Hi again,
Herewith, some snippets from various sources. Some of our colleagues are being severely challenged in this issue. We need to further broadcast the concept of “Protecting the Protector”
Our condolences go to the families.
On a different note, who caught Tony Pooley on BBC Prime on 20th July, (22:00) in “Missing: presumed eaten”? He was called as an expert witness in a crocodile case where an overseas visitor was reported missing – eaten by a croc. Tony was able to prove that, at that time of the year, it could not have happened as there was insufficient water in the river to support the attack theory. He was seen in several scenes outside the court house proudly wearing a blazer with the GRAA badge on the pocket.
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.
Sad Times at Kyabobo National Park, Ghana, From: Peter Hartley
It is with regret that I have to report on the death of two field rangers, Paul Nyame and Ntim Obofor at Kyabobo National Park. The two were fatally shot when the patrol they were operating in was ambushed by a large group of armed men.
On Monday the 11th of July the patrol was patrolling along the boundary line in the south of the park. At 10hr00 the patrol of five walked into a well planned ambush set by members of a particularly antagonistic community. Without any warning approximately 25 attackers opened fire, fatally hitting Paul and Ntim. One other ranger was hit in the leg and managed to escape the ambush with the other patrol rangers. A support patrol which was close to the ambushed patrol, responded to the gun fire and cries for help, but they too came under heavy fire and were forced to take cover.
It was extremely difficult for the park management and indeed myself to hear the pleas of help from the patrols over the VHF radio system, knowing that it would take at least 6 hours to reach them. Unfortunately the rescue team was unable to reach the patrols before darkness fell and were forced to spend the night a mere 3 kilometers from their besieged colleagues. At first light the rescue team reached the scene and recovered the two bodies and moved as a group to a suitable LZ on the ridge top. At 13hr00 that afternoon the Ghana Government dispatched an Air Force helicopter to recover the men and the bodies. Unfortunately the helicopter sent was a large Russian Mi8, which was too large to land anywhere in the immediately vicinity of the group. A food and water drop was however carried out before the helicopter had to return to base. That night the entire group walked out of the park to a friendly village on the Togo border and were airlifted back to the Head Quarters the following morning. They all received a hero’s welcome by the entire town of Nkwanta.
The motive of the attack was in response to boundary disputes and sustained anti-poaching operations in the area over the past two years. The staff have remained strong and are determined not to allow this to influence their responsibility to protect one of Ghana’s protected areas. The Ghanaian Government have viewed this attack in a serious light and have provided unbelievable support in the form of resources and man power. Investigations are under way and a number of ringleaders have already been arrested. The arrests of the people involved in the actual shooting will begin in the next few days.
I had the privilege to have worked with the two fallen men, who I can describe as loyal and committed to the end. They were, as are the other Kyabobo Rangers some of the best I have worked with. They will be sorely missed, but will be remembered for all time for their ultimate sacrifice.
Pete Hartley
Kyabobo National Park
Ghana
Friends
Having just returned from the dedication of a memorial for Wilson Ndlovu who was trampled by a elephant earlier this year, I sadly convey this latest news to you. See Peter Hartley's message above.
Tim Snow
To Tim (Snow):
I was about to send the final report of my oral presentation " Defending the wilderness defenders" to the 8 World Wilderness Congress, when received this bad new...
I remember all the enthusiasm Peter had in his article about that park in the National Park International Bulletin, and now we see this.
My deep condolence to the families of our colleagues Paul Nyame and Ntim Obofor.
It is good to know that the Ghana government want to stop this and is supporting well the work of the park.
Hope!
Juan Carlos
Rhinos set foot on Ugandan Soil, UWA gets home, From: John Makombo
This is like the celebration of a new baby after many tears of infertility. We are here in Uganda celebrating the arrival of four rhinos in Uganda. Uganda Wildlife Authority is proud to have these rhinos in Uganda after many years of rhino extinction in the country. As we celebrate, we urge you to have a Champaign over there remembering that we have "quadruplats" in Uganda. The rhinos got extinct in Uganda in the 1980s and were recently re-introduced after about 20 years. The first batch was that of 2 rhinos which are kept at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre for mainly educational purposes. Read on for more news after the next paragraph.
Meanwhile Uganda Wildlife Authority is celebrating the completion of its multibillion (Uganda shillings) office building that has also been named MOUNTAIN GORILLA NEST. Uganda hosts more than half of the total population of the Mountain Gorillas on the universe. We are happy to be at home where no person will knock at our door and squeeze us hard till the last drop of blood for rent. Thank you for your prayers and you are welcome to Uganda.
After three years of preparations, fund raising, training and construction, the first rhinos have now arrived at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary!
The four rhinos that were captured at Solio Ranch in Kenya last February, arrived early this morning at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakitoma, Nakasongola.
The two males and two females, of the Southern White subspecies, were kept in a boma (enclosure) at Solio Ranch after their capture. During the boma period, usually 6-8 weeks, rhinos are trained to be relaxed in their crates, in order to facilitate the transport to their new location. Without this proper boma training, the rhinos could have stressed and hurt themselves while in the crate during the long journey to Uganda. Due to a delays in obtaining the necessary Kenyan export papers, the rhinos overstayed their boma training period for more than 3 months. They received good care from two Solio rhino keepers plus two Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary rangers.
The four rhinos were moved into their crates and loaded onto the trucks on Monday. Each truck carried one rhino. The convoy, escorted by a vehicle from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (contracted for the capture and transport of the four rhinos), set off from Solio Ranch near Nanyuki on Monday 4 PM. Two vets, from Ziwa Ranchers Ltd. and from the Kenya Wildlife Service, were travelling with the rhinos. The convoy reached Malaba border post at 4.30 AM on Tuesday, and once the customs and immigration offices opened, it took 8 hours to get the animals cleared. A vehicle from Uganda Wildlife Authority with two veterinary officers, joined the convoy at the Ugandan side of the border. The delayed was due to the unavailability of the veterinary papers from the Kenyan side.
After a 920 kms long journey that took 34 hours in total, the animals reached Ziwa Rhino sanctuary at 2 AM today. They were off loaded into their receiving bomas in the morning.
All four animals underwent the long journey well, and are in excellent health. There were some concerns during the journey because they refused to drink water, but the moment they left their crates they started drinking. They also seemed to enjoy the Ugandan grass very much!
The purchase of the four rhinos was made possible by funding from European Union, who also played a major role in the establishment of the sanctuary. Other donors that provided funding to Rhino Fund Uganda for the construction work at the sanctuary, were UNDP GEF/SGP, DAS Air Cargo, Wasmoeth Wildlife Fund and the Dutch Government, US Fish and Wildlife, International Rhino Foundation, Disney Animal Kingdom, Save the Rhino International and others. With their support, a 40 kms long, 2 meter high electric fence was erected, an airstrip, a visitor centre and rhino bomas were built, and a ranger force was trained. Rhino Fund Uganda and Uganda Wildlife Authority work closely together in the rhino reintroduction program.
The sanctuary aims to import 10-15 more rhinos, in order to create a viable founder population and start breeding. Donations of white and black rhinos have been requested from the Kenyan and South African governments. In total, 50 rhinos can live at the 7000 ha sanctuary. Ziwa Ranchers Ltd. has given Rhino Fund Uganda the right to breed rhinos on their property in 2002, and they have since then played a major role in setting up the sanctuary.
The rhinos will be under quarantine regulations during 30 days after arrival. After this period, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary will open its doors for visitors. The sanctuary also runs an education program, and schools interested in visiting are free to contact the sanctuary manager, David Bakeine.
Transkei poachers a major problem
This was reported on fairly widely and made local newspaper headlines. Joint teams from DEAET, DWAF, SAPS and Prestige Security have shot many dogs and made 5 arrests in poaching incidents in indigenous forests during the past 2 weeks. The gun battle in Sneezewood Forest on Sunday 10th July left 3 poachers wounded. One died of his wounds in hospital. Two shotguns and a bakkie were seized. The other 2 arrests were made on Sunday 17th July in Bulembu Forest. Large-scale poaching is taking place in State forests of Transkei. Poachers are armed with high caliber weapons including AK47s. They come from far and wide and it is believed that gambling takes place on who will get the first buck, whose dog will make the first kill, etc. There have been several incidents in the past where poachers have been apprehended (one article previously published in TFJ covered an account of an anti-poaching operation). Poachers often shoot at the authorities who are trying to enforce the laws. Several Foresters and Forest Guards have been shot and killed in the region during the past few years. The fact that MEC Andre de Wet has stated that poaching and environmental crime will not be tolerated is a positive message from the Eastern Cape government that should be welcomed, not only by hunters, fishermen and conservationists, but by all law abiding citizens.
Regards
Div
Transkei poachers a major problem, By Deon van der Merwe
ARMED poaching in the forests of Transkei poses a major and very dangerous problem.
This is the word from Nature Conservation deputy director Div de Villiers, in reaction to Sunday's running gunbattle between police and security personnel and a 20-strong poaching party in the Sneezewood forest near Kokstad, during which one of the alleged poachers was killed and two more seriously injured.
De Villiers yesterday said his information was that all three injured men had initially been admitted to the Rietvlei hospital near Bizana, where one later died.
One is still in the hospital while the other was transferred to a hospital in Mthatha. Their condition has been described as stable.
There have been no other arrests but police are conducting follow-up operations and are confident of making arrests and bring the fugitives to justice.
Piecing together Sunday's events, De Villiers said an unarmed patrol of officials from the departments of Nature Conservation and Water Affairs and Forestry had confronted the armed hunting party of about 20 men with some 30 dogs.
"The poachers became aggressive and shots were fired," De Villiers said.
The patrol then called in the police, who, backed up by staff from Prestige Security, raced to the scene.
A running gun battle then ensued and three of the alleged poachers were wounded and arrested.
"The others managed to escape," De Villiers said. Four dogs were destroyed and police seized two shotguns and a bakkie.
"Reports from people on the scene indicated that the poachers were firing some pretty heavy caliber rifles - possibly assault rifles," De Villiers added.
He was reluctant to comment on the question of why the patrol, principally a Water Affairs and Forestry operation, was unarmed.
"Our (Nature Conservation) people do carry arms when deemed necessary but as far as this incident is concerned, Nature Conservation was only involved in co-ordinating the patrol."
Water Affairs and Forestry staff had their service firearms withdrawn several years ago, reportedly during the tenure of Kader Asmal as minister.
In a related development, the MEC for Economic Affairs, Tourism and the Environment, Andre de Wet, last night said the matter of arming government patrols in dangerous areas needed to be revisited.
"The situation could quite easily have turned out much worse. The poachers were heavily armed and while it's regrettable that there was a death and injuries, its fortuitous that there was no greater bloodshed."
De Wet said arming of officials should go hand-in-hand with proper weapons training.
"We have to do something to see to it that our people are in a position to protect themselves ... they cannot be left at the mercy armed and aggressive gangs."
Amanzi Canoe trails – Orange River
Anyone contemplating driving to next year’s AGM, might be interested in the following, if he/she has a week or so to spare, either side of the meeting.
In April 2005, 14 intrepid KZN Wildlife staff, ex-staff and friends took off for the Orange River and environs, for a five day canoeing adventure trail, run by Amanzi Trails, based in Capetown. Our start was at Abiqua Camp, near Vioolsdrift, on the Namibian border. Most of us had barely done any serious canoeing before, so our guides Johan and Ellias had a good few laughs lined up for them.
Over the five days, we covered approximately 120km to the confluence with the Fish river, sleeping out under the stars (only one woesy took a tent, ann she will remain nameless), which was really great, as we started at full moon and had clear skies every night. Johan and Ellias, after a hard day laughing at us, produced some amazing meals, right there on the river banks. You can self-cater, but you would be missing out.
Over the five and a half days, there is a good mix of flat water and some interesting rapids (some named quite appropriately : King Kong, Nappy Ride, Witches, Snotklap – say no more!) into which several would-be “Duzi-ists” were dispatched. A certain crew got, what would probably be the equivalent of “the most golf ” prize. They actually swam more than they canoed. The last two and a half days are through the Richtersveld National Park – a very unique experience for most of us.
Johan and Ellias have been involved with this river for many years and know which hazards are likely to cause a swim. Despite informing us how to tackle the rapids and where each rock was, we ignored them on several occasions and paid the price!! You will be given information on how to keep your clothing and other necessary items dry.
It is probably better to organize your own group of friends with the group size of about 10 or 12 people.
For further information, contact Johan and Colleen De Villiers at colleen@amanzitrails.co.za
Submitted by Mike Farley.
THE GROUND HORNBILL PROJECT
Alan Kemp suggested I contacted you with the updated information on the Ground Hornbill Research and Conservation Nonprofit Organisation which is based at Mabula Private Game Reserve, near Warmbaths, Limpopo Province.
This is with the hope that The Game Ranger's Association of Southern Africa can help us attain our objectives in the Limpopo Province.
The Project has been going since 1999 and we have concentrated on the harvest, handrearing and release of these birds, along with captive bred birds and wild re-habilitated birds, back into the wild, where the Southern Ground Hornbill is in some trouble and declining to the point where if something is not done immediately they will have disappeared from the unprotected areas in the Savannah Biome, which is largely in the Limpopo Province.
We have been funded for the last five years by WWF-SA - The Green Trust as an emerging project, which has now been taken over by the Ground Hornbill Working Group of EWT, also as an emerging project. We are also sponsored by Sasol Limited and the San Diego Wild Animal Park and other friends of Ground Hornbills.
Alan was a co-founder of this Project and now works for the Project, to which he brings his enormous knowledge and his experience and his track record enhances our work emmesurably.
Prof. Derek Englebrecht, of the University of Limpopo, is also considerably involved in our work. We have been accumulating sightings records and nesting sites in the Province, and in other areas like the Eastern Cape and the Transkei and Natal, for several years, and we will now be placing artificial nests where groups require them, mainly on private farms. From these nests we will, as we have been doing in Kruger for many years, harvest the second chick (which always dies of starvation as these co-operative breeding groups only rear one chick on average every 9 years, and two enormous chicks they cannot sustain).
We then bring the chicks to Mabula where we hand-rear and on fledging release into the group we now have on the Reserve, which we have created and are free-roaming and self-sustaining. With the experience of wild, but monitored release here, we have been able to augment these juveniles into non-viable groups in the wild.
Of course we have to be extremely careful where we release these rather precious birds, as the reasons for their decline in many areas is human induced. Secondary poisoning, cutting down of large nesting trees, and shooting (for window breaking in new buildings in their habitat).
We set up a Public Awareness Programme some years ago, and have had a huge response from all over the country. This has been by means of the return of sightings data, and calls from owners of land who have ground hornbills and those who want them.
We do have posters, suitable for communities and schools and pamphlets about the predicament of the birds, which we wondered if you could help us distribute, and perhaps spread the word about the present status of this Flagship Species, which is under review with the South African Red Date List to raise it's status.
I recently sent a letter to Grant Hine at FGASA about the project for publication hopefully in the Newsletter, as it is rangers who have the gateway of instruction to visitors to their reserves, and therefore a large number of ears who should know about our wildlife, and that if we do not take care of it it will not be here for their grand children to enjoy.
Alan, Derek or I would be only too pleased to give talks on the subject if you think there is any group who would be interested.
I do look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes from us and ground hornbills everywhere.
Ann Turner
Co-0rdinator
The Ground Hornbill Project, Mabula.
Cell : 083.743.4370
"If Cranes are the Trumpet in the Orchestra of Evolution (Aldo Leopold) maybe the Ground Hornbill can carry the Melody into the Future"
The Ground Hornbill Research & Conservation Project, In partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust
Private Bag X1644, Bela-Bela, 0480, South Africa, Tel: +27 (0) 14 734-1788, Fax: +27 (0) 14 734-0013
Cell: +27 (0) 83 743-4270, Email: project@ground-hornbill.org.za.
POSITION(s) AVAILABLE
Research Assistant needed for New Lion Conservation Initiative
The Born Free Foundation (www.bornfree.org.uk), a UK based animal conservation and welfare charity, is seeking a dedicated biologists to work as Research Assistant in its new lion conservation initiative. The recruit will work in association with WildCRU scientists (www.wildcru.org), collating data on lion distribution, lion-human conflict, and international trade in lions and their body parts.
Candidates should have a degree on biological sciences (MSc in a relevant field desirable), experience in independent research, excellent report writing, demonstrated interest in conservation and environmental issues. A Basic knowledge of wildlife trade issues and experience with conservation or environmental organisation desirable but not essential.
Long-term position, subject to Born Free's standard 6 month probation period. Based in Horsham, but regular travel to Oxford and overseas.
Closing date: 12 August 2005.
South African Crane Working Group Fundraising and Administration Coordinator
The Endangered Wildlife Trust, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, has grown over the past thirty-two years into one of the major non-governmental conservation organisations operating throughout southern Africa.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust seeks to appoint a professional Fundraising and Administration Coordinator to ensure the continuous and effective operations of the South African Crane Working Group - one of the Trust’s largest Working Groups.
The preferred candidate will have exemplary administrative and organisational skills. A highly professional person is required with strong communication skills to ensure effective working relations with colleagues based around South Africa. The ability to think creatively and to employ excellent negotiating skills in order to liaise with sponsors in industry and elsewhere is essential. Event coordination, fundraising and media liaison are critical aspects of the position and therefore previous experience is preferable. Proficiency in the use of e-mail and management of web sites is also required. An understanding of or willingness to adapt to the conservation – NGO environment is essential. Knowledge of and experience using the range of Microsoft Office programmes is required, as it experience managing budgets and finances. Fluency in written and spoken English is required and the ability to converse in at least one other language will be an advantage.
The successful Fundraising and Administration Coordinator will work within an established Working Group and be a team player, reporting to the Working Group Manager.
This is a contract appointment.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust is an equal opportunity employer.
Successful applicants will be required to attend interviews in Johannesburg and the selected candidate will be based in Johannesburg.
Applicants are to submit a comprehensive CV, as well as a motivation as to how they would see their role in this post.
All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Candidates who have not been contacted within 14 days of the closing date, must please assume that their applications were not successful. The EWT reserves the right not to make an appointment.
Closing date: 15 August 2005
To apply please e-mail your CV to alisond@ewt.org.za
Or post to “Human Resource Manager”, Private Bag X11, Parkview, 2122. Or fax to +27 (11) 485 1506
Summary of activities:
Tailpiece-
For those who love the philosophy of hypocrisy and ambiguity.
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
