South African Wildlife: Who Really Cares? South Africa? Me and You?

South Africa is only 1% of the world's land mass, which is quite insignificant. However, it is home to 10% of the world's mammals, birds and reptiles, now that puts South Africa on the "take notice" list.



My most favorite raptor, the Bateleur

How much does South Africa care about it's wildlife. In talking to locals like Avril who owns and operates Wylde Ride (a cycling tour company) and Sleepy Hollow Backpackers (a hostel) in Pietermaritzburg, KZN in years past wildlife was the main South African tourist attraction. From an economic point of view wildlife was on top of the list as people thronged to the game parks. Today, with the population explosion and never ending poverty the wildlife has slipped way down in priority. Which puts it at risk not only because of less funding, but more critically less protection. Protection not just of the various species themselves but their ever shrinking habitat.

However, take a look at most any advertisement from South Africa. Be it for a car or a vacation you can almost count on seeing one of the Big Five included. Pick up a South African coin or rand note and you'll see one of wildlife's beauties.

Leon, a banker and avid bird watcher, thought that with as little homage that is paid the wildlife (especially the rhino right now) maybe the powers that be need should replace these icons that better reflect current reality, "the one with the most stuff wins".

It's so easy not to care! After all the lions don't organize a strike that impacts the car we drive. Nor do the elephants launch a huge campaign that makes a difference to our pocket book. The rapidly disappearing vultures don't have the slights effect on our garbage pick up. So why care?

It took me many years to start listening to what is happening to the wildlife in South Africa and I was born in South Africa! So I can't point any fingers.

What made me care?

Nature, the marvels of it have always been the greatest source of fascination for me. As I write this sitting on the patio of our cabin in Kwalala Nature Reserve, KZN a large woodpecker size bird I'm unfamiliar with flies into the tree above me, while a small Duiker (buck) with a hoof missing (probably caught in a poacher's snare) forages below, and vervet monkeys call to each other in the jungle like forest to the left.

Sunrise found us on the beach watching sea snails, shore birds and crabs along the magnificent South African coastline. All this in contrast to our drive here yesterday through miles of hills and vales that were totally void of any natural habitiat. Sugar cane and tree farms stretched for miles interuppted by about 30 miles of rural housing dotting the hills and valleys for as far as the eye could see. Trees and vegetation was almost gone leaving little but parched earth and rough brick homes. Livestock was sparse seemingly limited to a few skinny cows and herds of scrappy goats.

Why do I care? Because so much has changed since I was a girl here more than 40 years ago. The natural habitat is shrinking much too fast and with it the wildlife. More than half of the large mammals have disappeared from the African game parks since 1970! Disappeared from the very refuges that are meant to protect them!

2002 thru 2007 found Russ and I in the Philippians. On our flight over there I read a National Geographic article that only 5% of the rain forest in the Philippines remained and that by 2010 it would be gone. The Philippines could be an absolute tropical paradise for both wildlife and humans, but it has been devasted and exploited (or eaten, every thing that moves is either eaten or strung upside down and sold on the road side.)

A friend, Brother Reyes, told us how when he was a boy 40 years earlier their were eagles in the sky and monkeys and buck in the forests. The only Filipino eagles remaining (about 120 in 2004) were in two poorly financed sanctuaries south of Manila and in Mindanau. What a magnificent creature! What a loss not to see it soaring in the skies above the Philippine Islands any longer.

That five year experience seeing the lack of understanding for the part wildlife and it's habitat plays in our lives was a fast-forward of South Africa if we don't care now.

What makes you care? Wildlife's hope for a future is you and me.

My other most favorite bird of prey, the Secretary Bird

Keep 'Em Wild or...

After an inspiring visitors' tour of the Moholoholo rehab center Brian took us behind the scenes. A couple of days earlier they'd been called out to a mass snaring. Must have been awful! An entire lion pride (six), a wildebeest, two hyenas and a vulture had been brutally caught. Only one lioness with huge neck wounds and broken teeth hung to life the rest had died a slow painful death.

We were now heading to the injured lioness' secure rehab unit. Along the way Brian gently pulled back a tarp ever so slightly to let us peek in on a jittery Brown Hyena almost fully recovered and soon to be released. He beackoned us to follow him inside this small dimmly lit corridor. He spoke softly as we approached the second cage. I was stealing myself to see this poor lioness just laying there with her horrific wound.

Roooooaaaaaaar! My heart leapt into my throat as this huge animal with glowing yellow eyes loudly hurled herself towards us. She swung around and crouched in the corner facing us with those menacing eyes. It took every bit of courage I had not to retreat and dash out the door to safety. Here before me was this beautiful creature snatched from the jaws of death. Her recovery still percariously in the balance as the gapping hole in her neck can not be stitched and needs to heal from the inside out. Staving off infection being her rescuers biggest challenge.

We lingered for the longest few minutes in recent history. What a contrast! But an hour or so earlier we'd been led past the ambassedor animal cages. We'd watched two lions languish in their camp. Watched the cheetah lay in the grass and even the leopard didn't seem terribly threatening. We'd even put on a handlers glove and hand fed the vultures. But this lioness... now she was truly fresh from the wilds! Her fear of humans was intense and her defenses were on red alert.

She can never be released to the wilds again. Why I asked? For two reasons: Her fangs are gone so she can no longer fend for herself. Her pride is dead and another would never accept her.

Her options are therefor either death or life in captivity as an ambassedor. Which would you choose? Is there a right or a wrong? This is the difficult dilemna Brian and conservationists like him face every day.

He's not that heavy!  Or ugly for that matter.

From the Field: Helping People Saving Wildlife - There is Much More to Wildlife Conservation Than You May Think

Here I am in the middle of writing this blog entry when Russ walks in. He's just talked to Les in a cabin next to ours. Les is a national anti poaching expert. He's in this part of the country to do training. 294 Rhino have been poached this year in Southern Africa! 100 of those in Mozambique. Apparantly this whole poaching epidemic started with the issue of illegal permits. After an outcry that was stopped, however,the market in Asia was already established and the cruel sawing off of horns continued. When there's the ridiculous sum of $1,000,000 to get for just 8kg of processed horn you can understand why. It seems like a lot of money for little effort tends to bring the savage and crazy side out of humans. How narrow minded is the current adage: If it doesn't pay it doesn't stay!



Boabab Tree near Hoedspruit

Back to my original blog entry...
[Pics at the end... somehow couldn't get them inbetween! Go figure!]


It's been two weeks since we arrived and met with Libby who protects the habitat of her urban Black Eagles west of Johannesburg. Unfortunately as our flight out of Paris was delayed by a passengers medical emergency we missed chatting with Christo (who is a wildlife hero I wrote about before).
We left the big city and the High Veld and dropped down Van Reenen's pass into Kwazulu-Natal. Roz who within only two and a half years has organized a first response wildlife rescue and rehab center is our first stop. Her center has become a hub for country wide rescue and rehab information already. Not that the center tauts to address every wild birds or animals need, but they know the specialts and experts to get involved. Like Ben at the African continents largest and most advanced raptor rescues and rehab facility who we visited next.


Ben and Shannon are not only a create match as husband and wife, they established both the rescue and rehab center, with it's main objective to return these magnificent birds back to the wild, but also a sanctuary to house those that can't be and are used as ambassedors and trained free flying birds for Shannons marvelous educational demonstrations. There's nothing quite like having a Horned Owl soundlessly skim the top of your head in flight. Or watching the Lanner Falcon soaring high only to return to catch the lure in full flight with his talons.

I still can't help but chuckle as I think of our visit to the Jan and James and their Vervet Monkey project. This elderly couple is preparing for the thirteenth year to care for this springs injured or orphaned Vervets. They've not lost one of the 15 plus that arrive at their doorstep every season.

Along the way we meet ordinary people like Leon (banker), Shaun (health care administrator), Avril (outdoor adventure business owner), Thoko (high school teacher), Caroline (newly graduated conservationist), Andries (looking for job in conservation), Terry (Methodist pastor) who share their diverse experiences and understanding of what's really happening with South African wildlife today. The puzzle pieces are different than we had imagined! (You may want to read: Wildlife Conservation: Does One-Size-Fit-All? and The Catch-22 of Protecting South African Wildlife.)

Will and Carol, retired from their former lives, are dedicated to researching the behaviors of the only free roaming preditor that remains in South Africa, the leopard. Their bush home is on a 5,000 hecter ranch. So Russ and I forfitted showers and took off shortly after first light to explore at the waterhole below and by following game paths to the hill above. We were richly rewarded by: Kudo, grey Duiker, Vulture, Impala, Zebra and numerous song birds. Sure beats a morning walk in the suburbs!

Then while eating breakfast on the deck a baboon troop and then a small herd of wildebeest pass by. What a life? However, Will and Carol don't sit around much, the leopard project, safari TV (live online interactive educational program) and so many other protection efforts that would make anyone else's head spin, keep this entrepreneurial couple hopping. Will is not only creating the first free roaming leopard database ever, he also grows the young people he surrounds himself with. Nothing stagnant about what Will does!

Down the dusty road we travelled. Climbing one hill and avoiding one pothole after another in our little car with tiny wheels. Michele and Ian's bush school is really way out there! She wasn't kidding me. Surrounded by nothing but bush and wildlife the kids and volunteers are invited into a once in a life time experience. It was a gift for us to spend half a day with them. Risette, a volunteer from Holland, said it's amazing to see how at the beginning of the week the children arrive very quiet and heads bowed with little interest in the wildlife around them. By the time they leave their hearts are transformed and they cannot only name the wild animals but are excited to see them.

Off one of the main roads near the famous Kruger National Park is Donald's reptile center. Now Russ doesn't like snakes, but after talking to the enthusiastic Donald and getting our own private behind the scenes tour he had a change of heart. Donald's center is full of rescued reptiles that cannot be released. Those that have been dropped off there or he and his staff have rescued from behind peoples cubboards to those about to be killed by an angry farmer.

What a ride! Each day is a new adventure as much of who we meet are those that are put in our path! This amazing tour of meeting such wonderful people beats any vacation I could wish for... except to go relax on the beaches of Hawaii maybe... not!



Volunteers teaching the kids at the Bush School

Russ and Will at their Bush Home

Rescued Albino Python

A Black Headed Heron approaching the nest on a small island in an urban lake. Ermelo SA

Would love to add more pics but out of battery and out of internet time... till next time thanks for following.

Catch 22 in Protecting South African Wildlife

Remember being at the Zoo standing in front of a majestic enclosure in awe of the lion in front of you? With visions of a Discovery Channel Special you were enchanted by this magnificent animal of the wild.

Yes he is serving mankind as an important ambassador not only for his species but the whole animal kingdom. Yet it is a sacrifice he has not chosen to make. Sadness comes as you look deeper at the lethargic King of Beast in front of you. How long has it been since he roamed, hunted, bred… lived?

A rancher has the right to safely raise his livestock; a Leopard has the right to hunt and eat.

An injured bird of prey has the right to follow nature’s course and become food; a researcher has the right to capture the injured bird to understand so he can help.

The millions in poverty have the right to eat; endangered species have the right to survive.

A natural habitat has the right to exist for its interdependent environment of thousands of species; a farmer has the right to clear the land to provide for many of his kind.

Unlike the extremists on both sides, I do not claim to know the answers to the many paradoxes seen in our visit to Africa. But like a very wise 24 year old Leopard researcher said yesterday, “We have to take the situation as it is and do what is right by all”.

Extremism does no one any good. As an example the “bunny huggers” (let live at all costs), the Eco-scientist, and the politicians have created a horrendous situation in Kruger Park by not allowing the conservationists and rangers to do their job.

The Kruger elephant herd cannot be thinned by culling or transporting some to other places where their genetics may not match. And few want to risk looking bad or uncaring to the rest of the world.

As a result the maximum population of 9000 elephants in this magnificent Wildlife Reserve is now over 19000 causing major environmental destruction effecting all other plant and animal species.

Similar to party politics, the bickering and rhetoric continue while the best interests of the species are compromised.

Stay tuned for some interesting solutions to impossible problems by those willing to take a stand, consider all involved, and do their part large or small.

Impossible Made Easy at the Hampton's

What a privilege to be in South Africa and see where we can help. The projects we are evaluating are exactly what we hoped for; wonderful people accomplishing amazing things for wildlife and educating along the way.


It is so hard to choose which one to write about today... Russ picked this one...
 

Impossible Made Easy at the Hamptons


I knew this was going to be an interesting visit. When I called for directions Jan had me smiling in the first few sentences, called me ‘Love’ three times, and said I would have to get directions from her husband because she gets lost finding the same bathroom twice.

After we arrived interesting turned to fun, fun to amazement, and amazement into total awe of who the Hamptons are and what they are accomplishing. What a fascinating marvelously dedicated couple they are with a powerful sense of caring for animals for proper release back into the wild.

James does get in a few words edgewise but mostly it is Jan’s nonstop heartwarming conversation punctuated with pertinent knowledge, caring stories and down to earth reality. No injured beast is turned way but the Hampton’s specialty is saving neonatal Vervet monkeys orphaned by their mother’s death most often caused by humans.

When Jan said they take in 15 to 20 “tinies” each year from all over South Africa I had visions of the shut-in with 45 cats that never leave the house. Nothing but stench, filth and pandemonium…

But then she took us into their spotless intriguing home and nursery where the delicate process was revealed. Over 250 “tinies” have been rescued and reared over the past 12 years and they could hardly contain themselves for this year’s “crop” of 15 to 20, “It is the start of the season and we should be getting the first calls very soon.”

When the “tines” are 7 months old they are weaned and independent. Now ready to forget “mom and dad” they are put in a large enclosure and carefully mixed with older vervets to form a troop that is capable of surviving as a colony in the wild. The forgetting and adapting takes over 2 years and the Hamptons have one troop preparing to be released this year with another progressing well for the following year.

Presently they are in need of another troop enclosure as there will be an overlap in the troops this year. This wonderful couple has all the proper permits and accomplishes this major effort mostly on their retirement pensions and some help from the locals.

The funds to meet the urgent need for the enclosure are out of reach and they need help before this year’s “tinies” are weaned. James just wants help with the material as he intends to build the enclosure himself with some friends.

A closer glimpse into the Hampton's...

 
Sorry this one is turned side ways... have no idea why it did that!!!!
If you'd like to help these wee ones please click the "Donate" tab or visit the side bar Donate button.

Wildlife Conservation... Does One Size Fit All?

Russ talks with Leon a local wildlife advocate

YBK the bird that wouldn't leave (Whole story coming soon)

After touring just four wildlife protection sites we've had our eyes opened and our hearts touched. You can't help but admire Libby who knows and loves her black eagles. All you can do is stand back in wonder when you see all that Roz has got in place in just two years. A chuckle and a smile can't be stopped as exuberant Jan tells her stories about saving abandoned baby vervet monkeys. And you'd think they had a team of 20 when you learn all Ben and Shannon do to save the raptors.

Working toward release. Buck babies whose mothers were hit by a car.

But, does one way of wildlife conservation fit all?

Protecting, saving, preserving, conserving, rescuing, rehabilitating may all be what each is doing, however, where the divergence occurs is in how it's done and their basic philosophies about wildlife conservation.

Margrit and Libby with the Black Eagle Project

What a delightful woman! Jan and one of 'her' monkeys

Some conservation programs involve volunteers and others to feed, handle and nurture the injured young buck or bird back to full health, making it a community affair, sensitizing both young and old to wildlife and it's importance in their area. Others keep their wild animals and birds far from the public, providing very private rehab pens to keep them wild and afraid of humans. Then of course there are those who walk a tough line somewhere between the two.



Is there a right or a wrong? There are strong opinions at both extremes.

What do you think? We have many more to talk to so let's see what else we find out shall we?

Ben shows Margrit how this kites wing is pinned to help it heal properly

 

Wildlife and Other South African Challenges

Getting settled in takes a bit of doing. I didn't realize how much I'd gotten used to instant access via my phone and internet. Using our Iphones in South Africa costs $1.50 a minute! A bit pricey for a nonprofit wouldn't you say? Any way, after asking around we bought a prepaid phone this morning. Then there's the plug and voltage difference. In SA there are these huge clunky plugs that you need to find adapters to, and just when you do, the power goes out! Nope, actually Russ tripped a breaker by plugging in our strip plug. Then there's the WiFi when available is costly and paid for by the hour. Not sure if any of you have had this problem, but Face Book locked me out when I tried logging in from my new netbook in Paris! Haven't resolved that issue yet, so all in all, its a good thing we have no appointments today!

To the left of the waterfall the dark spot circled by white is one the active Black Eagle nests

I've been to some beautiful botanical gardens, in the USA and Europe, but non compares to the setting of the botanical garden that houses the Black Eagle Project. With the back drop of Roodekrans and two tiered waterfall of the Crocodile river this far flung garden is more like a park, and is used as such. Birders huddle in numerous blinds watching for water fowl. Young mothers gather on the lush lawn for a baby shower. A yoga class convenes each Saturday at the small pavilion. Two bush loads of kids and their families flow in with blankets and coolers. Couples, families and corporate picnics all are enjoyed among the native flora and fauna.

Yes,this botanical garden is not only a haven for birds and small wildlife but humans from all walks of life.

Leon, a banker, sat poised with his DSLR at the first blind. He does this every Saturday he told us. A way to destress from his crazy week. Leon was most interesting to talk to... more on this conversation later.

Shaun is in the health care field by day and a bird counter on weekends. For five years he has been involved in a bird atlasing project. He spends 2 hours twice a month in the botanical garden watching and counting They will be sad to loose him as he immigrates to Austrailia shortly... more on this conversation later too.

Then on Sunday at church we met some fabulous folks, along with Thoko, a local high school teacher, who just returned from Sweden. Two of her students placed third in an international evironmental studies project... quite an accomplishment. Not only that, this is the third time she and her students made nationals! We will be visiting Thoko and her students in a couple of weeks. Thoko is excited about Nikela and wants to be involved with creating wildlife advocates. So much more to come on this.

This week we visit two great conservation sites... really excited!

Egyptian Geese at the Bird Blind