While at Main Camp in Hwange National Park last January, we repeatedly drove through the accommodation exit gate and in front of the door without detecting it until a walk around the camp brought us behind a hedge that was hiding it from “public” view.

An important and well known benefit of termites is that they break down tough vegetable matter, burying dead and decaying trees into new soil. While doing this, they dig tunnels and in so doing they not only bring down wood material but also aerate the soil, increasing soil fertility.

Aware that the door’s days were clearly counted and that it will never open again, I decided that it was worth taking a picture of before the termites finish their job.

You may agree with me that the metal handle is the only sign that behind the really thorough termite work, a door used to be there!

The location of the door made picture-taking difficult so perhaps I am not able to show its real condition.

An attempt at a close-up.