some game bird shooting. A dissection of all the organs is
carried out and there are lessons on how to butcher the meat
for use in the kitchen - and of course they learn how to make
biltong.
Trophy skinning and preparation of skins takes lots of
practice and several hours are spent perfecting this. A visit
to the local taxidermist gives an insight into what is done
during the tanning and mounting of trophies.
Our recent trips have taken us to Imire Game Park, Rifa
Conservation Education Camp, Nyakasanga, Malilangwe
and Gonarezhou, Mana Pools, Lake Chivero and Kariba to
mention a few destinations. Each trip brings its own special
excitement of discovering different things in the bush and
the experience of different vegetation and scenery.
After dinner discussions around a camp fire include
topics like poaching, conservation and the ethics necessary
in the hunting industry. The hunting stories from our
professional hunters and guides always lead to questions
and sharing of experiences. With our beautiful clear skies
in Zimbabwe for most of the year and a minimum light
pollution in the Zimbabwe bush, astronomy is a great
topic for discussion and pupils are taught all the major
constellations and how to find their way in the dark.
In some of the more remote places the pupils will have
to change a tyre and learn the tricks of good bush mechanics
– there is no garage around the corner. Under muddy
conditions four wheel drive is required and a winch may be
needed to get out of sticky situations. Driving a motor boat
is taught and the pupils also learn the theory and practice of
running a canoe safari - they write the Canoe Guide special
paper exam as an extra at the end of their Sixth Form year
which gives them another opportunity for employment.
Whenever we visit a national park the rules and
regulations are studied and different aspects of the law
syllabus discussed. There is always time for some relaxation
and an appreciation of scenery – a sunrise or sunset worth a
photograph. The use of different cameras is taught and the
tricks of taking some of the beautiful photographs we see
printed in books. Our main aim is to spend a maximum of
time in the bush - we never know what is around the next
corner!
Conservation theories and principles are taught so that
all pupils will have a good understanding of how to look
after our natural history heritage. Ecology is brought into
most of the topics as it ties up all the aspects of the syllabus.
The time spent on these field trips equips our pupils with
information they will need to go into the next few decades
African Hunter Vol. 19 No. 4
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with confidence to be the conservationists of the future in
Zimbabwe.
In 2014 we have had our first girl enrolled as a pupil and
there is a theory that girls make the best guides!
The Peterhouse schools are situated on two estates on
either side of the main road between Harare and Mutare
just outside Marondera and share two conservation areas,
Calderwood Park and Gosho Park. The Group is unique
in Zimbabwe as it caters for children all the way through
from pre-school to tertiary education level making it a truly
special entity.
The schools form a caring, friendly and dedicated
community for the growth and development of its pupils.
The grounds are extensive and our conservation areas are
used for both environmental education as well as recreation.
Essentially, they are areas of pristine Brachystegia
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