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Helping Children to Connect With Wildlife

Meet Câline, DAKTARI’s friendly dassie, who helps local children discover and connect with wildlife during our environmental education programme. Together with our other animal ambassadors, she helps us teach children about conservation, anti-poaching and protecting South Africa’s natural environment.


Meet Câline, our friendly dassie, or rock hyrax, who lives at DAKTARI Bush School. For many of the local children who join our five-day environmental education programme, meeting Câline is their first close encounter with a hyrax. Her calm and curious personality helps children become interested in wildlife and creates a special connection with nature. Câline is one of several non-releasable animals at DAKTARI. We also care for species such as meerkats, a genet, a bushbaby, alion, a caracal, an owl and plenty of other animals. These animals help us teach children about conservation, animal welfare, anti-poaching, pollution and the importance of protecting the environment. Our aim is simple: to help children understand that every species matters, and that their own choices can help protect South Africa’s wildlife in the future. Thank you to everyone who supports DAKTARI and helps make these experiences possible.

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