Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 4 2016 i PRIVATE GAME | WILDLIFE RANCHING

The world seems to have gone mad with terrorist attacks in the Middle East, Europe, north and eastern Africa, violence in Zimbabwe, racism and xenophobia throughout the world, a global economic melt-down, Brexit… you name it. And because of the clichéd ‘global village' idea, all of these impact our local economy, often severely. We, therefore, need to be aware of global trends to forecast activities and strategise on how we need to respond. The first trend we need to take note of, is the so-called ‘greenies'. Maslow's hierarchy of needs applies when we talk about animal rights, vegetarianism, veganism and the like versus poverty, hunger, hunting and bush-meat. It divides the world into two, the affluent and the poor, with their different realities. It is easy to see something on…

Since the dawn of time, crocodile has always been in style. And today’s runways and luxury sales show that the premium reptilian leather can withstand not only changing trends, but also economic uncertainty. Since the dawn of time, crocodile has always been in style. And today's runways and luxury sales show that the premium reptilian leather can withstand not only changing trends, but also economic uncertainty. Would you pay R3.2 million for a handbag? There's a reason why many now believe an exotic-leather bag may be a better investment than stocks and shares: in June last year, Christie's set a new record when a fuchsia, crocodile-skin Hermès Birkin sold for just that. Perhaps even more mind-blowing is that it was one of 14 luxurious pieces the auction house cashed in…

“A Verified Conservation Area (VCA) is an area listed on the VCA Registry and managed to conserve nature.” VERIFYING THE CONSERVATION OUTCOMES OF WILDLIFE RANCHING IN SOUTH AFRICA In May 2016, at a signing ceremony at the 2nd UN Environment Assembly of the UN Environment Programme in Nairobi, Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA) became a partner of the Verified Conservation Area Approach (http://v-c-a.org). This approach aims to recognise conservation in the areas where we live and work, including the rural areas of South Africa, which are increasingly being managed for wildlife utilisation. A Verified Conservation Area (VCA) is an area listed on the VCA Registry and managed to conserve nature. WRSA members and others are invited to become registered VCAs by submitting audited conservation management plans for their ranches.…

Joint ventures (JV) are a useful tool to combine the resources of two entities or individuals to reach or entertain a specific goal. In South Africa the two types of joint ventures are contractual joint ventures and corporate joint ventures. Corporate joint ventures resemble a situation where two parties create a new company where each owns shares and contributes skill or capital or other resources to capitalise the operations of the newly formed entity. This article does not focus on these types of joint ventures. Contractual joint ventures are based on an agreement between two entities or individuals and/ or between entities and individuals. These types of agreements have the same qualities as partnership agreements but parties have the luxury of drafting a joint venture contract or agreement between them…

Ranchers with elephants on their properties must sometimes question their sanity given the mass destruction of trees, the volumes that elephants eat, their interest in destroying fences and pipes and their success at breeding. Let's hope that increased land values are sufficient compensation but there may also be some hope in future of a legal international market in ivory that would both reduce poaching and also generate income for conservation. Here is the argument: There are at least 400 000 elephants in Africa and about 8 000 of them die of natural causes each year. In 2015 about 20 000 elephants were poached which, together with natural deaths, would have produced 196 tons of ivory at 7kg per elephant. If half the ivory from natural deaths found its way into…

The wildlife industry received the Minister's announcement of the 2016 zero quota for the hunting of leopard in South Africa in the beginning of the year with great concern. Possibly the biggest question is what the unintended consequences of the zero quota will have on leopard populations. Game ranchers are convinced there are more leopards today than ever before, which might be good for the wildlife tourism industry but definitely not so good for those private wildlife ranchers, not involved in tourism, whose wildlife increasingly falls prey to leopard. Wildlife ranchers felt specifically let-down by those provincial nature conservation authorities that did not comply with the Department of Environmental Affairs' request over the past two years for feedback on key information about leopard hunts, including the dates of the hunts,…

The wildlife ranching industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in South Africa over the past two decades. Live wildlife sales make up a major part of this progression with the total value of game animals sold at formal auctions increasing from R93 million in 2005 to over R1,8 billion in 2014 (EWT 2016; Cloete et al. 2015). This is an average annual increase of 39% over these nine years and on top of this only 20% of all game is sold at auctions, meaning these figures should be much higher (ABSA Outlook 2014). The investment potential in the industry has attracted private interest that has led to a demand for quality game and thus pushed prices up. The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a prime example of…

“Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky. ”– Kahlil Gibran Since the beginning of time, trees played a vital role in our lives by providing food and oxygen. As the human developed, trees provided shelter, medicine and tools. Today the value of trees continues to grow and new benefits are discovered to fulfil our modern lifestyle. They are an important part of every community. In urban areas trees are lined up everywhere to create a peaceful and beautiful environment but they also increase our quality of life by bringing natural elements and wildlife habitats to these communities. Trees contribute to the environment by producing oxygen, improving air quality and the climate, conserving water, preserving soil and supporting wildlife. We as humans are more dependent on trees for our…

“One of the most remarkable achievements at Pumba is the white lion project.” Travelling east between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown on the N2, you'll find a gem called the Pumba Private Game Reserve. The history of Pumba can be traced back to the farm Cariega, once known as the Zuurveld. Following the Napoleonic Wars, over 4 000 English Settlers came to Port Elizabeth and were allocated farms in the Albany region where Pumba is situated. Over time, Cariega was subdivided into several smaller properties, a practice used to provide each son in the family with his own farm. The remainder of the original Cariega is now known as Pumba – a piece of land which was once a combination of 11 smaller crop-farms. Dale Howarth is a seventh generation descendant…

D it voel asof die wêreld waansinnig geraak het – terroriste-aanvalle in die Midde-Ooste, Europa, noord- en oos-Afrika, geweld in Zimbabwe, wydverspreide rasisme en xenofobie, 'n wêreldwye ekonomiese ineenstorting, Brexit… noem maar op. En weens die geykte gesegde dat die hele wêreld deesdae eintlik een groot dorp is, raak al hierdie gebeure ons plaaslike ekonomie, soms baie ernstig. Ons moet dus bewus wees van globale tendense sodat ons gebeure kan voorspel en strategieë kan ontwikkel vir hoe ons gaan reageer. Die eerste tendens waarvan ons kennis moet neem, is oordrewe omgewingsbewustheid – die sogenaamde ‘greenies'. Maslow se hiërargie van behoeftes geld wanneer ons aan die een kant diereregte, vegetarisme, veganisme en dies meer het, en daarteenoor kwessies soos armoede, hongersnood, jag en ‘bosvleis'. Dit verdeel die wêreld in twee –…

Africa's wildlife is under increasing threat. The seventeenth CITES Convention of the Parties (CoP17) will take place in Sandton, Johannesburg, from 24 September to 5 October 2016. The dramatic escalation in illegal wildlife trade, wildlife crime and CITES trade bans will be hotly debated by stakeholders (including international NGOs and animal extremists) and the future direction for the survival of our valuable species will be voted for by 182 CITES member states. CITES is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals. It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The ‘IUCN Red List of Threatened Species' is widely recognised as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation…

“Waarom moet ek ’n lid word?”… Ek is oortuig dit moet die vraag wees wat enigeen wat lede vir enige organisasie of vereniging werf, die meeste hoor. Dit is altyd vir my interessant om te luister na die antwoorde van die ‘bemarker', wat wissel van lighartige geselsies tot indiepte-verduidelikings van al die voordele wat die persoon deur lidmaatskap sal kry. Ek het dit ook vir baie jare gedoen – probeer om plaaslike jagters, professionele jagters, jagondernemers of nou wildboere te oortuig om by hul plaaslike jagvereniging, professionele jagvereniging of natuurlik Wildbedryf SA (WRSA) aan te sluit. Die afgelope tyd het ek begin met 'n teenvraag: “Waarom nie?” Ek dink dit was soms moeiliker vir die mense om my vraag te beantwoord as wat dit vir my was om hulle te…

“Dié teelgroep is in 2016 gestig deur Lee Vergottini, BJ Schutte en Kobus Crous Snr (snr), wat almal in die Mosselbaai-omgewing met wild boer.” Tydens Wildlife Ranching- tydskrif se besoek aan die Oos- en Wes-Kaap in Junie 2016 het BJ en Nastasja Schutte ons na hul plaas, Bergendal, genooi. Onbeskryflike natuurskoon het ons begroet en tydens ons kuier het ons kennis gemaak met 'n splinternuwe groep, Southern Cape Game Breeders. Dié teelgroep is in 2016 gestig deur Lee Vergottini, BJ Schutte en Kobus Crous Snr, wat almal in die Mosselbaai-omgewing met wild boer. Mosselbaai is bekend vir sy gematigde klimaat en is een van die belangrike groeipunte in Suid-Afrika. Omdat die teel van skaars wild nuut is in die suide en weste van die Kaap, het hierdie drie manne besluit…

“The trouble comes when more carbon dioxide and methane, made by what people do, absorb energy – it slows the loss of heat to space.” Vague daylight crawls over the sky in a pastel pink display, hippos honking in the distance. I survey the valley below, my tent perched on a platform of sand sculpted by last season's floods. I can stay in the sleeping bag a few more minutes. I need it. Yesterday was tiring, dragging aluminium boats across rapids – always wary of crocodiles and hippos. Every time I come here the river looks different and the crocodiles and hippos have new places! The river changes all the time. It has been doing that for ages. Crocodiles and hippos seem to be happy with the changes. I hear…

“To truly win our hearts, that rifle must take everything we can throw at it, yet deliver when called upon without fail.” What is it about a hunting rifle that evokes such strong emotions? For many of us, our prized rifle – be it the quintessential lever-gun, a sleek turn-bolt or even a slick self-loader – ceases to be a tool, instead becoming a journey that defines us. First, there is the long and contemplative search, one often so exhausting it leads to both elation for the acquisition and remorse for the end of the search. In that, finding a hunting rifle mirrors the range of emotions most of us feel when using it for its ultimate purpose, the killing of our quarry. And like the connection we make with…

 AFRICAN SWINE FEVER (ASF) – THE GAME RANCHER’S ROLE IN CONFINING IT TO ITS SYLVATIC CYCLE. “African swine fever is a severe disease of the domestic pig caused by a unique African virus found in Argasid ticks (soft ticks or hut tampans) and wild suids, viz. the warthog and to a lesser degree the bushpig, in which it causes an inapparent infection.” What an inconvenience it is: We as game ranchers have to purchase from WRSA a warthog permit book and then complete and issue any hunter who wants to hunt a warthog on our properties and take the carcass home with that completed permit. Well, the rationale behind this administrative burden was recently clearly demonstrated by three outbreaks of African swine fever diagnosed in domestic pigs in the Free…

(Adansonia digitate) is one of the most iconic symbols of Africa and don’t need any introduction. Over generations, a number of myths have been told across Africa to explain why the baobab is so unusual looking but yet so helpful. One is that the baobab was planted next to a small lake. The baobab grew until it started noticing the other trees. There were so many different trees, some taller and slender, some with bright coloured flowers and some with large leaves. One day he saw his reflection in the lake and it shocked it to its root hairs. He saw a huge fat trunk covered in bark that looked like the wrinkled skin of an old elephant bull. He also noticed his leaves are pale and his flowers are…

“The book is illustrated with a richness of excellently reproduced photographs.” Author: Peter Norton, Michael Gardner and Clive Walker Publisher: Jacana Media - www.jacana.co.za First published: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-4314-2338-5 Pages: 248 Recommended retail price: R280,00 RIVER OF GOLD Narratives and exploration of the great Limpopo. The title of this book is derived from the Portuguese name for the Limpopo, Rio de Ouro, which reflected a belief that the river was a highway to the riches of the legendary King Solomon's mines, and the publishers have chosen an appropriately stunning photograph to reflect the title. In summary, the book traces the course of the Limpopo River from its many sources in Botswana, Zimbabwe and various places in South Africa, including rather unexpectedly, the goldfields of Gauteng on the Witwatersrand. From these…

“Why should I become a member?”… I am convinced this must be the question any person who promotes membership of any organisation or association hears most often. I always find it interesting to listen to the replies of the ‘marketer', which vary from light-hearted chit-chats to in-depth explanations of all the benefits the person will receive through membership. I've also done this for many years – try and convince local hunters, professional hunters and outfitters or now game ranchers to belong to their local hunting association, professional hunting association or Wildlife Ranching SA (WRSA), of course. Lately I have started with a counter question: ‘Why not?' I think it was sometimes more difficult for the person to reply to my question, than it was for me to convince them that…

Johan van der Merwe – alombekend vir sy intensiewe rooibokteelprogramme en sy voorleggings en praatjies oor kleurvariant-teelprogramme (’n artikel hieroor het in Wildlife Ranching, uitgawe 6 van 2015, verskyn) – is positief oor die spesie se toekoms. “Wanneer ek by ’n veiling opdaag, oorval die ouens my met vrae oor die vooruitsigte van rooibokteel. Ek het besluit om my positiewe uitkyk hier te deel,” sê Johan. Johan gesels verder so: Sedert 2010 het die rooibok, en veral die kleurvariante van die rooibok, bogemiddelde veilingspryse behaal danksy ’n bogemiddelde vraag na hierdie teeldiere. Uitgesluit die hoëwaarde-spesies soos swartwitpens, buffel en goue wildebees, was die swart rooibok by verre die mees gesogte spesie onder wildboere, konvensionele boere en beleggers. Om die waarheid te sê, vir die grootste deel van die afgelope agt…

When the first national parks were proclaimed in South Africa early in the 20th century only a handful of elephants remained within the country's borders, but ever since our national elephant population has been growing. Today, South Africa is home to more than 18 000 of these gentle giants, making up about 4% of Africa's total estimated population of 450 000. No scientifically-based numbers for elephants exist for Africa. The numbers are based on guesses and it is estimated that more than 100 000 were lost since 2012 due to ivory poaching. As early as the 1950s concerns were expressed about the potential impacts of confined elephant populations on their habitats. The first management interventions in South Africa to limit these impacts followed in 1967, when elephants were culled in…

“The food supplied not only fills their bellies, but must supply all the nutrients needed for the animal’s particular physiological stage.” WHAT DOES THE WORD ‘FEED’ REFER TO WHEN FEEDING ANIMALS? In the wild, herbivores tend to select food that will sustain their nutritional needs for maintenance, growth, pregnancy, milk production and general health. This food generally comprises of grass, forbs, shrub/tree leaves (browse) and fruit that grow naturally in a given environment. Certain animals only select grass (white rhino), others eat the leaves of trees (kudu, giraffe), others a combination of both (impala, eland) and some prefer fruit (blue and red duiker). This also applies when wild animals are kept in captivity, i.e. enclosed in camps and camp systems including zoos and bomas. It is therefore important to realise…

“The species may be near threatened, but the leopard remains a top large predator in South Africa.” The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has set provincial leopard trophy hunting quotas at zero for 2016. This action is perceived as a total ban of leopard trophy hunting throughout South Africa for a year, yet it is claimed that the ‘2016 zero-quota' is not a ban on hunting of leopard. The Minister acted on advice of the South African Research Authority. Ostensibly the action was justified, based on information gaps and uncertainties regarding the status of leopard, population numbers, fragmented habitat, lack of confidence in harvest management, illegal off-take, poor monitoring of trophy hunting and little incentive for conservation. Leopards are quintessential cats, being nocturnal, mostly solitary, elusive, secretive, and range over…

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: CarnivoraFamily: FelidaeSubfamily: FelinaeGenus: CaracalSpecies: C. caracal Binomial name: Caracal caracal (Schreber, 1776) DESCRIPTION The word caracal is composed of two Turkish words – kara, meaning black, and kulak, meaning ear. The first recorded use of this name dates back to 1760. Alternative names for the caracal include gazelle cat, red cat, red lynx and rooikat. The caracal is also commonly known as the Persian lynx, or African or desert lynx, despite the fact that the caracal is not a lynx at all. Although both have tufted ears, the lynx is spotted and blotched, while the caracal shows no such markings on the coat. It is also thought to be most closely related to the African golden cat, as the caracal is similar in build,…

“In 2013 the rhino became the first animal to be named the Newsmaker of the Year by the South African Press Club. This is a huge honour although for the wrong reason.” Tourism to South Africa has grown significantly from approximately one million tourists per year in 1990 to almost 10 million visiting the country. The growth in tourism demand was matched by an increase in the number of game farms that offer different tourists different products, such as game viewing, photographic safaris, hunting and unique wildlife experiences. The South African tourism industry is therefore hugely dependent on its wildlife products. One of the brands that attract millions of tourists – both domestic and foreign – is the Big 5 and within this group the rhino currently stands out. In…

“We stand on the edge of a major opportunity to become the number one hunting destination, the number one ecotourism destination and the number one game meat producer/exporter – a whole new wave of growth and prosperity.” South Africa has more game and a wider variety of game species than most other countries. Our wildlife ranching industry has grown over the years and is a viable industry with on-going economic potential to increase the global supply of our game meat. Our main game areas are in the Limpopo Province, North West, Mpumalanga, the Free State, Eastern Cape, Karoo, the Kalahari in the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. South African game farms produce between 120 000 and 150 000 tons of game meat a year but exports less than 2 000 tons…

LIVING MUSEUM BACK IN BUSINESS My chat with Clive Walker, the pioneering conservationist, author and artist, features mostly good news. A book he has co-authored about the Limpopo River, River of Gold, has just been published and the Waterberg Living Museum, which he established in the Waterberg near Lephalale, is back in business. After a six-year land claim during which Clive was unable to proceed with his work, he can now continue his activities, including establishing a series of natural history and cultural museums, a library and educational centre. These will all be fully functional by November this year and will provide the Waterberg area with a unique and valuable resource. “Apart from bringing back wild game species, game ranching also protects resources such as water and soil, and promote…