TRACKING COURSE: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY?

What is that, who made it, when was it here, what happened? And if you didn’t see it, does it mean it wasn’t really here, there or wherever?

To unravel the mysteries of nature even further, book a place on a unique seven day tracking course with EcoTraining and Adriaan Louw, one of the most highly qualified trackers and trainers in South Africa. It is fun. It is hands on. It is life changing!

A vast amount of information can be gathered about mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates without ever having seen them. Although this may sound strange, every animal leaves some indication of its presence or passing whereby it can be recognised. And then the “reconstruction” of what could have, would have, should have happened…

You will be provided with an in-depth animal tracks and tracking course at our wilderness camps in Selati, Makuleke and Mashatu. It is all about understanding and learning to interpret so much more about the bush and wildlife as you search for tracks and find game.

The course outline is simple: the bush is the lecture room; the available tracks and sign, trails, and animals are what we work with.  And then the questions from Adriaan, much in the vein of “Right, in the circle, who made that, with which foot, male or female, and how long ago did that animal walk here?”

For the novice a few marks in the sand, may just look like that, nothing more or less.  The master on the other hand, though, will simply bend down on one knee, with the light in just the right place, view the track from all possible angles, and then without doubt identify the phantom animal.

Adriaan is one of those people that talks the talk and walks the walk. He is a CyberTracker senior tracker and evaluator (one of only a handful), member of the International Society of Professional Trackers and travels the world lecturing. The fact that he is involved with our tracking course set EcoTraining apart from most courses of this nature.

Adriaan started his career “in the bush” in 1989 in nature conservation. And although the tracking bug only bit a couple of years later, today it is of utmost importance in his profession.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are tracking lions or following poachers, without the skills of tracking, you are never going to be that successful. And the only way to learn this is to spend time in the bush, the ability to learn from others and the humility to admit when you are wrong.”

During the course we will alter between track and sign interpretation and trailing sessions. We start with the basics of trailing each other and as skills improve we start working animal trails.

If we’ve peaked your interest, then put your nose to the ground and follow the signs to enquiries@ecotraining.co.za to book your place!