Describe a place you visited where you can see wild animals

You should say:

what animals you saw

what place it was

what the animal did when you saw it

how you felt when you saw it

Part 3 for this cue card is ‘Wild animals’

I vividly remember a time several years ago when I had a truly roller coaster of emotions while working with my uncle in the mountains of my hometown. He managed a rather unique business, farming and extracting wild plant juice for export. It was my first time spending days in the surrounding countryside, completely secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city. Little did I know, I was about to experience a spectacular panoramic view of wildlife—though not entirely as I had imagined.

On my very first morning, as we drove along a winding footpath to the site, a bunch of rabbits darted across the trail, and I felt ridiculously excited. Wild animals in their natural habitat have a way of making you feel on cloud nine, unlike the confined cages of a zoo. However, my joy quickly gave way to increasing anxiety a few days later when I encountered a massive snake—almost three meters long. I was worried sick and decided to take unconventional measures. This is where the story gets a little dramatic.

I had noticed an eagle’s nest perched high on a 12-meter-tall fir tree, and in my young mind, I thought adopting an eagle would be a clever solution to handle the snakes. With a group of friends, we waited until the mother eagle flew away. I climbed up, but as soon as I reached the nest, the baby eagles started chirping loudly, and before I knew it, the towering shadow of the mother eagle came swooping down. My heart was about to explode as she attacked me mid-descent. I tried to defend myself with a stick, feeling like I had stepped into a scene from a survival movie. Somehow, I made it down with two baby eagles in my bag, though I was shaken up and my legs got injured from a jump off the tree. It was an adrenaline-fueled experience—one that I still look back on with mixed emotions.

While I initially felt immensely grateful for the eagles, which did protect us from snakes, guilt crept in later. Separating the mother from her young was not only breaking the laws of nature but also left me visibly disappointed in myself. Looking back, I’ve learned to appreciate wildlife from a distance and respect its delicate balance. That day in the mountains was a memorable lesson that truly shaped my outlook on nature and conservation.