Have you ever wondered what actually happens on a Game Count… well let me tell you a little about the Mana Pools Game Count.
Each September/October over the full moon around 150 people, mostly Zimbabweans, head to Mana Pools to literally count the animals. The theory is that because it is very dry all the game is either concentrated around a permanent water source or on the flood plain. It can be very hot – sometimes pushing 46 degrees by midmorning!
The flood plain is divided up into transects and there are 4 – 6 people per team. The transects are 250m apart and the idea is that all the teams sweep the flood plain in unison and count & record every animal that is sighted. It is not uncommon to see Lion, Elephant, Wild Dog and even Leopard whilst walking – it is definitely not for chickens! In order to try and escape some of the heat the teams walk twice a day over the duration of the weekend, the first walk starts at sunrise and you return to camp to sit out the heat of the day, and walk again late afternoon until sunset.
It is not uncommon to have visitors in the campsite – thankfully you don’t have to count in your lunch break…..
The intense heat, combined with the lack of cold beers, ensures only the dedicated participate!
It is a fantastic weekend and all for a great cause, watch this blog spot for my leopard encounter during Mana pools Game Count 2011.