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Take a Walk on the Wildside

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With raptors, monster snakes, spiders, worms and more on the programme, the Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees is not afraid to take a walk on the wildside!

The Walk on the Wildside tent is one of the ways that the festival adheres to its identity as a wildlife festival. The event takes place from 1 to 3 July 2011.

For the first time, the tent will host KykNET wildlife presenter, Esther van der Westhuizen, and her selection of local and exotic spiders.

“Our display includes tarantulas, baboon spiders and scorpions,” says Esther. “We want to show the public that spiders are not the horrible, scary creatures they think they are, and that they deserve more respect and understanding.”

The Addo Raptor and Reptile Centre will once again set up the popular owl house and Monster Snake display where visitors can come face to face with graceful birds-of-prey and overcome their fears of snakes.

At the SANParks’ stand, visitors can watch the world-famous Addo flightless dung beetles at work in a live display.

The Walk on the Wildside tent also includes displays of major wildlife groups and organisations for the conservationist and nature-lover. This includes the Mountain Zebra and Camdeboo National Parks, as well as Birdlife Eastern Cape, SAPPI, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Eastern Cape Game Management Association and the Spekboom Foundation. The latter organisation was founded by Wildsfees founder, Johan Swart, and promotes the carbon-storing and beautifying potential of the common Eastern Cape spekboom plant.

For the hunter and fisherman, the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association is on hand to answer any questions, in addition to bow hunting (East Cape Outdoors), guns and ammunitions (Drostdy Wapens), fly-fishing (Angler & Antelope) and taxidermy (Raychelle).

Those interested in learning about wildlife and conservation as a career can find out about the NMMU Addo campus course in Game Ranch Management.

Whether you know nothing about nature or are a conservationist or professional hunter, there’s something interesting for you at the Walk on the Wildside Tent at the Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees from 1 to 3 July.

Entrance to the Walk on the Wildside tent is included in the festival entrance fee. Entry fees for the festival on Friday and Sunday are R70 for adults and R30 for children; and R100 for adults and R50 for children on Saturday. Visit www.wildsfess.co.za for more information.

Fair warning – if you intend to stay overnight in Kirkwood at the Wildsfees you had better pick and choose from the Available Accommodation in Addo as the Kirkwood accommodation is all full – there may be some camping spots left, IF SOMEONE could just get back to me about that I could SMILE again !!!

Whooo are you? Meet Derren Kleinhans and his owls and other raptors in the Walk on the Wildside experience at the Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees.
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.