WORDS AND IMAGES SUPPLIED by BEVERLY JOUBERT
Beverly Joubert lives and breathes Africa and its wild open places. This National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence has specialized in conservation film making for over 30 years, producing 25 films together with Dereck Joubert. She adds photography into the mix, with images in a dozen or more National Geographic Magazines, 11 books, and thousands of articles around the world.
In recent years, Beverly and Dereck Joubert have expanded their conservation outreach through another business venture, Great Plains Conservation. Through this, they have found a way to bring together conservation, communities and conservation tourism to fund large tracts of land that can be protected for the local wildlife and the surrounding communities. Today that land totals about 1.8 million acres in Africa.
We asked Beverly to share with us her six essential items that she simply cannot survive without in the bush – and this is what she had to say:
1. My husband, wildlife film maker, Dereck Joubert – We are a team, that’s how we’re known and that’s how we prefer to work!
2. My camera and lenses – I am passionate about creating an image that tells a complete story in one instant, one frame; a story that is both a celebration of the sheer beauty and wonder of wildlife and also a window into its future.
3. Quality dark chocolate – In the bush Dereck and I eat as much fresh food as possible; salads, fruit, quinoa, rice, freshwater fish, etc…but the one luxury we must allow ourselves is quality dark chocolate. It’s a perfect way to round off a perfect day.
4. Filtered, clean water – Clean water is essential when you are in the field. We can spend hours silently waiting for animal behavior to unfold – with temperatures soaring to well over 35 °C (95 °F). Without water, it simply wouldn’t be possible to put in the time it takes.
5. A wide brimmed hat and cotton scarf – A good hat is another essential accessory to combat the intense elements in the African bush. Keeping out of the sun is not always possible when you are tracking animals in the vehicle, so keeping tucked under the brim is the second best option we have and then adding a wet cotton scarf to cool body temperatures.
6. My homeopathic pouch of medicine – In the bush we rely on homeopathic, all natural medicine to heal any ailments we may have. There is a strong global reliance on pharmaceuticals, which is sad.
Beverly’s photographic work can be viewed on her fine arts website: beverlyjoubert.com
