5/29
Today’s stories of the crazy adventures at Moholo include capturing and relocating a 250 kg croc, a baby serval coming into the clinic and me taking over care of the sick Cape vulture. Quite the busy day. We’ve been so rediculously fortunate to be able to help so many animals and be exposed to so much.
The crocodile call came in yesterday and we spend hours darting, moving and driving the massive reptile to a bigger pond. Apparently Mr. Croc didn’t like his old place. The bug guy let us get pretty close. The loud hissing noise crocodiles make is quite scary, but still does not compare to the sheer terror felt when a leopard lets out a thunderous growl that shakes you to your very core.
Later that evening I took over helping to care for the sick vulture with an eye infection. I had to tube it in the mornings to get down fluids and medication. Then a wrestling match ensued to get eye drops and food in. It was quite a fun time. There’s a rush when you’re trying to help out this giant bird, but at the same time not have a finger taken off.
The last animal in need of assistance was a baby serval found by the side of the road. She was small, but Briant gave her milk and a mouse to eat. She’ll be raised so she can be returned to the wild. We can only hope now that she’ll find her own niche and survive when it’s her time to be released. I can’t believe the three servals I look after now used to look like a ball of fluff like she does now. I love caring for those mischievious servals and also the bush babies and vulture. Zachary, Betty and Butch are getting better around feeding time. Hannah has now dubbed feeding time the Nancy and serval show. Apparently it’s a hit. Even though they’ve scratched and hiss and scared the living daylight out of me during feeding time, they are quite sweet in the morning. It’s something else to be cuddling with servals…
