EYES IN THE SKY, BOOTS ON THE GROUND
- Michael Terrell
- Sep 1
- 4 min read
The deeper we moved into the experience, the more the work took on weight. New guests arrived daily, and as the group grew, so did the energy, not the energy of casual visitors, but of people realizing they were becoming a small part of something far larger than themselves.
We were guided by some of the most seasoned professionals in the conservation world. Matumi Destinations, Klasserie Private Game Reserve, and Bush Aviation — names you quickly come to respect deeply once you’ve seen the skill and sacrifice they bring to this work.
K9 Tracking Training
We returned to work with the tracking team. Watching Jack and Shadow in action, slicing through scents like threads, it hits you how tactical and precise they can be, even as the weather influences the scent trail. Their discipline, paired with their John’s handling expertise, is one of the most effective tools conservation has in its fight.
The dogs brought precision and instinct into harmony. Each pause and pull was purposeful, every movement contributing to a larger picture of what had passed through the bush. It was conservation made tangible in the most direct of ways. Watching Jack and Shadow work was both impressive and humbling. Their senses traced invisible trails across the landscape. By the end of these days, the dust on boots carried more than effort, it carried perspective. Respect here is not taught, it is absorbed through time in the field and through the dedication of those who protect it. Guests leave with more than memories, they leave with a new understanding of conservation as a lifelong practice.”
Game Drives With Matumi
Next, we visited Pride Lands, where Matumi Destinations helped us peel back another layer of South Africa’s bushveld ecosystem. The landscape kept revealing more: huge elephants melting out of the trees, flash bursts of birdlife, and that underlying awareness that every inch of this habitat is held together by thin threads of luck, management, and human decision-making. Gert and Armond’s insights proved uncanny as his three decades of work in the brush gave him insights into the history and transformation of the greater kruger, and the many stories of the animals who live there.
“Conservation is protecting the wildlife we love! We pride ourselves on constantly learning and teaching our guests about the importance of protecting the habitats we work in and all the different wildlife species within. As well as how they, our guests, can have a direct impact on these factors by touring with Matumi destinations as their safari partners. Be inspired, the Matumi way.” - Gert Vander Merwe
We began with familiar ground: game drives through the private reserve. But this time, something had shifted. People started spotting not just animals but patterns. They weren’t simply looking for giraffes or impalas anymore; they were seeing how herds moved, how weather shaped behavior, and how, if you looked hard enough, you could always find signs of wildlife passing through.'
Gert's deep knowledge on the history and of the Greater Kruger and the wildlife that roam there seemed to be endless. From spotting hooded vultures in a distance boabab tree, to spotting and aging Nyala by the curves of their horns.
Klasserie Game Reserve, Greater Kruger
Then came Ranger Day at Klasserie Private Game Reserve. This was not a dramatized story, this was real. We sat with rangers who walk into danger every day. Callan, who has spent the last decade in anti-poaching, apprehending dozens of poachers, spoke with a kind of steady, heavy honesty you don’t forget. Corruption. Betrayal. Heartbreak. And still, somehow, resilience.
As we stopped at different spots along the Klasserie reserve, we learned about the methods and strategies deployed to catch poachers. It was enlightening to hear how granular rangers on patrol have to be when scoping for since of poachers. Slight disruptions in the sand, boot prints left by passersby, all signs of potential intrusion. Whether it's working through the heat of the day across long hours, or working through kilometers of dense brush, there's few breaks for the hard works game rangers during the day. Patrols don't end when the sun goes down either, because poaching unfortunately never rests, with the South African Department of Forestry reporting over 400 rhino poachings in 2024. Game Reserve teams must work tirelessly day and night to ensure the protection of big game.
Hearing how heart breaking it was to learn that corruption and subterfuge was common really painted the picture on how dire the situation was. Having other rangers who you patrol with every day being the reason that poacher know exactly how to evade your patrol can really widen faults in trust among your team. It''s taken true cunning and whit to overcome and luckily Callan is optimistic that the tides are turning in the battle for wildlife safety.
View From The Sky
And then the perspective shifted again, literally. Bush Aviation lifted us into the air, where the true scale of conservation hit us harder than anything on the ground ever could. Miles upon miles of land. Herds of wildebeest are moving below. The sight of the Blyde River Canyon and Greater Kruger really takes your breath away. The gradient of the stone and many shades of lycan spanning the man winding curves of the worlds largest green canyon. Seeing Rhinos with their babies and Giraffes traversing the bush from above is a sight unlike any I had experienced in my life. From up there, you see not just how vast it is, but how vulnerable.
You leave these days carrying a new kind of respect, not just for the land, but for every person who’s made protecting it their life’s work. Conservation in this space is not abstract. It is embodied in the ranger on patrol, the dog on a scent, the rhino grazing with her calf. It is urgent, hopeful, and deeply human. To see it is one thing, to feel its weight is another, and that impact endures well beyond the bush.
We owe immense gratitude to Matumi Destinations, K9 Conservation, Bush Aviation, and the rangers at Klasserie, whose courage and expertise made these experiences possible and unforgettable. If you are interested in learning more about how frontline heroes protect Africa’s wild spaces from the ground and sky, watch the recap video below and Explore the Program!
