When we came to live here, on the edge of the Umgeni Valley in KwaZulu-Natal, Bea Thorpe, who had built the place with her husband and their helper, Joseph, told me the name was Tshwala Benyoni, or Birds’ Beer, after the wild flower, Leonotus Leonorus, wild dagga. This grows in large amounts, flaming rampantly on the hillsides in autumn and is beloved by sunbirds. Perhaps Khaya Benyoni – Birds Home might be more appropriate in view all the birds it came to home. That is a little long for a website, Benyoni seems adequate.
Tshwala Benyoni
Seventeen years ago Pat Steyn, who was in charge of the CROW Depot in Howick decided she wanted time to travel, so I was asked to take over the care of ill, injured and orphaned wildlife. I agreed on condition I had two helpers. Not a problem, two willing people were found. Pat helped and was available with advice for a while, and I picked her brains, and Pip Taylor’s also, regularly. Then the two helpers found they had not enough time, were full up and could no longer take any more, so I was in it by myself to. That meant anything everything came here, despite the proviso that I would accept no raptors or primates.
To begin with, the wildlife was transferred to Durban CROW, as soon as possible, by Time Freight, free of charge. But then the vet, having made a great effort to save an animal, wanted to see the results of his work. So by degrees, the wildlife stayed, we built outdoor pens and aviaries, and our house became filled with boxes, cages, vivaria. Most were birds and I decided some people had flowers through the house: we had birds. But it wasn’t only birds, it was mammals and reptiles as well. Raptors in numbers especially owls. Only primates I managed to avoid, most of the time anyway. They all came, and only the some mammals went to CROW when they were old enough. They had a large pen where antelope could grow, and Helena found release sites for our genets and porcupines
Hadedas
It was a lot of work, non-stop, every day of the year, so when Ben came on the scene and started the Raptor Rescue and African Bird of Prey Centre, and made it a highly successful venture, that was a big relief. However birds of prey are really relatively easy to rear: present a chick with meat and it eats, force feeding it is quick and seldom problematic. However, the mammals take so much time and infinite patience, coaxing, bottle feeding at regular intervals, day and night, temperamental, resentful, with sharp hooves which can make contact from any point of the compass, and seem to choose to die just when you think all is well – it was a gift from heaven when Margie and Theo came to visit in connection with a bushbuck lamb, and decided to help. They have taken antelope, water-birds and corvids, providing the best possible care. They have found release sites for proper controlled releases when their own property has been unsuitable. I am in awe Margie’s patience :duiker lambs tried mine to the limits. They are so aware of the problems of habituating and imprinting; their orphans have limited contact with humans but are not left neurotic loners or habituated to predators.
There are other people in the area who are specialists and I have been able to rely on their help, knowing the care will be of the best. I asked one of them, Margie, to write something for this website and she sent me this letter.
Egret
I can rear mousebirds, but Carol will do it better and has a better garden to release them into. Leigh is the same. Both have experience with other garden birds too and have helped reduce the numbers here. Robin is a special person for those tiny fragile mannikins. She has an upstairs veranda overlooking to garden, a bird table provides seed a sunbird feeder provides extra for the sunbirds and was probably the reason a male black sunbird noticed a juvenile being hand reared in a cage and came to help feed. When the juvenile was released, the little male looked after it. Robin’s husband, Willem, just loves the birds, especially the tiny manikins. They have had years of experience with garden birds, but manikins and sunbirds are definitely their speciality. Eugene has cared for innumerable doves. We all work together, support each other, swap birds and information. Whoever does the best job has the job so to speak.
Aloes and the Umgeni valley in autumn
The Carpenters, who have a sanctuary and education centre are also part of the network of caring people, amny of my . Caitlin is down on the South Coast and cares for all in her area, but specializes in reptiles. Angelo is renowned for his reptile surgery and has cared successfully for many of my apparently lost causes. He goes to untold trouble for the most mundane or the most dangerous reptile, be it a caesarian – or rather multiple caesarians - on a very large Black Mamba, or skull reconstruction on a dog chewed leguaan. My damaged reptiles have made amazing recoveries in his care. Farther afield, Jackie way up in the mountains in Swartberg, takes on anything, but made a name for herself rescuing Striped Polecats and Striped Weasels. Skunks in other words. Her daughter Erin is equally dedicated and she coerced her brother into caring for rather than shooting wild creatures. Looking through my aviaries, Blue told me that once his sister has made him help her with a bird or animal he cannot shoot it. Roll on all the Erins in this world that is the way to go.
Honey buzzard
People from far and wide have helped. Karen Trendler, especially when she ran ARC, Rita Miho from CARE, Sylva in Newcastle, Dee from the Mpathi Clinic in Dundee, Kate in Queenstown, Chrystal in Jeffries Bay. We have all contacted each other, exchanged ideas, answered queries helped each other and formed a network of people who care. One of my favourite mentors has been Pip Taylor, long gone to New Zealand. It was she who suggested that Chris from CROW ask me to join those who care, it has been a long, varied and interesting voyage, unfortunately marred periodically when egos got in the way.
Finally I must mention my earth sister, Georgie, we seem to run on the same track. Birds take precedence in Georgie’s home, she has been my mainstay in this voyage, taking all unwanted and damaged domestic avians, always helpful with advice and the recipient of some of the most extraordinary donations I have been given. 13 fifty kilogram bags of semolina flour, cartons of rolled oats and fructose. She seems to find a home for absolutely any food. As for moral support, there is no better.
Having got through the introduction, let’s get on with the objects of the whole exercise.
Merrivale, South Africa, 2010
Some of them made it into the newspapers, like the crowned eagle that sunk its claws into Daniel's wrist.
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Here are some of their stories:
Tula and Vuka, hadedas and the World Cup
Mr. and Mrs. Claws, a couple of red-winged starlings
Dilly Pockles, a notable guinea fowl
Pharoah, an Egyptian goose raised by Mrs. Hen
Bruce, the good natured Cape vulture with an impressive wingspan
None of this would have been possible without the help of our vets. The mainstay of the whole exercise would not be named as this could be construed as advertising. From the start he helped enormously, often on an almost daily basis. Our vet was always available, if out of town, he would give advice over the phone. He was called out at night too, for a vulture at 11 pm, a zebra foal at 5 am (he had only got to be after 2 am), many times over the weekend and just after hours calls. He gave so much of his time and all of it free of charge. Most of his partners were just as helpful, but he was considered the bird vet and so had most of calls and somehow that ended up with him the mammals too.
That went on for more than sixteen years so was a prodigious amount of work.
His place has been taken by a lady vet, who could not be more kind and helpful. She does not charge either. The amount of money these vets have lost through their generosity is enormous. I have no idea how I would have managed had I been charged. Any donations to this organization have been paid into the vet account for medication.
Somehow money has always come in when I was despairing of where to turn, we were going to run out. I wanted to call this the "Sanctuary of St Francis and St Jude, animals and lost causes".
This story is completely true. When I was running this place as a depot of the Centre of Rehabilitation for Wildlife (CROW) in Durban, I had to bank all money at Absa Bank. I counted the money, filled in the form and was waiting in the queue when I realised I had miscounted, short of R2. I was feeling in my bag when a woman in the adjacent queue reached over and dropped two rands in the collection tin I was holding. Was that St Francis or St Jude? The amount the teller found was exactly right.
Here are some links to organizations that care for and rehabilitate wildlife:
The International Crane Foundation
Saint Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital (UK)
C.A.R.E - Centre for Animal Rehabilitation & Education (SA)
C.R.O.W. - Clinic for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (US)
CROW - Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (SA)
Many
thanks to my family, my husband Brian, and Ingrid, Kathy and David who
grew up with animals, as well Kathy's son Tristan who later
took visitors to see the sanctuary inhabitants and could talk
knowledgably about them at an early age. They have shared our home with
birds and other animals for many years. They have tolerated a stream of
visitors bringing boxes with varied contents. They have helped on many
occasions in different ways. Brian, my husband, collected food
regularly and often also those for whom the food was donated .
Pam Stuckenberg and Buzz, one of the blue cranes
Contact: BenyoniBirds@gmail.com