"Wildcam Africa" Brings Wildlife to Your PC

Update: The current (late 2007) message on the National Geographic Wildcam Africa site states: "We hope you are enjoying our third season of WildCam Africa, streaming to you live from Pete’s Pond through mid-December 2007".

Want to view some real African wildlife from the comfort of your home or office? Well, all you need do is turn on your computer, sit back and take a "virtual" safari to Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana - thanks to "Wildcam Africa" from National Geographic.

It's near the end of the dry season in Mashatu, a 30,000-hectare (74,000-acre) game reserve in the arid eastern corner of Botswana.

Soon the rains will (or should) come. But until those first, fat drops plop into the dry, dusty soil, any remaining water acts like a magnet for thirsty animals.

And one such source of water is Pete's Pond, a small dam in the south of the reserve. Normally used as a viewing spot by visitors on safari in Mashatu, Pete's Pond has been temporarily taken over by National Geographic.

Instead, there's now a video camera permanently recording the activity on the water's edge - elephants wallowing and drinking, wildebeest and antelope stretching to sip nervously, guineafowl scurrying on the banks. The camera is either operated by volunteers or by remote control.

You can watch this fascinating wildlife scenario unfold on your computer screen, day and night, brought to you by an always-on, satellite-to-website video camera. Even if there're no pictures of interest, you can listen to the genuine sounds of the African bush, partiuclarly the many resident and visiting birds.

I've already spent a few hours watching the action, but have had to curtail my viewing - it's just too damn addictive and can eat into one's time if you're not careful! Unlike the older webcams where you had a fuzzy still image that "refreshed" every 30 or 60 seconds, this is streaming video, so it's like watching a mini movie.

The camera is usually operated by volunteers, who will zoom in on the action, so you're almost guaranteed of seeing animals and birds "live", particularly in the mornings and late afternoons (see comparative times below).

Botswana	London	Sydney	Tokyo	New York	Los Angeles
10am	9am	6pm	5pm	4am	1am
4pm	3pm	midnight	11pm	10am	7am

A Visit to Pete's Pond
I've been fortunate to spend time at Rockcamp, a private lodge only a few miles from the pond. On my most recent visit in April this year, I spent a quiet couple of hours in the hide, enjoying the solitude and watching the animals making their way slowly towards the water from the sparse, surrounding bush.

The first to arrive were the impala, skittish as ever and easily alarmed. Even a flock of guineafowl, energetically scratching for food near the water's edge, would periodically cause a ripple of panic among the impala. Such is the life of an antelope in lion and leopard country.

Zebra in the Distance
More groups of impala followed at intervals, interspersed with waterbuck, a small herd of wildebeest, a lone warthog, and the ever-present guineafowls. I could see zebra in the distance, but they seemed in no rush for a drink.

Start of the Dry Season
April is the start of the dry season, so there is still more water available at that time of the year than in September/October. Although to me the visit was fruitful, in the couple of hours I was there no elephant came to drink.

They make for great viewing at a waterhole because they not only drink gallons of water, but turn the visit into a fun event that can include swimming, wallowing, playful bonding and mock fights, spraying themselves, and generally cavorting around.

If you connect to the WildCam and don't see elephant at first, it's certainly worth trying again. There are large numbers in Mashatu and they have to have water, so they will come to Pete's Pond.

The picture on the left was taken in summer, when there is a lot more water round, but for these elephant, the pond was still the best choice for refuelling.

Link to Wildcam Africa
For a preview of what to expect, you can watch a selection of "video highlights" previously recorded by the WildCam. Here's the link for the website: www.ngm/wilcamafrica.

Once logged on to the website, you can also find out why this patch of water is called "Pete's Pond", how the satelite link was set-up, and more about Mashatu Game Reserve.

Enthusiastic Viewers from Around the World
Since its launch, the WildCam has been attracting wildlife enthusiasts from around the world, many of whom have become self-confessed "addicts".

There is a Forum attached to the WildCam site where people watching the pond add comments, ask questions and record their sightings at all times of day or night. Researchers based at Mashatu also take the time to answer questions, so the Forum is the place to visit if you want to learn more about the animals and the game reserve.

Other avid enthusiasts - "Ponders" - have formed their own Yahoo Group, where sightings are discussed and the wildlife identified. You have to apply to join.

Many who belong to the group take screen shots or "grabs" of the images showing on the WildCam and post their pictures to the group site, where detailed information is meticulously recorded about the flora and fauna captured thus far. The quality of the images can be surprisingly good. Below is one of my first attempts at a screen capture from the WildCam:

What you'll need to view the WildCam:

• Computer
• Internet Connection - the faster, the better
• Latest version of the free RealPlayer plugin
• Some patience
• Curiosity