Professional Documents
Culture Documents
August 2009 - e2
BioBoundary
Keeps Wild Dogs
in Unfenced
Reserve
Crocodile
Deaths
Continue
in Kruger
Forensics Help
Fight Ivory
Fraudsters
It’s War Kruger has intensified in the past year, with Park land situated in Mpumalanga and
two new concessions being opened in the Limpopo reports Slindile Khanyile in Busi-
SA National Parks has declared war on Makuya and Mthimkulu provincial parks ness Report.
poachers and warns it is going to win the in Limpopo.The exclusive Associated Pri- Blessing Mphela, the chief land claims
fight. vate Nature Reserves (Timbavati, Klaserie, commissioner, described this amount as
“Poachers must beware because we will Umbabat and Balule), which are part of the a conservative estimate, though it is the
seek them out, we will find them and they Greater Kruger National Park, were also in equivalent that the commission spent on
will be dealt with. This is a war that we 2008/2009 granted their highest ever el- settling 75 400 claims over 10 years.
plan on winning,” SANParks head David ephant and buffalo trophy quotas.To create Briefing journalists on July 22, about the
Mabunda told a media briefing at Skuku- the new hunting area, which lies north of progress made so far on the land restitution
za in the Kruger National Park (KNP) on Phalaborwa between the Klein Letaba and process, Mphela said the final figure spent
Thursday, according to a statement sent to Shingwidzi Rivers, SANParks will have to on this claim would depend on currency
Sapa. Mabunda said the KNP had lost 26 move the existing boundary fence, much of fluctuations and land value at the time of
white rhino and one black rhino to poach- which has recently been upgraded at a cost finalisation.
ers since the beginning of this year. of R270 000 a kilometre, about 3km to the The land claims commission was con-
The KNP would be using R2m - received west.A new fence, which must be able to ducting research and a decision was yet to
from the Parks Development Fund - to in- contain elephant, is likely to cost consider- be taken on whether the claim would be set-
crease the number of rangers in SANParks’ ably more to build than the existing fence. tled through financial compensation or re-
flagship reserve. turning the land to the claimants, or wheth-
“The funds will be used to employ 57 er both mechanisms would be applied.
more rangers, increasing the number of Sanparks Corrects “There seems to be a trend that the land
motorbikes, and... [for] purchasing a state Double Booking 2010 value is low when the sale is person to per-
of the art crime information management son but much higher when it is person to
system, all of which will increase visibility Following a system error in the booking state. This is speculation at the moment and
on the ground and improve our anti-poach- of accommodation for the June / July 2010 we are investigating,” said Mphela. No one
ing efforts.” Mabunda welcomed govern- period in the Kruger National Park, South is opposing the claims involving the Kruger
ment’s decision to return the army to pa- African National Parks has managed to National Park.
trolling the KNP’s eastern boundary, which make alternative arrangements for accom- source: http://www.busrep.co.za/
coincides with South Africa’s national bor- modating virtually all of the 17 affected
der with Mozambique. customers. The affected customers’ book- Archaeological Research
“The exit of the military three years ago ings were accepted into the reservation sys- at Sabi Bridge Post in
had created even more pressure on the work tem despite the allocated units having been KNP
of the rangers,” he said. already committed to a blocked booking
- SAPA arrangement made with MATCH for the An archaeological excursion will again
accommodation of international customers be conducted at one of the outposts of the
Moving Kruger’s Border that will be visiting South Africa during the Steinaecker’s Horse unit in the Kruger Na-
so Hunters Can Kill 2010 World Cup. tional Park (KNP) from 2 - 15 August 2009.
According to Sydney Soundy, SANParks This time it will be the site at Sabi Bridge,
Mike Cadman, reports in the Sunday Chief Operating Officer, the system error close to Skukuza.
Independent of July 12, that South Af- was picked up early in the process, which The project is lead by historical archae-
rican National Parks (SANParks) is plan- allowed the organization to rectify the situ- ologist; Dr. Anton van Vollenhoven and is
ning to move a 48km section of the world- ation before it affected more than the 17 undertaken by the research department of
renowned Kruger National Park’s (KNP) customers. “Virtually all 17 affected cus- Archaetnos Archaeologists, of which he is
western boundary fence to create a new tomers were contacted and offered alterna- one of the directors. Various students from
150km2 contract park specifically to allow tive camping sites within the Kruger Na- different universities partake in the excava-
trophy hunting. tional Park, with the exception of the two tions every year.
The southern African director for the Gauteng families customers who refused al- The aim of the Archaetnos Research De-
International Fund for Animal Welfare ternative accommodation offered to them, partment is to do archaeological and histor-
(Ifaw) Jason Bell-Leask said the plan to cre- and have instead taken their unhappiness to ical research. The Steinaecker’s Horse proj-
ate a new hunting area is an issue of “grave the media. We still want to find mutually ac- ect is now running for its twelfth year. The
concern”.”This cannot be disguised as any- ceptable solutions to these customers as far project is not funded by the South African
thing but a green light for hunting in the as are practically possible.” National Parks (SANParks), but they assist
KNP, which makes no ecological, biological, in some of the logistical matters relating to
ethical or economic sense,” Bell-Leask said. Kruger Park Land Claims the research.
“Kruger animals will be hunted if this deal, The Steinaecker’s Horse project was
in its current form, proceeds”. Legalised The government is likely to pay as much launched in 1997. The current phase will
trophy hunting in provincial and private re- as R20 billion to settle just 30 land claims last until 2010.
serves that share unfenced boundaries with for 400 000 hectares of Kruger National
Bird Records
ers out there, eager to add value to during that time,” said Doug Harebottle.
their bird-watching”, he added. “The listing of the birds in the order in
Some 554 bird-watchers are which they were observed allows for a crude
dedicated to the project. At about estimation of abundance, as common spe-
07h23 on Monday 29 June, the cies would generally be recorded first”, he
one millionth bird observation was explained. The data are then entered into
submitted to the project. Profes- specially developed software, and submitted
sor Les Underhill, Director of the to the ADU electronically.
Animal Demography Unit (ADU) Dr Phoebe Barnard at SANBI, chair of
at the University of Cape Town the project’s steering committee, says “The
which is coordinating the project, project has several aims, with one of the
said: “The 30th June 2009 was the most important being to map over a fine
second anniversary of the project, scale the distribution of South Africa’s
with 780,000 of the million records birds”. “This information will allow us to
being submitted in the past 12 make comparisons over time, especially to
months”. determine climate change effects on bird
SABAP2 is a partnership between distributions and to allow for fine-scale con-
the University of Cape Town’s Ani- servation planning.
mal Demography Unit (ADU), the A total of 125 of our birds are threatened
South African National Biodiver- and listed in the Red Data Book, so it is also
sity Institute (SANBI), and BirdLife important to monitor changes in their dis-
South Africa. The ADU provides tribution and numbers”. We need to know
Just two years ago, an exciting project was the technical skills, SANBI provides whether their numbers and ranges continue
initiated to map the distribution of birds in the financial resources and BirdLife South to decline, and whether or not our conser-
Southern Africa using the efforts of keen Africa’s members are the ‘citizen scientists’ vation interventions are effective.
civil society volunteers. Early on the morn- who are in the field collecting the data. “BirdLife South Africa’s members are
ing of Monday 29 June, the millionth re- SABAP2 uses innovative technologies, very involved in this project”, says Mark
cord was submitted to the project. where the submission of bird records, the Anderson, executive director of BirdLife
“Southern Africa’s bird-watchers are verification of the data, and the subsequent South Africa. “Some of our members have
making a massive contribution to one of preliminary analyses are all electronic. As become very passionate about SABAP2 and
the country’s most important biodiversity a result, the records on the project website their contributions to the project and ulti-
research projects”, says Doug Harebottle, (www.sabap2.org) are updated every three mately to bird conservation are invaluable.
from the animal demography unit, Univer- hours. This allows the project progress to It would be impossible to employ profes-
sity of Cape and manager of the Southern be monitored and, for example, see how sional ornithologists to achieve the results
Africa Bird Atlas 2 project (SABAP). the jigsaw puzzle of pentads (9 x 9 km grid of these ‘citizen scientists’.
Ornithologists and conservationists are cells) are filled, as atlasers travel to farflung The millionth record was recorded by at-
tapping into the skills and enthusiasm of reaches of the country to fulfil their bird- laser Christopher Patton, that of a White-
Southern Africa’s bird-watchers to collect watching passion. So far, 4681 or 27% of backed Vulture, ironically a species predict-
information about the distribution and rela- the country’s pentads have been atlased at ed to be negatively affected by climate and
tive abundance of its 850 or so bird species. least once. land-use change.
“SABAP2 builds on the success of SA- The project’s methods are very simple.
• The IUCN Red List has a long es- formation on the threats to the spe- • Birds are the best known group
tablished history as the world’s cies, their ecological requirements, with less than one percent of spe-
most comprehensive information where they live, and information on cies classified as Data Deficient,
source on the global conservation conservation actions that can be meaning that we do not have
status of plant and animal species. used to reduce or prevent extinc- enough information to say if they
It is based on an objective system tions. are threatened or not. However, for
of assessing the risk of extinction • Although only 2.7 percent of the many groups, we cannot say what
for a species. Species listed as world’s 1.8 million described spe- the situation is for a large propor-
Critically Endangered, Endangered cies have been assessed so far, tion of species and many of them
or Vulnerable are collectively de- the IUCN Red List provides a use- could well be threatened: 47 per-
scribed as threatened. The IUCN ful snapshot of what is happening cent of 1,045 species of sharks and
Red List is not just a register of to species today and highlights the rays, 35 percent of marine mam-
names and associated threat cat- urgent need for conservation ac- mals and 24 percent of amphibians
egories. It is a compendium of in- tion. are Data Deficient.
Sunday terhole is full and there is a fair amount of that seem to be nesting, though they do not
spoor there. seem to be doing this in earnest, and I think
Accompanied the warden to Tlapa-la- One day occasional leave. the trouble is now over for the season. 2272
Mokwena. Spoor of large herd of buffalo nests were pulled down, from which over
crossed Napi road from the direction of 300 chicks were killed, plus a large number
the Mbaymedi heading towards Mlalene. Christmas Day of eggs being destroyed. I should think that
Looked at Napi dam and found both adms in future years the big trees could be saved
full. It will be necessary to stone the two A quiet and orderly day. On patrol to Pre- from being stripped of their leaves by de-
spillways as these are likely to erode with toriuskop saw a herd of nine roan, one was stroying the nests as soon as they start build-
heavy rains. this season’s calf, two last season’s and the ing. The main attraction for buildings in the
During the last few days, weavers have remaining adult animals. Also saw a lone camp is the easily available supply of food,
started building again in some of the trees. sable bull at the Mhlanganene, this being mainly the porridge from the staff quarters.
Today pulled down 154 new and old nests. very much east of their normal habitat. Staff Christmas feast.
Went down to Crocodile Bridge. General duties. General duties. Received an enquiry from
The section received light soaking rains Dr Naude as to the position with the weav-
and the grazing looks good. ers. I notified him that there was no need at
Along the Lebombo flats there are large Sunday the moment for any action from his depart-
herds of wildebeest and zebra. Burnt block ment.
S14 along the new firebreak from Napi road Small flock of Quela in my garden. Road Land Rover: 40098 miles
to Ngwenyene. The grass is very green and patrol – Lower Sabie. Total for month: Ranger duties: 721
burning is very slow. Warden’s clerk now on leave till the end miles, other: 201 miles
Burnt through the centre of block S14 of January, which rather ties me down to Outside Park: none
from west to east. Skukuza as I the daily three Met recordings Private: none
This burnt well at midday, but I do not to do. Had the field rangers and three camp Petrol consumption: 18.4 mpg (miles per
think it worth the trouble to attempt to staff cut down the reeds opposite the restau- gallon)
burn this block any more. Saw several small rant. Light drizzle at night. Rainfall: 86.8mm
flocks of Quela feeding of grass seeds in The weavers have almost deserted the Field ranger establishment: 13
the Mbyamedi area. The Ngwenyene wa- camp now. There remain a few isolated ones Field ranger strength: 12
These park visitors were seen on the main road from Lower Some people.
Sabie to Skukuza. When I confronted them, they told me that Regards, Paul van den Berg, Cape Town
they wanted to get a closer photo of the Hippo.
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.
Frank Malubeke and Simon Ndlovu Hut attendants, Agnes Chauke and
tend to the maintenance at Letaba Paulina Nkhwaxu
Pretoriuskop is Tops
They were both frantically running up and
down alongside the fence. The mother was
stamping and snorting continuously.
A most upsetting situation.
We then went out on a game drive. My
husband reassured me that the mother
would somehow get to the calf.
On returning to the camp at about
14h00 the situation had not changed, but
worsened. The calf was laying down weak-
ly and exhausted and the mother was still
running up and down against the fence.
What do you do?
I then said to my husband I am going to
reception to report the matter. he was most
apprehensive, saying they were camp staff,
not game rangers. But I still went.
At the reception I was introduced to the
camp manager, Margaret JOnes and as-
sistant manager, Philip Mkhabela. On ex- calf and mother re-united.
plaining the situation to them, without hes- We were all so relieved.
In December 2008 we were residents itation they accompanied me to the fence. I have written this note to thank Margaret
at Pretoriuskop. One morning we noticed They then started to herd the impala and Philip for ‘going the extra mile’.
an impala calf on the outside of the camp mother towards the gate. This was easier Thanks again and keep up the good work.
fence and its mother on the inside. said than done. They had to herd the moth- And thank you for caring.
How this happened we do not know. The er and make sure the calf move with her. Best regards, Rina Bell, Boksburg
calf could only have been a few days old. this took about two hours and eventually
•ThoseI personally anywhere else in the world. To commer- days when one had to search for hours to
think this sucks. cialise it any more than it is already, is just see the best wildlife in an unspoiled environ-
up and coming middle class who going to spoil what one went there for. If ment, today - thanks to two way radios the
are not happy with the current self catering visitors want to stay in KNP, let them feel the “Park” is over run by these vehicles.
accommodation should either get a life or real experience as that is what is it all about, Sorry but we can not support such an
find alternate holidaying venues. and if they don’t like that, let them stay in idea of a luxury hotel inside the park.
The whole idea of visiting the park is to a concession (which is rubbish anyway and Pieter du Plessis, African Group Director
•
enjoy the basics in life. Want a five star ex- only created for generation of funds) or they
perience? Go elsewhere. can stay at one of the fancy lodges outside No Hotels In Kruger-Kruger Belongs
The park is already over commercialized. the various gates into the KNP. To The Animals Not To Humans
Regards, Denis So, no, please DON’T DO IT! A.M.Pretorius, Secunda