Harnas Wildlife Foundation, Namibia
My task in the afternoon is to take Herman the Mongoose out into the bush for a few hours of bush R&R and a light program of digging. I capture him just fine and we head out, Herman chirping away in the cage.
A suitable distance from the farm, I release Herman. All goes well ... for the first 30 minutes. Herman digs. I take some time to listen to 'the bush', chirp back to Herman and watch and encourage his digging. It's all very Disney. Then Herman sits on his back legs, looks out to the farm, back at me, then *runs* (and I mean runs) away.
This wasn't part of the program. I grab my pack, the cage, my water bottle, and run after him, cage and pack bouncing off me. I look like a woman with too many bags in the Christmas shopping rush. "Herman, come Herman " I call. I see an occasional glimpse of him, hear chirping, but he's still running. All I can think is that I can't lose Herman. I *can't* lose Herman. 400 meters later, he pauses, I catch him, breathless and in disarray.
On gathering advice prior to taking him back out again (we still had 2 hours left), I'm advised to "Just walk the other direction (away from him) and he'll follow you." Aren't lessons so much more poignant when they follow a 400 meter dash? Done. More Disney. Less running. A perfect closing afternoon with Herman the Mongoose.
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