Kruger Park E-times 1

Kruger Park e-Times June 2009 - e1

Bustards threatened Heritage site plaques in Kruger restored

Canned hunting is everyone’s responsibility Krazies in Kruger

200-bed hotel planned for Kruger

Clock ticks towards water scarcity

Newsclips

New conference centre at Mopani Camp opened

Drug bust in Kruger Park Mpumalanga police have arrested two suspected drug smugglers and confiscated 33kg of dagga in the Kruger National Park (KNP), Beeld newspaper reported on Friday May 15. Police Inspector Oosie Oosthuizen stopped and searched the vehicle in the Kruger National Park, about eight kilometres from the Malelane gate, on Thursday, said Skukuza spokesperson Inspector Oubaas Coetzer. He found three bags of dagga worth R68 000 in the vehicle. It is believed the men were smuggling the drugs from Swaziland to Gauteng. The pair appeared in a Skukuza court on Friday.Sapa

Elephant kills man in Limpopo A man in his fifties was trampled to death by an elephant in the Madimbo area near Masisi in the Kruger National Park, Limpopo police said on Monday May 4, 2009. Superintendent Ronel Otto said Nelson Masikhwa and another man were walking in the area around 5.30pm on Sunday. Details were unclear but it appears an elephant charged the two and trampled Masikhwa. The other man ran to a nearby village to get help but when the man, residents and police returned Masikhwa was already dead and the elephant gone. The elephant who trampled Masikhwa could not be identified and no elephants were shot due to the incident. An inquest into Masikhwa’s death was being investigated, said Otto. www.iol.co.za

The Kruger National Park’s (KNP) acting managing executive Abe Sibiya officially opened the new, state-of-the-art R5,2-million Mopani Conference Centre on Friday June 12, 2009. “I can proudly state at the official opening this facility at Mopani Rest Camp that the KNP has certainly arrived as a conference venue with a number of world class options that will hopefully meet and exceed most clients’ needs,” Sibiya said. “Kruger’s tourism business has always been seasonal with high season times coinciding with South African school holidays. Conferences are seen as one of the ways in which these huge drops during off peak times could be negated,” explained Sibiya. Built with the assistance to Infrastructure Development Program (IDP) funding from the South African Government, the conference centre can house up to 300 people cinema style in its main hall. The facility was converted from the camp’s shop and storerooms and this work took nine months to complete. “As I stand before you, I can proudly say that the establishment of this facility only had a negligible environmental impact and this was short term. All these buildings were already here and all they needed was to reorganise the interior and equip them for

Ben van Eeden, Abe Sibiyia and William Mabasa of the Kruger National Park

conferencing,” said Mr Sibiya. In addition to the main conference hall, the facility also includes three break-away rooms which can house 21, 30 and 45 people respectively (all cinema style) and a tea area which includes a wooden deck that overlooks the nearby Pioneer Dam. The break away rooms also include 15 moveable panels that can convert the three separate rooms into either two larger rooms (one hosting 67 people cinema style and the other housing 45 people cinema style) or one large venue which can house 150 people cinema style. All four venues, the main hall and each of the three breakaway rooms include screens and full audio visual aids. Mopani Rest Camp is one of the newer large camps in the KNP and can accommodate 506 people. It is situated 74 kilometres north of Phalaborwa Entrance Gate. In the KNP, other conference centres include Berg en Dal Rest Camp, a small venue at the Elephant Hall in Letaba Rest Camp, a small conference centre at Shingwedzi Rest Camp and the conference facility in Skukuza Rest Camp, which is presently being upgraded. For more information about the new Mopani Conference Centre, access the SANParks Website (www.sanparks.org) or contact Christa von Elling on (013) 735 6535.

Garth Holt, hospitality manager of Mopani rest Camp.

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Canned hunting, a public responsibility Every year thousands of people visit facilities in South Africa where they can interact with lion cubs, young Cheetah and in some cases even tigers. But seldom do people ask what happens to the cubs when they grow too big for the facilities to manage them. “There is substantial evidence to suggest that these animals are very often sold, or ‘returned’ to lion and other predator breeding facilities from which they are often sold on as trophies into the very lucrative canned hunting industry, which has thrived in South Africa for at least the past 12 years,” says Yolan Friedmann, CEO of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). With the inclusion of lions in the Threatened or Protected Species Regulations, the hunting of a captive bred lion within a period of less than 24 months post its release into an extensive wildlife area is now prohibited. Cubs are often taken away from their mothers to stimulate faster reproduction and so keep up a constant supply of petting lions. Visitors pay to pet the animal and have their photograph taken with it, and either do not consider the animal’s situation and what will happen to it when it grows up, or they assume that there is a conservation effort associated with petting lions.

Human imprinted The lions are however human imprinted and have not grown up in a natural social group, making it impossible to release them into a natural habitat for the long term. This, coupled with the disease risk posed by captive bred animals, as well as their dubious genetic lineage renders them a risk for release. They therefore have no conservation value and are purely a source of income for those exploiting them. Often the situation of a “paying volunteer” is also exploited for further financial gain, with volunteers being told that the lion mothers are not able to care for their offspring and that once they are old enough hand raised lions are returned to the wild. A recent report by the National Council of SPCAs suggests that many of these lions end up as targets for canned hunting. The report states that “the hunting of captive bred lions is in fact at an all time high

and the South African Predator Breeders Association (SAPBA) estimated in January this year that about 1 050 lions were hunted in South Africa in 2008. Nearly all of these animals were raised in captivity. This is a more than 300% increase on the 322 lions the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) says were hunted in 2006 and a 35% increase on their 2007 figure of 700.” This raises the question: where do all these lions come from? In South Africa, a thriving canned hunting industry can in most cases be linked to an equally thriving industry based on cub petting and commercial captive breeding centres. The EWT encourages the public to take an active role in putting an end to canned hunting by asking the following questions before taking an opportunity to play with a cub: • Where is the cub’s mother? • Why is the cub not being raised by its mother? • What happens to the facility’s cubs when they grow up? • If they are released into larger wildlife areas, where are these and can the facility provide documentation to prove a viable and ethical release process? • If, and therefore once cubs have been released, do they have the opportunity to live out their natural lives, or are they hunted? • If they are sold to game reserves, is their future secure or is this a cover for simply being hunted? • If they become part of a breeding programme, for what purpose? • What happens to the facility’s surplus animals? Some may argue that there is educational value in allowing people to handle wild animals. However this kind of education provides the incorrect message that wild animals exist for human entertainment, that they can be petted like domestic animals, and that they have value only in captivity and not in their natural habitats. Moreover, lion cubs are naturally boisterous and even a young lion is capable of inflicting damage on a human being. Visitors are expected to sign indemnity forms that protect the facility, but many people are hurt, sometimes very badly, through these interactions. It is also important to note that captive breed-

ing is not a conservation recommendation for any carnivore species in South Africa. Carnivores in fact breed extremely well in the right conditions and for almost all our threatened carnivore species, the conservation priorities include reducing humanwildlife conflict, securing suitable habitat, reducing poaching and illegal offtake and maintaining balanced, functioning ecosystems. Without these in place, captive breeding leads to an over-supply of nonreleasable animals which often end up as trophies. The Endangered Wildlife Trust is not against legal, ethical forms of sustainable use and recognises the role that hunting plays in many conservation programmes. We do not however support the intensive breeding of wild animals for canned hunting. It must be noted that other species are also hunted under condtions where they have no chance of escape and thus are also victims of canned hunting. While we urge the government to address captive lion breeding situation in South Africa, and all canned hunting, we similarly urge members of the public to recognise their role in supporting or putting an end to both the cruel treatment of lions in some captive facilities, and the practise of canned lion hunting. The EWT is working with many other NGOs to develop an ethical, humane proposal which may avert the continuance of cruelty being meted down to Africa’s King of the Beasts.

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Going green doesn’t have to mean slower economic growth

Newsclips Lions maul suspected poachers Rangers rescued two suspected rhino poachers who were mauled by lions in the Kruger National Park. The two men were hospitalised and charged with trespassing and the possession of an unlicensed AK47 assault rifle and pistol. Emmanuel Ngobeni, 34, and Mtlakavaka Matose, 35, of Masingeri in Mozambique appeared in Skukuza circuit court on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Skukuza branch commander Inspector Willie Broodryk said rangers who were on patrol at the Nwanetsi concession near Satara camp on March 17 heard the two men calling for help. “They found the two suspects crawling along the ground as they couldn’t walk after being attacked by lions the previous night,” said Broodryk. He said the men are believed to have fired the two weapons to chase the lions away as there were spent cartridges on the scene. There was no evidence that the lions were injured, however. The men denied the weapons belonged to them, so police have sent the weapons for forensic tests. The men are believed to be rhino poachers, as rhino poachers are known to use AK-47s to kill the animals. The two men were flown to hospital where they were treated for two weeks before being discharged. African Eye

New name for international park An international conservation park, sprawled across Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, the LimpopoShashe Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) was renamed Mapungubwe National Park on June 19, 2009. The Limpopo-Shashe TFCA was created in 2006 by an agreement between South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The Ministers said the decision to change the name of the TFCA was to choose a name that accurately reflects the uniqueness of the TFCA, adding that the name Greater Mapungubwe TFCA was preferred because all three countries already have sites called Mapungubwe.

Author and democracy activist Frances Moore Lappé says we already know how to solve the pressing issues of our time, such as climate change and world hunger. But she says our own pre-conceived ideas about how things should work – our mental map of the world – is actually preventing us from taking action. In a speech at Ottawa’s Carleton University as part of the 78th Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Lappé called for a wholesale revamping of the way we view government, the economy and democracy. If we manage to do it, she says, we can save ourselves from our own demise. Lappé, made famous in the 1970s by her bestselling vegetarian cookbook Diet for a Small Planet, is an activist, author and cofounder with her daughter Anna Lappé of The Small Planet Institute. She says many people today are frightened by the potential for disaster, ecological and otherwise, and fearful that nothing can be done to prevent it. Lappé says we can do something – if we challenge five assumptions about the way the world works. The first is that going green means “powering down,” or reducing our consumption of energy. Lappé says all we have to do is stop getting energy from fossil fuels and start getting it from renewable sources like the sun. “Every day the sun supplies us with 15,000 times the amount of energy we’re now using in fossil fuels,” she says. If everyone had a solar panel or windmill on their roof, we wouldn’t be dependent on oil companies – and as individuals we’d feel more in control of our own destiny. The second idea to dispense with, she says, is that going green means an end to economic growth. What we have to do, she says, is change our idea of what growth is. Right now, she says, the Walton family – owners of Wal-Mart – controls as much wealth as the bottom 40 per cent of the U.S. population. Is it growth if the wealthy families just get wealthier? There’s plenty of room for growth, she says, if we learn to do things more efficient-

ly. For example, she says various estimates show that between 25 and 50 per cent of all food produced in the United States is wasted. And that every year, Americans throw out some 300 pounds of packaging material. The third idea she wants to challenge is the notion that humans are by nature greedy, self-centred and materialistic. Under certain conditions, she said, we can be monsters. But there wouldn’t be 6.8 billion of us on the planet today if we didn’t also have positive qualities such as empathy, cooperation and fairness. As a society, she said we should simply try to make sure our rules try to bring out the best, not the worst in us. The fourth idea she disputes is that we dislike rules. She says humans crave structure, particularly rules that make sense to us as individuals and which foster a sense of inclusion. We will accept the right rules, she says, citing as an example a German law that enables individual citizens to sell power they produce at home, through renewable sources such windmills or solar panels for example, to utilities at a guaranteed price. People there have embraced the idea, she says. The final concept she wants to challenge is the idea that our problems are so pressing there’s no time for democracy, and only an authoritarian regime can save us. She believes the only hope for the planet is to trust in people and set rules that bring out the best in us. “The mother of all issues is who makes the decisions,” she says, adding that if decisions are taken by people with the most money, we all suffer. Lappé says she’s not against a market economy – just the idea that there’s only one way to run the economy. She also wants to challenge the idea, she says, that change is impossible. Recent history has shown that seemingly insoluble problems have in fact been solved. “It’s not possible to know what’s possible.”

The Kruger Park e-Times is published regularly to keep you uodated on conservation, science, sustainable development and tourism issues in and around South Africa’s national parks, transfrontier parks and other environmental hotspots. Read the rest of the June issue at www.krugerparktimesonline.com

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Clock ticks towards water scarcity The clock is ticking for South Africa’s stretched water supply, and in another five years demand will have caught up with supply, according to a top official. Jones Mnisi, acting chief operating officer at Johannesburg Water, the public utility overseeing supply in the country’s economic hub, told a recent conference on water security that the tipping point where demand outstripped supply may not be far away. South Africa is chronically waterstressed. Although growth has slowed, an expanding economy, a growing population, and increased evaporation caused by climate change are conspiring to put additional pressures on water resources. Yet leading experts at the conference said the situation could be addressed if the country curbed demand and improved water quality to facilitate reuse. A paper by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said South Africa’s water surplus had been dangerously low since at least 2000 - four years after the country began buying bulk water from the multi-dam Lesotho Highlands Water Project, built on the Senqunyane River in neighbouring Lesotho. Although the next phase of the project, expected to be in place in 2019, could relieve some of the pressure on South Africa’s water supply, it was likely to be too late, said Chris Herold, chairman of the water division of the South African Institute of Civil Engineering (SAICE).

Quantity and quality Experts said the quality and quantity of the water supply should be better managed, and called for more investment in infrastructure. “The national water resource strategy has assumed that water demand management will happen,” said Herold, “On the implementation side, some of the local authorities have not come to the party.” Anthony Turton, a former researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, who now works as a water management consultant, predicted that South Africa would soon have to start reusing ef-

fluent, which would entail revamping infrastructure, with waste treatment plants a priority. Water treatment plants would have to produce effluent clean enough for reuse in the industrial sector, for example switching to buying cheaper, recycled water for cooling plants, he said. This may be harder than it sounds. Turton pointed out that 12 wastewater treatment plants, none of which function properly, were d u m p ing effluent into the Hartbeespoort Dam on the Crocodile River, 20km southwest of Johannesburg. He and others have also begun to conclude that if water could be stored in underground man-made aquifers, he said, it could save a vast quantity of water from evaporation annually. When the democratic government came to power in 1994, an estimated 14 million people lacked access to a formal water supply, and about half the population had no formal sanitation, according to the Department of Water and Environment. Water and sanitation remain contentious issues, and government has assured South Africans that it will commit more funds to improve water infrastructure, deploy personnel to local government to oversee operations, build capacity, and ensure proper financial management. A recent progress report card on the UN Millennium Development Goals said the country was on track for achieving access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2015.

“Water service provision is critical, and it is a sensitive issue,” Turton said. “We have to give people everything that the struggle was about, like dignity. If we don’t, we’re going to have a lot of angry people.” SAICE’s Herold said government should crack down on hundreds of farmers who used water illegally from the Vaal River, 100km south of Johannesburg, which supplies the city. The department of water affairs has established a unit, known as the “Blue Scorpions”, to police illegal bulk water use. © IRIN. All rights reserved.

DAM FACTS AND FIGURES

* According to the World Commission on Dams there are an estimated 48 000 dams worldwide over 15 m high. About half of these are in China. * There are about 1 500 dams under construction worldwide at present. * It takes about four years to build one dam. * The highest dam in the world is the Rogun Dam in Tajikistan which is 335 m high. * The Three Gorges Dam, which is being built in China, will be the largest concrete dam in the world. When it is completed in 2009, the dam will stretch almost two kilometres across the Yangtze River and soar 183 m above the valley floor. The reservoir will be 563 km long. Source: World Wildlife Fund

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SANParks to auction rhino, buffalo

Newsclips Three Kruger camps for 2010 SANParks’ managing executive tourism and marketing, Glenn Phillips According to Phillips, said the Kruger National Park has dedicated three of its camps to the 2010 FIFA World Cup - Skukuza, Berg en Dal and Pretoriuskop. New mobile tented products within above camps at Kruger National Parks will also be utilized. This will add an additional 420 beds to the inventory contacted for 2010. “The tents will be used as a conduit to address the legacy issue – as they will be used to provide additional inventory to parks in other locations around the country that lack sufficient accommodation inventory during high season or specific events such as the flower season in Namaqua National Park.” “The exciting part with 2010 is that approximately 15 000 people will be introduced to the national parks. We want to use this event to optimize marketing opportunities, while we continue to build our brand.” Phillips went on to mention the details of the contract with MATCH a professional services company selected by FIFA to provide ticketing, accommodation and event information technology during the 2010 World Cup event in South Africa. “If all goes according to plan, it means the value of inventory sold to MATCH per day is in the region of R1.4 million and this over the event period will amount to an impressive R 52.5 million based on two people per unit inclusive of dinner, bed and breakfast and activity.” Other contracted parks closer to the World Cup matches are Addo Elephant National Park, Garden Route National Park which incorporates formerly Wilderness, Tsitsikamma and the Knysna Lake Area, Marakele, and Golden Gate Highlands National Parks.

South African National Parks (SANParks) will auction twenty white rhino from the Kruger National Park (KNP) as well as eland bulls from Mountain Zebra National Park at the annual Kirkwood Auction on June 20. SANParks earned the highest price for a single adult white rhino bull which went for R640 000 at last year’s auction. Proceeds of the sale of SANParks wildlife on the game auction are ploughed into SANParks’ Park Development Fund, a fund which is used to expand and develop the national park system. The Kirkwood Wildlife auction, which raised R11 million in 2008, is now the second largest auction in the country. Bidders from far and wide will converge at the Kirkwood Wildlife Festival grounds for the auction.

Addo buffalo Twenty-two Addo buffalo will be up for sale at the auction. The buffalo will be sold in four family groups consisting of a bull and several cows as well as six individual breeding bulls and one individual subadult bull. The buffalo have already been captured and are being held in the bomas at

Addo Elephant National Park for the testing necessary to confirm their disease-free status. Addo buffalo are traditionally much sought-after as breeding stock due to the absence of diseases such as bovine tuberculosis, corridor disease and foot-and-mouth disease in the herd. Addo Elephant National Park is home to the largest disease-free buffalo herd in South Africa.

Other game Also on auction for the first time will be four family herds of the endangered Cape mountain zebra. These family herds will be captured in Mountain Zebra National Park which now boasts over 500 of the endangered zebra. They will be sold on catalogue at the auction. Bushveld Game Capture will host a family herd of Burchell’s zebra as well as blesbok family groups and breeding rams in Addo’s bomas. Breeding groups of various antelope as well as giraffe will also be sold on catalogue at the auction. Bidders can view the wildlife on auction before the sale at Addo Elephant National Park, RiverBend and Shamwari bomas. For further information on the auction, contact Jan Pienaar on 082 5721516 or John Adendorff on 082 9084160.

Researchers closer to the ultimate green ‘fridge magnet’ Scientists are a step closer to making environmentally-friendly ‘magnetic’ refrigerators and air conditioning systems a reality, thanks to new research published in the May issue of Advanced Materials. Magnetic refrigeration technology could provide a ‘green’ alternative to traditional energy-guzzling gas-compression fridges and air conditioners. They would require 20-30% less energy to run than the best systems currently available, and would not rely on ozone-depleting chemicals or greenhouse gases. Refrigeration and air conditioning units make a major contribution to the planet’s energy consumption - in the USA in the summer months they account for approximately 50% of the country’s en-

ergy use. A magnetic refrigeration system works by applying a magnetic field to a magnetic material - some of the most promising being metallic alloys - causing it to heat up. This excess heat is removed from the system by water, cooling the material back down to its original temperature. When the magnetic field is removed the material cools down even further, and it is this cooling property that researchers hope to harness for a wide variety of cooling applications. Researchers are still looking for improved materials that provide highly efficient cooling at normal room temperatures, so that the technology can be rolled out from the lab to people’s homes and businesses.

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South Africa’s bustards threatened South Africa’s bustards are in trouble, with six of the country’s ten species listed in the South African Red Data Book. “They are threatened by a variety of factors”, says Mark Anderson, executive director of BirdLife South Africa “…with some of the most important threats being habitat destruction and power-line mortalities”. BirdLife South Africa is concerned about the precarious conservation status of the country’s bustards and korhaans. At a workshop in Johannesburg in May, the status, threats and necessary conservation measures relevant to these birds were discussed by the country’s bustard experts. Populations of Ludwig’s bustard and Denham’s bustard are probably in decline due to a single mortality factor, collisions with the cables of power-lines. “These birds fly in groups during low light conditions and due to their limited manoeuvrability are not able to avoid electricity cables in their flight path”, says Jon Smallie, manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) Wildlife Energy Interaction Group (WEIG) and the Eskom-EWT Strategic Partnership. Studies by Anderson and the University of Cape Town’s Dr Andrew Jenkins, have found that on average across six patrolled sites, about one Ludwig’s bustard collides per kilometre of power-line per year at these sites. There are approximately 16,000 km of transmission (>132000volts) power-lines crisscrossing the Karoo indicating the potential severity of this problem. The Eskom-EWT Partnership’s Central Incident Register documents no less than 265 confirmed Ludwig’s bustard mortalities from power-lines. In response, Eskom is currently funding research into bustard collision rates, movement patterns and visual acuity – all critical aspects if we are to mitigate this threat. According to David Allan, ornithologist at the Durban Natural Science Museum and a world authority on the biology of bustards, “The global population of Ludwig’s bustard

The Denham’s Bustard has a spectacular display (photographer: Mathew Prophet).

has been estimated to only number between 56,000 and 81,000 individuals. The thought that we could be potentially losing them at a rate of over 10,000 birds killed annually by this factor alone is terrifying”. The blue korhaan, which mainly inhabits grasslands in the central and eastern regions of South Africa, is severely threatened by afforestation, crop farming, overgrasing, burning, urbanisation and mining. Analyses of information from the Coordinated Avifaunal Roadcount Project (CAR) suggest that this korhaan has “…declined in both numbers and range during recent years”, stated Donella Young, the CAR coordinator at the University of Cape Town’s Animal Demography Unit. The blue korhaan is only found in South Africa and marginally in western Lesotho, so we have an important obligation to protect this localised species. The white-bellied korhaan, another species that is restricted to the grasslands and open thornveld, is listed as vulnerable in

the South African Red Data Book. It prefers tall, undisturbed grassland, and is thus threatened by human population pressure and inappropriate farm management. The white-bellied korhaan is also found in central, west and east Africa, but there is some debate about whether the South African population is a separate species (Barrow’s korhaan). If genetically distinct, there is even more pressure on South African conservationists to attend to the numerous threats which are impacting on this threatened species. It was decided at the bustard workshop, which was made possible through funding from E. Oppenheimer and Son, that a bustard working group would be formed under the auspices of BirdLife South Africa. The group will have several aims, but will focus, at least initially, on disseminating information about bustards to the relevant authorities and stakeholders, prioritizing research needs, and determining urgent conservation interventions.

The Bustard/Korhaan Workshop was attended by South Africa’s bustard experts (photographer: Geoff Lockwood).

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Newsclips Zimbabwe de-horns rhinos to curb poaching The Zimbabwe government has launched a massive exercise to dehorn rhinoceroses so that these animals do not have any value for poachers, a media report said. Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Francis Nhema said the de-horning exercise would remove the “incentives” for poaching. Rhinos are reportedly poached for its horns that are used in traditional Chinese medicines. Some people believe the horn contains aphrodisiac properties. He said the black rhinos are most vulnerable to poaching. “We are dehorning some of the rhinos so that there would not be any incentives for poaching,” the minister was quoted as having said by the Daily Mail. Nhema said the exercise is among the preventative measures in place after reports that more than 80 black rhinos fell prey to poachers in the past 12 months. The government has also relocated some of the rhinos to ensure protection. The de-horning process must be repeated every few years as horns grow back, he said, while calling for harsher punishments against poachers. “The fines that are in place now are not deterrent enough to stop people from poaching and there is a need to impose heavy fines,” he said. The wildlife sanctuaries have entered into a strategic joint management partnership with the police and the army to combat poaching, the minister added. Zimbabwe has an estimated 800 black and white rhinoceroses. Source: http://blog.taragana. com/n/zimbabwe-de-horns-rhinosto-curb-poaching-68177/

New vulture restaurant and hide in Phalaborwa region South African vultures are facing everincreasing threats. Of the nine vulture species that occur in South Africa, seven are listed in the Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. The main cause of the demise of this important raptor group is a declining food source, although other issues such as loss of foraging areas, electrocution on electricity pylons, and inadvertent poisoning also have a strong influence on their numbers. The Kruger to Canyons Birding Route, a BirdLife South Africa project, has recently been involved in developing a number of infrastructure development projects in the Lowveld including the establishment of a vulture restaurant and hide on the Grietjie Private Nature Reserve, 20 km south of Phalaborwa. The reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. The purpose of this new viewing hide is threefold. Its main purpose is to provide exceptional, close-up views of these magnificent birds, but more importantly it will serve as an educational facility highlighting the plight of vulture populations in southern Africa which are in a drastic state of decline. As well as reaching birders, BirdLife South Africa plans to bring school groups to the hide to show them the importance of vultures in the ecology of the Lowveld, as well as to dispel the myths surrounding the birds. Lastly the hide will also be used by sister organisations, such as the Endan-

gered Wildlife Trust, who play a critical role in monitoring vulture populations in the Lowveld. Carcasses are normally only put down at the weekends, ensuring that the birds do not become dependent on the additional food source. This vulture restaurant is one of just a few that are located within the reserve and hyaena and other carnivores frequent the carcasses. Spotted Hyaenas are particularly useful in breaking up the remaining bones from old carcasses, and vulture restaurants such as this have been proven to increase the breeding success of vultures by providing bone fragments which substantially increases the calcium content of their diet. Mark Anderson, executive director of BirdLife South Africa, officially opened the vulture restaurant on 20 March 2009. Since then all five locally occurring vulture species have become regular customers. The visitor book also reveals that it is not uncommon to find yourself surrounded by more than 150 vultures during feeding time. The vulture restaurant is easily accessible and open to the public. Reservations can be made through Ian Owtram ian@antares. co.za or 0832868281, or through the reserve warden on 0788758722. A small fee of R30/person is charged which will go directly back into maintenance and providing carcasses for the vultures.

The vulture restaurant is easily accessible and open to the public. Reservations can be made through Ian Owtram [email protected] or 0832868281, or through the reserve warden on 0788758722.

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Wood carvings used to attract cranes to bird-watching site The small town of Wakkerstroom is famous for its endemic grassland and wetland birds, and ecotourists come from far and wide to experience the area’s well known birdwatching opportunities. Although the special birds mainly include smaller species, such as Rudd’s and Botha’s lark and yellowbreasted pipit, one of Wakkerstroom’s main attractions is its cranes. Three species of crane, grey crowned crane, blue crane and wattled crane, occur in South Africa, and all are found at Wakkerstroom. Some of Wakkerstroom’s birds migrate to warmer climes during the winter months, but others remain. The grey crowned cranes is one species which remains in this area, sometimes in large numbers. As an additional tourist attraction, BirdLife South Africa now lures cranes to its winter feeding site using life-size wooden decoys. Maize grain is put out regularly for the cranes in front of BirdLife South Africa’s

crane hide at the Wakkerstroom wetland. nity of Wakkerstroom to benefit from bird Four wooden crane decoys have been tourism, it is important that they align their made from alien, invasive trees obtained activities to the needs of the birders” said from local farmers. The decoys are very re- Hansco Banda, who is the Wakkerstroom alistic and similar in size and colour to grey project site manager for BirdLife South Afcrowned cranes and, at first glance, they rica’s Community Based Conservation Difool most bird-watchers. vision. The decoys were made by the very talBirdLife South Africa is also engaged ented Muzi Makhubu, who is from the in a farm-worker outreach programme, in Indalo Carving Project. Muzi is a local en- collaboration with the Endangered Wildtrepreneur and his wood-carving business life Trust’s South African Crane Working is supported by BirdLife South Africa. His Group, which educates farm workers and wooden art-work has become a sought-after farm schools about conservation issues, insouvenir by visitors to Wakkerstroom. cluding bird conservation. Muzi says that “I never thought that carving could be linked to tourism and bird conservation, but this example is evidence that it can”. A Grey Crowned Crane (right) inquisitively disMuzi’s workshop is at Birdplays to the wooden decoy at the feeding site Life South Africa’s Wakkerstin front of BirdLife South Africa’s Crane Hide. room Centre and it is visited by many birders and other ecotourists. “For the commu-

Muzi Makhubu carving a Grey Crowned Crane from an alien species tree.

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200-bed luxury hotel proposed for Kruger National Park South African National Parks (SANParks) has called for proposals in respect of Public Private Partnership projects for the proposed Malelane Hotel development close to the Malelane gate in the Kruger National Park (KNP). The proposed development is set to provide a new facility in the park that is different from the existing rest camps. The new development is within the approved KNP Management Plan and the Commercialization Strategy which has already delivered seven concession lodges in the KNP. “SANParks is primarily focussed on biodiversity conservation and is dependent on government funding to perform the environmental public good. With government priorities being focussed on providing health services, education, municipal service-delivery, housing and other pressing needs, conservation grant funding is static and diminishing in real terms. SANParks has, over the past few years, supplemented the shortfall in funding through its successful ecotourism business without deviating from its core mandate. As such, SANParks needs to continually keep abreast with the top tourist destinations by improving its product and appealing to a wider range of visitors in the 21st Century. The inbound tourism market and the emerging middle class have repeatedly demanded a product that provides a full service in addition to the safari experience without “Disney-fication of the park”, according to a SANParks press statement. “The KNP currently offers selfcatering facilities throughout the park which are hugely popular but falls short in meeting the expectations of the current generation who want a full service safari experience that includes modern conference and support facilities.

The proposed “hotel” will be a full-service facility that will be constructed on the periphery of the park at the Malelane Gate Precinct.” Dr David Mabunda, chief executive of SANParks said that this was in line with the peripheral development policy which allow for development on the periphery of the park rather than within the park where there will be a greater ecological impact. The geographical location of the facility will make it accessible for 24 hours and eliminate the undesirable risk associated with late arrivals driving to the nearest camp. “The 200 bed facility is not going to be a high-rise building in the mould of the general perception of a hotel with the “bells and whistles” of a city hotel but a development in line with the hall-mark SANParks environmental ambience that will compliment its surroundings. It will provide full meals, laundry services as well as regular tours through the park. There will be no demarcated traversing area for the hotel as is the case with the luxury lodges.” “This “hotel”, which is what we are calling it for want of a better word, will have a much smaller footprint in the park as compared to the existing camps that have between 300 and 600 beds,” said Dr Mabunda. He also emphasised that guest to the hotel will not be driving in the park as guests of the camps do, they will be offered a “park-

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and-ride” service very similar to that of private game lodges. “So instead of having a typical N1 Highway traffic congesWhat do you tion with at least two oc- think about this cupants driv- proposal. E-mail ing through your view to the park, we will have these krugerparktimes cars neatly @vectorbb.co.za tucked away and fill up existing park game drive vehicles which are running at 50% occupancy to enhance the game-viewing experience in the most appropriate style and help towards reducing the menace of traffic on the park’s roads,” he explained. The proposed facility will not be built on pristine land, because the area identified for the development is an old road construction camp and a quarry , but SANParks, has specified in its call for proposals that the required EIA’s must be conducted. “We had to design the concept and provide specifications first before weighing its possible impacts on the ecology. All applicable environmental scrutiny will be applied independently and we are confident that all EIA’s will reflect its ecological feasibility. Its impact will definitely be far less than the sprawling towns of Skukuza and Satara. Who knows this might be the beginning of a new era – the camps in the core of the park moving to the periphery by 2059?” concluded Dr. Mabunda.

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New 4x4 Eco-Trails Open at Karoo National Park Two new 4x4 eco-trails have opened at the Karoo National Park near Beaufort West. The new trails provide an opportunity for visitors to experience a new area of the almost 90 000-hectare Karoo National Park. Routes are open only to visitors with 4x4 vehicles. The Nuweveld Trail follows a 90-kilometre route into the western section of the Park, starting off the relatively new Potlekkertjie Loop which was opened in October 2008. Approximately 50 kilometres of this trail is a Grade one 4x4 trail with some steep, rocky sections and sandy dry river crossings. The first section of the Nuweveld Trail travels through riverine thicket before heading onto the plains and then climbing onto the foothills of the Nuweveld Mountains. The route then heads onto the lower plains in the Sandrivier area, before linking up again with the Potlekkertjie Loop via the Afsaal Trail. About 20 kilometres from the start of the trail, visitors will find the Embizweni Cottage which provides an ideal place for an overnight stay in a remote and tranquil location.

Embizweni Cottage has spectacular views of the Nuweveld Mountains to the east and the area is frequented by large herds of eland, gemsbok and individual black rhino. Cape mountain zebra, red hartebeest and kudu can also be seen as well as Verraux’s eagle and kori and Ludwig’s bustard. The cottage provides fully-equipped accommodation for six people with a gaspowered stove, fridge and geysers as well as solar-powered lights. A fireplace in the living room provides a cosy atmosphere in winter. The shorter Afsaal Trail is a 13-kilometre route which provides a challenging drive in wet conditions. The trail, commencing off the Potlekkertjie Loop, travels south and then east before linking up with the Potlekkertjie Loop again. Visitors can enjoy both the Nuweveld and Afsaal Routes free of charge. A stay in Embizweni Cottage is very affordable with rates starting from R600-00 for four people. For more information, please telephone Karoo National Park on 023 4152828 or Email [email protected]

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Heritage sites in Kruger restored Honorary rangers (HR), Johan and Colleen Kotze, restored 55 heritage sites in the Kruger National Park to their glimmering best. Under the auspices of the HR Higveld Region, the Kotzes started the project on September 4 last year. First on the agenda were 31 plaques in the southern region camps – Crocodile Bridge, Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop and Berg-en-Dal.

On February 3, 2009, the Kotze team inspected and cleaned 12 sites in Skukuza, Satara and Olifants camps. On May 19, 2008 they began the northern leg of their project, which included eight sites from Letaba to Pafuri. “A full report was submitted to Thanyani Madzhuta of the heritage division in the Kruger National Park,” says Johan. “The exercise revealed that a number of

before

AFTER

Obituary: BRUCE ROBERT BRYDEN Bruce Brydon passed away on the 16 May 2009 due to malaria. Bruce was born in Johannesburg, RSA and was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, followed by Honours in Wildlife Management at Pretoria University. In 1971 he started his career in the Kruger National Park as a graduate assistant biologist. He progressed through the ranks as a Section Ranger, District Ranger, Park Warden of Karoo National Park (1977-80) and Regional Ranger to become Chief Ranger in 1983 (in the meantime he managed to successfully complete his Masters in Wildlife Management in 1976). He became Head of Conservation Support Services and held various positions until his retirement in 2001. Since then until his untimely death, he and his wife Helena have been living in Knysna. He is the author of the bestseller

plaques are missing or have deteriorated over the years. Sanparks will put a program in place under the leadership of Thanyani as to how these plaques will be replaced.” The HR Higveld Region is chaired by Willie de Beer, Hoffie Sutherland Vice Chairman, Dennis Botha Treasurer and Anja Botha Secretary.

book “A Game Ranger Remembers” (2005). It is a collection of stories about the life of a bushveld conservationist as it is lived at the ground level by that elite band of men and woman who guard the Kruger National Park – at the cost of much sweat and tears and, not infrequently, quite a bit of blood. They have two children – Annie, now married to Glen and Robert – and a grandson, Bryden. It is with great sorrow that we heard the news of the passing away of Bruce. He will be remembered with fondness and respect by his former colleagues and friends in Conservation and in the GRAA of which he was a Professional Member (209). On behalf of the African Committee of the GRAA and the membership of the GRAA we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family during this very difficult time. Source: Game Rangers Association of Africa (Cleft Stick, May 2009)

Mokala walk away with Welcome award Mokala was announced the winner in the Parks and Nature Reserves category of the 2008 Welcome Awards at an awards ceremony held at South Africa’s premier tourism showcase, INDABA in Durban in May. The park is situated approximately 80 kilometers south-southwest of Kimberley, and west of the N12 freeway to Cape Town. The Welcome Awards were founded four years ago with the express intention of improving service levels in the tourism sector. The judging process includes prearranged visits and interviews by the Welcome Awards project team, as well as mystery visits by trained individuals posing as customers. Winners are chosen based on the value they add to customer expectations; on their commitment to excellence in serving customers; and on exceeding visitor expectations…. “and it is clear that Mokala has outdone itself in ensuring that our customer experience value for their hard earned cash - we really pride ourself with this achievement,” says SANParks, general manager media, events and etakeholder relations, Reynold Thakhuli. Mokala is the Setswana name for ‘Camel Thorn’, named after the trees that occur in the dry woodland and arid sandy areas of the desert regions of Southern Africa. The Camel Thorn is a great resource to both the wildlife and humans who inhabit these areas, with the gum and bark of the trees often used by the local tribes to treat coughs, colds and nosebleeds.

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The influence of fire on mopane and red bushwillow trees in Gonarezhou The influence of fire on mopane and red bushwillow trees in Gonarezhou A paper on the “Influence of fire frequency on Colophospermum mopane and Combretum apiculatum woodland structure and composition in northern Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe” appears in the latest issue of the SANParks journal, Koedoe.

In short

We investigated the long-term effects of fire frequency on Colophospermum mopane and Combretum apiculatum woodland structure and composition in northern Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), Zimbabwe. Fire frequency was categorised as high (every 1–2 years), medium (every 3–4 years) and low (every 5–6 years). The following variables were measured or recorded: plant height, species name, canopy depth and diameter, basal circumference, number of stems per plant, plant status (dead or alive) and number of woody plants in a plot.

There was a positive correlation (r = 0.55, P = 0.0007) between annual area burnt (total from January to December) and annual rainfall (average over two rain stations per rain year, July to June) between 1972 and 2005. A total of 64 woody species were recorded from C.mopane and C. apiculatum woodlands. Mean plant height increased from 4.5 to 8.2 meters in C. mopane woodland and from 4.5 to 5.1 meters in C.apiculatum woodland in areas subjected to high and low fire frequencies. In C. mopane woodland, low fire frequency was characterised by a significantly low density of woody plants (P < 0.001), however, with a significantly high mean basal area (P < 0.001). Fire frequency had no significant effect on species diversity (P > 0.05). Our results suggest that C. mopane and C. apiculatum woodlands are in a state of structural transformation. Fire frequency effects, however, appear to be woodland specific.

Fire management strategies in GNP should take into consideration annual rainfall and the different vegetation types. Conservation implication: This study provides valuable information on fire frequency effects on woody vegetation in northern GNP, which can be used in fire management programmes for the park. The positive relationship between annual rainfall and annual area burnt emphasises the need for wildlife managers to consider annual rainfall in fire management. “We hope that you will visit us soon at www.koedoe.co.za and be enlightened by the articles we will be publishing throughout 2009,” says title operations coordinator, Liezel Grunewald. For more information on this article visit http://www.koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/index

Bookings open for Addo Birding Weekend Avid birders should hurry to make their bookings for the Sasol Addo Birding Weekend which will be held in Addo Elephant National Park from 23 to 25 October 2009. The weekend of birding will offer a wonderful opportunity to experience the diverse biomes of Addo Elephant National Park and the chance to spot over 400 bird species. Organised by the Addo Honorary Rangers, birding activities will feature a choice of excursions which include trips to the marine area of the Park around St. Croix Island and the arid Karoo area around the large expanse of Darlington Dam. Birders will join groups birding in seven different areas of Addo Elephant National Park. A 4x4 excursion will explore the Nyathi area of the park while another group will visit the Sundays River estuary

and adjacent coastline with its good tern and wader sightings. The group visiting the marine area around St. Croix Island by boat will view the African penguin colony on the island as well as pelagic birds such as skuas, petrels and shearwaters. Birders based in the park’s main game area can count on thicket species such as the southern tchagra as well as Denham’s bustard and blue crane in the grassland patches. Fitter participants can explore the forests and fynbos of the Zuurberg Mountains on foot to sight birds from African crowned eagles to longtailed wagtails. Those based in the Park’s Woody Cape area near Alexandria will explore the indigenous coastal forests which are home to trumpeter hornbill. Birders visited the Park’s northern-most Darlington area will look for birds such as the Namaqua warbler on the arid land and spoonbills and lesser flamingo on the vast lake.

Prizes will be presented at an evening braai function and there is an optional afternoon training session on birding and identification. A variety of accommodation units, as well as camping facilities will be made available in the Addo Elephant National Park. Sasol has provided sponsorship for logistics and prizes while Glendower whisky has also sponsored some prizes. Funds raised by the Honorary Rangers birding weekend will go towards funding conservation support work, research and upgrade of facilities for the benefit of all visitors to the Park. Bookings for the birding weekend close on 31 July 2009. For more information, contact Deon and Mileen De Vos on [email protected] or Tel: 041 966 1297 or 082 775 4998.

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Staff changes at popular Kruger concession Singita Game Reserves announced a number of key managerial appointments. Jason Trollip has taken over from Tony Romer-Lee as general manager of Singita Sabi Sand, comprising Singita Ebony and Boulders lodges, and Castleton Camp. Romer-Lee has taken up the position of resort manager with One&Only Cape Town after three years with Singita in the Sabi Sand. Trollip joined Singita in 2003 and has for the past six years held the position of general manager Singita Kruger National Park, situated on Singita’s private concession that comprises Singita Lebombo and Sweni lodges. With a genuine passion for conservation, Mpumalanga born Trollip has played an important role in the establishment of the Singita concession, and has displayed a unique understanding of the requirements of guests and staff alike. Singita welcomed Caroline Burke who took over as general manager of Singita Lebombo and Sweni lodges. Burke is wellknown in the travel and safari industry for her professionalism and customer care excellence, bringing with her extensive expe-

rience, that includes 12 years in key management positions with CC Africa (now re-branded &Beyond). Singita is also proud to announce that after just over three years with Singita Game Reserves, Moses Nkuna has been promoted to lodge manager at Singita Sweni lodge in the Kruger National Park. Nkuna has proved himself here as a competent and caring host, and also brings with him experience gained at the Coach House Hotel in Tzaneen, Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl, as well as The Queens Hotel in Leeds, England. In Tanzania, Singita Grumeti Reserves has appointed Mandy Cloete as lodge manager Singita Sasakwa. Having taken time off to complete her MBA degree, Cloete returns to Singita where she previously served as lodge manager Singita Sweni. Hence she not only has a complete understanding of the Singita ethos and its guest profile, but also brings with her experience gained at other exclusive private game reserves, as well as enthusiasm for East Africa and the offerings of Singita Grumeti Reserves and the Serengeti.

Environmental consciousness recognised Umlani Bushcamp in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa was presented with The Wilderness Foundations sought after Green Leaf at an awards ceremony at the Indaba International Travel Trade Show in Durban. Marco Schiess, owner of Umlani Bushcamp says “Ian Player has been an inspiration to me all my life, my association with the Wilderness Leadership School has formed the principles by which we run Umlani. It is a great honour for me to be certified by the Wilderness Foundation as the Green Leaf standard is everything that Umlani stands for”. “With global warming and climate change a reality. The tourism industry has the responsibility in protecting the integrity of our environment and has the opportunity to educate their guests. The Wilderness Foundations Awards encourages tourism role players to reduce the effects of consumption on our environment and improve upon environmental management and awareness in an eco friendly manner”, adds

Schiess. The Wilderness Foundation, founded in 1972 by Dr. Ian Player and Magqubu Ntombela, is a conservation organisation that encourages, plans and manages wild lands and wilderness areas, uplifts the knowledge and lives of historically disadvantaged citizens, and stimulates an environmental ethos among current and future leaders. Umlani is also a member Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa. “Everything we do is influenced by our commitment to responsible tourism. This means that we take great care to treat people and the environment with respect by actively minimising the negative impact on our surroundings and make a positive contribution whenever possible” states Schiess Umlani Bushcamp based in the heart of world famous Timbavati, which is now part of an open system with the Kruger National Park, is becoming well known as a specialist in providing visitors with a close to nature wilderness adventure in a responsible way.

Jason Trollip

Tree identification in the Lowveld Eugene Moll will facilitate a five day (six nights) tree identification course at The Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC), taking place from Sunday evening 30th August to Saturday morning 5th September 2009. The course will also focus on some of the plant ecological issues facing the KNP and Timbavati area in particular. The cost of this course is R5,500.00 per person inclusive of food and accommodation at the SAWC, transport for fieldwork and armed guard, and two night drives. The SAWC is some 10km west of the Orpen Gate to the KNP on the northern side of the tarred road and some 70km from Hoedspruit. The SAWC is 2km off the tarred road and the 30ha campus has an electric perimeter fence. A minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 people are required to make this course possible. Should you be interested in joining the group please contact Alice Moll on [email protected] for further details.

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Daniel Myburg - Can you feel that

Valerie Blanca - Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

The 2009 SANParks Amateur Photographic Competition winners SANParks announced the winners of the 2009 SANParks Amateur Photogrpahic Competition in 12 categories. The photographs were submitted according to the type of camera used, that of the the DSLR and Compact and categorised into sections of landscapes, portrait, animals and insects, human activity, plants and black and white.

The winners are:

DSLR • Portrait: Jaycee Rousseau - Grubs Up! • Animals & Insects: Daniel Myburg Can you feel that? • Black & White: Mario Moreno - Zebra Family in Plains Camp • Human Activity: Karlwim Heese - Returning home with the sunset • Plants: Valerie Blanca - KTP • Landscapes: Katja Soehngen - Kalahari cloud

Compact • Portrait: Nico Steenberg - Pied kingfisher • Animals & Insects: Ken Mackay - Secretary Bird • Black & White: Trevor Lagerwall - Elephant • Human Activity: Marijke Arends-Meiring - Hyena versus Yellow Ribbon • Plants: Corli Meiring - Yellow flowers • Landscapes: Muhammad Mia - Sabie River Sunrise During the course of the 2009 Amateur Photographic Competition, 1 046 submissions have been received, compared to last year’s 420 submissions: DSLR Submissions Landscapes - 95; Portrait 185; Animals and Insects - 173; Human Activity – 57; Plants – 51; Black and White - 84. Compact Submissions Landscapes – 69; Portrait86; Animals and Insects – 100; Human Activities - 54 ; Plants – 41; Black and White - 42 For more information log on to www.sanparks.org Ken Mackay Secretary Bird

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Hunting can help protect wildlife in South Africa In the Sunday Independent of May 17, 2009, David Mabunda, chief executive officer of SANParks (South African National Parks) commented in hunting in South Africa, The business of conservation is one that lends itself to a number of contestations every now and then as everyone sees their important role in protecting or owning mother nature. As a business and a science it is still very young, in most countries no older than a 100 years or so. Because of this relative newness of this area you find that there are any number of stakeholders who have diverse and differing views on how business should be conducted by conservation authorities in order to ensure continued income. The recently revived debate on hunting on the borders of the Kruger National Park, our national and international icon, is one that is also squarely based in this public discourse of who has the environment’s best interests at heart. Unfortunately nobody ever wins this debate because it often degenerates into emotional and unconstructive speculations. Hunting in South Africa is a sport that is legal and regulated by law. The legislation that regulates the establishment and management of protected areas makes specific provisions for sustainable resource use, which includes hunting. The National Environmental Management Act: Protected Areas Amendment Act 31 of 2004, clause 50 (1) allows the management authority of a national park to enter into a written agreement with a community resident inside or adjacent to the park to allow members of the community to use in a sustainable manner the biological resources in the park. This is aimed at promoting sustainable utilisation of protected areas for the benefit of people, in a manner that would preserve the ecological character of such areas. The NEMA: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 also makes provision for the use of biological resources in a sustainable manner. Hunting is also recognised by the IUCN (World Conservation Union) as a sustainable form of use of natural resources which is able to generate a high level of income. It is practised in many parts of the world around national parks which act as the source for natural resources, much in the same way that sustainable fishing around marine protected areas can occur in perpe-

tuity if those areas are properly protected and fishing is controlled professionally and scientifically. South African National Parks (SANParks) is not opposed to hunting in buffer areas as long as it is done transparently and according to the management plans and protocols that have been agreed to between the adjoining land owners and SANParks. It is important to note that there is a marked difference between protected areas and game reserves - most of which are privately owned - as well as between different types of protected areas. Simply put, a protected area is a recognised geographical area that will be protected by whatever means for its ecological, historic or cultural value over a long period of time and may also include a tourism element. Within the suite of protected areas there are various levels of protection accorded to a range of parks, varying from national parks, to provincial reserves and right at the bottom protected environments. Game reserves are specifically designed for tourism and as such, may include activities such as hunting of the wildlife kept in the areas. Because of the high status of protection accorded to national parks, extractive forms of resource-use, such as hunting and mining, are not permitted within the boundaries of the national park.

Buffer zones In this context it should be understood then that land on the buffer zones of national parks, though legally contracted to or entered into formal agreement for the dropping of fences, is not national park land. The hunting occurring on the borders of Kruger National Park is actually taking place in the buffer zones - private land which is largely managed by the provinces, communities or private individuals. Because hunting is regulated in SA one needs to have a specific hunting permit in order to practice such. Applications for

hunting permits are evaluated and issued by the respective provinces. SANParks does not have the mandate or the jurisdiction to regulate hunting in any area, be it private land or provincial managed land. The former Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, started a process which sought to further regulate the hunting of wildlife. At present the current draft Norms and Standards for Hunting Nationally have been developed, which would put a stop to undesirable forms of hunting such as canned hunting. Although hunting is not one of the activities on offer to visitors to national parks (and we do not envisage that it will become one any time in the future) we support the game farming and hunting industry as a form of land use that is sympathetic to biodiversity conservation. The fact that land-holders in buffer zones to national parks may derive income from sustainable hunting, is one of a range of incentives for them to keep the land in a state that is compatible with the maintenance of wildlife.

Contractual national parks In the case of contractual national parks, we accept that our contractual partners may derive income from sustainable use of wildlife, including hunting, if they so wish. continues on page 17

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Hunting can help protect wildlife in South Africa continued from page 16 It is important to further note that of South Africa’s 122 million ha, only 7.5 million ha consists of state protected areas with 17 million ha of protected land in private hands. In its bid to increase land under protection from the current six percent to 10 percent by 2012, the government may rely a lot on the contributions of the private sector. One must realise that the private sector relies a lot on the optimal, though sustainable, use of the land under its management. In a number of these private establishments trophy hunting brings in a substantial amount of revenue which is put back into managing the area to make the industry selfsustainable. Some revenue is also allocated towards community outreach programmes. For example, the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (Phasa) has established a Wildlife Conservation Fund that, according to them, seeks to sustain the hunting industry and to assist with the regu-

lation of professional hunting. The funds are also used to finance accredited research projects, and most private game reserves supporting hunting are committed to establishing proper wildlife management techniques in order to maintain the area’s ecological balance and therefore to sustain their own industry at the same time. As to the wild claims that the animals being hunted in these buffer areas are those belonging to national parks, wildlife is declared res nullius (nobody’s property) and as such, one cannot speculate on this matter. Animals are territorial by nature and are not prone to wander unless under extreme circumstances. The likelihood of these being national parks animals is minimal. Most of the animals in the private reserves were part of these reserves before the fences were removed. The only effect of removing the fences was to create more land for the animals. With all of this in mind, it should be noted, however, that all hunting within the

Climate Change Threatens Blue Crane Stronghold The Blue Crane has found an unlikely haven on farmlands in the Western Cape, but climate change threatens to put an end to this. The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is keeping a close eye on the situation so that it can act timeously to avoid a major loss. “The mosaic of wheat farms and pastures in the agricultural areas of the Western Cape has given Blue Cranes an opportunity to live in an area where they weren’t found before,” says EWT crane conservationist Kerryn Morrison. “While we’re not sure how they got there, the unnatural grassland setting in this man-made environment has become home to 60% of South Africa’s total Blue Crane population.” Climate change is expected to affect the western parts of the country most severely, and the current land use practices are likely to change to something more viable for the changed climate and its impacts on the economic drivers. This will affect the Blue Cranes, which don’t seem to be comfortable in the indigenous Fynbos habitat that surrounds the agricultural areas.

The EWT’s crane conservationists have been monitoring cranes across South Africa since the 1980’s and have the only comprehensive database on cranes in the country. While the Blue Crane population is currently stable, predictive models show that too many adult losses could cause the population to crash. “Blue Cranes are long-lived and slow-breeding,” says Morrison. “The chicks also stay with the parents for at least eight months, and a Blue Crane pair will rarely have more than one chick in a year. This means that losing one adult crane has a severe impact on the breeding success of the population.” Numbering around 25 000 individuals, the Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradiseus) is a near endemic to South Africa. It is found mainly in the Western Cape and Karoo, with lower numbers spread across the grasslands of the country. Between the late 1970’s and 1990’s, Blue Cranes declined by up to 80% across much of their grassland range, resulting in their current Red Data List Status of Vulnerable.

boundaries of national parks where fences have been dropped is done only under agreed conditions. Hunting off-takes usually come to less than one percent of annual population reproduction. This is not nearly enough to create a vacuum that would draw game from the national parks. Due to the extensive boundary of the Kruger National Park and the myriad of streams of all sizes that it has to cross, it is virtually impossible to keep all animals in the park all the time. As long as the sanctity of national parks is maintained according to the laws of the country, SANParks cannot dictate or control the activities of its neighbours. Although unpalatable to some, it is prudent to note that regulated trophy hunting is the one avenue through which wildlife can create substantial revenue for the sustainable management of some small protected areas and environments as well as the upliftment of adjacent communities. Sunday Independent

Migratory Soaring Birds Project - Regional project manager BirdLife International requires a dynamic, self-starting individual to manage a cross-regional project that will mainstream biodiversity conservation, and especially the conservation needs of migratory raptors, within economically important sectors across the countries of the Middle East and East Africa. Further information about the project can be found here. The position will be based within the BirdLife International Middle East Division office in Amman, Jordan. Applications comprising a CV and cover letter should be sent to Taghreed Abujwied (taghreed.abujwied@birdlife. org) via email before 03 July 2009. For the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the position click here http://www. birdlife.org/jobs/jobs/2009/soaring_birds_regional_manager.html or write to Taghreed Abujwied via email.

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Kruger Krazies’ Claim to Shame

Near Berg-en-Dal

At Pretoriuskop rest Camp

1 Photos 1 ,2, and 3 were taken by Roli Bosch from Switzerland in May this year.

2

Near bridge over Letaba River.

3 These photos of transgressors of Park rules are published in an attempt to assist in restoring basic respect for others and the Park. Entries are sent by visitors, rangers and all people concerned wit the welfare of the Park and its visitors. kruger park times - 18 - kruger park times