On the penultimate day of our holiday we took a trip to N/a'an ku sê planned, a rescue center for small wild animals that have lost their parents or have been injured for various reasons. They are cared for and looked after here and finally released back into the wild if possible. We are familiar with this principle from the television series "Harnas" about the farm of the same name and Heide managed to book us a little tour for the children.
N/a'an ku sê - the punctuation marks stand for different click sounds in the Bushmen language - means "God watches over us" in the Bushmen language and is located near Windhoek, where we stop for a quick refueling. The reception on the station grounds takes place in the main building of the lodge, which surprises us with its style and architecture. We have never seen any other building in Namibia that is so stylish and the reception is very open and warm. We are allowed to have coffee and cake first and then we discuss everything else.
Our tour is an early birthday celebration, as we have to leave tomorrow and the actual birthday is therefore a little unsuitable. For the children of the 10-year-old girl, we have reserved the "Petting Zoo" tour, where the children can get very close to the animals. We set off in an open off-road vehicle and drive to the main farm on the property.
First, the 2-4 year old baboons are fed. As they are already quite brave and at times rebellious, we can only do this through a fence, but directly by hand. This requires a bit of skill and in most cases even more courage. The second stop is that of the caracals, the two females of which were bottle-fed and are therefore tame and trusting. In the enclosure, the close relatives of the lynx can be stroked and examined up close. The highlight is the visit of Sheela, a 4-month-old baby baboon. We meet her at the "food prep", where volunteers prepare food for the animal residents. The baby still drinks from the bottle, but is already quite brave and does gymnastics from one child to the other. So you shouldn't be surprised if, out of the blue, it jumps up at you, pulls your hat off or touches the lens of your camera with its little fingers.
After these impressions, we head back and on the way the children talk about the animals non-stop. Although such rescue centers are controversial, they are indispensable as a way of making direct contact with otherwise inaccessible animals. The aid projects are financed by such tours, guests in the lodge - which is excellently located and furnished - and the active help of a group of at least 18 volunteers who are available as helping hands.
Back at Ombuerendende, the two nephews offer to take the children on a sundowner tour. With one exception, we adults prefer to sit around the campfire and reflect on the events there, with a gin and tonic of course. For dinner, we grill lamb, beef and homemade sausages and have the opportunity to sit under the clear and initially moonless sky and take photos of it.
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