Hi again,
Herewith, some snippets from various sources.
I appeal to you to send me items to distribute to our members for both the
Cleft Stick and to be posted on the web site. It is your magazine and
website, so ensure it gets the news that you would like to see in it.
Please let me have any changes to your physical address, phone no. or e-mail
address to keep the database up to date.
Thanks to all of you who have made the effort. Please will any of you who
know of members who do not get this “electric” Cleft~Stick, & have access to
e-mail, pass their address along to me.
Don Yunnie
7 Chalet Drive, Hilton, 3245, South Africa Local Tel & Fax (033) 343 1534 Int. Tel & Fax (+2733) 343 1534 cell 082 377 7562 E-mail dyunnie@xsinet.co.za.
If you do not wish to receive this e-mail newsletter please send a blank e-mail to me at the above address with the word “unsubscribe C~S ” as the message heading.
Moosa up for UN environment post
Siseko Njobeni , Trade and Industry Correspondent
FORMER environmental affairs and tourism minister Valli Moosa is a leading
contender to take over the reins at the United Nations (UN) key
environmental body this year.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) oversees environmental issues such as
climate change, biodiversity and protection of marine resources.
Current executive director Klaus Toepfer will retire at the end of March and
speculation about his successor has started. Sources close to the body
mentioned Moosa’s name as one of the front-runners.
Others are Toepfer’s deputy and Pakistani diplomat Shafqat Kakakhel, former
Norwegian environmental minister Boerge Brende, Costa Rican environment
minister Carlos Rodriguez and World Conservation Union executive director
general Achim Steiner.
If he was approached, however, it was unclear whether Moosa would be
available to take up the full-time position, given his business commitments.
After leaving public office in 2004, Moosa, with former North West premier
Popo Molefe, set up the black economic empowerment group Lereko. The group
has made investments in areas such as energy and transport and logistics.
Moosa is also a director of Cape Town-based Sterling Waterford Securities,
which trades in carbon credits.
Moosa was not available for comment.
The indications were that SA’s government had not forwarded Moosa’s name for
the position.
Environmental affairs and tourism department spokesman JP Louw said
yesterday: “The issue is not under discussion in government.”
However, the department and a host of African countries were behind Moosa’s
nomination and subsequent 2004 election as president of the World
Conservation Union, an international conservation organisation. Moosa’s
four-year term in that nonexecutive role ends in 2008.
Moosa was credited for SA’s successful hosting of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development during his tenure as environment minister.
One source said that after Toepfer’s retirement, the job should go to a
candidate from the developing world. A Canadian, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, held
the position before Toepfer.
UNEP spokesman Nick Nuttall said there were numerous challenges facing UNEP,
ranging from raising the number of marine protected areas to helping
developing countries adapt to climate change.
Another task facing the next leader was the drafting of laws to promote
environmentally friendly trade.
Toepfer is an avid supporter of the Kyoto Protocol, a pact among UN members
to reduce greenhouse gases.
"Mashups"
From: David Duthie david.duthie@unep.ch
Dear BIOPLANNERS,
I posted last year on Google Earth and its potential to show environmental problems in a new light by allowing all kinds of databases to be linked to a visual map.
Below are a few examples of how researchers are beginning to do this - and biodiversity researchers are amongst the pathbreakers it seems, including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
The examples show how it is possible to combine ecosystem-level, species-level and gene-level databases into geo-referenced systems using Google Earth to visualise the distribution.
The article below also highlights the difficulty of making a transition to real open-access conditions.
These articles also provide a reminder of how difficult it will be too close the digital divide between developed and developing countries in an IT universe that is itself expanding so fast!
Best wishes
David Duthie, Information Officer, UNEP-GEF Biosafety Unit, Email: david.duthie @ unep.ch
Should you want the entire document please let me know & Ill send a copy -
Don.
Culling elephants 'best option'
Read the story online:
http://www.news24.com/News24/Technology/News/0,,2-13-1443_1843275,00.html
Sent by: sanjiv Ranchod
Culling elephants 'best option', Dec 01 2005 09:33:27:320AM
Culling South Africa's growing elephant population is considered the most
viable and feasible method, say seven environmental groups.
Cape Town - Culling South Africa's growing elephant population is considered
the most viable and feasible method, seven environmental groups said in
support of South African National Parks (Sanparks) on Wednesday.
In a joint statement, BirdLife-SA, Botanical Society of SA, Elephant
Management and Owners Association, Endangered Wildlife Trust, Wildlife &
Environment Society of SA, Wilderness Foundation and WWF-SA agreed elephant
numbers needed to managed in order to avoid biodiversity loss.
"Culling is currently considered the most viable short-term tool in the
absence of any other feasible alternative," the statement said.
This controversial issue has been hotly debated in recent weeks as
anti-culling groups lobbied Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister
Marthinus van Schalkwyk for alternative solutions to be sought.
Anti-culling culling groups called for birth control techniques to be
implemented rather than the more violent culling option, which they argue
had disastrous consequences on sensitive elephant family units.
Thousands of elephants to be culled
Elephants Alive Coalition argued the plan to cull elephants in the Kruger
National Park was "deeply flawed, ecologically and ethically".
"This situation will be exacerbated as awareness grows about the lack of
scientific data to justify the proposed elephant kill."
But following a meeting with Van Schalkwyk, the seven said they fully
supported Sanparks in its efforts to control and manage elephant
populations.
Sanparks has proposed culling between 5 000 and 7 000 elephants it says were
damaging the biodiversity of the Kruger Park.
A total of 14 562 elephants were killed during culls in South Africa between
1967 and 1994, said Sanparks chief executive David Mabunda.
In the same period, 2 175 elephants were translocated to other parks.
The Kruger National Park was presently thought to have a population of 12
467 elephants. Had the culling not taken place there would be 80 000,
Mabunda argued.
The group of seven supported his views.
Anti-culling groups 'irrational'
They argued against the use of immuno-contraception or the expansion of land
for elephants as advocated by the anti-culling coalition, stating it was
costly and took too long.
Labeling anti-culling groups irrational, they accused those organisations of
misplaced sentiment.
"It is unfortunate that numerous organisations have emerged which are
campaigning for funds on the back of "saving the elephants". While we
appreciate these actions of sentiment focused on individual elephants, we
are not convinced that these efforts are in the best interest of wildlife
management nor of elephant populations in particular in South Africa, " they
said.
They argued that individual animal protection and single species
conservation where a species' survival was not threatened was a luxury "we
can ill-afford".
POSITION(s) Wanted
Clerical help offer
Dear Mr. Yunnie,
I receive Cleft Stick and look forward to every edition. (I am not an ex
ranger but have worked For Dr Player at Wilderness Foundation and got
involved with the Living Lakes worldwide partnership of lakes and wetlands.)
Right now I am unemployed because my contract came to an end due to lack of
funding. I am offering my services to anyone out there who has old
documents, reports, lecture notes, essays, scientific papers etc who would
like them to be scanned onto CD. I did a few thousand pages for WAG,
(Drummond could report on this) and admit that some of my early work came
out in a muddle because of my lack of experience and expertise but with an
up-to-date programme bought from US and now with lots of experience behind
me I could do a good job for anyone. I am sure there are hundreds of old
files out there containing vital environmental, conservation data which
should be saved from the work of moths, mould etc.
Is it possible for you to put an advert in the next edition of Cleft Stick?
My charges would be on a sliding scale of the more documents for less cost
per page..
Yours sincerely,
Rosanne Clark, P.O. Box 122, Himeville, 3256, South Africa
+27 (0)33 7021980, +27 (0)33 7021061, 082 3596736
rosanne@dbnmail.co.za (new address).
Reserve Management Relief
Please could you forward to your other members, owners and managers.
I will be offering to do relief work on game reserves and ranches where the manager is wishing to go on leave or other, and is requiring someone reliable and that knows what he is doing to stand in. I have over seventeen years experience in this industry, my main focus is on consulting work, but as I have found that I still have spare time available my relief management work could certainly be mutually beneficial to those concerned.
Thank you in advance
Carlos Tavares
ctavares@mweb.co.za, www.gameranchdevelopment.com, cell 082 654 5985
POSITION(s) AVAILABLE
Ranger required to start up and head a ranger station in the Battambang
Greetings from Cambodia!
The last time I spoke to you I was in Malawi. I am now on a short (year
long) contract with FFI (Fauna and Flora International) based in the
Cardamon Mountains (Western Cambodia) as Protection Advisor. Still working
with game scouts albeit a very different type to the Africans I know!
I must, and mean must write something for you on our experiences here and
promise to do so soon! We are in the heart of the Ex Khmer Rouge stronghold
and even our house is surrounded by landmine warning tape and often hear
explosions in the area!!!
Thankyou for your letter re the negative email criticisms, must admit, I was
wondering and you have clearly clarified the situation...Thank you!
It is an honour to be a member of the GRA and appreciate all the work you
all put in on all our silent behalves!
FFI in partnership with WildAid wi ll shortly be looking for an energetic,
adventurous ranger to start up and head a ranger station in the Battambang
Province (Northern Cardamons) for at least a year or possibly longer.
It is not going to be an easy posting as it is the Cambodian Army that do
most of the illegal logging and poaching and the salary they are offering
will most probably be around $2500 a month including flights and medical
insurance. This doesn't sound like much but I believe the experience for
someone who wants to experience SE Asia is fantastic!
The post has not been advertised yet, but I have been asked to send out the
feelers! I will send you more details as soon as I know for sure.
You are welcome to publish this on the Cleft Stick.
Best regards and warm wishes from Cambodia
David Bradfield, Email dnabradfield@yahoo.co.uk
Ranger position
I am starting a new project from 1st February and am looking for a young
Ranger to fill a position on the Reserve that I will be working on. Details
of the post are:
He/she must be fluent in Zulu and English, have some experience in the game
industry and working with staff. Duties include carrying out the daily
wildlife management tasks related to various programmes that will be
introduced, as well as daily tasking/checking staff on land management
programmes such as alien plant control, burning and wetland reclamation.
There will be some basic research and wildlife monitoring work to be done as
well.
We are not looking for a highly qualified Ranger as such, but rather a
younger person who has the aptitude for basic hands on hard work. So it will
suit a younger person with some experience wanting to continue a
conservation career.
Accommodation and transport will be provided and the salary will be
commensurate with age and experience.
Contact information.
Ian Thomson, Integrated Conservation Africa, Wildlife Management,
Environmental and Tourism Consultants.
PO Box 1301, Howick. 3290, South Africa
Tel/fax: 033 –3307424, Cell: 0829092945, email: ian@ica.co.za
Management couple
Ian Thompson suggested I send you an email. We are a four star luxury lodge
in the new Zululand Rhino Reserve and are looking for a management couple to
run it for us. Ian knows us well and knows the lodge. My wife ran the lodge
for 7 years and is keen to now spend some time with our two sons. The male
part of the couple needs to be fully qualified to do walks in a big five
area (if he has his own rifle it would be taken into consideration in the
screening process). The female component needs to have a minimum of three
years experience managing a hotel or lodge. The salary structure will be
determined by the couples experience but the job will pay well. CV’s can be
forwarded to Nicky at lodge@leopardmountain.co.za .
I would also like to be put onto the mailing list of your organisation and
receive the “Cleft Stick” as I am a ranger and professional hunter myself
and am interested in joining your organization. My email address is
office@africanhuntingsafaris.co.za
Kind Regards
Wayne Vivier
Tailpiece-
This is a real life exam answer of a Grade 5 primary school pupil.
Question: Write an English essay on the following question: “What is a crocodile?”
Answer;
The crocodile is specially built so long because the flatter the better swimmer. At the front of the crocodile is the head. The head exist almost only of teeth. Behind the crocodile the tails grows. Between the head and the tail is the crocodile. A crocodile without a tail is called a rotwieler.
A crocodile’s body is covered with handbag material. He can throw his tail off is he gets a fright but it doesn’t happen much because a crocodile is scared of nothing. A crocodile stays under water because if you were so ugly, you would also stay under water. It is good that a crocodile stays under water because a person gets such a big fright if a crocodile catches you that he first has to rinse you off before he can eat you.
A crocodile isn’t hardly as dangerous as people say he is, except if he catches you. The longer he bites you, the more it hurts. Very old crocodiles suck their people and buck they catch dead. If you eat him, he is a crocosatie.
A crocodile did not learn to swim with his arms so he uses his tail. The little brother of the crocodile is a lizard. The slow sister of the crocodile is a chameleon. The gay brother of the crocodile is a daffodil. The crocodile also has a dead brother, the frikkidel.
Matter of Fact
This is an electronic newsletter of the Game Rangers' Association of Africa. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Association, nor of the Editor. This is intended to be an exchange of news snips, ideas and communication between members. Newsletter content may be copied and re-distributed without authorisation. Correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at dyunnie@xsinet.co.za