So what does a wildlife tracker do?
A wildlife tracker in the safari hotel industry sits on a tailor made seat on the bonnet of the safari cruiser. It is his job to spot wildlife and to look for fresh tracks of the Big 5 (elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffaloes). Usually leopards, lions and rhinos would be tracked on foot as the elephants and buffaloes are relatively easy to find. A good tracker needs to be able to distinguish between old and fresh tracks and also possess a lot of perseverance as the spoor is often lost and it takes time and effort to find again. Patience is key. He needs to know the habits of the animals and know the bush intimately. Upon finding his sought after animal the tracker would then call this guide, who would be in the vehicle driving with guests, on a handheld radio and guide him to his location.
Eric Siwelane has been working as a wildlife tracker at Pondoro for the last 10 years. He came highly recommended and has been a pleasure to work with. He has a gentle demeanor with a huge smile that lights up his face. Luckily this happens often as he has a very good sense of humor. He quickly became one of our most trustworthy personal and one of the senior trackers. His loyalty and hunger to please guests are great trademarks. One of the most important criteria a good tracker should have is the will to try and show guests as much of our wildlife as possible. Pondoro is often guests’ first taste of a safari to Africa. We have only one chance to impress and hopefully sow the seeds for our guests to come back for a second visit. Good accommodation, great service and food is expected and can be found at nearly all destinations throughout the world. Wildlife is our drawcard and a good tracker is key. Eric fits the mold perfectly and Pondoro is grateful for his service as he has made a big difference to Pondoro.