50|50 Episode 18 Season 8: 6 August 2017

Karoo Ranching: Women take the reins in the farming sector

The ladies set the benchmark in the farming realm at the onset of Woman’s Month. We meet Julie Truter who has taken the proverbial reins from her father on their cattle ranch in the Karoo, a harsh environment to farm at the best of times, not least of which because it is a sensitive ecosystem that needs a careful touch to elicit it’s best results. Julie is passionate about transforming the traditional idea of farming into an appealing and attractive profession that sees young farmers supported and old stigmas dissipated for the sake of food security for all South Africans. Our very own formidable female force, Hermien, donned her boots and went to get a taste of Karoo ranching.

Wonderwêreld: Carmine bee-eaters

This week’s Wonderwêreld features spectacular Carmine bee-eaters, dressed in bright cerise-pink and turquoise blue and colonies of these birds, sometimes over 10 000 birds at a time, can leave an observer speechless. They are showmen extraordinaire draping a tree or sandbank like bright Christmas decorations or alighting as a giant coordinated flock of crimson arrows, all emitting their cheerful throaty calls.

Doodsbenoud: Black mamba

Black mambas are in fact very shy snakes that would rather get away from a threat than take it on head first. It has a nervous disposition and strikes readily if provoked and sadly, we often vilify them and misinterpret their behaviour as unnecessarily aggressive. The truth is, black mambas are only really a danger if you get between the mamba and its place of safety or if it feels cornered. This week in doodsbenoud we meet a game farm manager near Lephalale who encountered a black mamba on one such unfortunate occasion.

VeldFokus:

This week’s Veld Fokus episode is an absolute show-stopper! A snake eagle swallows its meal whole, 2 mongooses are locked in deadly combat, while a lucky leopard almost gets away with a 2 for the price of 1 special!