Durban’s Umgeni River Bird Park, on the banks of the Umgeni River, is all about edutainment – educating while entertaining – and the park’s introduction of two new walk-through aviaries, as well as a new programme for school groups, is extending that goal with great success, reports TRAVIS CALUM
A BLUR of red, brown and blue feathers accompanies a frenzy of excited twitterings, and Rekha Naidoo smiles broadly as a lorikeet flutters about her face before settling on her shoulder, while another hovers close to her outstretched hand.
Employed for 19 years at the bird park, and now its newly appointed education officer, Naidoo loves visiting the two new walk-through aviaries introduced over the festive season at the park, which boasts 240 different species as well as a twice-daily, half-hour, free-flight show presented by trainers.
Both new aviaries opened in December and the bigger of the two accommodates birds from Africa – 27 species, including African Jacanas, Cinnamon Doves, Rameron Pigeons, Purple-crested Turaco, Red-faced Mousebirds, Blue-naped Mousebirds, Lilac-breasted rollers, Southern yellow-billed Hornbills and Crested Barbets.
One strolls through this large aviary to reach another new enclosure which is proving a big hit with visitors – an aviary containing 10 different species of brilliantly coloured, hand-reared lorikeets which, as Naidoo and other visitors are quick to prove, are tame enough to perch on visitors’ fingers or heads.
Here you’ll find Yellow-bibbed Lory, Black-capped Lory, Dusky lory, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Blue-headed Lorikeet, Green-naped Lorikeet and Ornate Lorikeet. It’s a rainbow explosion of colour.
“It makes me so happy to see these aviaries proving so popular – particularly with families and, most notably, people in wheelchairs, all of whom have said they have enjoyed being able to take their time mingling with nature, getting so close to the lorikeets,” says Naidoo.
Having devised a programme for school groups in recent months she is happy that the educational side of her work is also proving so fulfilling.
Pupils view all the park’s aviaries, seeing everything from beautiful South American macaws to elegant flamingoes, comical toucans and endangered species such as the blue and crowned cranes, hornbills and much more.
During the breeding season, a viewing window allows pupils to watch how baby birds are lovingly hand-reared by foster parents.
“When school groups arrive, I give them the guided tour and issue worksheets for the different grades. Creches and pre-school groups get colour-ins to work on back at school,” says Naidoo.
The price for all school groups is R15 a head, while the normal cost to enter the park and also enjoy the fun, free-flight show is R30 for adults (R25 for senior citizens and under-12s). Shows, highlighting bird behaviour and habitat, are at 11am and 2pm daily, weather permitting.
Last year Naidoo introduced two important environmental events at the park – National Bird Week in May and Arbor Week in September.
“I invited schools from all around KZN to attend National Bird Week, when we launched the bird for 2008 – the spotted eagle owl.
“Schools were invited to participate in different competitions. Grade R and foundation-phase groups competed in a colour-in-competition, while junior and senior school pupils had a competition to make the best made owl. It was a big hit.”
For Arbor Week, the park launched the tree for 2008 –the Wild Plum. Schools were given talks about the importance of Arbor Day and every school had a chance to plant a tree in the park, in the new African aviary.
Similar events are planned for this year.
The Umgeni River Bird Park, designed and built by Dr Alan Abrey, is situated on Riverside Road in an old quarry site which once contained water and was visited by Abrey as a boy growing up in Durban.
When looking for a bird park site he remembered it as a perfect option and after a year of extensive land filling, landscaping and aviary construction, the park was opened in April 1984, by the then-Mayor of Durban, Sybil Hotz.
For information contact 031 579 3377.