A WEST Devon youngster will get the opportunity to get up close to a range of exotic species when she joins a game capture team in South Africa this summer. Hayley Wedlake, 19, from Belstone, has landed the place as a volunteer with the team through African Conservation Experience (ACE), a charity dedicated to giving volunteers the opportunity to make a difference to the future of the world?s most vulnerable and precious creatures. The game capture base is on a reserve north of Kimberley. It is a ?big five? reserve ? lion, leopard, elephant, black and white rhino and buffalo ? as well as having plenty of other animals such as the oryx. Hayley said: ?I have a professional interest in conservation so my time on the reserve will give me some valuable learning opportunities before I go to Cardiff University to study zoology.? She added: ?It will be my first trip to Africa. I expect the work to be very physical and tiring, especially as the team works for a month straight then has five days off at the end of each month. ?I know it?ll be hot, dry and hard work. It?ll be a different culture with everything on a larger scale but all the hard work will be rewarded with plenty of fun and excitement.? Hayley went to South Tawton Primary School before getting a scholarship at Kelly College in Tavistock. The programme Hayley will be taking part in will be practically orientated and cover the following: l The opportunity to fly in the helicopter that is used in the capture operations l The setting up of capture bomas (enclosures) l Learning to administer tranquillising drugs on captured animals l Working in the capture bomas, taking part in the actual capture of the animals l The setting up of concealed net bomas, once again taking part in the actual capture of the animals, in the case of net bomas this is done by hand l Lectures about species to be captured and related topics about capture, relocation and drugs used in the process l Camping out in the bush when appropriate l Translocation and release of captured game to new areas. The game capture unit moves between local landowners with the ground capture team of 30 indigenous South Africans. Hayley will be leaving at the end of July for one month and is currently working in a full-time job to help pay for the trip.
