MOVE over Ray Mears - students from Otley College have been getting acquainted with nature during a trip to South Africa.

MOVE over Ray Mears - students from Otley College have been getting acquainted with nature during a trip to South Africa.

For the second year running, a group from the animal studies foundation degree course visited the safari at the Mankwe Wildlife Rescue in the North Western Province about two hours away from Johannesburg.

The ten-strong group enjoyed a host of outdoor activities.

Stephen Kings helped organise the trip.

He said: “We went to South Africa to learn and we were up at five every morning in the hope of seeing some of the world's rarest animals in their natural homes.”

On one of the night -time jaunts, the group were lucky enough to spot a genet, while they also saw rhinos, giraffes, wildebeest, ostriches, a black back jackal and a hyena.

There was also an opportunity to carry out anti-poaching patrols, learn bush craft skills - and even identify dung.

Mr King said: “To commemorate the trip, the learners are planning on creating calendar using pictures that were taken on the trip. Money raised from calendar sales will be donated to charity.”