Hi again
Herewith, some snippets from various sources.
I appeal to you to send me items to distribute to our members for the Cleft Stick, the Game Ranger magazine and to be posted on the web site. These are 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.
Dear BIOPLANNERS,
As the pendulum of opinion on climate change swings towards full recognition and a commitment to act, it does not necessarily mean that threats to biodiversity will disappear.
Most of us have thought that carefully-planned carbon sequestration in forests, either by avoiding the deforestation in the first place, or by ensuring that plantations do not displace natural forest and do not grow potential invasives, would be good for biodiversity - and they probably are.
But, the scale of necessary sequestration to stabilise emissions is likely to be so large that it is clear that "green sequestration" will not suffice - and some of the proposed "brown" (engineering) approaches to sequestration undoubtedly have great potential to harm biodiversity also (see article 1 below).
--- On a lighter note, although I do not think he is a BIOPLANNER, the Bishop of London is prepared to give something up - flying for one year.
Meanwhile, Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Airlines, is prepared to give up to $25mn to the best proposal for a carbon sequestration scheme. I will be asking Mr Branson to ensure that all of the projects get a "green screen" before they are shortlisted!
Best wishes
David Duthie
UNEP-GEF Biosafety Unit
Geneva
1. Reuters: Greenhouse gas ocean burial can start Feb 10
By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent Fri Feb 9, 11:32 AM ET
OSLO (Reuters) - International rules allowing burial of greenhouse gases beneath the seabed enter into force on Saturday in what will be a step toward fighting global warming, if storage costs are cut and leaks can be averted.
The new rules will permit industrialists to capture heat-trapping gases from big emitters such as coal-fired power plants or steel mills and entomb them offshore -- slowing warming while allowing continued use of fossil fuels.
"Storage of carbon dioxide under the seabed will be allowed from February 10, 2007 under amendments to an international agreement governing the dumping of wastes at sea," the U.N.'s International Maritime Organization (IMO) said in a statement.
The new rules, agreed upon in November, amend the U.N.'s London Convention on dumping at sea. Its text had been unclear about whether carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas emitted mainly by burning fossil fuels, counted as a pollutant.
The changes apply to oceans worldwide and could clear the way to more investment in future subsea carbon storage by governments and companies, despite criticism by environmentalists that there are few safeguards against leaks.
"This removes a lack of clarity and doubt for investors," said Tore Torp, carbon dioxide storage adviser at Norwegian oil group Statoil which opened the world's first commercial store of carbon dioxide in the North Sea in 1996.
A 2005 U.N. report, however, warned that such storage would only be widely applied if the penalty for emitting carbon dioxide to the atmosphere was $25-$30 a ton -- far above current prices in a European Union market.
It said carbon burial could be one of the top contributors to slowing warming this century. And in Paris last week, top climate scientists warned that global warming could bring rising seas, more floods, storms and heatwaves by 2100.
ACID, LEAKS Statoil's view has been that previous rules on ocean storage already allowed carbon burial. On land, national laws generally govern burial of carbon dioxide.
Greenpeace, which has branded subsea storage as illegal dumping in the past, said the revisions were too hasty.
"We think the London Convention has not taken objections seriously -- such as who will be responsible for leaks, who will oversee the storage, who will clean up," he said.
Carbon dioxide is not toxic but can lead to acidification of sea water, making it hard for creatures from shrimp to oysters to build shells. In heavy concentrations above ground it can displace air and so asphyxiate animals and plants.
The amendments pave the way for carbon storage in "sub-seabed geological formations" and say gases injected must consist "overwhelmingly" of carbon dioxide with no added waste.
Torp said there was uncertainty about what "overwhelmingly" meant -- emissions from a coal-fired power plant, for instance, might include some toxic sulphur dioxide.
Statoil has injected about nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide in rocks far below its Sleipner gas field in the past decade, with no signs of leaks, Torp said. Following Sleipner, two other big carbon storage sites are in operation in Canada and Algeria and more are planned.
Thursday, February 15, 2007 9:17 PM
21st century serfdom of wildcoast rural communal and commonages land to EU biofuels markets
Today, Feb 14, 2007, during the East London (Buffalo City) sitting of South Africa’s national biofuels strategy public participatory roadshow, I listened with disbelief as the Eastern Cape Provincial Biofuels Task Team presented their roadmap which was developed behind closed doors in conjunction with the ECDC (Eastern Cape Development Corporation), a parastatal who is understood to have recently invested in a large (and as yet nonproductive) biodiesel plant in East London which is to produce canola based biodiesel for export to the EU.
The roadmap showed that the Eastern Cape contains the sum total of 500 000 hectares of non-irrigated fertile land that is ideal for crop farming with slope gradients less than 8% and where there is adequate and consistent rainfall throughout the year. This prime arable land lies mostly in the former Transkei independent homeland and it is Government’s intent that this tribal land is converted from traditional farming systems into a intensive no till monoculture using roundup herbicide resistant GM crops. In an‘innovative’ addition to the present summer maize crop planted under the Governments existing massive food production programme (MFPP), canola will be planted as a winter crop. ZAR1.5billion has been committed to the provision of fencing and liming the land (ZAR3000 per hectare) to prepare it for monoculture. Furthermore, the Dept of Agriculture will subsidize the programme under the MFPP and it is likely that Monsanto, the multinational seed and agrichemical giant, will continue to act as a service provider under contract to the government to take the MFPP subsidy directly in return for supplying their patented GM ‘roundup-ready’ seed, pesticide, round-up herbicide, fertilizer and even mechanization services to the local communities.
The provincial biofuels task team admitted that it had undertaken no consultation process with the community or local farmers but seemed prepared to defend the programme to the death when challenged on its financial, ecological and ethical feasibility.
They seemed painfully unaware (and in denial) of any externalities of their GM monoculture model such as the endocrine toxicity of roundup herbicide at extremely low levels of exposures and, what was more amazing was that, they believed that their plan was economically beneficial to the local communities who would forgo their existing food gardens and communal grazing lands, including municipal commonages (and presumably much of their livestock) for a mere profit of ZAR3,364.00 per hectare. GM monoculture may seem financially feasible in America where it is subsidized and practiced on large farms, but in the former Transkei, where a typical household has access to 4 ha of land, it will provide a measly return of ZAR 13,500.00 each year, not including the externality costs associated with monoculture such as pollution of groundwater, soil and atmosphere and the destruction of soil life through roundup ready and fertilizer usage.
So who really gets the money from this initiative:
Profits on Inputs:
Maize: Monsanto to provide patented herbicide tolerant GM seed, fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide
Canola: Probably DOW Chemicals for herbicide tolerant GM canola, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides
Profits on Outputs:
Maize: is likely to be sold back to Monsanto for bioethanol production as per their published bioethanol strategy.
Canola: will be converted into biodiesel for export to the EU at the new biodiesel plant in East London, which is rumoured to belong to German company Tussen-Krup, located on the site of the former DOW chemicals plant. {DOW shut its factory down and in an ‘act of kindness’ they donated their premises to the new biodiesel initiative supposedly as a social responsibility exercise to minimize job losses in the area (and there I was thinking that they were such bad guys after their actions following the Bhopal disaster)}.
And in between this delightful corporate sandwich are the uninformed, semiliterate and impoverished rural communities in the Transkei who will probably get just as much say as anyone who questions the rather obvious miss of biomethane (biogas) from the national biofuels strategy. Biogas is a biofuel that everyone can easily make from their biowastes, especially those in the poverty stricken former independent homelands where more than two thirds of households have livestock (other than just chickens). The fact that there are over 15 million biogas digesters worldwide and 4,5 million biogas compatible cars on the planet seems a mute point to our national biofuels strategists, as is the fact that, by integrating biogas digester to a zero waste agriculture (ZWA) system (see attachment), it is possible to add over R50,000 of value and profits to each hectare from the effective processing of biowaste using the full spectrum of the natural kingdom, i.e. plants, animal, bacteria. algae & fungi.
Apart from providing biogas, for heating and electricity, ZWA can produce more oil from an integrated 500m2 algae pond than 1 ha of conventionally farmed canola. Furthermore, the incorporation of ZWA with the agrarian reform and land redistribution process will provide enough oil as a byproduct of food production, from 8 million family-owned small (5ha) farms under ecological land-stewardship, to satisfy all of South Africa’s vehicle fuel needs whilst creating 20 million jobs including organic and fair trade food distribution networks and cooperatives.
I urge you all to get to the biofuels strategy meeting in your area or make written comments to sandile.tyatya@dme.gov.za demanding that biogas and zero waste agriculture (ZWA) is included in the national biofuels strategy and that rural communities are at least informed about more profitable and sustainable alternatives such as zero waste agriculture.
Go zero waste and make your voice heard!
Mark Wells
0835006276.
MARINE MANAGEMENT STRENGTHENED IN THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE: SOUTH AFRICA.
Issues surrounding marine conservation are beginning to take centre stage in South Africa and even globally. With the world now finally acknowledging that marine resources are seriously under threat, more and more countries are starting to realize the importance of proper management of marine resources including South Africa.
As one of the means to ensuring the protection of our marine resources, the country has embarked on expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s). Within the southern coastal plain of the Western Cape Province of South Africa, a number of MPA’s and areas of importance occur. These include the De Hoop MPA - famous for its Southern Right Whale sightings, Walker Bay Whale Sanctuary, Dyer Island – an important seabird breeding locality and home to the Great White Shark and the proposed Stilbaai MPA.
It is without a doubt that areas of such ecological, social and even economic importance require specialized and careful management. Hence, CapeNature (the Provincial Nature Conservation Organization responsible for the management of these areas) with support from Marine & Coastal Management (MCM), WWF SA and the Avian Demography Unit, is providing training for staff members responsible for the management of these areas.
The staff that underwent the training are now, more than ever, a highly trained, motivated and competent team that is ready to tackle any issue relating to marine management. Training received includes Marine Protected Area Management, Commercial Dive Training and Level Three First Aid. In addition, there are two highly competent skippers, and a member who is busy studying for her Doctorate through the Avian Demography Unit in the team. Obviously the saying: ‘a jack of all trades is a master of none’, does not apply to this CapeNature team.
Marine Protected Area Management Training was generously sponsored by the WWF SA, Marine Program, while funding for the First Aid and commercial diving course came from the Marine and Coastal Management (MCM), budget allocated to the De Hoop Marine Protected Area. Boat skippers training for the rest of the team will be completed in early 2007.
Apart from the extensive experience that the team offers in Protected Area Management, an Environmental Education Officer has recently been appointed at De Hoop Nature Reserve. Amongst other things she will focus on ensuring that all sectors of neighbouring communities can realize the benefits of the MPA’s and become involved in the management thereof through awareness raising EE programmes.
Another great development in the protection of our marine resources is the building partnerships between CapeNature and the South African Police Service, South African Air Force (SAAF) and the Breede River Conservancy in assisting in compliance patrols. Aircraft are being successfully deployed to patrol the MPA’s and convictions have already resulted from these patrols. The public is strongly advised to be aware that the MPA rules and regulations will be strictly enforced and that marine compliance teams are operational at all times. The Overberg Fire Brigade is also coming on board and it is envisaged that simulated training operations will be set up between CapeNature and the fire brigade’s specialized dive-unit. We take the protection of our MPA’s very seriously, and we urge the public to adopt a similar attitude.
It is hoped that volunteer groups will be developed and be able to assist with various marine related projects. With this team now in place, a balanced and effective approach to all aspects of marine protection will be taking place within the region and the team is confident of success. This is really a new dawn for the protection of marine resources in the Cape Agulhas and Overberg Regions - something we should all be excited about.
Should people wish to find out more about becoming involved, they can contact De Hoop Nature Reserve at (028) 542 1253.
CONVICTION IN FISHING BOAT CASE
For immediate release
boat one...
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the Wetland Authority report that the owner and skipper of the Mozambican fishing vessel "Twanano" arrested in May 2006 pleaded guilty to four charges under the Marine Living Resources Act on Friday 2 February 2007 in the Richards Bay Magistrates Court.
Jose Ernesto of Maputo, the owner of the vessel, was sentenced to a fine of R500 000 with R400 000 being suspended for 5 years.
The skipper, Zacarias Nkaybosa also of Maputo, was similarly sentenced to R500 000, which was wholly suspended for 5 years.
The conviction follows the 2006 arrest of the vessel and her 15 crew off Kosi Bay in South African waters and allegedly within the sanctuary area of the Maputaland Marine Protected Area, a north eastern part of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park World Heritage Site.
It was alleged that the Maputo registered vessel had sneaked across the border in the dead of night to fish the protected South African reefs when it was picked up by the sophisticated monitoring systems of the Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) patrol vessel the "Sarah Baartman", that was lying in wait some distance out to sea.
The "Sarah Baartman" - able to operate in total blackout - closed unseen on the unsuspecting Mozambiquan fishermen and deployed a chase boat manned by KZN Wildlife Officers and MCM Inspectors which swiftly boarded her and arrested the shocked skipper and 14 crewmen.
The vessel was towed to Richards Bay where she remained under seizure.
The vessel's owner, who was not on board at the time, arrived to assist his crew in Richards Bay harbour and was promptly arrested and charged as well.
They were all held in custody until a two day bail hearing resulted in the release of the owner on bail of R100 000, and the crew on lesser amounts.
The charges relate to fishing in South African waters without a foreign fishing vessel license, possessing fish in a marine sanctuary, as well as fishing and anchoring in a Marine Protected area.
Richards Bay Organised Crime Unit's Inspector Sitha Makhanya and Wayne Evans, Marine Prosecutions Officer for KZN Wildlife, headed the investigation team, while National Prosecuting Authority Environmental Prosecutor Adv Robert Mortassagne led the prosecution.
Commenting on the outcome of the case, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife CEO Khulani Mkhuze noted that the case was significant.
"We have long known that foreign vessels were slipping into the Marine Protected Areas off the Maputaland Coast but, with their modern radar, were difficult to intercept as they would stay close to the border and flee at the first sign of trouble, " he said.
"The message that has been sent out during the course of this marine case - and other terrestrial poaching cases - is that we will bring all poachers to book and that they will feel the full weight of South African law," he added.
"What is most gratifying is that the close co-operation between Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the Wetland Authority, Marine and Coastal Management and the National Prosecuting Authority is working well, and I wish to record my thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff of all these agencies in so actively protecting our marine wildlife assets," he said.
Ends
Copyright © 2002
ECHO, 17391 Durrance Rd., North Ft. Myers FL 33917, USA
Phone: (239) 543-3246; Fax: (239) 543-5317
e-mail: echo@echonet.org; website- http://www.echonet.org
PAPAYA LEAF TEA AS A MALARIA PROPHYLACTIC?
COMPILED BY DAWN BERKELAAR
Published 2002 AN ECHO TECHNICAL NOTE
DISCLAIMER
ECHO does NOT recommend that anyone stop taking their antimalarial medicine in order to try this treatment. The only evidence for the effectiveness of papaya leaf tea in the prevention of malaria is anecdotal. No studies have been done to scientifically demonstrate its effectiveness.
INTRODUCTION: THE QUESTION
Does papaya leaf tea prevent malaria? In ECHO Development Notes Issue 69 (September 2000), we asked if any of those in our network had heard of the use of papaya leaf tea for the treatment and/or prevention of malaria. We were prompted by a question from two development workers in Indonesia who wrote to ECHO inquiring whether papaya leaves contained quinine. They wondered because tea from the leaves is widely used there in the belief that it prevents malaria. Dr. Rolf Myhrman at Judson College analyzed the bitter leaves for quinine, but found none. That does not, of course, rule out the possibility that some other chemical in the leaves may be effective.
Subsequently Dr. David Drake wrote us about the informal observations he made when he was head of a mission hospital in Zimbabwe. In the area where Dr. Drake worked, malaria is a very serious disease. The main type of malaria there is Plasmodium falciparum. Dr. Drake wrote, “We [missionaries at the station] started using papaya tea in 1990. I left the next year, but they have continued. It started out with only a few getting involved, and gradually more have caught on to its use as the years progressed. There are about 20 in the missionary family and about the same number of African staff involved. Some continued to take their regular commercial malaria prophylactic drug, but gradually none of the above took anything else but the papaya tea.
Those that are still at the hospital observed that even though that area of Zimbabwe had some of the worst malaria seasons ever, that those REGULARLY taking the papaya tea (twice a week) did not come down with malaria. Short Term workers who came from the US usually continued with their malaria medication. Under the same living conditions they often DID come down with malaria. They did not drink the tea.” Dr. Drake commented in an e-mail in February, 2002, that most of the missionaries still continue to take the tea and have not gotten malaria. Many of the national staff at the hospital have a natural immunity and so do not take the tea.
Instead, they seek treatment only if they come down with malaria. Dr. Drake frequently returns to Africa on special trips. On these occasions, he takes papaya leaf tea one week before, all during, and one week after the trip. He has used papaya leaf powder bought in tea bags at health food Papaya Leaf Tea stores in the U.S., and has also made the tea himself using a healthy dried green papaya leaf. He wrote, “We usually prepared the tea from a quarter teaspoon or one tea bag of dried crumbled papaya leaf, in a cup of hot water. We used it twice a week. It can be sweetened to taste, as it is slightly bitter.” Dr. Drake emphasizes that in his experience, papaya leaf tea is only effective if it is taken consistently. It cannot be taken at random intervals.
ECHO does not advise anyone to stop taking their medicine and begin drinking papaya leaf tea. However, after receiving the above information, we were interested to know what our network could tell us about their own experience or observations. The questions we asked were: Do you drink the tea yourself or know people who do? How do you make the tea? How often do you drink it? Do you know of people who drink the tea regularly and still get malaria?
Shortened - Full article available on request.
POSITION(s) AVAILABLE
MAREEBA TROPICAL SAVANNA AND WETLAND RESERVE
Reserve Warden(s) Position Description, February 2007
1. BACKGROUND
The Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland (WCTQ) is a not-for-profit membership organisation operating the Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve (Reserve). The WCTQ has a partnership arrangement with the Australian Bush Heritage Fund (ABHF). The Reserve lies at 450 metres above sea level on the northern edge of the Atherton Tablelands, approximately an hour’s drive from Cairns and Port Douglas and is accessible via an unsealed road from the Cape York Peninsula Development Road at Biboohra, some 7 kilometres north of the small town of Mareeba. The Reserve is a site of regional biodiversity significance for wetland and open woodland birds and mammals and is located close to the East-Asian Australasian Flyway.
KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
This WCTQ is actively encouraging applications from individuals or couples to fill the two Ranger/Reserve Warden positions. Wardens report to the Reserve Manager and the Chief Executive. Their role is to ensure the effective operation of the Reserve in accordance with policies and procedures of the WCTQ and as directed by the Reserve Manager. In the case of a single person applying, the Conservancy will seek to appoint in addition a casual Assistant Warden. The Warden/Wardens are responsible for all day to day running of the Reserve and its tourism operations. Key duties are as follows:
SELECTION CRITERIA (May be shared between couples)
Essential Criteria
1. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to relate to visitors
2. Excellent written and verbal communication skills including good presentation skills
3. Demonstrated work organisation skills with the ability to work hard in a challenging physical environment;
4. Demonstrated knowledge of Australian wildlife and conservation issues and a willingness to quickly acquire specific knowledge about the Reserve’s wildlife, particularly its threatened species.
5. Good computer skills including a working knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook, and the Internet.
6. A current ‘A’ Class Australian State drivers licence (or the ability to obtain one within a short period of time).
7. A current Senior First Aid Certificate (or equivalent qualification, or the ability to obtain one)
8. Relevant qualifications or experience in Ecology, Applied Science, Ecotourism or a related discipline, or enthusiastic and knowledgeable amateurs are also encouraged to apply.
9. Practical land management experience including use of equipment (chain saws, brush cutters, sprays etc)
The Reserve is now closed for the 2006/2007 Wet Season and will re-open at the beginning of April 2007, subject to the trafficability of Pickford Road. During this period, we can be contacted as usual on (07) 4093 2514 during office hours, or by email to info@mareebawetlands.com for bookings, enquiries, general information and volunteer programmes
Position(s)WANTED
1) Postgraduate (B.Sc Hons.) looking for practical experience in environmentally related careers. Main interests are environmental education, animal rehabilitation and illegal trade issues, however open to suggestions. Available from March, very flexible, eager to learn, hard worker. Contact Hermien Fourie at 083 760 7871.
Address: P.O. Box 653 Telephone: 083 760 7871
Kuils River E-mail: mienaf@hotmail.com
7579
I have a copy of her CV – ed
2) Hi my name is Brett Wallington.
I am looking for a wildlife management post where I can be involved in the management of a game reserve(s), where my role would be centred around issues such as resource use and the population dynamics of the various animals within the reserve. I have a BSc (Honours) in Ecology, Environment and Conservation from Wits University where my interests in game reserve management lead me to concentrate on resource ecology and population dynamics, working closely with Prof. Norman Owen-Smith. I also possess a BSc Industrial Psychology degree from Wits Unversity, which may be particularly useful in also assisting with the management of a lodge itself. I am prepared to assist with any conservation duties to enable me to learn the ropes and achieve that management position. In terms of commencing with duties, I would only be able to start from October this year, as from April to September I will be in the UK as I have been contracted to play cricket in England.
Regards
Brett Wallington, sinkwa@tiscali.co.za
Let me know if you want a copy of his CV or contact Brett directly (ed).
Tailpiece-
Following on from last issues story here sent in by Tim from Daily Nation, 2/7/2007
Holiday turns Sh105m sour as Briton departs
Story by PAMELA CHEPKEMEI
When Mrs Wendy Susan Martin learnt that she would be leaving Kenya after
her husband’s tour of duty, she decided to treat herself and her three
children to a last holiday in the Ill Ngwesi group ranch in Isiolo.
She had been in Kenya for four years where her husband, Mr Steve Martin,
worked for the British High Commission.
Mrs Martin would miss the visits to various game lodges and wildlife parks
which she had come to enjoy.
The journey to Ill Ngwesi started a month before she and her husband were
to leave for the UK. Besides Mrs Martin and her family, her friends also
came along. The six adults and 10 children travelled in three Land Rovers,
their eyes feasting on the landscape.
Bush run
The next morning, she and her friends decided to take a bush run around
the 22,000-acre ranch.
However, after covering some distance, an elephant appeared from the
bushes ahead of them and everyone ran for cover in different directions.
Mrs Martin’s attempts to seek refuge behind a bush attracted the wrath of
the elephant which went for her and attacked her with its tusks several
times as it smashed her on the ground.
“The elephant caught up with me and I remember being dragged for a
considerable distance through the bush,” recalled Mrs Martin after the
harrowing experience.
She still remembers the stabs of pain as the elephant struck her with its
tusks again and again.
“I remember feeling the full weight of the elephant on me,” she said.
As she lay motionless on the ground, the elephant went away perhaps
thinking she was dead.
Later, she was airlifted to Nairobi and flown out of the country for
further treatment. In all, she lost a kidney, her pelvis was shattered and
she had to undergo 13 major operations to restore her health.
Pain and suffering
Last week, Mrs Martin was back in Kenya, but not to visit another park.
She was at the Nairobi law courts where she is seeking Sh105 million as
compensation for her pain and suffering. She also hopes to warn other
people that elephants are dangerous and can kill.
If successful, she hopes the publicity her case might generate will lead
to the enactment of new laws to protect tourists who visit Kenya’s game
parks and lodges.
Mrs Martin wants the game ranch to admit liability for the attack.
She says the ranch, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and its director, Mr
Ian Craig, did not warn her of the dangers of jogging in the bush or
provide her with armed guards when she did so.
She also claims the staff at the ranch encouraged her to take a jog in the
bush. They also did not take any action to prevent the elephant from
attacking her.
To back up her claims, Mrs Martin called Ms Jenny Harber as one of her
witnesses. Ms Harber was one of the people who accompanied Mrs Martin in
her jog.
However, the ranch and Mr Craig have denied being liable for any of Mrs
Martin’s claims. According to them, they were not the occupants of the
area where the incident occurred.
“We will be showing that the circumstances are such that Ms Martin
willingly accepted to take the risk when she decided to conduct what she
calls a bush run,” said Mr Stephen Mwenesi.
Aware of dangers
Mrs Martin was well aware and had the capacity to appreciate the kind of
dangers and risks at Ill Ngwesi and that the animal which attacked her was
wild, not a tame one.
“She knew this was a wildlife zone and has indicated in her evidence that
they went for a wilderness experience. It was upon her to take care of
herself and not to throw herself into the danger posed by wild animals at
Ill Ngwesi,” Mr Mwenesi said.
According to him, Mrs Martin, should sue the Kenya Wildlife Service for
compensation.
Mr Craig, however, recalled how he flew Mrs Martin to Nairobi for medical
attention after the attack. “She was in an awful state,” he said.
Contrary to her claims, Ill Ngwesi lodge does not organise bush runs, Mr
Craig said before the hearing of the case was adjourned until tomorrow.
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