Perth girl’s African adventure to appear on BBC

Dec 25 2009 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A PERTH teenager could be about to star in an upcoming BBC children’s TV series after spending a month living and working in the South African wilderness.

Caroline Tocher (13) was one of four British children who joined four South Africans during the month-long adventure inside the country’s Kruger National Park.

Mentored by local experts, over 35,000 people from across the UK applied for Safari8 – a show the BBC describes as “an opportunity to care for and live amongst some of the most iconic animals on the planet”.

Level-headed Caroline – a member of the successful Fair City Singers choir – told the PA she has seen things normally reserved for documentaries made by Sir David Attenborough.

One memorable moment came as she witnessed a pair of endangered black rhinoceros fighting – a sight professional rangers admitted never seeing in years patrolling the reserve.

She said: “I just love animals and was so excited to be chosen because so many people applied.

Although admitting it was a wrench to leave her family – including twin brother Andrew – behind on the Fair City’s Bellfield Avenue, a close-encounter with a pride of ravenous lions led the 22nd St Matthew’s Scout to describe the adventure as a “trip of a lifetime”.

She said: “The rangers were trying to take tissue samples from a pride of lions and the were using a type of antelope to lure them from the bush.

“We were waiting in a truck when I heard these noises – I thought it was a bear or something and had no idea what to expect.

“Then, all of a sudden these lions came out of nowhere and ripped the bait to pieces!

“We were all so scared!” she said.

Showcasing the maturity that resulted in her being chosen for the show, Caroline said that insuring a species’ long-term survival more than justifies any casualties in the name of research.

She said: “People have been asking me what my favourite animal is but that’s not the way I look at things now.

“It’s important that every different species is looked after because if one link in the chain disappears, the whole thing will collapse,” she said.

Proud mum Helen said: “We all missed her so much – a month away from home is a long time – but I’m very proud of her and can’t wait to see her on TV,” she said.

Safari8 is set to be aired early in the New Year.