Johannesburg - Unwell leopards, orphaned rhino calves, intelligent hippos and reluctant giraffes are some of the things the Shamwari conservation team deals with daily.
And now, all this and much more can be seen in a new 13-part Netflix series.
Called “Shamwari Untamed”, the series provides an intensive behind-the-scenes look at what’s involved in managing a 250 square kilometre private game reserve in the Eastern Cape.
This includes ensuring there is sufficient vegetation for the herbivores and maintaining the balance between predators and prey.
The show also explores the difficult life-and-death decisions on when to interfere and when to let nature take its course.
Told largely from the perspective of wildlife vet Johan Joubert and ecologist John O’Brien, the series touches on nearly every aspect of managing the reserve. This includes the work done at its Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, where sick, injured and orphaned animals are patiently and painstakingly nursed back to health before being released back into the wild, to the vital role of the anti-poaching unit and the difficult and often dangerous work of the wildlife capture teams.
The Netflix series also reflects poignant moments, such as the extraordinary bond a leopard called Sindile forges with Johan, who later notices a deterioration in the animal’s health as she gets older. Sindile was one of the first leopards reintroduced to the area more than 20 years ago and she reared four litters of cubs. Today, Shamwari’s newest lodge is named in her memory.
Other episodes capture the tension inherent in dealing with potentially deadly wild animals. “There’s the night that Johan spends in a blind, with an insubstantial plywood door and hole in the floor. While he waits to try and capture some very wily hippos, lions prowl just outside his flimsy shelter,” Shamwari CEO Joe Cloete said.
“Even the extras have their moments, such as Patrick the sheep, who becomes the companion animal for a baby rhino, orphaned when poachers killed its mother.”
Cloete added that there is also plenty of action, including mass game captures, with chase scenes involving helicopters and vehicles, some of which go like clockwork and others where the wild animals turn the tables on the capture teams.
Despite the hard work, long hours, unpredictability, difficulties, dangers and often having to come up with a spur-of-the-moment plan to save an animal’s life, Joubert and O’Brien maintain their sense of humour.
In one episode, the pair have a narrow escape when they are about to open transport crates containing two apparently anaesthetised lions. Fortunately, O’Brien – who describes his job as “keeping Johan alive” – suggests doing a final check, and they discover the lions are very much awake.
“Although ‘Shamwari Untamed’ was filmed a while ago, the timing of its international debut on Netflix is apposite as it coincides with our 30th anniversary,” Cloete said.
“It is the most accurate, insightful and authentic depiction of the incredible work the conservation team does, and now that it’s on Netflix people around the world with an interest in conservation will be able to see what goes into making a project such as Shamwari succeed.”
“Shamwari Untamed” can be found on Netflix here: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81635518?trackId=255824129