The MSIS wildlife club organized and went on a wildlife trip to Kuti Game Park in Salima. The aim of this trip was to learn about wildlife in their natural habitats, adaptations of organisms to their environment, feeding relationships and human influence on the ecosystem (biology/science topics), migration of animals, conservation and eco-tourism ( geography). The students will also have wildlife lecture by the national park officials, thereafter they will interact with the local community on how best they help game park officials in conserving flora and fauna and how they benefit from the eco-tourism.
THE JOURNEY TO KUTI
We were seen off from Mount Sinai School campus by the head of school (High) exactly at 11AM with 26 students and two teachers (Mr. Nel Mtambalika – club Patron and Mrs. Kaduya). We had a wonderful trip and arrived at Kuti Game Park at 14hours.
The Park Manager welcome us and we were accorded a wonderful lecture on how animals behave in their natural habitats, and how the new sourced animals from other game parks adapt to the new environment and how they help them to adapt to that environment. The lecturer went on further to explain how the local community in maintaining the game park and how they benefit from the game park (i.e. fetching free firewood, business opportunities with visitors to the park). The students also had an opportunity of learning how wildlife and game parks help to develop our country economically through such visits (i.e. Forex). The students also had the opportunity to have the first hand information on how they benefit from the game park and how best they help the game park personnel to conserve the wildlife knowing for sure that their daily livelihood depend on the game park.
WONDERS WITHIN KUTI GAME PARK
After the lectures by the game park personnel the manager gave us game rangers to accompany us to explore the wonderful wonders within the Kuti game park. The students had the opportunity to have close look at the animals, for instance viewing Zebras, Sables, Giraffes, ostrich, just but to mention a few, in their own natural habitat. The tour within the game park took us one hour of great fun and a lot of discoveries by our students that such animals could be found within mother Malawi, as you are aware that most of these animals are viewed through Animal planet channel on DSTV. After a wonderful time, we left Kuti for Beach villa at 16 hours and arrived at 17 hours.
OUR STAY AT THE LAKE
As already stated, we arrived at the Beach Villa at exactly 17 hours. The Manager welcomed us and showed us our chalets. Some students were tired so after supper we retired to our rooms.
After breakfast the following Saturday, students had a chance to swim and relax by the lake before going On a study of aquatic ecosystems that exist at the lake. After lunch on Saturday we went to see sand dunes which Mr. Kachamba had visited the previous week so that students may have firsthand information about sand dunes which is part of their geography syllabus.
The evening was spent by the shore where we had braii and music before retiring to our rooms.
We left the lake soon after breakfast on Sunday at 8hours and arrived at Mount Sinai international school at 11hours. Students were picked up by their parents.
CONCLUSION
The trip was a big success as students saw animals they had never imagined that they would see or merely thought only existed in movies. The educational part of the trip was also very helpful as students now have firsthand information.We would therefore like to thank management for allowing us go on this wonderful trip where we had a lot of fun and learning to do.
Nel Mtambalika
(Club patron)