http://www.iol.co.za/news/sout...od-rancher-1.1332551

Freak buck ‘act of God’ – rancher
July 2 2012 at 04:24pm
By Sheree Bega



A Wildlife rancher has described the increasing numbers of white, bronze and black springbok, Golden Wildebeest and black impala on SA’s game farms as an “act of God”, dismissing allegations of inbreeding and genetic pollution.

“Golden Wildebeest was seen in the Tuli Block in 1930 while black impala occurred naturally in Limpopo,” said Gert Dry, the president of Wildlife Ranching SA, this week. “These colour variants are not the result of genetic manipulation or interference by humans. It an act of God… and poses no threat to biodiversity.”

But conservationists are concerned about the mushrooming of colour variants, on many of SA’s 10 000 game farms.

Dry said the sector supports game ranching practices to protect and reproduce natural colour variations and allow the market to dictate prices and numbers required.

“Colour variants are wrongly condemned as ‘man-made genetic manipulation’ and a ‘threat to biodiversity’. We certainly don’t promote colour variants as popular hunting specimens.

“Commercial breeding is very profitable because these animals are in high demand and fetch high prices at game auctions. The income from these sales is keeping the game industry alive. Given the scarcity of colour variations in a number of species, the prices for these animals are much higher than those of the more common colours.”

Colour variants occur naturally in the wild and make up 1 percent of the 3.5 million head of game. “Recessive genes in the gene pool of wild animals sometimes produce offspring with unusual colouring. They are not a different species, just another colour. The increase in numbers is a function of line breeding of scarce animals.”

But Karen Trendler, a wildlife rehabilitation expert, raised concern about the impact on conservation. “The breeding of colour variations is a major concern. Yes, these animals do occur – a very rare occurrence – in nature but the animals are now being bred very specifically for their colour variation.

“They manipulate genes and are breeding for the recessive genes, which are rare. Very often, this comes with other weaknesses and problems. That is why these animals are rare in the wild. An animal such as the king cheetah occurs naturally but with its beautiful colour comes a very high incidence of eye problems.

“Where do you draw the line between what is conservation with economic benefits, and what is purely commercial game breeding that may have bad side effects for conservation? Having farms of pink wild, black impala, that is not conservation, that is purely commercial game breeding.”

Numbers of white lion were “increasing unnaturally” while white blesbok are prone to predation and black springbok struggled to deal with hot summers.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Kirsty Brebner said in the wild, colour variants “stand out like a sore thumb”. “They’re sought after because they’re rare, and they’re rare because they don’t fit into the environment terribly well. There’s a huge price on their heads and no conservation value at all.”

Prof Graham Kerley, who heads the Centre for African Conservation Ecology at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, agreed. “Maintaining and encouraging such colour variants represents artificial selection by wildlife breeders and thus is simply a case of domestication.

“This is reflected in changing gene frequencies through artificial selection methods such as inbreeding. So the principle of domestication is contrary to conservation.”

Professor Louw Hoffman of Stellenbosch University has now been commissioned to evaluate whether colour variants pose a threat to biodiversity, examining the factors that influence colour in animals.

An abhorrent aberration. An abomination. All you have to do, is check the adverts in the "Game and Hunt" magazine. Included in "game ranching" are the efforts in breeding bigger horns. A further abhorrent practice of introducing sub-species from elsewhere, including Western Roan and Tanzanian buffalo. Me thinks Gert is whistling out of his nether regions.

How about the white-faced cape buffalo bull whose picture was on this site some years back. Things happen in nature.

I saw a white faced red hartebeest in Namibia 3 yrs. ago.
The rancher wanted it shot as he doesn't want freaks on his ranch, but he gave us the slip.
It would have been a meat animal to me, no charge.

Nature has also in the past dealt with any "freak". As long as there is a demand by hunters for these new "species" there will be an industry in breeding them. Must say I habe a hard time keeping up with all the "new" species appearing.

Isn't it amazingly freaky how the "Hand of God" has only favored a number of SA game ranches and shunned the rest of Africa?

Who the heck cares, their color variants will have no effect on wild populations, bc they usually occur behind a fence. The genetic impacts she's touting are without merit! Breeding these animals, oh wait, breeding any animal requires influence of market, and that's the case here!

quote:

Originally posted by Oryxhunter1983:
Who the heck cares, their color variants will have no effect on wild populations, bc they usually occur behind a fence. The genetic impacts she's touting are without merit! Breeding these animals, oh wait, breeding any animal requires influence of market, and that's the case here!

The problem with your point is that the marjority of game in South Africa is to be found on private property, behind high fences, at the mercy of the "Dollar" and the hell with all other considerations, including the game itself. As someone recently observed, "Sheep with a different coat!"