CHILDREN'S wildlife camps have always been popular amongst South African children but now more and more international school groups have seized on this trend and are sending groups of schoolchildren to KwaZulu Natal Nature Conservation Service's (NCS) Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park to participate in these wildlife educationals.
According to NCS' Priya Vallabh, a group of 42 youths - aged between 16 and 23 - arrived from all over the world to attend a camp in the park in July, organised by the international Lions Club organisation.
In October, a group of schoolchildren will arrive from China for a research educational programme in the park.
NCS will also be presenting a wildlife camp to local children aged between 12 and 15 years - although Vallabh says international guests are also welcome - from September 26 to 29.
The camps can accommodate up to 20 children and are supervised by environmental educators and field rangers. Activities include walks in the park, night drives, visits to the rhino capture bomas and game tracking.
(Adéle Mackenzie)
