This document provides a summary of the author's experience on a winter co-op at the Nkonzo Bush Academy in Mossel Bay, South Africa. It includes daily logs from the author's time at the bush camp, describing the facilities, encounters with local wildlife like zebras, giraffes, rhinos and elephants, and lessons on tracking and some of Africa's most dangerous animals. The logs detail the routines of game drives in the reserve each day and close encounters with animals at the camp. The co-op experience exposed the author to the natural environment and wildlife of South Africa while assisting with research and conservation efforts.

1. Winter Co-Op 2016
The Nkonzo Bush Academy
Mossel Bay, South Africa
By Jaime Conroy

2. 1
Table of Contents
Page 2 – Daily Log
Page 11 – Organizational Sponsor’s Description and
Cooperative Education Details
Page 13 – Organizational Structure
Page 14 – Duties and Responsibilities
Page 17 – Career Goals and Co-op
Strengths/Weaknesses
Page 18 – Significant Events
Page 20 – Reassessment of Career Goals
Page 21 – Conclusion
Page 22 – Thank You Letter
Page 23 – Resume

3. 2
Thursday, February 4th 2016
At about 3:30 am on January 30th, my dad and I piled my luggage into the van and took
off for the airport. After almost 30 hours of traveling, including a 15 hour flight from New York
City to Johannesburg and a 7 ½ hour layover in the OR Tambo Airport, I had made it to Mossel
Bay in the Western Cape of South Africa. The first few nights I stayed in town at the
Backpackers, which is a mix of a hotel/bed and breakfast. The view was incredible with the bay
being directly in front of the mountain range.
Today at about 9 am Arno and Mandi, whom are the people who run the research
program, loaded up the Land Rover and headed to the Nkonzo Bush Academy. When we entered
the gates of the game reserve, we headed east towards the bush camp where we would be staying
for the next month (excluding weekends). The camp has 4 green tents which can hold up to 5
people, luckily enough we were able to each get our own. There is a large fire pit for cooking
and enjoying, a small “kitchen” which is really a shack, and up the hill there is a toilet and a
shower right out in the wide open. Down the hill is a dam where we were told we could swim.
When we first pulled into the reserve there was a herd of Zebra crossing the road. They
can be found pretty much anywhere within the park. When we got to the camp we noticed the
ground had been a bit torn up after the recent rainstorm. After a close examination of the tracks,
we recognized that they were from the local herd of Giraffe, who must’ve been there that
morning. The tracks were huge! Shortly after, we got our things settled and headed out for a ride.
Along the way we passed several more herds of Zebra, along with Blue Wildebeests and a herd
of Impala. A couple minutes later, Arno spotted something in the distance so we took off to find
out what it was. Surely enough there were two White Rhinos, a male and a possibly pregnant
female taking a nap. I was informed that due to the potential threat of poachers, all rhinos within
the reserve are monitored and watched 24/7, whether it be by people in a vehicle, men in
camouflage in the grass, or even both. The rhinos on this property are particularly special due to
the fact that they all have their full horns, giving us even more reason to protect them. I also
learned that they have awful eyesight but incredible hearing. Early next week we will begin the
training of approaching wild animals and Africa’s Top 10 Most Dangerous. For now, we are
back at the camp although we may take another ride later when the animals are more active and
we have a chance of seeing other species.
Monday, February 8th 2016
Friday morning it was just Mandi and I at camp. We packed all of our stuff into the Land
Rover that we would need for the weekend in town and went for our morning drive through part
of the reserve. One of the first animals we encountered was a group of four wild ostriches. The
group had 3 black males and 1 grey female. The ostrich is considered one of Africa’s Top 10
Most Dangerous Animals. Mandi informed me the warnings of the birds and how to behave
while around them. As with any animal in the wild, do not approach them. Males with bright red
shins and beaks are actually showing signs of mating which makes them extremely irritable. If an
ostrich tries to attack you, it will run towards you. Your best bet is to lay flat down on the
ground. The bird’s knees are actually backwards from ours and with the way their talons are

4. 3
shaped, they cannot scratch you from the ground angle. If standing, the bird has the ability to
slice you open through the chest/sternum area.
When we continued on our trip we passed a small dam where there was a lone hippo bull.
Apparently he is bullied by the other animals within the reserve and tends to stick to himself. A
little further down the road we passed another larger dam where the two other hippos were
found. We watched for some time without getting too close and then continued on our way. As
we were getting ready to leave the park, we came across a herd of impala and a very stubborn
baby which refused to move out of the road. After a few minutes of waiting and slowly pushing
forward, the baby moved to let us go by. From there we headed into town to stay at the
Backpackers for the weekend.
Today Arno picked us up and we headed back to the reserve. The weather is windy
causing most of the animals to take coverage in valleys, thickets, etc. We came across a Red
Hartebeest protecting himself within the thickets of taller trees. We also came across an Oryx
lying in the grasses. Other than that the plains have been pretty dead. When we stopped for a
break, Arno decided to teach us on another one of Africa’s Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals:
The Hippopotamus. The hippo is ranked as the most dangerous and is responsible for more
deaths than any other animal. NEVER approach. If you approach a dam where a hippo is, be sure
to keep a safe distance. Hippos can hear underwater the same as they can hear underwater. They
can also run underwater so be sure to always have two exit points from the area. A hippo can run
at speeds up to 40 km/h meaning they can be in the water at one moment and then next to your
vehicle in another. Always be cautious about the areas where hippos enter and exit the dams.
Hippos feed on grass so they can also be found within the plains. If attacked by a hippo on foot,
find the nearest tree and climb it! Hippos can weigh 1-2 tons and consume about 100 kg of grass
per day. Warning signs of hippos include a “yawn” directed at you, which is really the animal
showing you its teeth, and a series of grunts/noises. If either behavior is noticed, leave the area
quickly but cautiously.
When we got back to camp we were greeted by a herd of Waterbuck. Waterbuck are a
type of antelope, given their name due to the fact that they stay in areas close to watering
holes/dams. There are also several small lizards known as Southern Rock Agamas that stay
around the camp.
At around 4pm we went for another ride in hopes of finding the white rhinos. We spoke
with one of the men from the APU (Anti-Poaching Unit) who informed us that they were down
in the valley where we would not have access to see them. We headed back towards camp and
were able to see the lone hippo again. We were also able to get relatively close to the Oryx,
which ended up being aa female with horns about 4ft long. Females are known for having longer,
thinner horns while bulls usually have thicker, shorter, closer together horns used for fighting.
We came back to camp and started a fire. On the menu for tonight’s dinner is ostrich
sausages known as Boerwoerst. In the morning we’ll be heading to the western part of the
reserve in hopes of finding elephants.
Tuesday, February 9th 2016

5. 4
This morning around 9am we took off for our adventure west. On the main road, Arno
stopped for us to look at a footprint. It was a giraffes’; similar to the one’s we’ve been seeing at
camp. Today’s goal was to learn about tracking so this was an excellent start. A moment further
up the road we came across a pile of giraffe poop, adding to our tracking methods. A giraffe’s
dung is similar in size and shape to an antelopes, but because of the distance at which it falls, it
tends to spread out rather than stay in a pile. Not long after, right around the corner really, were 3
giraffes. Two females and a male were lying in the grass. You can tell the different sex of the
animals based off of the horns on their heads. If they’re fuzzy, it is a female. If they are smooth,
it will be a male. The horns are known as ossicones.
As we continued, Arno stopped to pick up a porcupine quill, which he let me keep as a
souvenir. Not much longer down the road we came across the same female Oryx as yesterday.
We spent some time watching her then continued on our way out west. After driving for some
time, we stopped in the valley for lunch with a herd of zebra and a lone waterbuck nearby.
Surprisingly, the vegetation is very different on that side of the park. We came across bushes
with sharp spikes on them known as Acacia Karoo. Giraffes will use their tongues to eat the
leaves off of the bushes. We also came across Old Man’s Beard which is a light and fluffy, and
exceptional to use when starting fires. Along a small waterway we came across Soap Dogwood.
Arno had me get out of the vehicle and pluck as many leaves as possible off of the bush, then
while squeezing them together so that they’re compacted, he told me to out my hands in the
water, being sure to get all the leaves wet. I then had to rub my hands together with the leaves
between them, hard and fast. To my amazement, the leaves produced soap, with which we got to
wash our hands. Talk about biodegradable!
A little further up the road the ground became sandy, where we were able to notice lion
tracks. We got out of the vehicle to take a closer look. When following tracks, you should always
stand so that it’s the sun, the track, and then you. This way you can see the shape and shadows
within the track, without the sun causing it to blend in. Based off of the size and shape of the
print, Arno believes it to be a female. You can identify a lion’s print based off of the three parts
on the rear of the pad and the four toes. According to the tracks, the lioness was heading in the
opposite direction of us. When outside of the car, we were sure to keep our eyes and ears open
for any signs of danger.
When we reached the furthest point west, we were about 30 km from where we originally
began back at camp. There was a small water area/river so we took off our shoes and decided to
cool off. The water was teaming with life! There were frogs, fish of all different sizes, and even
fresh water crabs. I would have never imagined all of that would live out here in the reserve. As
we headed back towards camp, we came across another giraffe. This was the male of the second
herd, who aren’t usually known for hanging out in this area. Mandi, who has been on the reserve
for almost a year, has only seen the herd about 3 times. All together there are 6 on the reserve,
and in just one day we managed to see 4. We then continued on our way through the Northern
Valley. Arno stopped to point out a part of the river where the rocks had been dyed red due to
chemicals in the plants nearby. The rocks around this area are Table Mountain Sandstone, which
is a very soft rock, not much harder than a human fingernail, meaning they are easily affected by
weathering, plants, etc. the ride home was up a very steep rocky road, where we were all
thankful for Arno’s experience 4x4ing.

6. 5
As we got closer to camp, we came across the herd of waterbuck that had been at camp
the day before and across the road from them were the 3 giraffes from earlier this morning. One
way lying down and the other two were standing on the lookout. Though we did come across
many signs of elephants, such as ripped up grass and broken tree branches, we did not get to see
any. We did however get to see vervet monkeys, which live within the trees surrounded the dam
at camp. The monkeys are known for having several distinct calls, with a separate one for each
predator such as snakes, hawks, and cats. We also got to see the blue crane which is the national
bird of South Africa.
Tonight was the best night so far! While the three of us were roasting marshmallows
carelessly around the fire, two giraffes had quietly snuck up on us at camp. They were about 20-
30 feet from where we were sitting and just simply checking out the camp. They usually come
here and steal the decorative skulls, which they chew on as a source of calcium. We got up
slowly and moved to the side so that they could pass us but they ended up going around us and
into the valley below.
Wednesday, February 10th 2016
This morning we got up early in hopes of tracking the lions here on the reserve. When we
got to the main road on the more western side, we saw things that indicated elephants were in the
area. There were chunks of ripped up grasses in the road and a very distinct path down through
the thickets to a watering hole. Our course had suddenly changed from tracking lions to tracking
elephants. Arno decided to drive down a side road and there they were! Two bulls, two cows,
and two calves. The two bulls on this reserve are known as Bully, who is the alpha, and Mbtzi,
who is a great grandson of the incredible tuskers, none of whom are still living.
The elephant is another of Africa’s Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals. Weighing in at up
to 6 tons, the elephant is the largest land mammal in the world. When viewing elephants, never
approach to a distance less than 50 meters. If an elephant feels threatened by you, there will be
multiple warning signs. Occasionally they will jump sideways, hold out their ears, and even raise
their trunks high into the air. If an elephant decides to attack, they will do a mock charge or a full
charge. A mock charge is usually very loud. The animal ill hold their ears out wide with their
trunks raised, they will trumpet loudly and run towards you. Never run from any dangerous
game. If an elephant mock charges you, hold your ground. Wave your arms, yell, clap, bang on
car doors, really anything to try and intimidate them. Usually a mock charge is just a warning. A
full charge is very quiet and dangerous. The elephant will pin its ears to its head, keep low to the
ground, and run at you at full speed. Your best bet is to yet again, stand your ground. When
viewing elephants, always have a clear evacuation route in the event that any warning signs are
portrayed.
After viewing the elephants for an hour and a half, we headed back to the main road. We
took another side road and came across the two white rhinos from earlier in the week. Both the
black and white rhinos are considered two of Africa’s Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals. White
rhinos get their name from the saying “wide-lipped” while black rhinos get their name from the
saying “hook-lipped”. White rhinos feed on grasses and live among the plains. Black rhinos live
within thickets and feed on berries, bushes, leaves, etc. white rhinos are much larger than black

7. 6
rhinos, the white weighing about two tons and the black weighing only about one ton. The
warning signs of rhinos include jumping sideways, stomping, grunting, and snorting. Rhinos,
similar to elephants, have both mock charges and full charges. When a rhino full charges, it will
run with its head held high and drop it low immediately before impact. Rhinos can run up to
km/h and their horns can easily impale car doors. Because they have such bad eyesight, your best
bet is to stand your ground and make a lot of loud noises. Most likely the animal will get
confused and just continue on its way.
When we left the rhinos, we went to drop Arno off. He is heading to KwaZulu-Natal
province where he will be working for an anti-poaching convention. Mandi and I will be on our
own for the next week and a half. We headed back to camp to lay around through the hottest
part of the day, about 11am to 2 pm. Camp is a very different place than what most people are
used to. As I had described before, the camp has 4 olive green tents, a large fire pit surrounded
by ten logs to sit on, and a small kitchen with a water tap and a single propane heated stove top
burner. Up the hill a little ways is the bathroom. The toilet is a hole in the ground with a toilet
seat on it. To shower, you fill up a solar shower bag the night before and leave it out in the sun
for the day. Each bag can hold 5 gallons of water. I highly recommend bringing a cup with you,
for the shower nozzle on the bag doesn’t produce much more than just a drip. Biodegradable
soaps are a must have due to the drain being just a run off. When showering, you are right out in
the wide open. I like to think of it as an eye opening experience compared to the luxuries we are
used to at home.
After the hottest part of the day passed, we headed out for another drive. We stopped to
watch the rhinos again, and then headed towards the southern valleys to try and see the elephants
again. We didn’t have any luck but we did come across some zebra with their foals, elands which
are the largest antelope in South Africa, and blue wildebeest. Mandi also stopped to point out
Bushmen’s Bedding, which is a plant that can be used as an insect repellant. On the way back to
camp we found an ostrich feather which I took with me as another souvenir. For the rest of the
night, the two of us are enjoying the fire. Tomorrow we’ll take off on foot for a hike through the
nearby valleys. It will be exciting to see the reserve from foot rather than just form the vehicle.
Thursday, February 11th 2016
This morning Mandi and I took off on foot on a trail leaving from the back of the camp
site. About an hour into our hike we came across a small dam, on the other side were the three
giraffes. Seeing them in the wild while on foot is indescribable. We sat down at the dam for a
little while so they could recognize that we were not a threat. While sitting there Mandi taught
me about another one of Africa’s Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals; the Nile crocodile. Although
there aren’t any on the reserve, they do pose as a large threat to many areas in the continent.
Crocodiles are the only animal that will hunt and eat a human. They don’t really have any
warning signs but there are precautions you can take. When close to a dam, be sure to look
around as crocodiles tend to sun bathe along the shore. Keep your eyes open for any entrance or
exit points along the waterline, and never walk to close to the water. Crocs are known for
lunging out of the water.

8. 7
After sitting and talking, we continued on our hike. We passed the giraffes slowly and
respectfully, for it is their land and we are just passing through. A little further down the road the
plains were full of life. There was a herd of black wildebeest, a herd of springbuck, and
bontebok. While most of them took off running, the alpha bontebok stood in the middle of the
road snorting at us, trying to show that he was in charge. Mandi sneezed and I couldn’t help but
laugh because it was almost as though she was trying to show him up. After we slowly pushed
forward, he gave up and took off with the rest of the herd.
Coming to the end of our three mile hike, just as we were on the home stretch, I pointed
to the road up ahead. Very slowly crossing the road was an agulated tortoise. He was about the
size of a cantaloupe with yellow markings on his dark shell. As we got closer he was trying to
hide under a tree branch. We didn’t want to scare him anymore than we already had so we didn’t
stay long. When we got back to camp it was just getting to the hottest part of the day, and boy
was it hot! At about 97 degrees, we decided to take cover in our tents. Later in the day, we both
ended up on the kitchen floor where the bricks were cool and there was a welcoming breeze.
Around 2 pm we decided to go for a drive. We came across our rhino friends again and
stopped to admire them. They were feeding along the plains and while we watched them Mandi
quizzed me about what I had learned so far, the difference between the white and black rhino and
what the dangers are. She wanted to make sure I was retaining information and not just sitting
there enjoying the view. As we continued on our way, we headed towards the west. While
passing a valley, I happened to look down and there they were, the elephants! It was the same
herd we had seen yesterday, but we were more than pleased to sit and watch them for some time.
Elephants are my personal favorite animal and seeing them with my own eyes, out in the wild,
was incredible. Once again Mandi quizzed me on the animals, pleased that I had remembered
most of it. We watched them until about 5 pm then decided it was dinner time. On the drive back
we passed the usual zebra, eland, and ostrich. All in all it was a very successful day with
numerous incredible sightings.
Tomorrow we’ll pack up for drive in the morning and then spend the weekend at the
Backpackers. A real shower and a chicken burger sound more than welcoming right about now,
but my first week in the bush is almost over!
Monday, February 15th 2016
On Friday morning we packed our things for the weekend and took off on our usual
morning drive. On our way to the main road we passed our usual giraffe friends and zebra. We
were on the lookout for elephants so we had our eyes open for any signs such as ripped up
chunks of grass, broken tree branches, dung, and foot prints. We headed north and at a small dam
not too far from the road, we found the herd getting a drink. There are two calves in the herd that
were playing in the mud. We watched them for some time but eventually they moved off into the
thickets where we could no longer see them. We had been told the lioness had been seen on the
southern plains earlier that morning so we took a small detour on our way out of the park, but
sadly we weren’t able to get our eyes on anything. We headed into town to spend another
weekend at the Backpackers.

9. 8
Saturday at noon I met up with the interns from the Ocean’s Research program and we all
headed on our way to go cage diving. The big group of us walked down to the harbor and
climbed aboard the “First Strike”. On our way out we passed Seal Island which as the name
states, is covered in thousands of seals. They would make all kinds of sounds and had a stench
that was almost unbearable. We anchored and immediately the workers started chumming. They
lowered the cage into the water and used a tuna head as bait. Before long, three great white
sharks were swimming around us, ranging from a meter and a half to almost three meters in
length. The water was cold but we stayed under to see the sharks swim passed the cage,
sometimes even biting it. We stayed on the water for about three hours before heading back to
the dock. The next day, Tyler and I headed down to the aquarium at the point where we were
able to swim in the tank with a couple smooth hound sharks. It was very cold and the water was
extremely salty making it hard to stay under water, but if you stayed under long enough the
sharks would swim close enough for you to touch them.
This morning Mandi and I headed back to camp. On our way we passed the same herd of
giraffe. When we got to camp it was the hottest part of the day. The tents were almost
suffocating but the sun was too much to sit out in without getting sunburnt. Once the heat cooled
off we went for our evening drive. It was quiet out due to the heat so we took a break and
continued with my training. Today Mandi talked about three more of Africa’s Top 10 Most
Dangerous Animals, snakes, hyenas, and leopards. The three venomous snakes you need to look
out for are the puff adder, whose venom attacks muscles, the boom slang whose venom stops
blood from clotting, and the cape cobra whose venom attacks the nervous system. The puff adder
is a brown snake that can grow up to 2 meters long. It is a lazy snake that will wait for you to
step near it and then bite your ankles. The boom slang is a thinner snake with the male being a
bright green color. Its fangs are located at the back of its mouth making it very hard to attack in
places other than the pinky or small toe. They are not known to attack humans, but it is always
better to be safe. The last snake is the cape cobra which ranges in colors from yellow to orange to
brown. The cobras are known for their hoods around their heads which will fan out as a warning.
If someone you’re with gets bitten by any of these snakes, your best bet is to lie to them. Tell
them it hurts and you’ll get them to the hospital for some pain medicine but they don’t have
anything to worry about. Almost all snake related deaths are caused by heart attacks or brain
aneurisms related to the person panicking. The only one you really need to worry about tying the
blood supply off is the cape cobra because it attacks the nervous system and will harm the brain.
The next dangerous animal is the spotted hyena, which is known to kill for fun. The
spotted hyena is actually smart enough to count so if there are four people, but five hyenas, they
will attack. If it was the other way around, with five people and four hyenas, the animals would
retreat. They are known to live in packs as large as 150 and will kill more game than the large
cats within the reserve, which is why they do not have any within the park.
The last animal that we learned about today was the leopard. The leopard is a large cat
with spots similar to a cheetah. If you happen to see a leopard, which is extremely rare, your best
bet is to act as though you don’t see them and walk in the opposite direction. If you take a step
towards the leopard, it will see you as a threat and attack. When a leopard attacks it claws onto
your shoulders with its front paws and uses its rear claws to thrash at your midsection, ripping
your insides out. They say for every half a second a leopard is on you is equivalent to 150
stitches.

10. 9
When she finished our lessons for the day we headed back to camp for dinner and a fire.
On our way back we saw a grey mongoose run across the road which Mandi was very excited
about because it is a very rare sighting.
Tuesday, February 16th 2016
When we woke up today is was grey and gloomy, making it feel impossible to get out of
bed. Eventually I rolled out of my tent, brushed my teeth, and we headed on our way. About ten
minutes into our drive, it started to rain. We managed to see a herd of elephants from on top of
the valley but they were hiding from the weather and we had no way to get a closer view. One of
the local farmers was moving their herd of sheep so as we approached the main road we were
stopped by several hundred running sheep. On the side of the road up ahead were the rhinos so
we spent some time watching them then headed back to camp.
When we set off for our evening ride a few hours later it was still dark, windy and rainy.
Our goal was to track the lions so we headed to the southern plains. Unfortunately the weather
was making all the animals hide, all we saw were a few impala. It was the slowest day we’ve had
so far and the first rainy day we had at camp. The wind is pretty strong but Mandi was thankfully
able to build a fire since the temperatures are dropping fast. I’ll be sure to sleep with all my tent
flaps closed tonight.
Wednesday, Friday 17th 2016
This morning when we got up it was surprisingly chilly. Today was our first day of
research so we headed out into the field with pants and sweatshirts on. Our first mission was to
find some zebra, but as we crossed the plains it became obvious that the strong winds had all the
animals taking cover. Coming up a hill, Mandi and I were both very confused by what we were
seeing. Was it a person or a tree? As we got closer we realized we were both wrong! It was a
troop of about 60 baboons. We parked the truck to watch them and the sounds they made were
similar to a barking dog. Unfortunately, baboons are very scared of humans so they didn’t stay
around long. On our way to the other side of the plains we noticed an elephant in the trees, but
were not able to keep a view on her for long. We then came across a small herd of impala, we
decided to change our original research plans and work with them.
The impala research program is based off of vigilance in different sizes of herds. We
started by counting how many total impalas were in the herd, then every two minutes we would
count how many rams, yews, and juveniles were vigilant. We did this every two minutes for a
half hour, but then the wind caused them to move off into the brush where we couldn’t get a
clear count on them. We headed back to camp for the “hot” part of the day, even though it was
rather chilly. A couple hours later we decided to try again thinking maybe our same herd would
be there. Once again we were wrong, which goes to show you how unpredictable wild life can
be. We did however come across another herd that was much larger. This herd had over 70
impala, making it very complicated to keep count. Mandi taught me that when there are this
many, you can section them off into smaller groups. We worked with 15 impala per section. We
did the same process, counting every two minutes for a half hour. We stayed working for a little

11. 10
over two hours, then headed back to the camp, one – because the wind was brutal, our tent flaps
were open, and the rain was moving in, and two – because we wanted to leave before the game
viewers started showing up. There is a lodge on the other side of the reserve called the Lehele
Lodge. Every day the game viewers load up with tourists and head out for a drive. We, being
researchers, tend to sit with animals for hours at a time, while they just stay long enough for
pictures. So that there aren’t any conflicts, we leave and let the tourists get their views since we
can always just come back.
Tonight’s weather forecast is thunderstorms and it is much too windy for a fire so it’ll be
a cold, boring night in our tents.
Monday, February 22nd 2016
On Thursday the weather was still cold and cloudy. Because we did research on impala
the day before, Mandi wanted to work with zebra for the day. The zebra research project is very
interesting. Similar to a human’s fingerprint, every zebra stripe pattern is unique. The project
uses the zebra’s stripes to create a family tree of the zebra within the reserve. The family tree
will be able to tell us which stripe pattern density has the highest success rate. The patterns are
based off of whether the black stripes are wider than the white stripes, the white stripes are wider
than the black stripes, or the stripes are the same width. We are able to identify the males,
females, and even which foal goes with which female.
We spent the entire morning working on the project, and most of our afternoon. Come
night time, it was chilly but we were thankfully able to build a fire. Friday morning we did our
usual pack up and drive before heading into town for the weekend. We covered most of the
southern plains in hopes of finding lions, but as before had no such luck. That night we had very
heavy rain and I was extremely grateful to be at the Backpackers and not out in a tent.
Over the weekend Arno came back. He and Mandi picked me up this morning so we
could head back to camp for my final week. The weather today is beautiful at about 75 degrees.
We came straight to camp for the hot part of the day then headed out to work on some research a
little later. Today we were working on impalas again, doing the same process as before, counting
vigilance of impala every two minutes for a half hour. We did this about 5 times so we could
have enough information for the project. The project is funded by a university in the states so it
is important that our research studies are as accurate as we can get them. We also spent a good
amount of time searching for the lions, since they had been seen in the area near the boma. We
still had no luck. On our ride we were able to find the same two white rhino and our same giraffe
friends. All in all it was a very successful day on the reserve.

12. 11
Organizational Sponsor’s Description and Cooperative Education Details:
The Nkonzo Bush Academy, owned by Arno Smit, is a camp located on the eastern side
of the Gondwana Game Reserve in Mossel Bay, South Africa. The program offers a wildlife
research internship in partner with Ocean’s Research. The goal of the organization is to train in
the safe approach and viewing methods of large game, including Africa’s big five. The
organization also works with several research programs funded by different universities
worldwide. Some of the research programs we were able to work with during the month I was
there were Impala vigilance, Zebra stripe patterns and success rates, Hippopotamus behavior and
stress levels related to tourism, and the homeland ranges of White Rhinoceros.
The program is personally owned and open to the public for applications. Applications
and information about the internship can be found at www.wildlife-research.com. The program
offers both two week and four week long programs, and even longer for those looking to further
their education.
Arno Smit, whom is the owner, has worked on the game reserve for the past 15 years.
Born and raised in South Africa, he became a field guide for the Lehele Lodge on the Game
Reserve. He worked as a driver for the tourist game viewers for 7 years. He then took up the
study of birds on the reserve and worked as a field guide with them for several years. About 3
years ago he set up the Nkonzo Bush Academy on land he rents from the reserve. He is a
certified field guide for all of the large game within the reserve, with a specialty in the training of
safe approach and tracking methods.
Mandi Hall has been working under Arno for the past year. Originally from Ohio, Mandi
went to the Academy as an intern in 2014. A month after she graduated from the University she

13. 12
was attending, she moved to Mossel Bay to begin working as a field guide trainee. Mandi is also
in charge of the research assignments that the project is currently working on.
The bush camp is made up of four tents, as a way of learning to live with limited
resources in the wild. Although they do have a running tap, water is limited and should only be
used for cooking or brushing your teeth. Drinking water is supplied in large water cases which
Arno fills from home. Showering was possible by using solar shower bags which would be filled
with 5 gallons of water the night before, and left in the sun to warm throughout the day. The
camp had a bathroom area but it was still out in the open, giving you a very close feel of nature.
Food was supplied from Mandi and usually prepared over the braai, including boerwoerst,
braaied brekkies, soup, and even spaghetti. For breakfast and lunch, the group will stop for
breaks out on the reserve with coffee, tea, and rusks which are a type of bread/biscuit.

14. 13
Owner Arno Smit
Field Guide Mandi Hall
Intern Jaime Conroy

15. 14
Duties and Responsibilities as an Intern:
As an intern with the Nkonzo Bush Academy, the main purpose was to learn. For the first
two weeks on the game reserve, we worked on the safe approach methods and warning signs of
large game. I was trained on how to view all types of animals on the reserve including lions,
hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, giraffes, elephants, antelope, and even baboons. When working
with dangerous game it is important to always have an escape route clear in the event that any
warning signs are portrayed. Warning signs for large game such as rhinos and elephants include
stomping, grunting, and even mock charges which are very loud. A full charge from a large
animal is usually very quiet and fast. Africa’s Top 10 Most Dangerous animals include
elephants, ostrich, Nile crocodiles, and hippos, rhinos, spotted hyenas, snakes, leopards, lions,
and buffalo. The game reserve is what is known as a fynbos biome, making it home to many of
the animals listed. The only animals in the top 10 that aren’t found within the reserve are the Nile
crocodile and the spotted hyena, due to the difficulty of feeding such animals on such a small
reserve. Throughout the first two weeks I was also trained in the tracking methods of animals.
When tracking, it is important to keep the tracks between you and the sun, so that you can see the
full shape of the foot prints. Tracking can also be done by looking for any ripped up grasses,
dung, or pathways through the thickets. We were able to successfully track both elephants and
lions, using signs such as foot prints in the sand roads and broken branches on nearby trees.
Within the last two weeks on the reserve, I was able to work with a couple of the
Academy’s research programs. The first one we worked with was the Impala Vigilance. The goal
of the project is to see whether the size of a herd affects the number of vigilant impalas at any
time, or in other words, if there are more impala around is there less of them actually staying
alert or on the lookout. The way we did the research was by sectioning off the entire reserve into

16. 15
numbered slots. We would pick a slot we wanted to work with for the day and drive there in
hopes of finding a herd. Some days we would find small hers of only about 8-10, while other
days we were working with herds of over 80. To begin we would start by counting the total
number of impala present in the herd, and then separate them into rams, yews, and juveniles.
Every thirty seconds for a period of twenty minutes we would count how many of the impalas
were vigilant, meaning how many were intently listening or looking around. In order for the data
to be used by the project, we had to work with each herd for a minimum of two hours. When
working with the larger herds, we would section them off into groups of about 15 and keep track
of them while timing each group separately.
Another project we worked with was the Zebra Success Rates and Stripe Patterns. Similar
to a humans fingerprint, every zebra has a unique stripe pattern. Using the same method of
sectioning off the reserve into slots as we did with the impala, we would pick a slot and go find
any zebra present. Using a camera supplied by the University funding the project, I was required
to take a picture of every zebra’s left side, right side, and front of the face. We then used the
stripe patterns on the zebra to identify them. To count stripes on a zebra, you start at the top of
the main and count every black strip until you get to their shoulders. That number would be
written down as “neck”. Next you count from the shoulder where you left off, all the way down
to the rear end. These stripes are labeled as “back”. You then have to count the number of stripes
on each leg, from the underside of the belly to the knee. After counting all the stripes it is
important to determine which color is dominant. The stripes could be labeled as “black greater
than white”, “white greater than black”, or “equal”. The dominant color is whichever stripes are
the widest. We also recorded which zebras were mares, studs, and which foals belonged to which
mares. Using this information, we were able to create a family tree of the zebras within the

17. 16
reserve. The overall goal of the project is to use the family tree we created to determine which
stripe pattern has a higher success rate.
A final project that we worked with was Behavioral Stress of Hippos Caused by Tourism.
The hippopotamus is a very protective species when it comes to their home dams, but the pair
that we were studying happened to live right along a main road. The projects idea is to determine
whether the hippos are put through an increased amount of stress due to passing traffic on the
roadway or tourist stopped at the dam. We recorded data from the hippos by counting and timing
the amount of times they would pop up from the water, how long they would stay above the
water, when they would go back under, and how long they would then stay under. We would sit
with the hippos for several hours in order to get an idea of what was going on. From our studies,
it appeared that when there is a large volume of traffic, or game viewers in the area, the hippos
would come up out of the water more frequently than usual. The hippos would also make loud
grunting noises and cries when certain events occurred such as large trucks driving on the road or
vehicles speeding.

18. 17
Career Goals and Co-op Strengths/Weaknesses:
When entering this co-op, I know it was going to be more of a learning experience than a
work one. I know there would be more training involved than actual research, and more seeing
from a distance rather than hands on. My goals going into the internship were to be open minded
about what possibilities are out there, and to get a taste of what work in the conservational field
is actually like. I do honestly believe that my goals were met through this program. I was able to
experience what life on the job is like, I was able to see a part of the world that I could
potentially work with in the future, and I was able to make connections with people who have
years of experience working in game reserves all over South Africa. I learned that working in
conservation, you are never off the clock. Your job won’t have set hours, and working in the
field means limited interactions with others. It is definitely a lifestyle and you need to be
accepting to the fact that most of your work will be done on your own.
The program did a very good job teaching you what life on the reserve is like, with
limited resources and limited interactions with people outside of your own group. The program
gave me a good feeling about what options are open for work within the conservation industry
and what different jobs you can do in the field. I feel that even though they had a strong support
of the universities, the one weakness was that due to working with so many research programs at
once, the work ended up being confusing. It was hard to see results because every day we’d be
working on a different project than the day before. If we had separated it into weeks at a time
working with each project, I feel as though I would’ve gotten a better understanding for what
was really going on. Being the only intern this month I feel that I was at an advantage, but doing
those projects with their normal sized groups of 8-12 people would be very overwhelming and
could easily cause the data to be skewed.

19. 18
Significant Events:
When working on the game reserve, I felt as though every moment was a significant
event. Being with the animals, and seeing them in their natural habitat, is beyond breathtaking.
One event that truly stuck with me was during the last week on the reserve. We had plans to
travel to the western valleys for one last trip, when we got word that the elephants had made an
appearance that morning on the plains. We decided to take a detour from our planned route and
ended up on the plains, where just as the security men had said was the herd of elephants
including two bulls named Bully and Mbtzi, two cows, and two babies. Usually the elephants
were only seen from afar. But here they were no more than 20 yards from us. We sat with the
elephants for hours on end, just watching, taking in what their life was like. It is truly incredible
and important to remember that this is their home, and we are just visitors passing through. We
have no rights to disturb them or to interfere with their day. At one point they had started
acknowledging us, so Arno decided it was time to leave rather than to overstay our welcome.
Another significant event was the trip there. I had never traveled on my own before, and
nothing in life or school really prepares you for that. It was both exciting and terrifying, but eye
opening to what the world holds as opportunities to those brave enough to seek them out on their
own. The flight to Johannesburg took about 15 hours, with my entire trip to Mossel Bay taking
about 30. The views while flying towards George were indescribable. The mountain range was
right under us, made completely of green and reaching out through the clouds. The plant life
around there is completely different than the stereotype you usually hear about as Africa. The
bay was located just alongside the mountain range, which large ships and great white sharks; it
had a taste of everything.

20. 19
One last event that stuck with me the most was Mandi and I’s hike through the valleys by
camp. On our hike, we came across a herd of giraffe and it is a whole other experience seeing
them on foot. They are huge, but very graceful. We were able to walk passed them, admiring
them, without being taken by them as a threat. We slowly made our way past them, not wanting
to scare them. Humans are very scary creatures to other animals. We come off as a very strange
predator on two legs, and given the chance to fight or flight, most of the animals will choose to
run. These giraffes however, let us continue on our way, watching us, but never really seeing us
as harmful. As we continued on our way we came across a herd of impala, springbuck, blue
wildebeest, and bontebok. Though most antelope species will run out of instinct, the male
bontebok stood his ground and we were able to get within about 10 feet of him. It was incredible
to be that up close and personal with a wild animal that has never had any human interaction.

21. 20
Reassessment of Career Goals:
After working with the Nkonzo Bush Academy, I feel as though my career goals have
stayed the same but have been influenced significantly. As much as I enjoyed South Africa and
plan on visiting again, I do believe I would rather to conservation work state side, in National
Parks or the similar. I would love to see Kruger National Park in Africa, and visit other places
like KwaZulu-Natal, but unless one of them truly inspires me, I see no reason for me to move to
Africa. I was truly inspired to stay with working in conservation after seeing how much available
land is out there and how many animals are struggling when we could be doing so much more to
give them a place to call home. Their home ranges existed long before ours did and I do not
believe we have the right to take the land away from them. I am willing to work strange hours or
on my own in the field if that’s what it takes to make a career out of this. I think the program
definitely met, if not exceeded my expectations and definitely helped to point me in the right
direction in the conservation industry.

22. 21
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I think the co-op was well worth it. I was able to get hands on experience
in the work field while seeing parts of the world I may have never had the chance to see. I am
thankful to the school for supporting this co-op and would be ecstatic to see students in the
upcoming years get the same opportunity. The program was able to teach me about all kinds of
new environments and the staff was always willing to answer my questions, no matter how
ridiculous they may have sounded. They understood that being away from home was new, and
were very comforting and made the camp feel welcoming. They taught me all different aspects
of the conservational field, including tracking animals, approach methods of animals, research
projects involving the animals, and even the upkeep of such a large game reserve. I know have
over 120 hours working with large game and am associated with three large research projects
that I cannot wait to hear the results from.

23. 22
Jaime Conroy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
108 Pine Grove Ave.
Lynn, MA 01905
March 18, 2016
Mr. Arno Smit
Nkonzo Bush Academy
Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
Dear Arno,
I would like to take this time to thank you for the opportunity to work within your
program. You and Mandi welcomed me with open arms, and I could not be more grateful. The
program helped to point me in the right direction of working with conservation, and to see parts
of the world I would’ve never seen before. I thank you for letting me be involved with your
research programs, knowing that one day they could help make a difference. I am honored to
have worked with you, and am hopeful that it may happen again in the future.
I look forward to recommending your program to other students interested in the same
field, and allowing them the opportunities I was given. Once again, I thank you for everything
you did while I was so far from home, and making me feel as though I was truly part of the team.
Best of wishes to you.
Sincerely,
Jaime Lynne Conroy

24. 23
Jaime Conroy
108 Pine Grove Avenue
Lynn, MA 01904
(781) 718-2445
jaime.conroy@maritime.edu
EDUCATION
Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA Graduation June 2017
Bachelor of Science Marine Safety & Environmental Protection
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Sea Term Winter 2014
Performed duties aboard the U.S.T.S. Kennedy (maintenance, watch standing, enrolled in classes)
WORK EXPERIENCE
U.S.Army Corps ofEngineers , Franklin Falls Dam/Blackwater Dam,NH
Park Ranger June – August 2015
 Performed maintenance within parks
 Responsible for upkeep of parks and recreational areas
 Responsible for daily interaction with visitors and knowing trail systems
The Generator Connection,Barrington, NH
Service Department/Inventory January – March 2014/2015/2016
Nkonzo Bush Academy, MosselBay,South Africa
Wildlife Research Intern January – March 2016
 120+ hours with large/dangerous game
 Responsible for daily logs on research
 Trained in viewing and approach methods of wild animals
LEADERSHIP
Petty Officer
 Responsible for upkeep of regimental standards performed by 60 underclassmen
ACHIEVEMENTS
Commandant’s Award
Awarded on the basis of
 Volunteer efforts during time of liberty to assist with the wellbeing of the disabled
COMPUTER SKILLS & CERTIFICATION
 GIS
 Microsoft Office
 Adult First Aid/CPR/AED Certifications
 Basic Firefighting
 Defensive Driver Certification
 TWIC card holder
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Drill Team & Honor Guard
 Trained underclassmen in proper drill technique
 Participated in various regional competitions
 Responsible for representing the academy in a public setting