I became instantly fonder of the fairly common blesbok during a visit to the FreeMe Foundation KZN near the Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve where a young doe named Ella was being nursed back to health after having been savagely attacked by domestic dogs. She had been taken into captivity by a probably well meaning human, with tragic consequences that will hopefully have a positive outcome. FreeMe is a wildlife rehabilitation operation funded only by public donations and benefactors, and provides a wonderful service to our distressed and injured indigenous animals. In the neighbouring valley reserve handsome specimens roam freely - as nature intended. They are a beautiful breed.
Once again capturing a good shot of these animals in Umgeni Valley is quite a cinch, the animals being quite used to human visitors ogling them at close range. No telephoto zooming required. Magic.
