This newsletter provides updates from Daktari Wildlife Orphanage in South Africa. It discusses the various volunteers in October, welcoming a new mongoose named Weasel, a donkey giving birth to a foal named Halloween, and introducing the newest baby squirrel named Sonja. It also describes rescuing an injured baboon and transporting it for treatment, though it ultimately did not survive. Various animals were acquired or helped, and construction projects were undertaken at the orphanage. It requests sponsorship for several animals and provides donation details.

1. DAKTARI NEWSLETTER OCTOBER

2. SUCH AN ECLECTIC GROUP OF CHILDREN THIS MONTH…

3. VOLUNTEERS IN OCTOBER Phil and Annie from England Gwladys from France Gina from Ireland Maureen and Sammi from Australia Aaron from the US

4. THE MONGOOSE WHO WEASELED HIS WAY INTO OUR HEART This month we were happy to welcome a new banded mongoose to our…well, band of mongooses! Brought to us by a family who had hand raised Weasel from infancy, he became a bit of a problem when he would wander out of the garden and onto the road; he has been run over on two occasions! With a healing hip, his owners gave him to us with heavy hearts, but we assured them that he would be well looked after at Daktari! He ’ s such a funny thing – Weasel loves to swim, and drags himself all over camp spreading his smell, but ends up looking like a poodle with worms- very attractive! He is good natured and loved by all! Welcome to Daktari Weasel!!

5. CONGRATULATIONS CALINE!!! Congratulations to our dear donkey Caline! She gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby girl on the 31 st October, mid afternoon. Keeping with the times, we all concurred to call her Halloween. There is nothing scary about this black beauty, who was happy to let us near her and stroke her, as unsteady as she was on her feet. Caline has been very patient, leading Halloween to her teats and teaching her the ways of the donkey world! We wish them all the best, and we will be updating you further with photos next month 

6. OUR BABY BUNDLE Hello everybody! My name is Sonja, and I am the newest addition to the bunch of baby squirrels at Daktari! I was only a week old when I was found and given to the volunteers to nurse, barely able to walk, I am fed every few hours, and love to fall asleep cupped in people ’ s hands and cleavage. My parents Phil and Sammie have been great, and I can feel that I am becoming more adventurous and stronger by the day! Marijn Evans Noah Alex Sonja Moutique Yum Yum!

7. SPRING SWIMS

8. Observation & intrigue We got the go ahead to take the little guy to the Primate centre near Phalaborwa Gently sleeping after all the drama. On a Tuesday just as dusk was upon Daktari, the volunteers found a baby baboon lying lifeless on an outcrop of rocks. Something wasn ’ t right and the baby needed to be taken to a specialist centre to be looked at properly. All the volunteers hopped onto the back of the bakkie and went zooming through the bush while the sun set over the Drankensburg. In all the excitement, Medelyn did not see the thorny branch ahead of her, and ripped a gapping hole in her head! We returned to Daktari to hand her and her bleeding head over to Michele and off we went again. A breathless hour later we handed the baby over to professionals and hoped for the best. Unfortunately nature dictates who lives, and the baboon had extensive internal injuries and succumbed on the operating table after a 4 hour op. On a positive note, we did return to a giddy Medelyn, bandaged up looking like a war hero – Just another crazy day at DAKTARI! BABOON RESCUE AND OTHER DRAMAS

9. ANIMALS ACQUIRED AND WET CEMENT We were clearing a mound of earth when we found that this female baboon spider had made herself a home. Baboon spiders are an endangered species due to the fact that they make one home in their life time, and cannot survive without it. Thus we had to abandon the idea of building a sauna and leave her to her devices! A fifth Leopard Tortoise was acquired while cleaning out the workshop. He is contently eating and sunning himself with his new siblings. Aaron has bravely taken up the job as golf course renovator, making the game more enticing and exciting for the kids! Risette and some of the volunteers found a Chameleon caught in wire at the workshop, and had a good giggle as it happily climbed over bodies and on heads… Jacob and the men undertook the backbreaking job of building a gutter by the lapa to stop flooding as the rainy season approaches. As boys go, they enjoyed breaking out the big machinery, mixing cement and making as much noise as possible – nevertheless the final touches have been set and our feet will stay dry this summer!

10. Shiloweni is still looking for more sponsors to help keep up his feisty appetite at R200 a month. Your adoption, will help us to give him the home comforts and lifestyle this beautiful animal deserves. Caline would really appreciate sponsorship of R300 a month to keep her and her little girl Halloween fed and warm each month. PLEASE ADOPT ME Our cutie Weasel is also looking for a kind donor to sponsor him R200 a month!

11. OTHER WAYS TO DONATE Children - Project Over 100 South African youth educated about nature Vehicle-Project Vehicle to transport underprivileged children Bank: Sparkasse Münsterland-Ost Bankleitzahl: 40050150 Konto-Nummer: 1350 88 888. Name: Spendensammelverein Münster e.V. Reference: DAKTARI-Südafrika – Busch-Schule & Wildwaisen - Station Bank: First National Bank, Hoedspruit, South Africa Swift number: FIRN ZA JJ Branch Number: 270652 Account Number: Cheque Account (Non-Profit) 62044965129 Name: Daktari Wildlife Orphanage, South Africa DAKTARI ACCOUNT In Germany (tax deductible in Germany) Global Giving US Global Giving UK

12. Thank you to all of you. And thank you to all the volunteers Friends, donors and sponsors. who help us be as good as we are...