Angola: Specialists Project New Action for Capture of Giant Sable Antelope

Luanda — National and foreign specialists intend to organise in July and August, another capture operation of the Giant Sable Antelope in the natural reserves of Cangandala and Luando, in Malanje Province.

The action is coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and by Kissama Foundation.

The operation involve various institutions, among them the Angola Armed Forces (FAA).

In an interview to ANGOP, the coordinator of the project of conservation of species, Mário Pinto Vaz, said that at that operation they will capture more female species, aimed at securing its production.

According to the source, before the capture, a sanctuary in the natural reserve of Cangandala, where the species will be housed, will be built.

Here's some pics my neighbour took of the last capture operation:







And of the original pics when they were first located:

Pedro Vaz Pinto sends regular reports on this project.
Case you want to receive it, please send him an email to: pedrovazpinto@gmail.com

At the moment, he is facing serious poaching activities in Cangandala.

Roberto

quote:

Originally posted by only.375H&H:
Pedro Vaz Pinto sends regular reports on this project.
Case you want to receive it, please send him an email to: pedrovazpinto@gmail.com

At the moment, he is facing serious poaching activities in Cangandala.

Roberto

Thanks my friend was going to put that up but you got there first, excellent newsletter and to Pedro and all they are doing with this project.

That was the problem which I mentioned many times previously about the project regards capturing and (doing the breeding) in that remote unstable region of Angola.

I dont know Pedro at all BUT if anyone does know him and he is the brains or driving force behind the breeding project then I again make the suggestion ...

If Pedro or the foundation were OPEN to CONSIDER a MUCH more SAFE SECURE breeding location for the species then WE are open to discussion about Zambia as a future location mainly because we have some existing up and running GOOD FACILITIES including breeding and quaranteen PENS constructed and currently being used for varied other specie breeding projects

Cheers, Peter

Sable Antelope Capture in Second Operation
15 August 2011



Luanda — The Ministry of Environment will launch next Tuesday in Cangandala district, northern Malange province, the second capture operation of the Giant Sable Antelope, Angop learnt.

The Ministry will also present the preliminary results of the referred operation.

According to a press note, which reached Angop on Sunday, the operation will happen under the 2011-2012 Conservation Project of the Giant Sable Antelope, whose operation preparations started on 27 July 2011.

The plan is aimed at capturing the antelope in the fully natural reserve of Luando in Malanje province and its transfer to the sanctuary that was created in the national park of Cangandala.

The project is located in the National Park of Cangandala (component A) and in the Fully Natural Reserve of Luando (component B) in Malanje province.

The document reads that the project is aimed at protecting and preserving the referred animal and strengthening the information about the giant sable antelope.

The first capture operation of the Giant Sable Antelope was held in August in 2009 at the national park of Cangandala and the fully reserve of Luando.

During the first operation, nine females and one males sable antelopes were captured.

Technicians and officials of the Ministry of Environment and members of the monitoring committee for the implementation of actions and environmental NGOs are invited to attend the launching of the second capture operation of the Giant Sable Antelope.

quote:

Originally posted by only.375H&H:

At the moment, he is facing serious poaching activities in Cangandala.

Roberto

So bloody typical, if it has four legs, kill it, eat it and screw tomorrow. The only way some of these dimwits keep their ears apart is by picking their noses.

Here is the July 23 newsletter from Pedro Vaz Pinto, which I originally posted in another thread. There are some interesting photos at the Picasa link.

Also, here is a link to an earlier article Pedro wrote for African Expedition Magazine:

Giant Sable in Angola

~ Alan



Dear friends,

I must start apologizing for lack of comms for so long. This rainy season was particularly wet in Cangandala, over flooding the rivers and cutting road access to the park, and as a result I spent several months without visiting the park. In addition, the first trip was a bit disappointing and I thought it made more sense to include a couple more trips and make a semester report. To compensate for the loss, I decided to spend a little more time preparing the photographic package, which is now made available as a Picasa web album. Hope this works better…

https://picasaweb.google.com/1...1sRgCJq8-8ydnIeYkAE#

The first trip was indeed frustrating. We were hoping to spend a few days watching the bull, his eight old ladies (we hoped the injured female to be still alive, and the ninth female had disappeared for over a year now), and his progeny. And maybe new calves?

Locating the herd shouldn’t be a problem, with three animals collared… However, Luisa – mother of second calf, had a VHF/GSM collar and these are suppose to last half of the standard VHF kind (2 years instead of 4) so sure enough, the batteries were dead by May. Second collar was working fine but it was on Quitéria, the injured female, but in this case she was the one dead! The collar led us straight to the skeleton (Photos 01, 02) and this of course was a sad moment, even if not completely unexpected. She had died at least one month earlier. There was no obvious cause of death, but I guess it is safe to assume it was related to the injury that made her limp for so long.

As that wasn’t enough, over following days we could not pick up the signal on the last VHF collar, the one on the dominant bull. This was totally unexpected as this collar should be at least half way through the batteries’ life. On top of this, and as it is usually the case at the onset of the dry season, the bushes and grass are overgrown, making it impossible to drive cross country and realistically find the animals. It made us wonder if the bull couldn’t have gone under the fence and escaped the sanctuary… there were plenty of fresh tracks inside and the bull wouldn’t leave his girls, would he? But still, how could we be sure? We located a good spot and planted a trap camera there, but we would have to wait a few weeks for an answer…

On the second fenced camp we located the hybrid herd, or at least the female “Judah” as her VHF collar was still functioning fine, but the collar on Ursula, a GSM/VHF was not active anymore. Visual contact with the hybrids wasn’t possible due to long grass, but there was no reason to push things anyway.

The trap camera record since mid December 2010 (Photos 51 – 86) showed lots of interesting stuff, and confirmed that the hybrid group was in good condition and stood together. But the real surprise came from outside the fences, where one isolated pure sable female showed up. It wasn’t clear when she first appeared in December, but subsequently it became obvious that she was the lost female, Joana. She had managed to escape from Sanctuary 1 a year ago without a trace?! At least she wasn’t dead. She must have crawled under the fence, breaking away from the rest of the group… Interesting to note that she had been the first female caught in 2009 because even then, she was the first to break from the herd when we started capturing, and she is also a confirmed mother of hybrid (dna proved that she fostered “Judas” in 2004). So she’s always been a rebel! A romantic soul might be tempted to believe that she went back in search of her true and only love… the roan bull!!! Surely not… but let’s hope we don’t find her soon raising a new bastard!

In June we started building a third fenced enclosure with 450 hectares (Photos 10,11,12) and this is where soon we expect to move all the hybrids to.

In later trips we managed to track down and see the pure herd, and thus confirm that the sable bull (Photos 22, 23) was as tame as ever and looking strong and healthy, and the radio collar was indeed dead. But the best news came from the trap camera placed inside the sanctuary: we had a third calf. The previous two were growing healthy, and it was now possible to determine the sex of the calves. They were male – female – male, on this order. Three calves (and only one female born) in one and a half years of breeding is no doubt a poor result, but 2011 is still going and once we enlarge the sanctuary we expect the breeding success to improve significantly.

And on the second enclosure we rechecked the hybrid herd a few times, and once even got a few lousy photos (Photo 21) as the group fled.

On a brief visit to Luando, we met with the shepherds and planned for the crucially important next couple months. So far, news are encouraging. A day spent at the river provided for great birding and to enjoy and explore the area a little bit (Photos 28 – 46) and we were even shown a group of five hippos (Photos 36 – 38).

Next month will be quite busy, pulling a new ambitious capture operation. We expect to move all the hybrids to the third enclosure, constitute a new breeding group in Cangandala with sable caught in Luando, make a survey on some of the more remote areas in the reserve, to mark up to twenty animals with collars, maybe capture other wildlife and make some anti-poaching interventions. And even more strongly than in 2009 the National Air Force will play a major role in the operation.

Well, enough for now, hopefully next report will be a juicy one.

Dang! That photo of the Hughes hauling that sable off on the line is just CRAZY!!! What an odd image!

Really cool and hope this works!

JW

Angola: Sable Antelope Species Endangered

Malanje — The Giant Sable Antelope species based in Luando reserve, northern Malanje province, estimated at less than 100 herds, are threatened with extinction due to the persistent poaching perpetrated by the residents.

The data were released Tuesday by the coordinator of conservation of this endangered specie, Pedro Vaz.

Speaking on the 2nd phase for operation of capture of the Giant Sable Antelope in Luando reserve, at the official launching ceremony of the project, Pedro Vaz underlined that the situation is alarming, due to uncontrolled poaching.

"One to four captured female present signs of having been targeted in a trap, stressed the coordinator of the project, who believes that the hunting is intended to target Sable antelope population.

To reverse the situation, Pedro Vaz, who was speaking at the presence of Environment minister Maria Fátima Jardim, called on the Angolan Armed Forces, National Police and population, specially chieftain, for greater support in protecting and preserving the endangered.

The project for conservation of Giant Sable Antelope is based in National Park of Cangandala (component A) and in natural Integral Reserve of Luando (component B), both in Malanje province, about 450 km east of the country's capital, Luanda.

Angola: Minister Calls for Support to Giant Antelope Survival

Malange — Angolan minister of Environment, Maria de Fátima Jardim, Tuesday in northern Malanje province asked the local residents, specially chieftains, to step up surveillance and denounce those attempting against Giant Sable Antelope specie in Cangandala and Luando reserves.

Fátima Jardim appealed so while speaking at the launching ceremony of the 2nd phase of capture operation of Giant Sable Antelope, having expressed concern about the dangers of extinction due to the poaching, which targets mainly those based in Luando reserve.

"The population of Malanje should continue cooperating, in representation of the people of Angola, in preservation of specie", asked the official.

Addressing the traditional authorities, Fatima Jardim, said that they play a leading role in education of population in preservation and conservation of environment.

quote:

Originally posted by Balla Balla:
That was the problem which I mentioned many times previously about the project regards capturing and (doing the breeding) in that remote unstable region of Angola.

I dont know Pedro at all BUT if anyone does know him and he is the brains or driving force behind the breeding project then I again make the suggestion ...

If Pedro or the foundation were OPEN to CONSIDER a MUCH more SAFE SECURE breeding location for the species then WE are open to discussion about Zambia as a future location mainly because we have some existing up and running GOOD FACILITIES including breeding and quaranteen PENS constructed and currently being used for varied other specie breeding projects

Cheers, Peter

Peter,

I missed your comments until now. Sorry for not responding sooner.

However, if you are serious about contacting Dr. Pedro Vaz Pinto, his email address is:

pedrovazpinto(at)gmail(dot)com

Dear Allan

Please forgive my poor English.
Thanks a lot for your incredible commitment on any possible fronts. Few provide such valuable informations
This sable project is wonderful and I wish that they get money, brains and will to fully achieving such an ambitious project.
For what I can judge it's done on a very small scale and offer from the "safe" Zambia could be the key for success. It's sort touch and go?
Reading the very lively, close and personnal reports I strain to understand what are "hybrids", can you explained us with such a segregation.
Thanks again
jb

Jean,

The hybrids Pedro refers to are where the giant sables have interbred with the roans that are common in that area.

This would explain the reddish colored coats you see in the photos on some of the animals.

Angola: U.S.$ 900,000 Invested in Preservation of Sable Antelope

Malanje — At least USD 900,000 US were put available by the operator of block 15 ESSO and its associates in three years to support the Project of conservation of the Sable Giant Antelope.

According to the experts the specie is in risk of disappearing due to poachers.

A cheque in the amount of USD 300,000 was delivered on Tuesday to the minister of Environment, Maria de Fatima Jardim by the general director of ESSO, Stéphane Mahieu.

The delivery was made during the ceremony to launch the first phase of the operation to capture the Sable Giant Antelope from 27 June to 20 August 2011.

Stéphane Mahieu said that under the social responsibility of ESSO the USD 300.000 will support the Project of Sable Antelope conservation.

He also reiterated the commitment of ESSO Angola, Sonangol and the partners in block 15 to the preservation of the Sable Giant Antelope that has been demonstrated by the continued funding of the project activities.