined beneath a full blue moon. The menu is set, but innovative. And we were very impressed with the wine selection and prices.
If you find time between activities, go for a walk. Free-roaming game abounds and I saw jackal and baboons while watching the sunrise.
There are interesting gorges and rock formations; if you decide to chill beside the pool, dassies will keep you entertained; and staff were charming, efficient and adept at multi-tasking. If you are heading towards Windhoek, spend a few nights at N/a’an ku sê. - Sunday Tribune
l Watch Wild Animal Orphans on on Animal Planet, DStv (183) Thursdays at 9pm which is all about the sanctuary and its work.