Some memories are captured in photographs. Others come home with you in a slightly more permanent way. For Australian volunteers Jamie, Hayley and Jess, and Cango Academy student Zenny, their time together in the Klein Karoo was marked with an experience they will quite literally carry with them forever.
Our Bossy Feathered Supervisor

If you’ve ever wandered into our Valley of Ancients Temple, chances are you’ve already met Boo, our African Grey Parrot with a personality far bigger than his wingspan. According to one of his devoted caregivers, Pippa Fourie, “Boo is the friendliest little chap. He will always come over to say hi. He loves his head scratches and believes the world turns for him, which it does. It’s his world, we just live here.”
Boo is more than a parrot. He’s the ultimate supervisor. Whenever work is being done in the temple, Boo insists on being involved. But there’s a catch: before anything gets done, he demands his scratches first. Only then does he allow the humans to carry on with their tasks. With his confident attitude and undeniable charm, Boo embodies the spirit of African Greys, intelligent, social, and full of character.
African Greys are widely regarded as the most intelligent parrot species. Studies show they can develop vocabularies of over 200 words and even understand concepts like shapes, colors, and numbers.
They are natural mimics, often imitating the voices, sounds, and even laughter of their human companions with uncanny accuracy. In the wild, African Greys are found in the rainforests of West and Central Africa. Their diet includes fruits, seeds, nuts, and leafy matter.
Sadly, they are endangered in the wild due to habitat loss and the illegal pet trade. Their popularity as companion birds has led to significant declines in wild populations.
At Cango Wildlife Ranch, Boo serves a different purpose. He is more than an ambassador for his species. He is a living reminder of the importance of conservation. His charm draws people in, but his presence tells a bigger story: one about protecting parrots in the wild and ensuring future generations get to meet them too.
For now, Boo is perfectly happy ruling his temple, soaking up scratches, and reminding us daily that sometimes the loudest voices come in the smallest packages.
Further Reading
Cango Wildlife CEO Douglas Eriksen recently took Project ZOA to a new audience, delivering the keynote address at the 18th NRF-SAEON Graduate Student Network Indibano in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, on 16 September 2026. The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), a research platform of the National Research Foundation, brings together scientists working across South Africa’s terrestrial, marine, freshwater and atmospheric environments. Its Graduate Student Network connects Master’s and PhD researchers from across the...
The final day of Arbor Month brought with it a fitting moment of growth at the newly opened Africa Skills Cango Academy, as representatives from the Garden Route District Municipality joined the Cango team for the handover and planting of indigenous trees. The Garden Route District Municipality donated 35 indigenous plants, comprising 20 Karee trees and 15 Spekboom, to be planted at the Academy. The initiative formed part of Arbor Month and...














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