Building the Boma

We have just heard that we are going to be getting some African Wild Dogs at the reserve soon! There are two groups (males and females from two different reserves) that were going to be put down as they can no longer be kept. A conservation group working to protect these amazing animals has agreed to let us house them until a permanent home can be found. 

Due to the size of the reserve here, they cannot be let loose as they are incredibly successful predators and would have catastrophic effects on game numbers if let out. For this reason, we have set about building a huge secure area in which the two groups can be mixed and live together without any human interaction, meaning they can be reintroduced back into the wild when a permanent reserve is found for them. These accommodation structures are called ‘Bomas’ and the one we are building has been specifically designed to ensure that these top hunters cannot escape! We have also had to take into consideration aspects such as feeding and water supply as the dogs must never see their human keepers or associate humans with feeding in any type of a routine. 

This week we have started clearing out the site where the Boma will be located and laying thick wire mesh sheets below ground level so that the dogs cannot dig out underneath the fences. Watch this space for updates on our progress…its very hard work in 40 degree heat!