Sasol sponsored birding weekends gets bigger and better

Date

27 January, 2014

The 16th annual Kruger National Park Birding Weekend, held by the SANParks Honorary Rangers of the West Rand region is all set for the last weekend of January. The organisers are expecting approximately 700 participants this year, spread across 19 camps in the park.

The initiative, sponsored by Sasol, raises close to R2 million per annum based on volunteerism. Held over four weekends during January and February, guests will experience early morning and sunset bird-watching game drives, accompanied by expert guides, an outdoor braai and exciting activities and giveaways. Some of the expert guides include, Geoff Lockwood and Ulrich Oberprieler.

“The event has proved extremely popular and has become possibly the largest birding event held in Southern Africa. The birding weekends are one of the highlights on the annual birding calendar and we receive guests locally as well as internationally from Canada, France, England, Belgium, Australia, Norway, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland. It is estimated that 80% of the guests we entertain have attended previous weekends,” said SANParks Honorary Rangers West Rand region Chairman, Peter Zietsman.

“The purpose of the weekend is to provide birders with the opportunity to identify as many birds as possible, within a 50km radius of their chosen camp. Our aim is to educate and expose people to the wonders of birding. The birding weekends also allow beginner birders to interact with more experienced birders. Guests have a selection of 19 flagship venues, where each camp is home to over 200 bird species,” he added.

In previous birding weekends, numerous rare birds and raptor sightings were aplenty, including Cuckoo Hawks, Verreaux’s Eagles, African Fish Eagles, Marsh Owls as well as White-backed and White-headed Vultures. These recordings are submitted to the Avian Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town for input to the South African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2).

“Not only is Kruger Park one of the top birding areas in the country, it is a weekend of camaraderie between like-minded people, with birders from across the country descending on the park. The Rangers carefully select normally inaccessible areas for the birding drives and normal gate times at the camps no longer apply, with drives leaving at three or four in the morning and arriving at wonderful birding spots by sunrise for the dawn chorus,” said Zietsman.

“Sasol’s involvement in bird wildlife is about conservation and promoting birding as a past time. Having one of the most diverse bird populations in the world, this should be enjoyed by all South Africans. The birding weekends provide occupancy to the Kruger National Park during its low season with the added benefit that funds raised are ploughed back into environmental conservation projects by the SANParks Honorary Rangers,” said Sasol’s Sponsorship Manager, Richard Hughes.

For a list of birding weekends across the country, visit www.birdlife.org.za or www.sanparksvolunteers.org

Ends

Issued by:

Alex Anderson, Group Media Manager

Direct telephone +27 (11) 441 3295; Mobile +27 (0) 71 600 9605;

alex.anderson@sasol.com

Jacqui O’Sullivan, GM: Group Communication

Direct telephone +27 (11) 441 3252; Mobile +27 (0) 82 883 9697;

jacqui.osullivan@sasol.com

Total Stores	Division	Store Location	Address	Tel No
1	Relabelled	Salt River	29 Brickfield Road, Salt River, Cape Town	(021)4479913
2	Relabelled	Bellville	Shop 4, Corner Voortrekker Rd & Durban RD, Bellville	(021)9171860
3	Relabelled	Kenilworth	Unit number 3 access park, Chichester road, Kenilworth	(021)6714778,
4	Relabelled	Kuilsrivier	Shop 4 & 5 Access Park, Kuilsrivier	(021)9031294 061 287 3980
5	Relabelled	Mobeni	Cnr Grimsby & Leicester Rd, Mobeni, Durban	(031)4620540 W\House (031) 469 9409
6	Relabelled	Pier 14	21A Pier 14, Shopping Centre, Port Elizabeth	(041)4841575 083 5176 728
7	Relabelled	Marlboro	13 Sparten Crescent ,Marlboro , Ext 3 Johannesburg	(011) 262 0460
8	Relabelled	Soweto	Maponya Shop 200 2127 Chris hani Road, klipspruit ext5 Soweto	(011) 933 1023
9	Relabelled	Umlazi	Shop 155 Umlazi Mega City 50 Griffiths Mxenge Highway Umlazi	(031) 902 1325
10	Relabelled	Epping	10 Losack avenue , epping industrial	(021) 534 0401
1	BCWC	Kloof	Lifes on Kloof, 50 Kloof Street, Gardens ,Cape Town, shop G-15	(021) 422 1593 078 211 8051
2	BCWC	Canal Walk	Shop 619 Canal Walk , Century BLVD, Century City , Cape Town 7441	(021) 551 2891
3	BCWC	Monte Casino	Shop 80B Montecasino, No1 Monticasino Bouelvard Fourways , 2191 Magents	(011) 465 0438
4	BCWC	Menlyn	Shop UF 42 & 43 cnr atterbury road & lois avenue , menlo park , Pretoria	(012) 764 9600
5	BCWC	Balito	SHOP 608 LEONORA DRIVE,DOLPHIN COAST,BALLITO,4399	032 586 0242
6	BCWC	Rosebank	Shop GF08, The Zone, Rosebank mall, Oxford Street, Johannesburg	(011)268 1114
1	Magents	Canal Walk	Shop 08 , Century Blvd , Century City 7441	(021) 551 2533 JP CELL: 064 686 4026
2	Magents	Monte Casino	Shop 21 Montecasino, No1 Monticasino Bouelvard Fourways , 2191 Magents	(011) 465 6721 074 669 6310 073 804 4352 079 884 7607
3	Magents	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL , SHOP G190 CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	(012) 348 4725 073 8677 468 - Sieya , kiley , OUPA, Micheal
4	Magents	Balito	SHOP 608 LEONORA DRIVE,DOLPHIN COAST,BALLITO,4399	061 521 7446 032 586 1467
1	WSA	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL ,LF41A CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	Vicky - 078 816 1921 land line - 012 348 4766
6	BCWC	Rosebank	Shop GF08, The Zone, Rosebank mall, Oxford Street, Johannesburg	(011)268 1114
1	Magents	Canal Walk	Shop 08 , Century Blvd , Century City 7441	(021) 551 2533 JP CELL: 064 686 4026
2	Magents	Monte Casino	Shop 21 Montecasino, No1 Monticasino Bouelvard Fourways , 2191 Magents	(011) 465 6721 074 669 6310 073 804 4352 079 884 7607
3	Magents	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL , SHOP G190 CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	(012) 348 4725 073 8677 468 - Sieya , kiley , OUPA, Micheal
4	Magents	Balito	SHOP 608 LEONORA DRIVE,DOLPHIN COAST,BALLITO,4399	061 521 7446 032 586 1467
1	WSA	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL ,LF41A CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	Vicky - 078 816 1921 land line - 012 348 4766

Overview

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Overview

Sasol sponsored birding weekends gets bigger and better

Sasol sponsored birding weekends gets bigger and better