Can you imagine spending your days visiting South Africa and being able to witness Africa’s iconic wildlife thriving in their natural habitat firsthand? Rachel Audette of The Turquoise Camera recently returned from an unforgettable trip through several wildlife reserves with her husband, an adventure that paired her love of photography with her husband Matt Audette’s work in conservation technology. Matt works with Wildlife Protection Solutions, a local nonprofit that uses AI tools to help protect wildlife and detect poaching activity around the globe.
The couple spent their days on safari game drives during peak activity times where they were lucky enough to witness breathtaking moments such as a male lion roaring so loudly you could feel it in your body, rhinos with full horns which is especially meaningful given that WPS focuses a lot on rhino protection, as well as a group of elephants with a tiny baby elephant in tow.
One morning, a ranger came to their tent to wake them early to follow the sound of lions, where they discovered two lionesses and three cubs playing in the trees. Other highlights from their adventure included giraffes emerging from the trees, which was one of Rachel’s favorite experiences: “Giraffes might be my favorite; they appear out of nowhere and tower above you, so stately among the trees.” They also saw cheetah brothers attempting to hunt antelope that turned out to be unsuccessful. After the failed hunt, they decided it was time to take a nap next to their vehicle which is something Rachel said she will never forget. Among the countless animal encounters, they even witnessed a baby zebra staying close to its mother.
Among their favorite stops were Amakhala, where they saw lions and rhinos guided by Marli, and Kariega, where they observed elephants and cheetahs guided by Kathleen. They also spent time at Little Mongena, a luxurious glamping camp where many of Rachel’s images were captured. There, they were able to fully experience the magic of the reserve with the help of their guide, Chris Liedenberg.
Throughout the trip, Rachel and Matt got to witness firsthand the efforts of his work with Wildlife Protection Solutions to help protect these wild animals from poachers which is what Matt’s work is all about. Rachel said, “It was such a beautiful experience seeing animals I have only seen in zoos and on TV in their natural environments, safe and happy. I’m very grateful to all the people who work around the world, many working around the clock, to keep these animals wild and safe.”
Want to learn more about WPS’s educational efforts? You can enjoy the free WildXR virtual reality experience at the Butterfly Pavilion and on Meta Quest, where Matt’s work continues to shine a light on awareness and action.
Rachel’s photographs from this trip celebrate both the beauty of African wildlife and the importance of keeping it safe for generations to come. To learn more about the work that Wildlife Protection Solutions does, visit wildlifeprotectionsolutions.org. To see more photos from Rachel and Matt’s trip, head to citylifestyle.com/arvada, where you can browse these incredible photos online and get a closer look.