Elephants seriously injured game warden.

A game ranger was seriously injured when his vehicle was attacked by a herd of elephants in the Kruger National Park (South Africa)Park
spokesman Raymond Travers said Thomas Mathosi was returning from a staff function in the far north of the Park with colleagues on Tuesday
when they happened on a herd of breeding elephants. As they watched the herd, a smaller group stormed them from behind, overturning the
vehicle. Two men were trapped while the other rangers were thrown clear, sustaining minor injuries.

 

Project to increase the distribution area of Black Rhinoceros

A Project has been launched in Dikholo (South Africa) with the aim of increasing the distribution areas of the Black Rhinoceros in Kwa-Zulu-Natal.462 Black Rhinos are currently located in that province, while the whole of South Africa has 1,000 and together with Namibia, Zambia and Kenia, the Black Rhino now totals 3,600. In 1970, more than 65,000 Black Rhinos could still be found in those four countries. Although those figures have been turned around, the Black Rhino still remains on the critical endangered species list. The problem now emerges that the growth of the Rhino population is slowing down as the Parks are reaching their saturation point. The idea is to settle the Black Rhino on privately owned ground that is suitable for them. The Rhino will remain the property of Enzemvelo KZN Parks but half of the newly bred calves, will be handed over to the property owners. The aim is to increase the Black Rhino numbers in the province to 1,000 and in South Africa to 3,000.

 

South African elephants could be culled

South African elephants could be culled in terms of the Draft Norms and Standards for Elephant Management (DN&S) released Wednesday, but only once other options had been considered.Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk made the announcement at the Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape, at the release of the DN&S for public comment.”And the standard itself is that: Culling may be used to reduce the size of an elephant population subject to due consideration of all other population management options,” said the minister.
“I want to emphasise that each proposed intervention will have to be part of a site-specific integrated management plan that is subject to stakeholder consultation and approval by the Minister or relevant MEC as the case may be.”
Growing numbers of elephants, in game reserves with finite space, are known to put a strain on the biodiversity of these areas.

Canned lion hunting laws

Canned lion hunting laws
South Africa environment minister announced long-awaited restrictions on lion hunting Tuesday, declaring he was sickened by wealthy tourists shooting tame lions from the back of a truck and felling rhinos with a bow and arrow.
Dismissing threats of legal action by the hunting industry, Marthinus Van Schalkwyk said the new law would ban “canned” hunting of big predators and rhinos in small enclosures that offer them no means of escape.
In addition, lions bred in captivity would have to be released into the open for at least two years before they could be hunted. Van Schalkwyk said a previously proposed six-month delay would not give lions enough time to develop self-defence instincts.
“Hunting should be about fair chase … testing the wits of a hunter against that of the animal,” he told a press conference. “Over the years that got eroded and now we are trying to re-establish that principal.” read more