Silver-Level Syllabus 

Course Prerequisite. 

Safari guides seeking to sit for the KPSGA Silver Exam must have met the following two pre-requisites: 

  1. Bronze-level certification.
  2. At least three (3) years’ guiding experience as a paid-up member of KPSGA. 

Course Description

The KPSGA Silver Exam coursework builds on topics covered in the Bronze-level syllabus. It is designed to advance safari guides’ specific and comprehensive guiding knowledge, competence, interpersonal, and interpretive skills. A candidate who prepares to sit for the KPSGA Silver Exam should ideally have at least (3) years of field guiding experience after passing the Bronze exam to complement their course readings. The coursework is also designed to markedly advance safari guides’ practical identification and interpretive skills.

The coursework is organized in modules, comprising readings, power-point presentations, and practice quizzes. We recommend that at a minimum, independent candidates should dedicate two-to-three weeks of study for each module. KPSGA may offer limited tutoring and instruction of one or more of the modules (please check in with the office in advance). 

Enrolling in the Course

  1. The coursework is primarily designed for individual study. As an independent/self-taught course, candidates must take the initiative to familiarize themselves with and access the recommended course material, which can be requested through the KPSGA office or accessed Online. 
  2. KPSGA-endorsed trainers may also adopt part or whole sections of the syllabus. 
  3. In addition to the syllabus, the KPSGA Exam Committee will make available for candidates a dedicated Silver-Exam coursework study packet, which includes module-specific readings, topic overviews, PowerPoints, and other materials. 
  4. All candidates must pay interim or annual membership to access Online course material. Please communicate with the office. 

Silver-level Topics/Modules 

Module 1: Be a Better Guide: Interpersonal & Social Skills.

Module 2: Geology & Geography

Module 3: History, Archaeology, and Cultures of Kenya

Module 4: Climate and Weather Patterns of Kenya/East Africa

Module 5: Astronomy: Navigation & the Night Sky

Module 6: Ecology

Module 7: Taxonomy

Module 8: Botany

Module 9: Arthropods--Invertebrates

Module 10: Marine & Freshwater Biology

Module 11: Herpetology-Amphibians

Module 12: Herpetology-Reptiles

Module 13: Birds: A General Overview; Binocular Use & Basic Photography

Module 14: Mammals: Primates, Bats, and Rodents

Module 15: Mammals—Behaviour 

Module 16: Guides, Conservation, and Habitat Sustainability

Module 17: Tracking and Spoor Identification

Module 18: First Aid

RECOMMENDED READING FOR KPSGA GUIDES

Silver

  • KPSGA Silver Syllabus  (Available at KPSGA head office for KES 1,300/-)
  • St John’s Ambulance First Aid Handbook
  • Pathfinder: Illustrated For Naturalists – Janesta Pullela 
  • Kenya: A Natural History – Stephen Spawls and Glenn Matthews 
  • The Wilderness Guardian – Tim Corfield 

Exam Dates

Silver Level

20th February         20th March          24 April              22nd May

19th June                18th September  23rd October     20th November

SILVER-LEVEL SAMPLE QUESTIONS

*1. The Hyraxes account for some of the few non-primates where the teats are found on the chest (between the forelegs). Name two other mammals apart from primates, with this feature that are found in Kenya.*
Species: ______________________________________________________________
Species: ______________________________________________________________

*2. Give an example of a pattern change, as a young animal becomes adult, displayed in mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and fish and indicate which pattern changes to what?*
Mammals: _________________________________________________________
Birds: _________________________________________________________
Invertebrates: _________________________________________________________
Reptiles: _________________________________________________________
Fish: _________________________________________________________

*3. List five behavioural differences between Common and Grevy Zebras ?*
1 ______________________________________________________________
2 ______________________________________________________________
3 ______________________________________________________________
4 ______________________________________________________________
5 ______________________________________________________________

*4. Some people claim that the Rock Hyrax is closely related to the Elephant., list five similarities ?*
1 ______________________________________________________________
2 ______________________________________________________________
3 ______________________________________________________________
4 ______________________________________________________________
5 ______________________________________________________________