Africa Hunting : South Africa: ‘Taxi hunters’ destroy rare oribi
on 2011/2/27 7:37:32 (44 reads)
Illegal dog hunters are threatening an endangered antelope found largely in KwaZulu-Natal.

On Thursday the Endangered Wildlife Trust, an NGO focusing on the conservation of threatened species and ecosystems in southern Africa, called on the public to report illegal dog hunting.

Samson Phakathi, a field officer in KwaZulu-Natal for the trust, said the hunting posed a major threat to the oribi, of which the trust estimates only 2 500 remained in the province.



THREATENED: The oribi, which lives in grasslands, has become prey for sport hunters from all over the country.

The rare antelope is found in Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape as well.

Phakathi said while hunting with dogs was sometimes driven by hunters’ need for food, sport hunting was the primary motive and the biggest threat to the oribi.

Organised “taxi hunts”, where people gathered to gamble on a dog’s hunting success, were growing in popularity.

The winning dog could earn thousands of rand in a hunt, while successful dogs sold for between R10 000 and R24 000.

“There have been as many as 60 dogs that participate in the hunt. The dogs are specially trained. They seek out livestock, not only the oribi.”

It was difficult to catch the hunters and few had been brought to justice, said Phakathi.

The oribi was particularly vulnerable to the dog hunters as it was found in grasslands, making it an easy target.

Phakathi said the plight of the oribi highlighted the threat to grasslands.

“They like to breed in tall grasslands and raise their young in shorter grassland. They are a good indicator of natural grassland vegetation.”

He said healthy grassland vegetation was important for grazing for livestock, and provided thatch for homes.

The oribi were being threatened by habitat loss as well.

“Natural grasslands are being threatened by agriculture and timber plantations.”

According to Phakathi, the trust had recently translated the laws on illegal hunting into Zulu to help people understand that they were breaking the law.

“It is too early to tell whether this has been effective,” he said.

l Anyone with information on illegal hunts should call Phakathi at 082 805 4806 or 033 330 6982.

Information is treated as confidential and callers may remain anonymous. - Daily News

Basically a bunch of poachers arrange to meet at a certain venue early on a given morning. They arrive in mini bus "taxi" loads, dogs, handlers and spectators. They cut, climb over or lift fences onto private property, and proceed with their illegal activity. Often by the time the farmer gets to know about it, it is too late, the damage is done and the pepetrators are gone. On the odd occasion that they are caught, the police are reluctant to act against them. If the farmer shoots the dogs, his lands could be burnt, livestock maimed or worse, he or his family get killed.
Add to the mix some horrible affirmative excuse for a police senior officer who circulated a directive to police stations indicating that this practice was legal. When challenged on this, she turned the whole affair into a racist rant and refused to withdraw the letter.

Prey is not limited to Oribi, basically any animal is fair game, and reedbuck and duiker are also easy meat for these packs.

A luta continua

I want to say "sickening" but I suppose one man's trophy hunt is another man's taxi hunt.

What is worrying is the fact that this is done on someone else's property, without regard for any quota or management plan, and the police won't enforce the law. And if you make noise you are obviously a racist. Too familiar, unfortunately.

The next step, I'm afraid, is outright occupation. And as in Zim, the police will stand on the sidelines, or even arrest the person who has been violated.

Thats the sort of thing CARTE BLANCHE would love to get their fingers into. Illegal hunting, and a bent member of the police force screaming racist threats.

Drop them an email. I think you would be surprised by the reception and eagerness you get

quote:

Originally posted by 500nitro:
...the trust had recently translated the laws on illegal hunting into Zulu to help people understand that they were breaking the law.

What a laugh. I can see this doing a lot of good.

500nitro and I witnessed this exact sort of activity going on last September. I will say it was a very organized affair but sickening and frustrating all the more.

When I hunted Oribi in the EC, I applied a year in advance for my permit. One guy in camp had asked his PH (from a different outfit) to apply for his but someone overlooked it. He didn't get to hunt Oribi. They seem well organized to require permits from hunters, but dog chasers? This sucks! Why don't they hunt Jackals???
LDK

quote:

Phakathi said while hunting with dogs was sometimes driven by hunters’ need for food, sport hunting was the primary motive and the biggest threat to the oribi.

They call this sport hunting? That's like calling prostitution dating. So sad the way these people can twist the truth.

Oribi are a neat little antelope. I took a good one in Cameroon in 2004. Shame to see them being wiped out in SA. They don't occur in really large numbers in very many places.

EC does seem to be on top of it with very limited quotas and caring land owners. I got mine with Adrian Ford, a most likeable chap who has dogs----for his Blue Duiker only!