Culling-conservationists need paradigm shift

Dear Editor,

I am of the opinion that in an island reserve such as Pilansberg or Madikwe, if you cannot translocate the excess elephant, there is no other alternative but to cull in order to maintain the ecological integrity of the reserve. However, this is not the case with the Kruger National Park.

I, after spending many years living in Timbavati side by side with elephants and interacting with them on a daily basis, have formed a different view. National parks and reserves should be audited to ascertain whether the reserve in question could sustain an elephant population crash and if so elephant populations should be allowed to climb and crash as the natural cycles dictate.

The Kruger National Park has recently become a Transfrontier Park. An additional million hectares has now been fenced in with the KNP, which is now three million hectare in extent. This reserve could possibly sustain elephant populations indefinitely as occurs with wildebeest populations in the Serengeti.

There needs to be a paradigm shift in the thinking of conservationists who support culling and consider it the only the alternative.

Nature has looked after itself for millions of years; conservation is a new science and has only been practiced as "educated guesses" for about 80 years or so. We need to comprehend that culling is only one option of many and each situation is unique. To cull at this time while the park is expanding is premature. The elephants and other wildlife are stimulus-response organisms and will respond to any stimulus in their environment.

Culling will lead to more prolific breeding. Overpopulation will lead to some elephants moving into new areas without having to be forced. Allow them to do their thing and I am sure we will learn a thing or two and be pleasantly surprised. My vote goes to applying a flexible, accountable approach to the situation.

Marco Schiess
Umlani Bushcamp
Timbavati

Elephant Science Round Table meet in Cape Town

An international group of 10 scientists (a.k.a. the Elephant Science Round Table) are meeting in Cape Town today [19-01-'06] to discuss the report by SANparks that highlights the problem of elephant herd overpopulation in the Kruger National Park. The concern is what damage can be caused to the biodiversity. At the moment, population control options include contraception, translocation, increasing the range (making the park area larger) and culling.

"Culling should not be considered as an option, as it's cruel and unethical." ~ Animal Welfare Groups like IFAW.

Update 23-01-'06 : The Round Table has advised Marthinus van Schalkwyk (Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism) that there isn't enough evidence to warrant a large scale reduction of the elephant population in the Kruger National Park. Even though there is a lot of information, the Round Table scientists believe that more research needs to be done before a definite decision can be made.

“The Round Table essentially confirmed the diversity of views on this emotive issue, but also that role players are at the end committed to the same objective, which is to assert South Africa’s internationally recognised skill of conservation management,” said J P Louw, DEAT spokesperson.

Cape Flats to get a ZAR 8,4m boost

The City of Cape Town has allocated ZAR 8,4 m to reviving parts of the Cape Flats i.e. Khayelitsha and Mitchell's Plain. Khayelitsha will be seeing road upgrades and the installation of street / security lights (ZAR 4,6m), while Mitchell's Plain will see an upgrade of its beaches on False Bay coast and its sports fields (ZAR 3,7m).

Tourists can visit the local folk at the Cape Flats on an exciting cultural day-excursion, such as the Cape Care Cultural Route, Cape Cultural Township Tour or Cape Town City and Cultural Township Tour. See info on Cape Town & Western Cape.