Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 3 2016 i PRIVATE GAME | WILDLIFE RANCHING

Thursday, 21 April was a black day for the future of rhino in South Africa, for the genus as a whole (as South Africa protects approximately 98% of all rhino in the world), for the concept of sustainable utilisation of wildlife and natural resources as enshrined in our Constitution, for game ranching as an industry, and for biodiversity and conservation in South Africa. While many felt that we as a nation were unlikely to convince CITES to permit well-controlled, legal trade of rhino horn, it is a huge disappointment that our own Department of Environmental Affairs was the deliverer of the death blow to our dreams, to the future of the rhino and to the R14 billion annual contribution trade would have brought to communities, game ranchers and the government…

Ek dikteer dié boodskap terwyl ek in die hospitaal lê ná ’n ernstige ongeluk. Die blote feit dat ek dit kan dikteer, laat my besef… Ek leef en dit voel goed! Eerstens wil ek dankie sê vir almal, insluitend 'n hele klomp lesers van dié tydskrif, wat wense vir beterskap vir my en my gesin gestuur het. Ons is oorweldig deur boodskappe van regoor die wêreld – dankie! Die tyd in die hospitaal het my die geleentheid gegee om oor so baie dinge na te dink en weer die klein dingetjies in die lewe te waardeer. Goed, terug na besigheid. Ek het vanjaar verskeie geleenthede gehad om my siening te deel dat dinge op 'n positiewe manier vir ons bedryf in plek val, maar ons dikwels kies om te fokus…

Etorphine hydrochloride, registered in the United States under the trade name M99, has long been the drug of choice for capturing large game. But companies have sometimes been reluctant to invest in this dangerous product, which is lethal to humans, and current manufacturer Elanco Animal Health, which acquired Novartis Animal Health in 2015 and thus inherited the rights to the drug, is reportedly selling its interests therein. The drug has been in short supply for some time, but Dr Peter Oberem, vice-president of Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA), says that vets are increasingly reporting problems with obtaining M99. Part of the issue is that the manufacture and distribution of the drug must be stringently controlled. “From a production point of view, there are many challenges, not least the fact that…

By 'n seminaar wat ek jare gelede bygewoon het, het 'n spreker 'n onderneming of organisasie met 'n boom vergelyk. Sy het 'n foto van 'n pragtige boom vertoon en gevra wat ons sien. Ons het almal die stam, blare en blomme gesien, en toe ons fyner kyk, ook kleiner sade en selfs 'n nes of twee. Maar niemand het noodwendig die boom se wortelstelsel gesien nie. Dit was haar punt. Hoeveel keer wanneer ons 'n pragtige boom en sy blomme bewonder, dink ons aan wat onder die grond gebeur? Die boom sou nie kon floreer as dit nie 'n gesonde wortelstelsel gehad het nie. Ná my eerste ses maande by WRSA het ek 'n beter begrip van ons vereniging se wortelstelsel wat sorg dat ons boom floreer. Ons het…

In April and May this year we had various meetings with role-players and stakeholders to combine the total value chain of the industry in one organisation. This will give Wildlife Ranching Namibia (WRN) a much bigger footprint to cover the complete value chain of our industry with a much bigger membership base. We want this all-inclusive organisation because the four pillars of our industry are overlapping in many ways and the common denominator in every pillar is the wildlife rancher. As wildlife ranchers we realise the important role for best practice guidelines, training and information (research and knowledge). To the left is the proposed structure that will be approved in the near future. Each pillar will have representation on the main board of WRN to make it all-inclusive. 2. AUCTIONS…

The nippy breeze freshens my warm skin, cooling and soothing it in the November heat. In the distance, the moonlit, ghostly peaks of the Cederberg and Roggeberg flank the Tankwa plains – dry and dusty, as I discovered during the past few days. There is no humidity here. Just crisp dryness and as far as the eye can see not a single human source of light from my perch on top of the tower of a castle-style farmhouse. Yes, a Tankwa farmer some years ago was creative enough with the abundant slate of the region. The sky is alive. I want to reach to pluck out of the air one of the thousands of star fireflies that feel so close. I want to feel the wonder of a night sky…

Why, when we must dehorn anyway? Why, when there are people out there that would buy it? Why, when every tiny piece can be traced to the very animal on the very farm from whence it comes through the amazing South African RhODIS initiative? After a few weeks, all data is recorded, the RhODIS certificates issued and test results received. In our case, there is wonderful news: three cows are pregnant as are, surprisingly, two heifers less than four years old. This early conception is a result of the good nutritional supplementation they receive in an effort to attract them to a point near the manager's house and away from the fence against the public road at night. Veterinary fees and the cost of the testing added up to approximately…

Vroulike diere word algemeen te koop aangebied as dragtig gesertifiseer. Sulke diere word deur 'n veearts ondersoek (verkieslik met behulp van 'n sonar), en die veearts gee 'n sertifikaat as bewys dat die moeder dragtig was tydens die ondersoek. Dit is belangrik om te besef dat dit nie die geboorte van 'n gesonde kalf/lam verseker nie, en die verdere risiko verbonde aan die dragtigheid is gewoonlik die koper s'n. Sou die koei/ ooi dus aborteer of die kalf/lam vrek ná geboorte, is dit die koper se verlies, tensy die koper en verkoper spesifiek anders ooreengekom het. Wat egter meer onlangs begin gebeur het, is dat vroulike diere as dragtig van 'n spesifieke bul/ram aangebied word. Die vaderskap van die ongebore kalf/lam kan egter op geen manier voor geboorte bewys word…

Publisher: Pavo Publishers Author: Faansie Peacock Printed and bound by CTP Printers Cape Town Edition: 2015 Format: Paperback Pages: 351 To purchase the book, visit www.faansiepeacock.com The book is also available at all Chamberlain hardware stores. CHAMBERLAIN’S LBJS: The definitive guide to Southern Africa’s Little Brown Jobs At a time in our history when formal publishers such as Random House/Struik are reducing their publishing output, private enterprise is sponsoring some remarkable self-published books. Chamberlain, 'Famous for Hard-ware since 1903', has sponsored this magnificent publication by Faansie Peacock, a young ornithologist and artist. Avid birdwatchers – in other words those brave or mad enough to take on the arbitrary group of Little Brown Jobs (LBJs) (known as Klein Vaal Voëltjies in Afrikaans) – will be familiar with a…

Donderdag 21 April 2016 was 'n swart dag vir die toekoms van renosters in Suid-Afrika, vir die genus in geheel (aangesien Suid-Afrika sowat 98% van alle renosters in die wêreld beskerm), vir die konsep van volhoubare verbruik van wild- en natuurlike hulpbronne soos in ons Konstitusie beskryf, vir wildboerdery as 'n bedryf, en vir biodiversiteit en bewaring in Suid-Afrika. Hoewel baie gevoel het dis onwaarskynlik dat ons as 'n nasie CITES sou kon oortuig om goedbeheerde, wettige handel in renosterhoring toe te laat, is dit 'n baie groot teleurstelling dat ons eie Departement van Omgewingsake die doodsengel was wat ons drome, die toekoms van die renoster en die R14 miljard jaarlikse bydrae wat handel na gemeenskappe, wildboere en die regering via belastings sou bring, die nekslag toegedien het. Die onverstaanbare…

Discovery is the act of detecting something new, or something old that had been unknown. With reference to sciences and academic disciplines, discovery is the observation of new phenomena, new actions, or new events, as well as providing new reasoning to explain the knowledge gathered through such observations with previously acquired knowledge from abstract thought and everyday experiences. A discovery may sometimes be based on earlier discoveries, collaborations, or ideas. Some discoveries represent a radical breakthrough in knowledge or technology. During a period of flux in not only southern Africa, but the world, a new mind-set is dawning, which can best be supported by the famous quote by Albert Einstein: “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” The production of…

At a seminar I attended many years ago, a speaker compared a business or organisation with a tree. She screened a photo of a beautiful tree and asked us what we saw. We all saw the stem, branches, leaves and flowers, and when we looked closer, smaller seeds and even a nest or two. But of course no one saw the tree's root system. That was her point. How many times, whilst admiring a beautiful tree or its flowers do we consider what's happening underneath the ground? The tree would not have flourished if it did not have a healthy root system. After my first six months at WRSA, I have a better understanding of our association's root system that results in our tree flourishing. We have a strong root…

Erindi Privaat Wildreservaat se 2016-veiling op 2 April het afgeskop met meer as 500 gaste, onder wie niks minder nie as 152 geregisteerde kopers uit alle hoeke van Suid-Afrika en Namibië. Die parkeerarea was volgepak met 4x4's, helikopters en selfs ligte vliegtuie. Bederf met 'n heerlike ontbyt-buffet, baie gesels en breë glimlagte, het ou kennisse gegroet en oral is nuwe vriende gemaak, bedryfskennis uitgeruil en kameraadskappe bevestig voor die langverwagte veiling afgeskop het. Mike Bredenkamp, president van Widlife Ranching Namibië, het die veiling geopen en 'n persoonlike boodskap van die Namibiese president, dr. Hage G. Geingob, voorgelees. Mike het benadruk watter belangrike rol die wildbedryf in Namibië speel ten opsigte van werkverskaffing in die land. Niel Swart en sy span van Vleissentraal het hulle oudergewoonte uitstekend van hul taak gekwyt…

The South African Cabinet, after years of opinion gathering, has decided not to put a proposal to The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) on rhino horn trade. WHY? At a recent media briefing, Minister Edna Molewa said that it was not because of a fear of losing the vote at the CITES CoP (Conference of the Parties) to be held in September. Nor was it sensitivity around proposing a controversial issue at CoP, which South Africa is to host, and where we would like to be hospitable. Both these issues had been widely talked about as being of concern. As a country, we are not sure of exactly how much horn stock we have and mischief makers like to use that as an indication of inherently weak…

HONEY BADGER Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Subfamily: Mellivorinae Genus: Mellivora (Storr, 1780) Species: M.capensis Binomial name: Mellivora capensis (Schreber, 1776) DESCRIPTION The honey badger is the only species of the genus Mellivora and is closely related to the marten subfamily, Mustelinae. The main difference between Mellivorinae and Melinae (Eurasian badger) is dentition formulae – and though not in the same subfamilies as the wolverines (which are a genus of large-sized and a typical Mustelinae) the honey badger can be regarded as another analogous form of outsized weasel or polecat. Despite the honey badger's name, it does not closely resemble other badger species; it actually bears more similarities to weasels. It has a long body, but distinctly broad across the back,…

Sample collection is key to genetic testing. The results of genetic tests, even using the most sophisticated technology, are completely useless if there is any doubt where a sample came from. We have provided some guidelines and suggestions to assist game owners with improving sampling for genetic testing based on many years of experience in the sampling and identification of horses and other domestic animals. BEST PRACTICE SAMPLING GUIDE FOR GENETIC TESTING Step 1. Identify the animal that is being sampled. Microchips are the best form of rapid, positive and tamper-proof identification and should always be the primary form of identification for animals. The first time a microchip is implanted, a sample must be collected for DNA profiling and the sample linked to the microchip number by labelling the sample…

When it comes to romance, what better place to draw inspiration from than nature. Take a journey with me and discover the awesome beauty of the Bushveld! Whether you're looking for a romantic weekend away, a place to celebrate an anniversary, a honeymoon destination or the perfect place to ask that all-important question, you'll be spoilt for choice at any of the romantic camps and lodges in this breathtaking part of the country. The ultimate romantic getaway may be just what you need – days spent exploring nature together and evenings filled with romance. Just imagine… a private candlelight dinner under the stars arranged for just the two of you, memorable moments cuddling up with blankets and cushions next to a crackling fire… But there is so much more. Relaxing…

In view of the CITES CoP17, to be held in South Africa in September 2016, members of the European Parliament and stakeholders discussed the important relationship between well-regulated international trade legislation and sustainable trophy hunting as a tool to support communities and conservation HUNTING SUPPORTS PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE IN AFRICA Brussels, 26 January 2016. Shall the EU stop all imports of trophies from developing countries? This was one of the questions that MEPs posed to African Government officials, international wildlife trade experts and conservationists at the conference “Wildlife, use it or lose it?” held today in the European Parliament. Seeking to debunk common misconceptions, with a view of better understanding the available policy options for the conservation of wildlife, the conference chaired by MEP Renata Briano aimed at discussing the…

When talking about hunting safety we obviously have to start with our firearms. There is no such thing as an accidental discharge, commonly known as an AD. There is only a negligent discharge! Every hunting season a hunter dies tragically. Apart from the fatality, the person that was in control of the firearm must live with the emotional consequences for the rest of his/her life. The charge will also be murder. It's your duty as a responsible hunter to always follow safe firearm practices. If these safety practices aren't second nature to you, I advise you stay home until they are. “Firearm safety rules have been devised to minimise or eliminate the risk of injury when you handle or store firearms.” COUNTER THE FOUR COMMON CAUSES: Not following firearm safety…

It is shocking and unpleasant to see one's beloved rhino darted and a chainsaw taken to their horns, then see them walking around without their horns. I do not like it! However, after living through the trauma of one of our own being murdered, the horn hacked from her face while her traumatised three-week-old calf looked on, I realise that dehorning our rhino is one of the most important and effective measures we can take in reducing the risk of our having to endure the trauma of a successful poaching effort. We have no choice but to dehorn our surviving rhino every two years. Dehorning is not the only solution. We must do everything we can to increase the risk to the poacher, including increased surveillance and security, better policing,…

As I have mentioned in previous articles published in Wildlife Ranching magazine (see issues 1 and 2, 2016), image quality is something that is determined by the quantity of light that falls on a camera's sensor. This is controlled by the sensitivity of the sensor (ISO), the size of the shutter opening (aperture) or the speed at which the shutter opens and closes. These factors can be totally controlled by the camera (auto mode) or can be individually adjusted by the user. The three parameters also influence one another. Planning your shoot, or the images you want to take, is very important to ensure you get the best possible results. Let us look at two different scenarios and discuss the possible camera settings applicable to these two examples. In any…