Emergency First Response training for nature guides has always been an important part of all Bhejane course.
While the same basic principles of first response apply, guides have got some extra factors to consinder.
Nature guides need a good knowledge of emergency first response procedures for several reasons:
Remote and unpredictable environments
Nature guides often lead groups in remote areas, far from medical facilities, making immediate medical attention unavailable.
Nature can be unpredictable, with hazards like wildlife encounters, inclement weather, and treacherous terrain.
Even with precautions, accidents can occur, like slips, trips, falls, or equipment failures. Guides are responsible for the safety and well-being of their group members, who have varying levels of outdoor experience and physical ability.
In an emergency, prompt and effective first response can significantly impact the outcome, preventing minor incidents from becoming major ones. In remote areas, evacuating an injured person can be difficult, making on-site first response crucial.
Nature Guides may be held liable if they fail to give adequate first response in an emergency situation.
By knowing emergency first response procedures, nature guides can provide critical care, stabilize situations, and ensure the best possible outcomes for their group members in case of an emergency.
Well done to the Ilanga Group that successfully finsihed their Basic Wilderness First Aid training this week. Students on our advanced courses, also do Intermediate as well as Advanced First Aid, to ensure good foundational competence in case of emergencies.
Being on foot in wilderness areas, vulnerable to all the elements of nature, including animals big and small, is a very special way to experience our time on earth as humans. Going on a wilderness trail is for many people a deeply satisfying – sometimes life changing – experience, and one that guides need to be very well trained and prepared for to ensure a safe and meaningful experience for everyone. Completing a FGASA Trails Guide Training course with Bhejane Nature Training is the first step on this journey.
Becoming a Trails Guide is not for everyone – it requires a certain skillset and an ability to lead with authority. It is therefore no surprise that it is a quite a long process from trainee to becoming a fully qualified Lead Trails Guide.
A trails guide is a highly skilled professional who leads individuals or small groups on guided walking safaris and nature trails in the wilderness, sharing their expertise and passion for the natural world. The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) has been dedicated to setting industry standards and elevating the quality of Trails Guide training in South Africa for many years. We at Bhejane are proud to be an recognised training delivery partner for FGASA-recognized Trails Guide training, offering quality training programs that meet the highest standards.
What does a Trails Guide need to know?
Trails guides are knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna, animal behaviour, and ecological processes, allowing them to provide educational and interpretive insights during the trails. Before starting the process of trails guide training it is therefore essential that you are first qualified as an NQF 2 Nature Guide, to ensure the fundamental knowledge is already there for you to build further upon during your trails guide development.
Apart from interpretation, Trails guides are responsible for the safety of their guests and are trained in tracking and trailing, use of a manually operated rifle, navigation, and first aid.
Trails Guiding in dangerous Game areas can be regarded as a specialist guiding field – although doing the basic training for Trails Guiding, even if you don’t intend on becoming a Trails Guide, is a good way for nature guides to improve their knowledge and situational awareness.
During a Trails Guide Course you will learn the following:
a) Basic Firearm Training (as per legal requirements). In South Africa, nature guides carrying rifles are required do obtain SAPS Firearm Competency. In order to get this you need to complete a PFTC accredited course that certifies you with “Knowledge of the Firearms Control Act”, “Use of a Manually Operated Rifle for Personal use” and “Use of a Manually Operated Rifle for Business Purposes”. PFTC is the acronym for the Professional Firearm Trainers Council.
Some Trails Guide courses will require that you complete this training prior to arriving for your FGASA training. At Bhejane we are fully accredited through our sister company – Zulu Ranger Safaris – to provide all required PFTC firearm training while you are on course. Students are trained on the required manually operated rifle unit standards as required for trails, and have the option at extra cost – to also complete training for other firearm categories such as handgun, shotgun or self-loading rifle.
b) Advanced Rifle Handling – this is a FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa) qualification that was developed specifically for guides working with rifles in areas with potentially dangerous game. The qualification consists of a thorough practical assessment carried out with a large calibre rifle (usually .375 H&H) as well as a theory knowledge exam.
c) Knowledge of Animal Behaviour – especially those regarded as potentially dangerous game.
d) Track and sign interpretation – which includes the skills associated with both Tracking and Trailing wild animals in order to locate them or interpret their behaviour.
e) FGASA Examination and practical FGASA Apprentice Trails Mentorship Evaluation
Once the candidate is successful, he or she will be accepted by FGASA into the Trails Mentorship programme as an Apprentice Trails Guide. The process of gaining experience, with a recognised FGASA Trails Mentor now starts. At Bhejane we are fortunate to have one of FGASA’s top Trails Guide’s Mentors, Dylan Panos, on hand to conduct these evaluations on course and where time and conditions allow, provide for students to start logging hours towards their 2nd rifle experience requirements
Frequently asked questions.
Why do Trails Guides carry rifles?
Trails guides sometimes carry rifles for the purpose of safety and protection. In certain wilderness areas, especially those with potentially dangerous wildlife, carrying a rifle can act as a deterrent or a means of defence against any potential threats.
While encounters with dangerous wildlife are rare, it is important for trails guides to be prepared and capable of protecting themselves and their guests in the event of an emergency. The rifles carried by trails guides are typically used as a last resort and are only used in self-defence situations where there is an immediate threat to life. It is crucial for trails guides to undergo proper training and obtain the necessary permits and certifications to carry firearms responsibly and safely while on the trail.
How long does it take to become a fully qualified FGASA Trails Guide?
Becoming a fully qualified FGASA Trails Guide can vary based on individual circumstances and the training program followed. It is important to note that acquiring a substantial amount of practical experience is a significant aspect of becoming a fully qualified Trails Guide. The requirements for practical experience can vary but typically involve a certain number of hours spent guiding on foot or completing trails-specific tasks, which may take additional time to accumulate.
Overall, the entire process of becoming a fully qualified Trails Guide can take anywhere from six months to a year or more, depending on the training program, personal dedication, and availability of practical experience opportunities.
I am cut out to be a future Trails Guide?
Do our fun quiz by following the link below to find out:)
Bhejane Nature Training is proud to able to offer fully accredited PFTC Firearm Training, as well as being a recognized FGASA delivery partner for Trails Guide Training, led by our in-house firearms instructor and trails guide mentor. This makes for a well rounded and comprehensive course, allowing our students to get knowledge, experience, and assessment for all components of Trails Guide Training. Contact us on info@bhejanenaturetraining.com to request the full info pack on our career and trails guide courses.
Our students recently enjoyed a highly educational birding day out in the St Lucia section of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park, where they recorded numerous species in a variety of habitats.
Highly diverse, St Lucia offers some of the best sightings of birds in coastal, estuary, grassland and forest habitats, making it ideal for training purposes.
Paul Jossop was a Bhejane Nature Training student some 13 years ago, and was on the first advanced course we ever ran.
Now a renowned birding guide who works all over South Africa and further into Africa, Paul helps us out with training and lectures.
Specialist bird guide Paul Jossop with the group of Bhejane students on a recent birding trip to St Lucia. Photo by Paul Josop
During the birding field trip to St Lucia, Paul showed the students how to use spotting sights to catch the various birds in their different habitats, and they were rewarded with some incredible sightings, including African Finfoot and Green Twinspots.
With the abundance of wildlife in South Africa, our birdlife is often overlooked, including by prospective nature guides.
But a knowledge of birds, their habitats and their behaviour is crucial for guides, as birding tours have, in recent years, become very popular.
Photograph by Ivan Euckermann
There has been a surge of birders since the Covid-related lockdown when people had time on their hands to sit in their gardens – they started noticing and taking an interest in birds, and now they want industry professionals to teach them more.
At Bhejane we have always gone above and beyond, and offered fully-comprehensive nature guiding courses that train guides up to be knowledgeable about our whole ecosystem.
We keep to our mandate of providing only the best training for guides coming through our ranks, by making sure birding is covered in both our long and short courses. Students on the Bhejane Advanced Nature Guiding and Wildlife Conservation Course spend time each year, exploring some of Southern Africa’s most exciting birding hotspots.
The Regional Birding Specialist Course is a specialist short course that can be done on its own or completed as one of the modules on the longer career courses.
The Bhejane Nature Training pride has grown with the new appointment of Phillip Wessels as Principal Trainer and Assessor.
Bhejane Principle Trainer, Phillip Wessels
Adding Skill and Experience to the Bhejane Team
Phillip brings with him a wealth of experience and qualifications. Having taught at, and headed up, numerous prestigious wildlife education institutions. He is particularly looking forward to working with the Bhejane students on our three-year Advanced Nature Guiding and Wildlife Conservation course. Bhejane is the only nature training school that offers this intensive course which ensures a well-rounded education for the student.
Phillip is well aware of the limitations with shorter courses, in getting the students industry-ready. He is keen to impart his knowledge to those students looking to make a life-long career in the guiding industry.
With origins in Zambia, Phillip’s lineage has strong links with wildlife. His almost weekly trips to Kruger National Park as a child served to strengthen his connection with the environment.
Phillip’s career in the wildlife industry was launched through a chance encounter with a field guide. More than 20 years later, he has achieved professional status in the industry through the Field Guide’s Association of Southern Africa (FGASA). He is a registered Professional Field Guide, with Specialised Knowledge & Skills (SKS) accreditation in dangerous game and birding, Professional Tracker qualification and proficiency as a Firearms Trainer.
He is also proficient in Wilderness First Aid, well versed in Hospitality and Big 5 Walking Safaris, and intimately involved in Anti-Poaching Conservation.
As a FGASA Specialist Training Provider, assessor and trails guide mentor qualified to conduct training, Phillip has a burning desire to share this passion and knowledge with learners.
“I am enthusiastic about sharing my vast knowledge with this new generation of nature ambassadors who stand to gain an in-depth understanding of the environment and a passion for guiding,” says Phillip.
About the Bhejane Nature Training Course
The Advanced Nature Guiding and Wildlife Conservation course includes FGASA Apprentice Field Guide, Apprentice Trails Guide, Marine Guiding, Track & Sign and Trailing, Advanced Rifle Handling FGASA Birding and several other specialist courses.
Heading off on a Primitive Trail, sleeping out under the stars.
Bhejane tailor made the course specifically because of the demanding nature of the wildlife guiding industry. The course meets the highest standards possible when it comes to training field guides.
Ideal for school leavers, by the time the student has graduated from the three-year course, they will be 21 years old . This is thee required age to obtain a professional driver’s permit (PDP), which is a necessity for working in the industry.
This opens the student to employment immediately after graduating.
“Over the last 10 to 15 years, we have seen the majority of students who have completed this advanced course remain in the industry and advancing to senior positions.
“Our guides who graduate from the advanced course really stick out above the rest,” said Dylan Panos, Bhejane Nature Training co-founder.
The world is changing and so are our ideas of how to prepare for a career. University training has become irrelevant and outdated in many fields, especially one as dynamic as Wildlife Tourism. If you are interested in nature guiding this is great news.
The World is Your Classroom
Many young people are passionate and ready to take on the world. But who wants to spend years in a classroom before you are allowed to do the work? Nature guiding gives you the opportunity to have a hands-on learning experience.
“Like many young adults that loves an outdoor lifestyle, I was overwhelmed when thinking of how to find a professional job that allows me to be out in nature every day, without having to spend years sitting in a university classrooms or being prepared to volunteer or work for free!”
How about the green hills of Zululand for a different perspective on life!
“I have always known that I belong outdoors but finding a good -career – one that allows me to help care for wildlife, snorkel along coral reefs, drive through the African bush in an open Landrover or walk in the tracks of Africa’s Big Game seemed like an impossible dream! One reserved just for a lucky few!”
This is the story most of Bhejane’s students tell. Until they attend one of our lifechanging career courses to become a Professional Nature Guide.
Nature Guiding is a Career with Purpose
Despite tourism being one of the fastest growing industries in Southern Africa, most people are unaware of the many exciting career opportunities this industry offers.
Nature guiding is an excellent career choice for outdoor loving young adults who are eager to play their part as the next guardians of our natural wildlife heritage.
People who choose a nature guiding career cannot see themselves in an office job, feeling it would be meaningless to their life. This career choice is for people who are determined to find a bigger purpose in life through their career.
Click here to have a glimpse of what being Trails Guide is all about
or a Marine Guide
Is Nature Guiding a real career option?
Even when learning of all the opportunities, many people still feel uncertain and have many questions like
Is nature guiding a proper career?
Will I earn enough money to have a decent life?
I am not the most confident person – will I be able to do this?
Courses can be expensive, will the return on my investment be worthwhile?
How Pierre’s Life Changed
Pierre arrived at Bhejane Nature Training frustrated with life. He struggling through school and was unsure about his future options. He did not fit the usual mould of those set to work in traditional careers.
English was not his first language. This knocked his confidence and made him doubt his ability to finish a comprehensive education programme. What he DID know, was his love for living with purpose. He loves exploring nature and sharing his experience with others gave him joy and new found energy.
Pierre started a course at Bhejane and found himself surrounded with like-minded individuals. His confidence started growing, he learned to talk to people naturally and… he found his niche. Not just any niche. He found his passion in one of the more difficult fields namely trees. This niche instantly created respect from fellow students.
Today Pierre is a senior guide at a prestigious and award-winning game lodge – and the good news is that Pierre is not the exception. Rather his story is similar to about 90% of students who attend a full-time career course at Bhejane Nature Training.
Why Bhejane Nature Training?
Our courses are different.
You do not work towards one degree or one diploma – you get qualified across a wide range of fields. You will be certified with a range of skills and have knowledge certificates, licenses and permits all required in this dynamic industry!
Your ability to pass a test will NOT be the deciding factor for your success. Many neurodivergent students, suffering from Dyslexia, Aspergers, and a range of learning differences reach phenomenal success on our programmes.
Success comes from your passion, commitment and learning with like-minded people.
Change your life, change our world, and join us to become a part of the Zululand Conservation Legacy.
Find purpose, confidence and adventure with a Career as a Professional Nature Guide.
Ons stel graag die Bhejane Loopbaan Ontwikkelings-Program bekend! n Vars en visionêre benadering tot veldggids opleiding en opwindende byvoeging tot die Bhejane Kursus Portefeulje vir 2020.
Die program bevat 3 fases. n Fondasie fase, Ontwikkelings Fase en Goverderde Fase. Studente met geen vorige opleiding of ervaring begin by die Fondasie Fase.
Studente wat reeds basiese gidswerk of verwante kwalifikasies het kan begin by Fase 2 – die Ontwikkelingsfase. Die gevorderde fase is beskikbaar vir studente wat reeds fase 2 voltooi het, en verder in enige rigting wil spesialiseer, en ook belangstel om werksondervinding te kry terwyl hulle onder mentorskap is.
Die program het n omvattende fokus en beoog om n diverse groep studente aan die industrie beskikbaar te stel. Studente het die geleentheid om in n verskeidenheid areas te spesialisser en gevolglik self te besluit hoe en waar hulle in die industrie inpas.
Die program sluit in as basis die syllabus en nasionale gids kwalifikasies van FGASA – die Veldgids Assosiasie van Suider Afrika.
Die FGASA komponente word verder gekomplimenteer deur n verskeidenheid spesialis en vaardigheids modules, wat die studente volledig voorberei vir n loopbaan in die Safari en Ekotoerisme industrieë. Hierdie modules addreseer noodsaaklike werksgereedheid vaardighede soos kommunkasie, konflikhantering, beplanning en organisasie in die werksplek, entrepreneurskap en die basiese diensvoorwaardes geldig in Suid Afrika.
Spesialis modules sluit in Natuurbewaring, Marienegids, Monitering en Veldnavorsings assistent, Spesialis stapgids, Spesialis voëlgids.
Die Spesialis modules kan ook as losstaande modules voltooi word buite die die konteks van die volle program vir gidse wat reeds voltyds werk.
Kontak ons vir die informasie paket en die 2020 registrasie datums, fooie en vorms.
We are excited to introduce the new Bhejane Nature Guide Career Development Programme (CDP). Whether you are just starting out, and have no prior training experience, or whether you are already qualified but need a further boost to launch your career, the unique phased approach of the programme allows you to hop on where it bests suits you!
3 Training Phases
The programme consist of 3 phases (Foundation, Development and Advanced Phase). Students with no prior training or experience start at the Foundation Phase.
Students that are already qualified with basic guiding qualifications can start at Phase 2 – The Development Phase, while those that are looking for mentored workplace experience, and a headstart in specialist and advanced course modules can choose to stay on for Phase 3 – The Advanced Phase.
Career Development is Key
The programme is career focussed and aims to prepare students for active participation in the Wildlife Tourism industry, by developing competent guides, with well formulated career paths in the various specialist nature guiding and related wildlife tourism fields.
The course has been structured to include the national skills programmes as required by the South African Tourism Act, to be recognized and registered as a legal nature guide. These skills programmes are trained using the syllabus of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA)
In addition to these skills programmes, we have added “soft skill” components and Practical Guiding Skills that address areas of essential knowledge. This includes various topics such as Your Guiding Career Path, Specialist modules such as Birding or Marine Guiding, Industry and Workplace skills, Research and Reference skills, and preparation for further study once out in the industry. Contact us to get the information pack with fees and 2020 intake dates for this exciting new programme.
There is something about the bush, the sound of the birds singing early in the morning, the branches breaking in the distance by elephants, the roar of the lion spreading through the mountains. Waking up in the cold winter morning staring ahead with your head peeping out the zip of your safari tent, overlooking the Mkuze River, having breakfast around a fire pit still warm from the night befores boma fire,feeling refreshed and ready for a full day of walking trails – This is how you start your day at Ebandla Camp.
Working with Colin Patrick and his amazing K9 sidekick (Anne) is one of the best experiences, just by observing them work together, side by side and with a different insight! Trailing an animal gives you the courage to improve your skills. As soon as you find a fresh track, the hunt is on, bundu bashing through the bushes looking for any sign of the animal you are tracking in the sand, in the trees along the river banks – to find an animal you need to think like one!
This is such an amazing experience because you can learn a lot about the animals behaviour, By asking things like ‘What type of food it eats? Was it on its way to a specific location? or maybe just wondering around? by looking at the tracks you can see if the animal is relaxed and walking slow or on edge walking fast.
It is hard work and requires a lot of concentration, but the thrill of tracking a wild animal never ceases to excite me!
As the days go by tracking different animals and learning more about ourselves in the process just adding on to knowledge displayed all around us with every step we take. I remember how nervous I was for the assessment day -It was a perfect sunny morning, everyone was standing around the boma and you could just see the stress of test day show on their faces, but the we started walking and I couldn’t help but to look at my surroundings and just seeing how beautiful nature really helped me to calm down.
We walked for a while before Colin stopped us and split us into two groups and briefed us on our task at hand – one group would walk for 15 minutes to get as far away as possible and hide away and the opposing group would have to track the hiders down! The assessment has begun. After 15 minutes one person was chosen to lead the track for the hiding group – As we tracked and trailed we finally found them and it was now our time to hide.
This process went on until everyone had a chance to track spreading this experience on for 2 days! Every moment as exciting and challenging as the next, when we were all done leading, Colin sat us down and the feedback process began.
After meeting with each of us, we were all happy to hear how well the assessments went.
I was sitting outside enjoying the beautiful view that Ebandla camp has to offer and it just got me thinking of how amazing this week was, how wonderful it is to learn something new everyday and how amazing and thrilling it is to track an animal and become one and more connected with this beautiful country.
The day I decided that I would dedicate my life to the conservation of the superbly beautiful ecosystems that still cover a large part of the African continent, I was only a 6-year old boy that had just moved to Africa, without any understanding or knowledge about the complex world I was about to discover.
But this dream accompanied me over the next 13 years, motivated me every single day, shaped my way of doing things and caused me to collect every piece of information available to me, desperately hoping that it would eventually bring me a bit closer to that big goal. When I found Bhejane, I would never have thought that this would mean the ultimate break-through for me in achieving my dream. At the same time, the course gave me more than just a confirmation for what I always wanted to do: It opened a whole new world for me.
It was like looking for a sparrow and finding a twinspot (I have no issues with sparrows!). In fact, I didn’t even know that twinspots existed. Or what the difference between a sparrow and a starling is. This winter, not even a year after I left Bhejane, I returned and passed my regional birding.
This is only one example for how Bhejane changed my life, my way of thinking and my relationship with nature. The unbelievable perfection and creativity of evolution that Bhejane allowed me to discover still makes my heart beat faster every time I think about it, or realize how crazy it is that spiders can detect stress allelochemicals thanks to the lyriform organs on their legs (first example that comes to my mind). You never stop learning! And there is no bigger honor than working for nature and with nature.
The environment Bhejane is operating in would be more than enough to amaze every lucid-thinking human being. But additionally to that, I got to meet people that think like me. It may sound crazy, but I actually never had considered in the past that there might be other people that share my passion. I probably don’t have to mention that I got to know a large number of special persons that became some of my closest friends and my idols. I had the privilege to meet some people with phenomenal knowledge and skills, to watch them and to learn from them.
It was like coming home. And it will always be like coming home when returning to the places where all this started. Because it’s not going to end soon.
Ek het nog altyd geweet dat my liefde vir die natuur diep binne my gewortel is.
Van die dag wat ek gesien het wat Bhejane vir my kan bied het ek onmiddelik besluit om deel te word van die 3 maande kursus, min het ek geweet dat ek kort daarna sonder huiwer sou aansluit by die 3 jaar kursus. Ek het nie besef ek stap in by een groot familie nie. Ek was eintlik so bevoorreg dat ek so kort nadat ek die grootmens wêreld betree reeds my tuiste kon vind. Bhejane is my huis weg van die huis af. Om te kan wakker word in die getjirp van die voëls & te kan rustig raak in die aand voor die ongelooflikste sonsonderdergange hier in Zulu land, gee net nuwe mening tot lewe want ek dink selde aan hoe baie ek eintlik het om voor dankbaar te wees.
Bhejane Angasi Students taking a group picture while the Zululand sun sets.
Elke gesig wat mens in die oggend sien straal ń ander emosie uit. Emosie van blydskap, emosie van hartseer, emosie van verlange of emosie van liefde. Almal bied altyd ń skouer aan, almal is altyd daar om saam jou bly te wees & daar is altyd ń ekstra handjie wat wil help. My hart word warm as ek besef dat daar steeds sulke goeie mense in die wêreld is.
Bhejane bestaan uit slegs hoendervleis oomblikke uit. Daar gaan nie ń dag verby waar mens nie sê “wow, dis crazy” of “ek het nooit geweet nie”. Jy leer elke dag iets nuut van die natuur & selfs meer as wat jy besef iets oor jouself. Bhejane stel jou nooit teleur as dit kom by die natuur nie. Jy groei & verander saam die seisoene. Ek is bevoorreg om my fondasie in hierdie industrie by Bhejane te kan neerlê, om blootgestel te word in alles waarin ek nou blootgestel word maak my net nog meer opwindend vir wat die toekoms vir my inhou. My huis is waar my hart is & my hart sal vir altyd by Bhejane wees.
Deur: Kayla Pieterse
We lead the way . . . follow us into Bhejane Territory!
Deur: Kayla Pieterse
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