big ole warthogs

Today is my last full day in the lovely little town of Kasane. And as usual, the time has literally flown by. Who would have known that following mongooses for three whole weeks would seem to dash away in a flash...

The last days spent out with the troop were quite interesting. The day before my last day, my troop decided to venture into the home range of another troop that dens (and pretty much spends every hour) at a large lodge called Mowana Safari Lodge. (Interesting fact: "mowana" means baobab in Setswana). Therefore, the last two days with the troop were pretty epic in the mongoose world. The Chobe Safari Lodge troop (my troop), for the first time since being observed by any researcher, left their own home range and overtook the lodge of the Mowana troop (and consequently displacing the Mowana troop to den elsewhere). Leave it to my little mongooses to make things interesting right before I leave...

Side note: Theoretically, I have been staying at Chobe Safari Lodge because that is where my troop mainly dens; yet, the week or two before I came to Kasane, the troop decided to leave their normal den sight and travel up and down the Chobe River (only denning in one place for a night or two). Mowana Safari Lodge, where I left the troop on my last day, is 5km from my lodge. ie. lots of walking for Erin. Go figure.

My last day in the field was most enjoyable. After a morning of chasing the mongooses around Mowana lodge, the little guys decided to stop and rest for the afternoon--conveniently at the home of a young couple that I have recently become acquainted with. Therefore, my afternoon was spent lounging in the cool grass, under the shade of lovely African trees, reading and lounging and taking mongoose observations every hour or so. At some point in the afternoon and elephant walked by. I am going to miss those lazy African afternoons...

Yesterday and today have been devoted to data entry and analysis. Bluh. So, basically, I spent all of my Saturday in front of a computer (from 8am to 6pm) entering in my observation data. Today was spent learning even more. Pete and I began the analysis of the data and decided the manner in which the data will be organized for presentation. Let's just say I'm glad I had a statistics refresher course last semester. The next few days will be filled with correlation coefficients, statistical significance, Mantel's test for spatial correlation, Kernel's home range estimations, response and predictive variable associations, and any other extremely 'mind blowing' statistical terms you would like to insert here. I have a lot of work ahead of me, that's for sure.

So tomorrow I begin my 10-12 hour journey, by tiny bus, to Gaborone. Hopefully I will find the right buses this go around. It is the 'last leg' of my journey, or as my dear father would put it, I am "gettin' in the short rows now." The days are about to become crazy and hectic and filled with long lengths of time spent in front of a computer, giving presentations, or celebrating the last few nights/days with my lovely African friends. I can already tell that this last week and a half is going to be the quickest of them all.

until Gaborone,

erin elizabeth

*****
An extra note for your general amusement--something I forgot to mention in a previous post:

One day I was performing troop observations at Garden Lodge. It happened to be just another usual morning, when out of nowhere, I hear a strangely familiar voice...

"Those are some big ole warthogs aren't they?!"

I gasp for air. I haven't heard that twangy dialect in over four months. I feel oddly at home.

"Y'all must see them things all the time around here, don't chya?"

Again, my heart is happy. It is funny the little things that you miss when you leave home. I never thought I would miss the awkward southern accent, but I must say that this man's voice struck a nostalgic chord in my heart. With a big grin on my face, I ask the man where he is from: Louisiana.