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AFRICAN!ECOLOGY!AND!CONSERVATION!
OTS!UNDERGRADUATE!!
SEMESTER!ABROAD!PROGRAM!
Kruger!Course!
Participant!Information!and!Orientation!Packet!
Spring!Semester:!AUGUST!to!NOVEMBER!2015!
!
This program begins with travel to Johannesburg, South Africa starting on the 22nd of August and arriving on the 23rd
of January by 12:00pm. The program concludes on the 29th of November after 6:00pm.
Welcome
“Isihambe!esithakazelwayo”!
!
We!would!like!to!welcome!you!to!the!OTS!program!in!South!Africa.!We!are!confident!that!this!semester!will!be!
one!of!the!highlights!of!your!college!career.!You!will!visit!great!places,!see!beautiful!animals!and!plants,!meet!
wonderful!people!from!different!cultures,!and!have!lots!of!fun.!Our!group!consists!of!two!classes!of!18!
students!each!from!the!United!States!and!South!Africa!and!six!staff!and!faculty!members.!During!the!semester,!
invited!faculty!will!also!spend!time!with!the!group,!and!various!experts!will!visit!us!for!lectures!and!field!
exercises.!You!will!have!the!opportunity!to!plan,!develop,!present,!and!write!your!own!independent!field!
projects!and!participate!in!many!other!academic!and!cultural!activities.!Our!group!will!be!diverse!and!we!
expect!that,!with!sensitivity!to!other!people’s!backgrounds!and!perspectives,!you!will!learn!a!tremendous!
amount!and!develop!strong!and!lasting!friendships.!
!
This!Orientation!Packet!contains!very!important!information!to!help!you!prepare!for!your!semester!in!South!
Africa.!You!should!read!it!carefully!and!follow!the!recommendations!and!suggestions!we!provide.!If!you!have!
any!questions,!please!contact!the!OTS!South!Africa!communications!manager!Colleen!Cluett!
(ots.s.africa@gmail.com)!or!the!course!director!Dr.!Laurence!Kruger!(laurence.kruger@gmail.com).!Also,!feel!
free!to!contact!Patty!Kustron!(pkustron@duke.edu)!at!the!OTS!North!American!Office!on!the!Duke!University!
campus.!
!
We!are!extremely!excited!about!having!you!in!our!program!!
!
!
!
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OTS!African!Ecology!and!Conservation!Program!Overview!
!
A.##OTS#program#focus#and#design#
#
The!OTS!program!in!South!Africa!was!launched!in!2004!in!Kruger!National!Park.!!Since!the!beginning,!we!have!
focused!on!providing!students!with!a!handsUon!experience!in!field!ecology!culminating!in!independent!
research.!!We!have!been!fortunate!to!be!based!at!Kruger!National!Park,!which!not!only!is!one!of!the!premier!
wildlife!parks!in!Africa!but!also!has!an!excellent!biodiversity!management!and!planning!system.!!Our!research!
projects!are!focused!on!addressing!data!needs!to!help!inform!the!management!issues!identified!by!the!park.!!!
This!gives!students!the!opportunity!to!learn!how!to!conduct!field!research!that!has!the!potential!to!inform!
critical!wildlife!and!ecosystem!management!decisions.!
!
Starting!in!2015,!the!South!Africa!program!will!add!a!second!semester!class,!with!two!classes!running!in!
parallel.!Each!of!the!two!classes!numbering!18,!will!visit!the!same!sites,!but!with!a!slightly!different!emphasis.!!
The!classes!will!both!start!at!Nylsvley,!the!site!close!to!the!arrival!point!in!Johannesburg,!for!orientation!and!
all!the!introductory!work!(introduction!to!South!African!ecosystems,!fieldUbased!biodiversity!assessment,!
History!and!Culture!of!South!Africa)!before!the!two!classes!take!off!to!their!destinations!–!one!north!to!Kruger!
and!the!other!south!to!the!Cape.!!The!course!material!will!be!similar,!but!the!South!course!will!spend!more!
time!in!the!Cape!region!with!a!major!stay!at!several!sites!in!the!Western!Cape,!whilst!the!north!course!will!
spend!more!time!in!Mpumalanga!and!Limpopo!Provinces!After!the!midterm!break,!the!classes!will!switch!
sites.!!We!are!excited!to!be!able!to!take!students!to!additional!sites!in!the!Cape!to!be!able!to!add!a!new!suite!of!
research!topics.!!A!brief!description!of!the!sites!and!potential!research!topics!follows.!!
!
Note!well:!You!will!need!to!choose!which!class!you!wish!to!attend!before!you!arrive!in!South!Africa.!
!
!
B.#Academic#and#Research#focus:##
#
Although!both!classes!travel!to!both!the!north!and!the!south,!visiting!the!same!sites,!dealing!with!the!same!
Ecological/Conservation!Biology!theory,!but!the!subject!matter!might!differ!somewhat.!Both!courses!receive!
the!same!instruction!for!the!Skills!and!History!and!Culture!courses.!
!
South!Course:!Much!of!the!work!on!the!OTS!courses!in!the!South!class!focuses!on!key!conservation!issues!in!
Fynbos!in!the!western!Cape,!the!hottest!of!the!world’s!Hotspots!(http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1007;!
http://www.conservation.org/global/ci_south_africa/whereUweUwork/capeUfloralUkingdom/Pages/capeU
floralUkingdom.aspx).!!Topics!include!the!ecology!and!conservation!mesoUcarnivores!(Cape!Leopard!and!
Caracal),!understanding!the!impact!of!invasive!fish!in!our!freshwater!systems,!pollination!ecology!of!many!
Fynbos!plants!and!understanding!the!drivers!of!diversity!in!intertidal!rocky!marine!systems.!
!
The!North!course!will!spend!more!time!in!the!savannas!of!the!north,!travelling!from!the!mesic!savannas!of!
Nylsvley!through!to!the!more!arid!savannas!of!the!north!of!the!Kruger!Park.!!Despite!the!slight!difference!in!
emphasis,!we!will!focus!on!ensuring!that!we!cover!key!ecological!concepts.!Each!site!is!selected!to!focus!on!key!
research/ecological!reasons.!We!have!looked!at!the!impact!of!urbanisation!on!the!prevalence!of!avian!flu!in!
bird!communities,!the!role!of!elephants!as!ecosystem!engineers!and!the!effect!of!changing!vegetation!density!
on!faunal!communities.!
!
!
!
!
Phase&1&Preparatory&workshops&&
&
! Nylsvley!Reserve:!covering!the!basics!of!science,!history!and!culture!of!SA!and!savanna!ecology.!
The!courses!start!in!the!same!place,!Nylsvley!Nature!Reserve.!All!students!receive!the!same!basic!
teaching/workshop!driven!crash!course!in!the!basics!of!science:&
!
o Science!Workshops:!
What!is!science?;!the!scientific!method;!differing!approaches!to!science;!research!design;!the!role!
of!scientists!in!society!i.e.!understanding!the!context!for!what!it!is!to!be!a!good!scientist!in!this!day!
and!age.!
o Introduction!to!the!ecology!of!South!Africa!
Before!we!can!start!any!inUdepth!!
o Conservation!issues!in!Africa!
o Natural!history!workshops:!
We!use!Natural!History!as!a!platform!for!teaching!ecological!concepts,!so!we!provide!workshops!
on!identification,!capture!and!handling!of!small!mammals,!birds!and!insects.!Furthermore!we!also!
provide!plant!identification!workshops.!
o History!of!South!Africa!workshops!and!lectures!designed!to!provide!socioUeconomic!context!for!
the!Ecology!and!Conservation!Courses.!
!
!
Soetwater,!Cape!Point!Nature!Reserve:!ecological!dynamics!in!a!biodiverse!reserve!abutting!
hard!urban!fringes:!The!site!is!located!within!the!Cape!Peninsula!National!Park,!a!conservation!area!
surrounded!by!an!urban!fringe.!Research!will!focus!on!a!range!of!long!term!projects!relevant!to!
SANParks,!including!!
o Meso0carnivore&research:&Using!camera!traps!and!scat!analysis!for!assessing!the!population!size!
and!dynamics!of!Caracal,!a!carnivore!much!like!the!north!American!Lynx;!!
o
o
o
!
!
Small&vertebrates&and&fire&regimes:&Given!how!fire!regimes!vary!across!small!spatial!scales,!we!will!
assess!how!fire!history!might!influence!small!vertebrates!population!and!ecology!e.g.!we!have!
some!long!term!records!of!terrestrial!rodents,!snakes!and!frogs,!and,!using!both!active!and!
passive!trapping!techniques,!we!will!monitor!the!change!in!these!communities;!
Rocky&Intertidal&Ecology:&Cape!Point!has!two!coastlines!a!warm!and!a!cold!side!with!vastly!
different!ecologies.!!We!will!conduct!a!range!of!intertidal!projects!in!order!to!understand!the!
dynamics!of!these!systems.!!
Human0Animal&conflict:!Cape!Point!is!home!to!a!large!population!of!
baboons,!which!have!been!the!subject!of!extensive!research.!One!
of!the!few!instances!of!primates!feeding!in!the!intertidal!zones,!
these!baboons!also!capitalizes!on!the!availability!of!resources!
associated!with!humans.!Consequently!they!often!come!into!
conflict!with!the!communities!abutting!the!Cape!Point!Nature!
Reserve.!Research!would!include!tracking!baboon!movements,!
change!in!diet!and!assessing!the!effect!of!change!in!diet.!
!
!
Cedarberg!Wilderness!Conservation!District:!!One!the!most!pristine!i.e.!untransformed!areas!in!the!
western!Cape!Province,!the!Cedarberg!offers!the!opportunity!to!engage!in!a!very!broad!range!of!
research.!However,!we!will!focus!our!research!on!topics!of!particular!importance!to!South!African!
National!Parks.!The!two!major!themes!include:!
o The!riverine!systems!in!the!western!Cape!are!under!threat!from!invasive!fish!species,!
particularly!the!large!mouthed!Bass.!Firstly!we!will!need!to!characterize!the!problem!by!
assessing!the!distribution!of!the!bass!populations!as!well!as!the!drivers!of!influence!their!
distribution!(are!they!influenced!by!river!geomorphology,!water!chemistry!or!the!availability!
of!food!resources?).!Thereafter!we!will!research!their!impact!into!freshwater!systems!(how!
would!they!influence!invertebrate!and!vertebrate!communities?).!
o The!Cape!Leopard!is!a!far!ranging!but!elusive!apex!predator!in!the!western!Cape!Mountains!
and!is!hunted!extensively!as!they!are!perceived!to!be!a!threat!to!the!livestock!industry.!We!
will!assist!the!Cape!Leopard!Trust!in!some!of!their!baseline!research,!trekking!into!the!
backcountry!of!the!Cedarberg!to!install!camera!traps!and!assess!spoor!and!scat!to!identify!
key!resource!areas!for!the!big!cats.!
!
!
!
Tshulu!Bushcamp,!HaMakuya,!Limpopo!Province:!community!conservation!at!work:!HaMakuya,!
Venda,!is!the!site!selected!where!you!will!engage!with!communities!abutting!the!Kruger!National!
Park.!Apart!from!lectures!and!workshops!on!communityUbased!natural!resource!management!and!the!
importance!of!ecosystem!integrity!for!public!health!support,!you!will!also!go!on!three!days!of!
homestay!with!Venda!Families.!!
o Typically!we!conduct!research!into!community!resource!use!and!how!rural!families!both!
utilize!and!conserve!natural!resources!such!as!water,!fuelwood!and!medicinal!plants.!!
!
Skukuza:!long!term!research!in!the!Kruger!Park.!Skukuza!is!the!nerve!center!of!SANParks.!
Following!over!a!decade!of!research!experience,!we!have!focused!our!research!on!twelve!projects,!all!
of!which!are!aligned!with!the!research!goals!of!the!KNP!researchers.!These!Kruger!Long!Term!
Research!Initiative!projects!include!the!following:!
o The!demography!and!dynamics!of!big!tree!
species;!
o The!loss!of!big!trees!as!a!consequence!of!fire!
and!elephant!feeding,!and!the!consequent!
impact!on!resident!faunal!communities;!
o The!prevalence!and!drivers!of!bird!influenza!
in!the!Kruger!Park!along!an!urbanization!
gradient;!
o Fluctuations!in!small!mammal!communities!
as!a!result!of!variation!in!resource!
availability!and!fire!history;!
o The!dynamics!of!biodiversity!of!invertebrate!
communities!in!ephemeral!water!bodies!in!
the!savanna!landscapes;!
o The!influence!of!termites!and!termitaria!on!soils,!vegetation!and!faunal!communities.!
o The!use!of!chilli’s!and!bee!hives!as!a!means!to!deter!elephant!impact!on!natural!and!tourism!
assets.!
West!Coast!National!Park:!WCNP!is!the!largest!reserve!in!the!centre!of!the!West!Coast!Biosphere!
reserve.!It!is!here!that!you!will!conduct!your!capstone!project!for!the!OTS!South!Course.!You!are!
expected!to!come!up!with!your!own!project!ideas.!Projects!in!the!past!have!included!the!following:!
o The!dynamics!and!ecology!of!seagrass!communities.!Seagrass!are!key!elements!of!estuarine!
and!other!coastal!systems!globally,!for!example,!they!are!particularly!important!in!supporting!
o
o
dugong!and!manatee!populations.!However,!these!ecosystems!are!fragmenting!and!
diminishing,!and!scientists!are!unsure!why.!Your!research!will!provide!insight!into!the!local!
drivers!of!seagrass!in!the!Langebaan!Lagoon.!
The!LangebaanUSaldanha!Lagoon!is!home!to!a!high!diversity!of!fish!and!bird!communities.!It!
is!a!key!breeding!and!feeding!ground!for!both,!and!students!have!explored!a!range!of!
different!faunal!communities.!The!playing!field!for!research!topics!is!broad!and!varied!!
We!encounter!a!huge!diversity!of!frogs!given!the!range!in!ecosystems!within!the!park.!From!
the!permanent!water!in!the!lagoon!through!to!the!ephemeral!pans.!Little!is!known!about!the!
anuran!communities,!so!there!is!scope!to!engage!in!plenty!of!novel!research.!
!
Your!work!can!focus!on!a!range!of!different!subjects!and/or!techniques.!There!is!huge!diversity!in!
plant,!bat,!rocky!intertidal!communities,!and!of!course!you!can!expand!your!work!to!extend!beyond!
ecological!research.!In!the!past!we!have!also!had!student!conduct!education!and!outreach!work!with!
local!schools.!Furthermore,!we!can!also!begin!to!engage!in!remote!sensing!work!e.g.!for!assessing!land!
use!change!over!time.!!
!
Student!movement!during!the!course:!
North!Semester: !
South!Semester!
!
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15
Hamakuya
Shingwedzi
Skukuza
JHB
Nylsvley
Cape Town
West Coast
National Park
Cedarberg
!
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!
!
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A. GET!WITH!THE!PROGRAM!
!
1. Sites!to!be!Visited!
!
!
We!will!use!several!locations!as!our!major!research!sites!and!other!places!for!short!visits!of!special!
biological!or!cultural!interest.!Major!research!sites!include!HaMakuya,!Skukuza,!and!West!Coast!
National!Park.!These!locations!are!all!research!stations,!one!within!Kruger!National!Park!(Skukuza),!
one!in!the!far!north!of!the!country!(HaMakuya),!and!one!in!the!Cape!Floristic!Region!(West!Cape!
National!Park).!Detailed!descriptions!of!these!and!other!sites!are!found!in!the!next!section.!!
!
From!the!main!sites,!we!make!additional!day/short!trips!for!cultural!and!research!activities!etc.!You!
will!be!informed!about!these!brief!trips!as!the!semester!progresses.!
!
Fall&semester:&The!course!starts!towards!the!end!of!the!South!African!winter.!Be!prepared!for!some!
chilly!nights!and!mornings!for!the!first!4U6!weeks!of!the!course,!although!the!daytime!temperatures!
should!be!high!enough!for!shorts!and!shortUsleeved!tops.!As!we!move!into!the!South!African!summer!
temperatures!will!increase!and!you!will!have!less!need!for!warm!clothes.!It!is!still!important!to!have!
these!for!the!start!of!the!course!and!for!the!weather!in!the!Western!Cape,!which!can!be!
temperamental.!Our!savanna!stays!will!likely!be!quite!warm,!while!the!Cape!leg!of!the!program!has!
the!potential!to!be!substantially!cooler!and,!potentially,!rainy.
In!late!April!and!early!May!the!evenings!can!be!very!chilly,!whilst!the!days!remain!quite!warm.!It!is!
certainly!worth!bringing!warm!items!of!clothing.!That!is!not!to!say!bring!down!jackets,!but!at!least!
something!warm,!items!of!clothing!that!can!be!layered!always!work!well.!!
!
2. Description!of!Sites!to!be!Visited!
Please!note:!Sites!vary!by!semester.!A!schedule!will!be!provided!to!you!at!the!start!of!your!
semester.!
!
Nylsvley!
Nylsvley!Nature!Reserve!is!one!of!the!most!intensively!studied!savannas!in!the!world.!It!is!two!hours!
north!of!Johannesburg!near!a!town!called!Nylstroom.!It!has!many!species!of!wild!animals!but!the!
larger!more!dangerous!species!are!absent.!It!is!located!in!the!Highveld!so!even!though!we!are!visiting!
Nylsvley!in!the!peak!of!summer!it!shouldn’t!be!too!hot.!Nylsvley!has!plenty!of!space!for!moving!
around!and!you!can!explore!the!reserve!on!foot!so!this!is!an!ideal!site!to!adjust!to!the!time!and!
weather!change,!to!stretch!your!legs!after!the!long!transatlantic!flight,!and!to!jump!into!the!program.!
!
All!students!will!be!present!during!your!stay!at!Nylsvley.!Orientation!to!South!Africa!and!the!OTS!
program!will!occur!at!Nylsvley.!You!will!spend!time!with!all!of!the!permanent!faculty!members!and!
get!to!know!all!of!your!fellow!students.!It!is!from!here!that!the!basics!of!savanna!ecology!will!be!
taught!as!well!as!the!core!of!your!History!and!Culture!course.!
!
The!facilities!at!Nylsvley!have!been!built!to!accommodate!student!groups!and!you!will!be!living!in!
dormitories.!There!is!no!town!or!shop!nearby!and!unfortunately!no!telephone!or!internet!service.!We!
will!ensure!that!everyone!has!a!chance!to!contact!their!family!and!friends!in!the!US!before!we!leave!
the!airport!in!Johannesburg.!
U
!
Skukuza!
“All!roads!lead!to!Skukuza.”!Skukuza!is!the!main!camp!in!the!Kruger!National!Park.!Most!of!our!time!
during!the!semester!will!be!spent!in!Kruger;!our!course!will!spend!approximately!six!weeks!at!the!
Skukuza!site.!It!is!the!Park’s!headquarters!and!by!far!the!largest!camp!in!the!Kruger!National!Park.!!
!
Our!main!OTS!offices!are!situated!in!Skukuza.!Here!you!will!have!access!to!computers,!a!scanner,!
telephones,!and!email.!At!Skukuza!you!will!find!a!post!office,!a!fullUservice!bank!(including!an!ATM)!
and!a!general!store!where!you!can!buy!books,!newspapers,!souvenirs,!snacks,!basic!drugstore!items,!
and!film.!Skukuza!also!has!a!restaurants.!You!can!make!use!of!the!tourist!camp!in!your!free!time,!to!
relax!and!get!out!of!the!dorms.!!
!
Kruger!National!Park!sees!approximately!one!million!tourists!every!year,!many!of!whom!spend!time!
at!Skukuza.!You!will!be!in!frequent!contact!with!tourists!who!will!probably!ask!you!what!you!are!
studying.!Please!be!courteous!at!all!times!and!willing!to!explain!who!you!are!and!what!the!OTS!
program!is!all!about.!The!continuation!of!the!OTS!program!in!South!Africa!depends!on!maintaining!
good!relations!with!the!staff!and!guests!at!Kruger!National!Park.!
!
Our!accommodations!at!Skukuza!are!School!Journeys!Hostel!that!is!situated!in!the!tourist!camp.!This!
accommodation!consists!of!2!large!dormitories!and!a!kitchen,!dining,!lecture!area.!You!will!thus!have!
access!to!the!tourist!camp!to!shop,!swim,!make!calls,!or!do!laundry.!During!the!day!you!can!walk!(in!
groups!of!three!or!more)!to!our!offices!to!use!the!Internet.!Skukuza!is!in!a!malariaUarea.!As!the!
mosquitoes!are!more!active!between!sunset!and!sunrise,!you!will!have!to!avoid!the!mosquito!problem!
by!not!swimming!after!six!p.m.!At!night!you!should!be!covered!and!liberally!sprayed!with!repellent.!
!
In!and!around!Skukuza!there!are!many!animals!and!plants!to!be!seen.!Inside!the!camp!you!might!spot!
different!birds,!lizards,!and!thick!tailed!bush!babies.!Warthogs,!vervet!monkeys,!and!banded!
mongooses!also!like!cruising!through!the!camp!during!the!day.!Unfortunately!without!a!game!guard!
we!will!not!be!allowed!out!of!our!vehicles!anywhere!in!the!park.!Large!predators,!elephants,!hippos,!
and!rhinos!are!too!dangerous!for!us!to!even!think!about!relaxing!this!rule.!There!will,!however,!be!
frequent!opportunities!to!go!on!game!drives,!during!which!you!are!sure!to!see!many!of!the!animals!
you!associate!with!African!savannas.!
!
!
U!
Shingwedzi!Rest!Camp!
Shingwedzi!is!situated!in!the!north!of!the!Kruger!National!Park.!Shrouded!in!mopane!trees!and!
located!along!the!banks!of!the!Shingwedzi!river.!While!here!you!will!conduct!research!with!guest!
faculty.!Your!accommodation!will!be!in!cozy!3Ubed!bungalows!within!the!tourist!camp.!
!!
HaMakuya!
The!next!leg!of!the!semester!forms!an!integral!component!of!the!History!through!Culture!program.!
HaMakuya!lies!just!outside!Kruger!National!Park,!in!close!proximity!to!Punda!Maria,!a!northern!rest!
camp!in!the!Park.!Situated!in!the!Vhembe!district!of!the!north!of!the!country,!HaMakuya!offers!the!
opportunity!to!become!immersed!in!the!rich!culture!of!the!Venda!people.!During!this!period,!the!
group!will!interact!closely!with!host!families!during!a!threeUday!homestay,!spend!time!experiencing!
what!life!is!like!as!a!rural!person!in!South!Africa,!and!participate!in!research!with!a!focus!on!
community!livelihoods!within!the!area.!!
!
Semester!Break!
Your!semester!break!will!be!organized!around!Cape!Town.!Cape!Town,!situated!in!the!Western!Cape,!
in!one!of!South!Africa’s!premier!tourist!destinations!and!is!known!for!its!landmarks,!including!Cape!
Point!and!Table!Mountain,!and!all!round!exquisite!coastlines.!Other!attractions!include!the!Victoria!
and!Alfred!Waterfront,!the!Cape!Whale!Coast!and!wine!routes.!We!will!spend!five!nights!in!Cape!Town!
at!a!charming!local!backpackers!lodge.!We!will!cover!the!cost!of!your!accommodation,!however!you!
are!expected!to!cover!the!costs!of!your!meals!and!activities!during!your!semester!break.!Using!Cape!
Town!as!our!base,!we!will!have!several!exciting!expeditions,!such!as!to!Robben!Island!(where!Nelson!
Mandela!was!imprisoned!for!nearly!two!decades),!Kirstenbosch!Gardens,!Cape!Point,!Boulders!Beach!
(home!of!the!threatened!African!Penguin),!and!the!University!of!Cape!Town!campus.!
U
!
!
Travellers!Rest,!Cedarderberg!Wilderness!District.!So!named!for!the!rare!cedar!tree!found!in!the!
western!areas!of!the!spectacular!Cape!Fold!Mountain!range.!Whilst!in!the!Cedarberg!we!will!explore!
funbos!ecology,!the!management!of!catchment!systems!and!monitoring!of!rare!mammals.!!An!area!of!
cultural!and!historical!significance,!San!frequented!the!areas!and!so!we!will!also!explore!the!many!
caves!in!the!area!looking!for!bushman!paintings.!We!will!stay!at!Travellers!Rest,!a!farm!near!the!world!
famous!Rocklands!rock!climbing!district.!
!
Cape!Peninsula!
Soetwater!is!situated!between!the!sea!and!Slangkop,!close!to!the!town!of!Kommetjie!on!the!Atlantic!
coastline.!!This!area!encompasses!a!large!number!of!vegetation!types!such!as!fynbos,!vegetated!dune!
systems!and!mountain!scree!slopes,!as!well!as!a!coastline!that!includes!both!sandy!and!rocky!shores.!
This!area!is!also!one!of!the!only!undeveloped!stretches!of!coastline!along!the!peninsula.!For!this!
reason!it!forms!an!important!component!on!the!City!of!Cape!Town’s!Biodiversity!Network!and!is!
included!in!the!Cape!Peninsula!Protected!Natural!Environment.!
!
Geelbek,!West!Coast!National!Park!
Your!chance!to!work!in!the!Cape!Fynbos!and!Strandveld,!one!of!the!world’s!great!biodiversity!
hotspots,!will!come!with!our!stay!near!the!Langebaan!Lagoon,!a!world!renowned!birding!hotspot.!We!
will!spend!time!working!on!intertidal!biology,!freshwater!ecology,!fynbos!ecology!and!alien!invasive!
species!at!this!idyllic!site.!The!accommodation!comprises!small!dormitories!(2!–!6!people!per!room)!
with!a!large!dining!hall.!There!are!plenty!of!walking!trails!in!the!area,!and!Geelbek!lies!close!to!the!
coast,!we!will!endeavor!to!get!to!the!beach!as!often!as!possible,!and!students!often!take!time!out!for!
long!walks,!swimming!and!playing!volleyball.!
!
!
!
!
!
Site%
Description%
Nylsvley'
Game'Reserve'and'RAMSAR'Site,'
situated'2.5'hours'north'of'
Johannesburg.'Amazing'bird'
diversity'and'home'of'tsessebe'
and'other'plain'ungulates.'
Skukuza'
Main'camp'of'the'KNP'situated'in'
the'South.'All'facilities'available'
including'Post'office'and'
Banks/ATMs'
Accommodation%
-
Shops%
Phone%
Email%
Recreation%
Staying'in'dormitories'
Two'to'three'people'sharing'
Two''showers'and'two''
toilets'for'everyone'–'Keep'
clean'and'consider'others'
None'close'by.'
No'public'phone'
No'
-
Free'to'wander'around'
Game'drives'
Running'and'bird/game'
watching'at'bird'hides.'
Large'group'accommodation'
Large'shop'at'the'tourist'
camp'and'in'staff'village'–'
five'to'tenLminute'walk.'
They'stock'everything:'
drinks,'snacks,'toiletries,'
curios'etc.'
Restaurant'and'takeLaways'
at'main'camp'
Public'phones'in'
the'tourist'camp,'
cell'phone'
reception.'
Yes'
'
-
two'recreational'swimming'
pools'in'camp'
25m'swimming'pool'in'
village''
Soccer,'volleyball,'Frisbee,'
game'drives'
Exercise:'Can'run'around'the'
village'in'groups,'before'dusk'
ONLY'
Swimming'pool'
Running'
-
Shingwedzi'
Situated'in'the'northern'Kruger'
National'Park,'this'beautiful'
camp'lies'on'the'banks'of'the'
Shingwedzi'river.'
-
Staying'at'the'tourist'camp'
Three'to'a'bungalow'
Small'shop'in'tourist'camp'
Public'phone'in'
tourist'camp'
Cape'Town''
Back'Packers'
-
Dorm'rooms'
Yes'
Yes'
Yes'
-
HaMakuya'
Located'in'the'North'near'the'
northern'section'of'the'Kruger'
National'Park.'Very'remote,'near'
the'beautiful'and'friendly'village'
of'HaMakuya.'
-
Homestays'for'three'nights,'
four'people'to'a'household'
sleeping'on'grass'mats...'
prepare'to'challenge'
yourselves!'
Remaining'time'at'lovely'
research'camp'situated'on'
the'Mutale'river'in'very'
comfortable'enLsuite'tents'
(six'to'a'tent)'
Staying'in'dormitories'and'
wooden'bungalows'
AllLweather'braai'area,''
dining'hall'and'lecture'room'
LOnly'local'village'shops'but'
we'will'stop'at'shops'on'the'
way'to'HaMakuya'
No'
No,'also'no'
electricity.'
Power'via'a'
generator.'
-
None'in'the'vicinity,'but'can'
be'arranged.'
Public'phone'
2L6'to'a'room'
Plenty'of'room'to'roam'
None'in'the'vicinity,'but'can'
be'arranged.'
No'
-
Cape'
Peninsula'
National'Park'
A'coastal'conservancy'between'
Kommetjie'and'Scarborough.''
Geelbek'
Located'within'the'beautiful'
West'Coast'National'Park,'a'
haven'for'bird'lovers'
-
No'
No'
No'
-
Own'scheduled'activities.'
Table'Mountain'hike,'VA'
Waterfront'shopping,'Cape'
Point,'Cape'Penguins'etc.'
Soccer'with'the'locals'
Running'
Plenty'of'space'to'explore'
and'go'for'long'walks'around'
the'camp.'
-
Swim'in'the'tidal'pools'
Go'for'a'walk/run'along'the'
beach'front'
-
Lots'of'space'to'run,'water'
sports'if'we'drive'up'to'the'
beach'
Great'birding!'
-
!
3. Academic*and*Student*Life*on*the*Program*
*
You!will!no!doubt!have!many!questions!about!what!student!life!on!the!program!will!be!like.!We!will!
endeavor!to!answer!most!of!your!questions!here.!But!please!do!also!check!out!the!FAQs!(Frequently!
Asked!Questions)!and!if!you!still!seek!clarity!on!any!issues!please!feel!free!to!contact!our!South!
African!office!(ots.s.africa@gmail.com).!!
!
For!most!of!the!program,!you!will!be!living!with!other!students!in!large!dormitory!rooms,!chalets!with!
four!to!six!students,!or!smaller!bungalows!with!two!students!per!room.!Because!of!these!group!living!
situations,!we!all!have!to!be!conscious!of!other!people’s!comfort!and!convenience.!We!must!keep!our!
personal!space!organized!(so!keep!your!baggage!to!a!minimum)!and!make!sure!that!our!comings!and!
goings!at!night!and!in!the!early!morning!disrupt!our!companions!as!little!as!possible.!We!will!try!to!
schedule!short!periods!of!time!in!every!day!when!you!will!be!free!to!go!for!a!run,!play!soccer!or!
Frisbee,!take!a!swim,!amble!over!to!the!grocery!store,!write!postcards,!or!catch!up!on!your!reading!
and!studying.!The!intent,!when!possible,!is!to!give!you!one!free!day!every!week!to!10!days!with!no!
scheduled!events.!You!may!use!this!time!to!catch!up!on!work!or!to!take!a!mental!break.!
!
The!semester!will!be!an!intense!academic!and!social!experience!and!we!expect!everyone!will!have!
ups!and!downs.!We!will!schedule!times!for!students!to!meet!individually!and!in!groups!with!the!
faculty!in!order!to!receive!feedback!on!their!course!work!and!to!express!their!concerns.!Because!of!
the!rigors!of!the!academic!schedule!and!the!constraints!of!group!living,!however,!we!will!not!be!able!
to!tailor!this!program!to!meet!everyone’s!individual!needs!and!desires.!
*
4. Meals*and*Special*Dietary*Requirements*
*
Meals!are!provided!by!our!caterers,!Shadreck!and!company!who!refer!to!themselves!as!AggyShadow!
Catering!company.!The!food!is!fantastic,!regularly!cited!as!one!of!the!highlights!of!the!program,!and!
we!warn!you!in!advance!about!the!possibility!of!expanding!waistlines!!!The!menu!is!highly!varied!and!
usually!dinners!consist!of!a!variety!of!choices!of!side!dishes.!The!program!caters!for!those!of!you!with!
special!dietary!requirements!(i.e.!vegetarians,!vegans)!or!some!food!allergies!but!please!let!us!know!in!
advance!so!that!Shadreck!can!prepare!accordingly.
!
!
B. PREPARING*FOR*THE*PROGRAM*
U
*
As!you!are!aware,!this!program!is!designed!for!students!with!a!basic!background!in!ecology!and!biology.!
Below!is!a!list!of!some!specific!topics!and/or!terms!we!think!are!particularly!important!for!you!to!know!or!
review:!
!
! Natural!history!
Major!groups!of!plants!and!animals!
!
! Ecology!
Population!growth!and!regulation!
Species!interactions!(coUevolution,!competition,!predation,!symbiosis,!herbivores,!seed!dispersal)!
Community!organization!(trophic!levels,!food!webs,!niche,!guilds)!
Nutrient!cycles!
!
! Landscape!Ecology!!
Bottom!up!versus!top!down!controls!of!ecosystems!
Disturbance!and!other!ecosystem!drivers,!!
Hierarchical!patch!dynamics,!!
Heterogeneity!!
!
!
If!you!need!to!brush!up!on!these!topics,!we!highly!recommend!you!look!at!basic!textbooks!on!biology!and!
ecology.!
C.* PREPARATION*FOR*RESEARCH*PROJECTS*
*
During!the!semester!you!will!design,!implement,!analyze,!and!present!an!independent!project.!These!
projects!are!a!great!opportunity!to!be!imaginative!and!develop!skills!in!research!design,!data!analysis,!and!
presentation!(written!and!oral)!of!scientific!results.!!
!
Prior!to!this!you!will!work!on!two!other!research!projects.!The!first!of!these!is!a!LongUTerm!Research!
Project!during!which!staff!will!present!you!with!a!list!of!research!questions!that!are!of!particular!interest!
to!scientists!in!the!system!you!are!working!in.!You!will!be!able!to!choose,!implement,!analyse!and!writeUup!
results!to!answer!this!question.!This!can!be!a!memorable!experience!that!could!change!the!way!you!see!
ecology!and!nature,!particularly!in!the!context!of!an!African!Savanna!or!Fynbos!system.!!Following!this!
there!will!be!a!series!of!Faculty!Field!Projects!led!by!guest!faculty.!These!projects!will!explore!a!variety!of!
topics!and!all!students!will!be!able!to!participate!in!all!of!them;!although!you!will!only!be!involved!in!the!
analysis!and!write!up!of!one!topic.!
!
The!second!independent!project!will!be!run!at!the!end!of!the!course,!this!is!an!opportunity!for!you!to!
choose!your!topic!of!research.!These!independent!projects!will!test!a!valid,!justifiable,!and!interesting!
hypothesis.!Whether!you!choose!to!test!this!hypothesis!through!manipulative!or!observational!
experiments!will!depend!on!the!constraints!of!time!and!the!biological!system!with!which!you!decide!to!
work.!While!it!is!challenging!to!choose!a!specific!project!without!knowing!the!specific!constraints,!the!
more!you!think!about!“IPs”!ahead!of!time,!the!more!you!will!be!able!to!take!advantage!of!the!time!and!
resources!available.!We!may!guide!you!away!from!studying!lion!hunting!behavior!in!order!to!ensure!that!
you!have!enough!data!for!your!project.!But!be!assured!that!we!will!still!provide!frequent!opportunities!for!
those!experiences.!!
!
IPs!can!take!several!forms:!
!
! A"project"that"tests"an"idea"in"the"ecology"literature.!
! A"project"based"on"an"interesting"observation"in"the"field.!
! A"project"that"addresses"a"specific"environmental"concern"in"South"Africa.!
"
With!all!independent!projects!we!encourage!students!to!think!about!the!larger!picture!of!the!systems!they!
are!studying.!We!have!a!large!and!growing!library!of!references.!However,!if!you!already!know!you!are!
interested!in!certain!types!of!questions!it!would!be!a!good!idea!to!bring!down!a!few!of!your!own!reference!
articles.!
!
Some!of!the!IP!topics!from!students!on!the!previous!programs!include:!How!do!acacia!thorns!protect!
against!herbivores?!Do!different!species!of!savanna!trees!recover!after!elephant!damage?!What!is!the!
composition!of!savanna!grasses!near!artificial!waterholes?!What!is!the!composition!of!the!small!mammal!
community!near!artificial!waterholes?!Is!there!a!relationship!between!wing!morphology!and!the!
echolocation!calls!of!bats?!Do!individual!dung!beetles!have!a!preferred!orientation!for!rolling!their!dung!
balls?!
!
ADDITIONAL*READING*
!
You!may!want!to!do!some!advance!reading!about!South!Africa.!For!quick,!easy!reference,!we!suggest!you!
look! at! one! (or! more)! of! the! following! guide! books:! Lonely! Planet! Guide! to! South! Africa,! Lesotho,! and!
Swaziland;!Let’s!Go!South!Africa;!or!Frommer’s!South!Africa.!
!
For!current!literature!coming!out!of!South!Africa,!the!following!is!a!list!of!books!on!the!shelves!in!South!
Africa!now!that!can!also!be!found!at!Amazon.com:!
K.!Sello!Duiker!“The!Quiet!Violence!of!Dreams”!
Pamela!Jooste!“Dance!with!a!Poor!Man’s!Daughter”!“Frieda!and!Min”!“People!Like!Us”!
Antjie!Krog!“Country!of!My!Skull”!
Zakes!Mda!“Ways!of!Dying”!“The!Heart!of!Redness”!“The!Sculptors!of!Mapungubwe!
Phaswane!Mpe!“Welcome!to!Our!Hillbrow”!
!
J.M.!Coetzee!won!the!Nobel!Prize!for!Literature!in!2005,!and!his!novels!are!widely!available!in!the!U.S.!and!
South!Africa.!
For!nonfiction!and!a!great!summary!of!the!rise!of!the!ANC!during!the!Apartheid!era,!Nelson!Mandela’s!
“Long!Walk!to!Freedom”!is!highly!recommended.!
A!couple!of!older!classics!are!Rian!Malan’s!“My!Traitor’s!Heart”!and!Alan!Paton’s!“Cry,!the!Beloved!
Country.”!
For!an!interesting!evaluation!of!different!regions!of!Africa!by!a!leading!U.S.!African!Studies!professor,!see!
Louis!Henry!Gates,!Jr.’s!“Wonders!of!the!African!World”,!John!Readers!“Africa.!Biogeography!of!a!
continent”!and!Martin!Merediths!“State!of!Africa!
All!of!these!books!are!in!our!OTS!library,!so!if!one!or!more!of!them!look!interesting!but!you!do!not!have!
the!time!to!read!them!now,!the!opportunity!will!arise!again.!You!will!have!full!access!to!this!library,!so!you!
can!also!read!our!copies.!
For!some!preparation!on!subUtropical!savannas!we!recommend!you!browse!through!recent!issues!of!
ecological!journals!and!edited!volumes!on!conservation,!such!as!the!Journal!of!Ecology!or!Conservation!
Biology.*
!
!
D. LOGISTICS*
U
*
1. Tuition*
!
*
Checks!should!be!made!payable!to!Duke!University!and!sent!to!Duke!University!Payment!Processing!
Center,!PO!Box!602538,!Charlotte,!NC!28260U2538.!Make!sure!to!include!the!following!information!on!
check:!your!name,!social!security!number,!name!of!course!and!term!(OTS!South!Africa!Spring!2014).!
2. Passport*Information/Visitor’s*Visa*Information*
*
If!you!have!not!already!obtained!your!passport,!you!should!do!so!immediately.!You!will!be!asked!to!
provide!this!information!to!both!OTS!and!Duke!University!in!several!Registration!Documents.!You*
must*ensure*that*you*have*two*facing*blank*pages*in*your*passport.*This*is*really*important,*as*
people*HAVE*been*turned*away*at*the*border*for*this*reason.!Also,!be!sure!that!your!passport!is!
valid!for!at!least!six!months!after!the!end!date!of!the!program.!You"will"also"need"a"Visitor’s(Visa(to"
enter"South"Africa"if"you"are"not"South"African.!Under!separate!cover,!OTS!will!provide!you!with!
information!about!applying!to!the!South!African!Consulate!for!your!Visitor’s!Visa.!This!information!
will!only!cover!the!time!period!in!which!you!will!be!with!the!OTS!program.!For!detailed!instructions!
on!how!to!apply!and!the!documentation!you!will!need,!please!visit!the!South!African!Consulate!
website!(http://www.southafricaUnewyork.net/homeaffairs/visitorsvisa.htm).!Note:!You!will!need!to!
apply!to!the!Regional!South!African!Consulate!Office!for!your!home!state!which!you!will!find!on!the!
website!listed!above.!If!you!plan!to!travel!elsewhere!in!South!Africa!after!the!semester,!you!must!
check!with!the!South!African!Consulate!for!appropriate!Visitor’s!Visa!requirements.!If!you!intend!to!
stay!and!travel!after!the!program!you!must!apply!for!a!longer!visa!than!just!the!duration!of!the!course.!
Many!students!change!their!mind!about!staying!on!after!the!program!(i.e.!they!decide!to!stay!longer)!
and!it!is!no!longer!possible!to!extend!your!visa!while!you!are!in!South!Africa.!Rather!you!will!have!to!
return!to!your!home!country!before!returning!to!South!Africa.!Therefore!it!is!a!good!idea!to!apply!for!
a!visa!that!enables!you!to!stay!in!the!country!at!least!two!or!three!weeks!past!the!course!end!date.!We!
have!also!had!students!choose!to!stay!on!to!do!some!research!after!the!program!(IRES!or!internships).!
So!if!you!think!you!might!be!interested!in!getting!involved!in!something!like!this,!do!not!hesitate!to!
contact!Laurence!or!Colleen.!If!you!are!not!traveling!on!a!U.S.!passport,!please!contact!the!South!
African!Consulate!immediately!to!learn!what!will!be!required!to!receive!your!Visitor’s!Visa.!Apply!as!
soon!as!you!are!able!based!on!the!South!African!Consulate!guidelines.!!Requirements!can!change!so!
we!strongly!encourage!you!to!stay!on!top!of!the!visa!process!and!pay!attention!to!the!details.!!If!you!
have!questions,!please!ask!us.!
!!
3. Airline*Reservations**
!
*
Students!are!responsible!for!making!their!own!flight!arrangements!to!and!from!Johannesburg,!South!
Africa.!It!is!important!that!you!purchase!a!round!trip!ticket!to!enter!the!country.!Many*of*the*flights*
coming*in*from*the*US*arrive*late*in*the*evening.*We*ask*that*students*book*flights*that*get*
them*to*South*Africa*early*in*the*day.*This*allows*us*to*organize*our*logistics*efficiently*and*
safely.**Please*get*a*flight*that*lands*before*or*around*noon*on*the*arrival*day,*and*leaves*later*
than*6:00*p.m.*on*the*departure*day.*By!doing!so,!you!will!have!a!bit!of!time!to!recover!from!the!
long!flight!before!starting!the!course,!and!it!also!means!we!can!arrive!at!our!first!site!at!a!reasonable!
hour.!Please!note!that!if!you!choose!to!arrive!earlier!or!depart!later!than!the!scheduled!dates,!you!
must!make!your!own!arrangements!for!transportation!and!lodging!For!those!students!arriving!a!day!
early!we!recommend!staying!at!the!Emerald*Backpackers*(http://www.emerald\
backpackers.co.za/)!or!the!City*Lodge*Hotel*(http://www.citylodge.co.za/)!located!about!4!km!
from!OR!Tambo!airport.!Many!students!choose!to!get!in!a!day!earlier!to!catch!up!on!sleep!and!start!to!
get!over!jetlag.!!It!is!easy!stay!at!the!hotels!listed!above.!!Please!contact!OTS!at!Duke,!Colleen!Cluett!or!
Laurence!Kruger!if!you!have!any!questions.!
4. Money*
*
Plan!to!have!enough!money!for!personal!expenses.!You!will!be!required!to!pay!for!health!care,!mail,!
sodas,!and!souvenirs!and!other!personal!expenses.!It!is!hard!to!set!a!standard!here!for!you!to!follow,!
but!keep!in!mind!the!following!(the!exchange!rate!recently!has!been!!around!R10.50!=!$1!US!Dollar):!
!
A!can!of!soda!is!about!R8.00;!
A!bottle!of!mineral!water!is!about!R!9.00;!
A!500!ml!fruit!juice!is!R10.00!
Phone!card:!R50!(you!can!call!the!US!for!15mins!or!so)!
Average!meal!at!a!restaurant!is!between!R50UR80!
!
Souvenirs!are!not!expensive!but!after!a!few!they!do!add!up!to!quite!a!bit.!A!nice,!midUsized!Zulu!basket!
will!cost!about!$15!in!a!store.!Beautiful!wire!and!bead!key!chains!and!animals!can!be!purchased!from!
the!craftspeople!directly!for!a!couple!of!dollars.!They!make!wonderful!gifts!and!their!purchase!also!
helps!support!the!local!economy.!
!
Please!Note!!!!During!the!midterm!break!in!Cape!Town!your!accommodation!is!paid!for!but!you*will*
be*required*to*pay*for*your*own*meals*and*refreshments!as!well!as!your!activities!and!the!
transport!to!and!from!them.!These!activities!can!include!skydiving,!cage!diving,!wine!tasting,!surf!
lessons,!and!trips!up!Table!Mountain.!So!be!prepared!for!the!expenses!of!this!leg!of!the!program.!
!
In!addition,!most!places!we!stay!have!cleaning!staff!who!make!beds,!clean!bathrooms!and!sweep!the!
areas!we!live!in!on!a!daily!basis.!Often!these!hard!working!individuals!are!paid!a!very!meager!salary!
and!it!is!customary!to!show!our!appreciation!by!leaving!tips!behind!at!the!end!of!our!stay!at!each!site.!
Generally!we!encourage!students!to!leave!about!R5!per!day,!but!we!understand!that!not!everyone!can!
afford!to!do!so.!Tipping!is!optional!but!whatever!you!can!contribute!will!go!a!long!way!for!these!
people.!
!
!
*
5. Health*Care*
a) Medical*Services*
If!you!do!not!already!have!health!insurance,!you!need!to!arrange!for!coverage!during!the!
semester.!Make!sure!that!your!health!policy!covers!medical!expenses!while!you!are!here!in!South!
Africa.!You!must!have!proof!of!health!insurance!to!participate!in!the!program.!!Please!be!aware!
that!medical!service!providers!often!require!payment!immediately!so!you!should!be!prepared!to!
make!a!credit!card!or!cash!payment!and!obtain!detailed!receipts!for!reimbursement!later.!!Check!
with!your!insurance!company!as!some!may!require!timely!notice!of!emergency!treatment!to!be!
eligible!for!reimbursement!of!expenses!later.!!You!are!responsible!for!all!of!your!medical!
expenses.!!
!
Before!coming!to!South!Africa!please!make!sure!that!you!are!up!to!date!with!all!your!
immunizations.!Check!with!the!travel!health!consultant!at!your!college!or!university!for!current!
recommendations.!During!the!program!you!will!also!be!visiting!malariaUrisk!areas,!please!also!
check!with!your!travel!health!consultant!about!antiUmalarial!medication!for!this!period.!To!help!
you!and!your!doctor!plan,!we!will!be!in!malarial!zones!for!about!61!days!of!the!North!program!
and!22!days!of!the!South!program!(At!Kruger!and!surrounding!areas).!It!is!wise!to!use!insect!
repellent!and!to!cover!your!feet,!ankles,!arms!and!legs!at!the!dawn!and!dusk!periods!while!
mosquitos!are!most!active.!
!
The!OTS!program!will!be!traveling!with!a!complete!first!aid!kit.!You!must,!however!bring!
adequate!supplies!of!any!prescription!drugs!that!you!need.!If!your!doctor!advises!against!taking!a!
large!supply!of!medication!with!you,!he/she!should!provide!a!diagnosis!and!the!suggested!
prescription!to!facilitate!proper!prescription!by!a!South!African!doctor.!It!is!however!possible!
that!the!same!drug!will!not!be!available!on!the!South!African!market,!and!then!a!similar!drug!will!
be!administered!to!you!by!our!doctors.!
!
Please*Note:*In!addition,!bring!supplies!of!pain!relievers,!or!medication!that!you!would!usually!
use!if!you!are!prone!to!headaches,!ear!aches,!allergies,!cramps,!intestinal!disorders,!yeast!
infections,!etc.!AntiUfungal/athletes!foot!cream!will!also!be!handy!as!well!as!hydrocortisone!(for!
itchy!bites.)!Some!things!that!are!really!important!to!bring!to!South!Africa!are!mosquito!repellent!
spray,!sun!block,!and!hats.!Other!useful!deterrents!are!candles!with!citronella!for!those!times!that!
you!would!like!to!sit!outside!and!relax!after!sundown.!These!items!can!also!be!purchased!in!South!
Africa!and!are!generally!available!at!all!of!the!Kruger!National!Park!camp!shops.!!
!
Traveler’s!diarrhea!is!a!common!ailment.!If!you!are!susceptible!to!changes!in!gut!flora!you!should!
bring!something!to!combat!diarrhea!or!relieve!discomfort.!This!ailment!is!quite!common!but!of!
short!duration.!One!way!to!prevent!transmission!from!person!to!person!is!to!ensure!you!do!not!
share!drinking!cups,!cans!of!soft!drinks,!or!water!bottles.!We!will!be!traveling!quite!a!lot!so!if!you!
are!susceptible!to!motion!sickness!you!should!bring!appropriate!medication!such!as!Dramamine.!
!
In!the!event!of!a!serious!illness!or!injury!good!medical!care!is!available.!There!are!two!doctors!
that!are!based!at!Skukuza,!both!very!good!at!diagnosing!malaria!and!tick!bite!fever.!They!also!
have!their!own!dispensary!and!therefore!we!do!not!need!to!go!to!town!for!medication.!In!the!case!
of!medicine!not!being!available!from!the!doctors’!office,!they!can!either!order!the!medicine!or!one!
of!the!OTS!staff!will!go!into!the!nearby!towns!of!Nelspruit!or!Hazyview!to!pick!up!the!
prescription.!!
!
If!you!are!not!feeling!well!or!have!suffered!an!injury,!be!sure!to!let!our!staff!know!so!we!can!be!
sure!to!tend!to!your!health!needs.!!!
!!
b) Counseling*Services*
Issues!in!emotional!health!may!arise!during!a!study!abroad!experience.!Being!new!to!a!country!
and!a!program!can!expose!a!student!to!unexpected!stress!that!can!detract!from!the!overall!
experience.!There!are!many!types!of!professionals!that!will!be!able!to!help!with!various!types!of!
stressUrelated!problems.!Please!let!staff!know!if!you!are!struggling!so!that!they!are!in!a!position!to!
assist!you.!
*
c) Immunizations*
Check!with!your!personal!physician!immediately,!for!professional!advice!regarding!
immunizations.!In!addition,!you!should!check!the!Centers!for!Disease!Control’s!Traveler’s!Health!
Website!at!http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/southUafrica.htm!for!the!latest!updates!on!
disease!and!vaccinations!in!South!Africa.!Please!consider!the!following:!
•**Booster*shots:! Make!sure!you!are!up!to!date!on!all!your!immunizations.!
•**Tetanus:!
This!is!good!for!ten!years,!however!we!advise!you!to!consider!having!a!
booster!shot!if!your!last!one!was!more!than!five!years!ago.!
•**Diphtheria:!
Boosters!should!be!taken!every!ten!years;!it!is!typically!administered!
together!with!tetanus.!This!is!called!the!Td!vaccine.!
•**Typhoid:!
Please!make!sure!you!are!up!to!date!with!this!immunization.!
•**Hepatitis*A: !
This!may!afford!protection!against!this!highly!infectious!disease.!
•**Hepatitis*B :!! Highly!recommended!for!everyone.!
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!
Additional*recommended*medication:!
Malaria !Malaria!is!quite!a!significant!risk!in!the!Kruger!National!Park!where!most!of!our!time!will!
be!spent.!Please!bring!antiUmalarial!medication!with!you.!There!are!several!different!malarial!
prophylactics!available;!consult!your!physician!or!travel!clinic!about!the!appropriate!prescription!
for!the!areas!you!plan!to!visit!and!to!ensure!the!prophylactics!are!administered!correctly.!
(According!to!the!physicians!in!Skukuza!who!deal!with!malaria!your!best!product!is!Malarone.)!!
!
Optional*vaccination:*
Rabies:!You!may!have!the!opportunity!to!work!on!small!mammal!studies!with!bats!and!rodents.!
Students!who!are!interested!in!handling!bats!must!have!the!threeUshot!rabies!vaccination!series.!
Note!that!this!is!an!optional!vaccination!but!please!check!with!your!doctor.!
!
:
!!
E. COMMUNICATIONS*
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1. Important*Names*and*Numbers*
*
The!OTS!is!a!nonUprofit!consortium!of!over!60!institutions!in!the!U.S.,!Costa!Rica,!Australia,!Mexico,!
Peru!and!South!Africa!that!has!been!involved!in!training!and!education!in!tropical!biology!and!
resource!management!for!50!years.!OTS!has!two!administrative!centers!relevant!to!the!South!African!
program:!
!
NAO*(NORTH*AMERICAN*OFFICE)!is!located!at!Duke!University,!Durham,!N.C.!
Organization!of!Tropical!Studies!
Box!90633!
Durham,!NC!27708U0633!USA!
Tel.:!!
(919)!684U5774!
Fax:!
(919)!684U5661!
Email:!
ots@duke.edu
!
Contact!Details!for!the!office!in!South!Africa:!
!
The!Kruger*Office*(KO)!is!situated!in!the!Kruger!National!Park,!Mpumalanga.!
Organization!for!Tropical!Studies!
P.O.!Box!33!
Skukuza,!1350!
!!
South!Africa!
Tel.:!
(+27)!13!735U5301!
Mobile:!
(+27)!82!422U6225!
Email:!
ots.s.africa@gmail.com!
!
Both!incoming!and!outgoing!mail!will!pass!through!KO.!Persons!answering!OTS!numbers!at!KO!speak!
English.!
!
2. Telephone*
!
There!will!be!telephones!available!at!all!the!camps!in!the!Park.!These!are!pay!phones!and!both!local!
and!international!phone!cards!can!be!bought!at!the!camp!shops.!Incoming!calls!to!students!will!have!
to!be!made!to!the!OTS!office!at!Skukuza.!The!students!will!then!be!directed!to!phone!their!parents.!It!
might!be!worth!acquiring!a!South!African!mobile!phone!upon!arrival!in!order!to!stay!in!touch!(ask!our!
advice!when!you!arrive!),!although!generally!speaking!we!travel!in!areas!with!reasonable!landline!
contact.!
!
3. Email*and*Internet*
*
You!will!have!email!and!internet!access!at!the!Skukuza!camp!and!at!internet!cafés!on!our!town!breaks.!
Because!access!is!limited,!you!will!need!to!plan!for!it!e.g.!students!often!struggle!with!course!
enrolment,!so!you!may!want!to!organize!this!via!the!registrar!office!before!you!come.!Students!may!
also!struggle!when!it!comes!to!writing!up!projects!when!you!are!in!areas!with!limited!or!no!internet.!
Staff!will!advise!you!of!what!you!should!be!preparing!for!while!you!are!in!areas!with!internet!access,!
please!listen!to!and!make!use!of!their!advice.!!Please!refer!to!the!site!chart!in!this!document!that!lets!
you!know!where!you!will!not!have!internet!or!cell!phone!contact.!!Share!the!information!with!your!
family!and!friends!so!they!will!not!worry!when!they!don’t!hear!from!you!for!a!while.!!We!have!
emergency!communication!capabilities!while!visiting!all!of!the!sites.!
!
4. Letters*and*Packages*
*
Letters!and!packages!can!be!mailed!directly!to!the!Kruger!Office!(KO).!Please!also!note!that!large!
packages!require!a!post!office/customs!processing/handling!fee!of!anywhere!between!R25!and!R200.!!
Letters!are!however!a!nice!way!to!stay!in!touch!during!the!time!where!you!will!be!too!busy!or!off!
email!lines.!The!letters!can!be!handed!in!at!all!the!reception!areas!of!the!camps!and!they!will!be!put!
into!the!mail!from!there!
!
Your!address!while!you!are!in!the!Kruger!National!Park!will!be:!
Your!Name!
OTS!Undergraduate!Course!
c/o!Laurence!Kruger!!
P.O.!Box!33!
Skukuza,!1350!
South!Africa!!
*
F. GENERAL*INFORMATION*ABOUT*TRAVELING*IN*SOUTH*AFRICA*
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!
1. Safety*
!
Your!safety!is!one!of!our!main!concerns.!We!will!do!everything!possible!to!make!you!aware!of!the!
risks!and!appropriate!precautions!at!all!sites.!The!major!risks!within!the!Park!are!wild!animals!and!
diseases.!To!minimize!the!risks!of!encounters!with!wild!animals,!we!will!travel!in!the!field!with!armed!
game!guards!at!all!times!while!we!are!in!Kruger.!Students!must!not!leave!the!group!when!they!are!in!
the!field!and!they!must!obey!the!instructions!of!the!program!staff!and!the!game!guards!at!all!times.!
There!will!also!be!a!guard!on!duty!at!the!main!gate!of!each!camp.!The!camps!are!all!surrounded!by!
electric!fencing!to!keep!the!big!animals!like!elephants,!hyenas,!and!leopards!out.!You!will!be!informed!
of!all!relevant!rules!and!instructions!once!you!are!in!the!Park.!!Heed!them!closely!and!stay!alert!in!the!
field!at!all!times.!
!
Diseases!such!as!malaria!and!tick!bite!fever!are!treatable!but!it!is!much!better!to!prevent!the!disease!
rather!than!to!treat!it.!We!have!strict!procedures!regarding!keeping!screens!on!windows!and!doors!
closed,!using!mosquito!repellent,!and!covering!up!arms!and!legs!during!evening!and!night!hours.!It!is!
also!extremely!important!for!students!to!report!any!unusual!symptoms!(especially!headaches!and!
fevers)!to!the!instructors!immediately.!The!doctors!at!Skukuza!are!excellent!at!recognizing!and!
treating!the!most!common!ailments!presented!by!the!1!million!tourists!that!pass!through!the!Kruger!
Park!every!year.!Nearby!clinics!are!modern!and!wellUequipped.!Hundreds!of!game!rangers,!park!staff!
members,!and!their!families!have!lived!for!years!in!Kruger!without!contracting!diseases!or!being!
confronted!with!dangerous!animals.!Most!of!the!U.S.!students!will!be!unused!to!the!particular!
challenge!presented!by!this!environment,!however,!and!we!strongly!urge!you!to!take!all!
recommended!precautions.!!!
!
As!you!all!know,!South!Africa!is!a!country!undergoing!a!transition!from!minority!white!rule!to!a!
majority!political!system.!Many!issues!of!power,!wealth,!and!politics!are!in!a!state!of!flux.!In!part!
because!of!this,!South!Africa!also!has!a!high!crime!rate,!especially!in!urban!centers.!To!minimize!the!
risk!of!encountering!dangerous!crime!situations,!we!will!avoid!urban!areas!as!much!as!possible.!
Violent!crime!is!not!considered!to!be!a!problem!within!Kruger!National!Park.!
!
When!you!are!outside!the!Park,!you!should!take!precautions!similar!to!those!you!would!take!in!any!
populated!area!in!an!unfamiliar!country.!
!
• Always!carry!a!photocopy!of!your!passport!and!keep!the!original!in!a!safe!place!(they!can!be!
stored!in!the!OTS!safe!in!Skukuza).!
• Never!carry!more!cash!than!what!is!absolutely!necessary.!
• Do!not!wear!expensive!jewelry!and!watches.!
• Keep!a!tight!hold!on!your!belongings!at!all!times!in!public!areas.!!
• ALWAYS !travel!in!groups.!
• Always!carry!the!phone!numbers!of!the!faculty!with!you.!This!will!be!given!to!you!in!the!
beginning!of!our!time!together.!
• Do!not!engage!in!reckless!or!risky!behavior.!
• Always!inform!the!faculty!where!you!will!be!and!where!we!can!find!you,!even!if!you!are!going!
on!a!brief!jog!around!the!inside!perimeter!of!the!camp!fence.!
• Inform!faculty!immediately!of!any!situation!or!person!that!causes!you!to!feel!in!any!way!
uncomfortable!or!threatened.!
• Do!not!drink!to!excess.!Stay!in!control!and!be!aware!of!your!surroundings.!
• If!you!take!illegal!drugs!–!you!will!be!expelled.!
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!
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The!phone!number!for!the!U.S.!Consulate!in!Pretoria!is!(+27)!12!342U1048.!We!also!advise!that!you!
register!with!the!STEP!program!(https://step.state.gov/step/).!
!
Please!check!out!the!following!website!before!coming!to!South!Africa:!http://travel.state.gov/.!
Here!you!will!find!tips!on!safety!and!travel!before!you!make!your!move!here.!Your!safety!is!our!first!
priority.!
*
2. Special*Information*for*Women*Travelers*
!
Many!of!the!cultures!in!Southern!Africa!do!not!believe!in!women’s!rights!from!a!first!world!
perspective.!Sexual!harassment!and!rape!in!South!Africa!do!occur.!Here!are!a!few!guidelines!as!how!to!
limit!your!exposure!to!this!kind!of!treatment.!
!
• Never!go!out!alone.!
• Always!try!to!make!sure!that!you!have!a!male!friend!with!you.!
• Never!make!a!male!feel!unwanted!–!rather!just!move!on!without!provoking!him!into!anger.!
• Never!accept!an!open!drink!from!a!stranger!or!even!someone!you!think!is!nice.!
• Don’t!be!overly!friendly.!Your!intentions!might!be!mistaken.!
•
•
*
*
If!you!feel!uncomfortable!at!any!time!make!sure!your!friends!realize!this!and!get!away!as!
soon!as!possible.!Report!any!incidents!as!soon!as!possible!to!one!of!the!faculty.!Remember!we!
are!here!to!help!you!make!your!stay!in!South!Africa!as!enjoyable!as!possible.!
Remain!at!all!times!in!control!and!be!aware!of!your!surroundings.!
3. Sexual*Harassment*
We!are!committed!to!maintaining!a!healthy!and!productive!work!environment.!OTS!has!a!strong!
policy!regarding!sexual!harassment.!Sexual!harassment!is!defined!as!all!sexual!conduct!that!is!
undesired!by!the!person(s)!to!whom!it!is!directed,!and!that!provokes!negative!effects!or!impacts!in!
the!following!cases:!
!
• Conditions!of!academic!standing.!These!are!actions!that!may!occur!in!the!context!of!the!
studentUteacher!relationship,!such!as!grade!alteration,!dismissal!from!the!program!or!
modifications!of!student!evaluations.!
• Productivity.!These!are!actions!that!may!affect!the!normal!development!of!academic!and!field!
activities,!resulting!in!lack!of!motivation,!low!efficiency,!absenteeism,!etc.!
• General!personal!wellUbeing.!These!are!actions!that!negatively!affect!a!person’s!ability!to!
confront!daily!activities!in!the!field!or!in!the!classroom.!
!
Both!overt!and!subtle!forms!of!sexual!harassment!are!prohibited!at!all!OTS!facilities!and!during!all!
OTSUsponsored!activities.!If!you!have!any!questions,!complaints,!or!find!yourself!in!need!of!any!other!
assistance!in!this!regard!during!your!stay!in!South!Africa,!you!are!strongly!urged!to!contact!an!OTS!
member!of!staff!with!whom!you!feel!comfortable!discussing!your!concerns.!If!for!any!reason!you!do!
not!feel!comfortable!discussing!concerns!about!sexual!harassment!with!faculty,!we!ask!that!you!
contact!the!ViceUPresident!of!Global!Programs!and!Partnerships,!Ed!Stashko,!at!estashko@duke.edu .!
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G. WHAT*TO*BRING*
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This!section!includes!three!check!lists!to!help!you!in!packing!for!your!trip.!!
!
• Clothing!and!Personal!items!
• Essential!Field!Equipment!
• Almost!Essential!Field!Equipment!
!
As!a!general!rule,!travel!as!light!as!possible.!It!is!hard!to!dictate!the!optimal!numbers!and!kinds!of!bags!
you!should!bring.!Here!are!some!useful!hints.!Avoid!bringing!large,!hard!suitcases.!Ideally,!bring!a!single!
canvas!bag,!however!you!may!bring!two!smaller!bags!if!you!prefer.!In!your!baggage!you!should!definitely!
bring!one!small!backpack!to!take!into!the!field.!You!will!be!able!to!put!water!or!thirst!quenchers!and!some!
snacks!in!and!your!data!records!as!you!need!to!be!able!to!move!fast!and!have!your!hands!free.!Expect!any!
bag!you!bring!to!get!dirty.!
!
For!clothes,!leave!all!the!things!that!will!cause!you!to!overheat!at!home.!Try!cotton!or!cottonUblends.!Label!
all!your!clothes,!as!this!will!make!it!easier!to!identify!your!own!things!if!clothes!do!get!mixed!up.!Except!
for!your!town!clothes,!the!clothes!you!wear!in!the!field!are!in!for!a!rough!time.!This!is!thorn!bush!country.!
Plan!on!keeping!some!clothes!for!relaxation!after!you!come!in!from!the!field.!This!is!a!wonderful!area!and!
it!is!marvelous!to!sit!outside!at!night!–!just!make!sure!that!you!have!long!pants!and!long!sleeves!to!keep!
the!mosquitoes!at!bay.!It!can!get!very!hot!here!in!summer!–!between!36!and!45!degrees!Celsius!–!so!please!
ensure!that!the!clothes!you!bring!for!sleepwear!are!cool.!
!
The!fully!equipped!OTS!student!brings!all!the!items!listed!on!the!following!three!check!lists.!Nonetheless!
your!own!personal!habits,!whether!you!prefer!to!be!overUprepared!or!would!rather!“makeUdo”,!and!
research!interests!should!be!considered!in!deciding!what!to!bring.!Students!on!our!programs!advise!us!
that!they!might!not!have!packed!enough!of!the!following:!aspirin,!bandanas,!vitamins,!contact!lenses,!
alarm!clocks,!comfortable!nonUfield!work!clothes!and!city*clothes.!
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If!you!have!any!questions!about!what!to!bring,!please!contact!Patty!Kustron,!Colleen!Cluett!or!Laurence!
Kruger.!
Check*List*#*1*
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Clothes*and*Personal*Items*
Valid*Passport.*
Money*and/or*Travelers*Checks.!Please!note!that!Skukuza!is!the!only!camp!
with!a!full!service!bank!(aside!from!Cape!Town!and!Johannesburg).!Most!
other!camps!have!ATM!machines.!It!will!be!wise!to!always!have!some!cash!
with!you.!
Shirts.!Three!for!Town,!three!for!field,!a!few!TUshirts!for!normal!days.!Girls!
may!want!to!consider!bringing!a!few!tankUtops!for!the!hot!days.!
Pants.!Two!to!three!pairs!of!pants.!Sturdy,!loose!fitting!pants!are!best!for!the!
field!because!of!the!thorns!and!thick!bushes!(many!students!prefer!a!pair!of!
Nylon!pants!e.g.!North!Face!pants.!You!will!need!a!pair!of!Jeans!for!cooler!
evenings!and!the!city!periods!and!a!pair!of!sweat!pants!has!been!described!as!
a!mustUhave.!!
Shorts.!Three!or!four!shorts,!girls!may!want!to!bring!a!few!skirts.!We!also!
encourage!women!to!bring!a!belowUknee!length!skirt!for!use!during!the!
homestays.!
Warm*Clothing.*Although!most!areas!we!visit!will!be!warm,!the!weather!can!
change!rapidly!and!it!can!be!quite!chilly!in!the!Cape,!so!at!least!one!warm!
jacket!is!essential!(e.g.!a!Polarfleece!jacket).!One!or!two!sweaters!may!also!be!
useful.!Warm!hats!would!be!useful.!
Clothing*for*Towns.*Bring!a!few!sets!of!clothing!for!Cape!Town!and!
Johannesburg!i.e.!going!out!in!the!city.!These!clothes!will!also!be!useful!for!
your!final!presentations!and!final!dinner.!
Rain*Jacket*or*Poncho.*
Swim*Suit.*
Wide*Brimmed*Hat.!
Underwear.!Ten!pairs!should!be!enough.!
Socks.!Five!to!seven!pairs.!Bring!a!few!that!can!be!pulled!up!to!your!knees!for!
the!field!as!this!will!protect!you!from!ticks.!!
Light*Hiking*Boots.!Heavy!boots!are!not!necessary!and!most!field!work!can!
be!done!in!sneakers/running!shoes,!so!hiking!boots!are!optional.!Many!
students!do!appreciate!having!a!pair!though!!
Sneakers*or*Tennis*Shoes.**
Comfortable*Shoes*to*Use*For*Leisure.!
Teva/Chaco*type*Sandals*These!prove!to!be!very!useful!for!the!hotter!days!
in!the!field.!If!you!wear!sandals!in!the!field,!they!MUST!be!strap!on.!If!charged!
(by!rhinos!etc)!you!will!need!to!run!and!climb!trees!effectively.!You!will!not!
be!allowed!to!wear!flipUflops!in!the!field.*
Flip\flops*are!always!useful!
Towels.!Towels!are!available!at!some!of!the!camps!but!it!is!still!advisable!to!
bring!two!towels!along!for!those!places!that!do!not!provide!towels.!Perhaps!
also!bring!an!easy!dry!towel.!
Personal*Toiletries.!Most!items!are!available!at!the!camp!shops.!Women!
should!note!that!tampons!and!sanitary!pads!are!mostly!available,!but!it!is!
worth!stocking!up!when!you!pass!through!the!main!centers.!If!you!have!your!
favorite!brands,!you!should!bring!a!supply!for!the!whole!semester!in!case!you!
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are!unable!to!find!the!appropriate!brands!in!South!Africa.!
Personal*Medical*Supplies.*The!program!has!a!first!aid!kit,!but!you!should!
bring!your!own!vitamins,!aspirin,!antiseptic,!hydrocortisone!cream,!Band!
Aids,!etc.!You!will!be!able!to!purchase!most!of!these!things!once!we!get!to!
Kruger!Park,!but!you!should!pack!enough!of!these!items!for!our!first!two!
weeks!at!Nylsvley.!!
Extra*Eyeglasses*or*Contact*Lenses*and*Prescription.!Bring!extras!in!case!
yours!get!broken!or!lost.!You!should!also!bring!extra!lens!solution!(brands!
might!differ!in!South!Africa).!
Sunglasses.!A!must!for!those!who!want!to!prevent!headaches!and!eye!
damage.!
High\rated*Sunscreen.!!
Sewing*Needles,*Strong*Thread,*Extra*Buttons,*Safety*Pins,*and*
Shoe/Boot*Laces.*
Insect*Sting*Kit.!If!you!are!allergic!to!bee!stings!please!bring!an!emergency!
adrenalin!kit.!PLEASE(inform(the(faculty(of(your(allergy.!
Paperback*Books*or*your*Kindle.!Mark!and!be!prepared!to!swap!with!
classmates.!
Photos.*Bring!photos!of!your!family,!college,!hometown,!etc.!This!is!so!we!can!
all!get!to!know!each!other!better.!
Sleeping*bags.*These!are!required!at!some!of!the!camps!we!visit!we!will!
advise!you!of!which!ones!when!you!are!here.!Also!a!pillow!is!optional!as!some!
sites!do!not!provide!pillows.!
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Check*List*#*2*
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Essential*Field*Equipment
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Binoculars.!Even!if!you!are!not!a!bird!enthusiast,!these!are!essential!for!
numerous!field!projects.!Most!leopards!and!cheetahs!are!also!only!detected!
through!these.!
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Flash*Light.!These!are!essential,!especially!to!make!sure!there!are!no!night!
time!encounters!with!snakes!and!scorpions.!Headlamps*are*essential.!
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Batteries.!These!should!either!be!alkaline!or!rechargeable.!If!you!use!
rechargeable!please!bring!your!reUcharger!with!you,!as!none!are!available!at!
the!camps.!
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Pocket\knife.*The!Swiss!Army!type!with!the!multiple!functions!is!best.!Pack!
your!knife!in!your!luggage!and!not!in!your!carryUon!bag.!If!you!plan!on!
bringing!a!knife,!you!are!only!allowed!to!bring!foldingUstyle!pocketknives!or!
multiUtool!knives.!The!blade!of!the!knife!must!be!no!longer!than!the!width!of!
your!palm,!and!must!either!have!a!singleUbutton!locking!mechanism!or!no!
blade!lock!at!all.!Fixed!blades!and!switch!blades!are!not!allowed,!which!
includes!Bowie!knives,!butterfly!knives,!hunting!knives,!etc.!
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Travel*Alarm*Clock.**
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Wristwatch.!!
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A!Daypack*for!daily!field!use.!This!must!be!big!enough!to!hold!a!water!bottle!
and!notebooks!as!well!as!snacks!while!out!in!the!field.!Please!ensure!that!the!
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pack!can!be!carried!on!your!back,!as!you!need!to!have!your!hands!free.!
A*smaller*travel*bag*for!sites!where!you!will!spend!shorter!amounts!of!time*
Insect*Repellent*and*Good*Anti\Itch*Cream.*
Tick*Repellent!Spray*or*Lotion.!!
Lecture*and*Field*Notebooks.!!These!can!also!be!purchased!from!Hazyview!
or!Nelspruit.!!
Laptop*Computer.!It!is!advisable!that!you!bring!your!own!Laptop.!Check!to!
see!whether!your!computer!and!camera!are!covered!on!your!(or!your!
parents’)!homeowner’s!insurance!policy.!OTS!will!not!assume!responsibility!
in!case!of!damage,!loss,!or!theft.!Safety!of!your!equipment!(from!theft!AND!
damage)!is!of!our!highest!concern,!so!we!will!ensure!that!computers!are!safe!
during!travel!periods.!Please!email!us!if!you!do!not!own!your!own!laptop*
Several*Pencils*and*Ballpoint*Pens.!!
Water*Bottle/Canteen.!YOUR!MOST!IMPORTANT!ITEM!!
Plastic*Folder.!You!will!use!this!to!store!handouts.!
Pocket*Calculator,*unless!you!are!comfortable!using!one!on!your!computer!
or!phone.*
Sense*of*Humor.*A!must!for!long!hot!days!in!the!field!when!nothing!is!going!
as!you!planned!it!to!!
Check*List*#*3*
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Almost*Essential*Field*Equipment
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Camera.!It’s!a!good!idea!to!also!remember!a!UVUfilter!or!a!haze!filter!to!
protect!your!lens.!If!you!bring!a!digital!camera,!make!sure!you!have!the!cable!
to!download!your!photos!onto!a!computer.!
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Watertight,*Plastic*Bags.!You!need!something!watertight!to!store!camera,!
flash,!film,!and!calculator.!
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iPod!or*an!iTrip.!These!are!helpful!for!the!long!trips!between!camps.!
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Musical*Instruments.!!If!you!can!play!–!Please"don’t"forget!!
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Field*Guides.!The!course!library!has!quite!a!few!guides!but!if!you!would!like!
to!have!your!own!remember!to!bring!money!to!purchase!them.!Typical!field!
guides!run!anywhere!from!R140!to!R300!($20U$40).!There!are!also!several!
excellent!inexpensive!guides!published!by!Kruger!Park.!
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Flash*Drive*and/or*External*Drive.*Advisable!to!help!with!transfer!of!
information.!External!drives!very!NB!if!you!take!a!great!deal!of!photographs.!
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Statistical*Software.*Such!as!Statistica,!R!or!whichever!you!are!comfortable!
with.!
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Up\to\date*antivirus*software.*This!is!very!important!for!all!pc!users.!
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H. OVERALL*EXPECTATIONS*
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The!OTS!experience!provides!you!with!a!fantastic!opportunity!to!learn!about!field!biology!in!a!way!that!is!
not!likely!available!to!you!at!your!home!institutions.!You!will!have!the!chance!to!interact!with!resident!
and!visiting!faculty!on!both!a!professional!and!personal!level!and!the!interactive!nature!of!the!program!
provides!an!amazing!learning!experience.!However,!because!the!four!courses!are!run!simultaneously!and!
deliverables!overlap,!the!course!is!very!intense!academically.!Unlike!the!structured!schedules!you!may!be!
used!to!at!home,!this!course!relies!heavily!on!student!commitment!and!personal!time!management!skills.!
We!hope!not!to!intimidate!you,!but!rather!to!excite!you!about!the!challenges!and!learning!opportunities!
that!await!you.!Come!with!a!curious!and!motivated!attitude!and!you!will!be!well!rewarded;!much!of!the!
success!of!the!semester!depends!upon!you!and!recognizing!that!the!more!you!put!into!it!the!more!you!will!
get!out!of!it!!
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Many!students!who!have!participated!in!the!South!Africa!program!have!reported!that!it!is!a!life!changing!
experience.!Not!only!do!we!hope!to!leave!you!with!a!greater!understanding!of!biological!systems!and!
ecological!interactions,!but!you!will!have!numerous!cultural!and!personal!experiences!and!interactions!
with!classmates!and!faculty!that!will!create!lasting!memories.!You!will!likely!gain!insights!into!who!you!
are!as!a!person!and!will!make!friendships!that!will!last!a!lifetime.!
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It!is!best!that!you!come!with!little!in!the!way!of!expectations!bar!the!academic!ones.!The!best!way!to!
prepare!yourselves!is!to!read,!and!reUread!all!the!material!we!send!you!and!then!open!your!mind!to!a!
completely!unique!learning!experience.!Many!of!you!will!come!from!different!backgrounds!and!different!
academic!experiences!and!it!is!difficult!to!design!a!program!that!tailors!to!everyone’s!needs.!However,!the!
staff!on!OTS!South!Africa!are!committed!to!facilitating!both!your!academic!and!personal!experiences!and!
we!are!sure!you!in!for!a!great!semester!!!!