Farmer 'traumatised' by impala2006-06-13 12:01:31http://www.news24.com/Images/Photos/20060613113920Impala.gifA couple from the Letsitele district in Limpopo has been ordered to pay R73 500 to a farmer who had been attacked by an impala they were allegedly rehabilitating. Pretoria - A couple from the Letsitele district in Limpopo has been ordered to pay R73 500 to a farmer who had been attacked by an impala they were allegedly rehabilitating.
Judge Willie Hartzenberg ruled in the Pretoria High Court last week that Marguerite Louise Joubert and André Grobler pay damages to Hillebrandus Cornelius Klinkert, also from the district.

Klinkert was attacked on the couple's farm in February 2004. He initially claimed R150 000 damages for pain and suffering, emotional shock and trauma.

The antelope's horns penetrated Klinkert's thighs, barely missing the arteries. He also suffered a deep cut to his right hand and left calf and bruises to his back and chest.

Afterwards he suffered insomnia and whenever he did manage to sleep, he was plagued by nightmares, according to court documents.

Trying to rehabilitate

Klinkert argued that Joubert had been negligent, as no notices were displayed to warn visitors against "dangerous animals" on the premises. He stated that he had battled with the animal for about half an hour before somebody arrived to help him.

Joubert argued that Klinkert had acted negligently by trying to corner the antelope in an enclosure.

She said they were rehabilitating the impala in order to release it back into nature.

They denied that the antelope was tame.

Hand feeding a "wild" antlered or horned animal can make it very dangerous. It looses its fear of man.

The place I hunted took an eland offspring castoff and bottle fed it. It was still young, but was already taller than I am. Cute animal: came over and propositioned me (well, it doesn't understand the difference between elands and humans, and it was rutting season -- so it tried to rut with me). Elands will come over to you, lower their muzzle and whisper "meee" in your ear... That earned it a slap on the nose. For the time being, the eland responds by being submissive... but they are really concerned: that animal is going to become too dangerous to handle, and they cannot hunt it. It is useless to them. If they cannot send it to some zoo, they'll likely harvest it for meat, I figure.

Dan

I bottled reared 2 kudu cows once....yes, every fews hours, 24 hs a day for weeks

Anyway, the older of the two, would get quite aggro after feeding, demanding more (I was following vet recommended guidelines, so not starving her at all). It would head butt quite powerfully in my stomach and nailed me in the 'braai-pack' once, bloody painful.

I tried to catch her once and pick her up (she was about as big as an impala). I have caught various calves/young steers by hand by the back leg, so tried this...basically I got shit kicked by a baby kudu...strong beyond belief and those hooves were sharp!!!

I read of a bloke in Zim who was attacked by a kudu bull he had handreared. It also killed the cow kudu it was penned with, aftre years together. He said he survived by falling against a tree trunk, so the kudu could head but him, but not effectively slash him with the horns....

Eland puppy:



Robbie with his puppy:



Me with Robbie's eland puppy (he seemed much taller to me at the time...):



Dan

Cute pics, but you can never completely remove the "wild" out of a wild animal. Best to be on guard and careful all of the time.

True, in fact to add, a friend had 2 Grey Duiker that were basically house trained (had a liter box midden) but the little ram horned one of their friends once...nasty little puncture wounds from its immature horns. Another mate got horned by a 'tame' springbuck too. Not damage, just interesting to see this springbuck get pissed off!

Yup -- I was getting a little nervous around that animal. He was still young, but he was discovering what the rut was about -- and he didn't quite realize that all of us critters (specifically -- humans in general) that he had grown up with weren't going through it, too.

That's the easiest part -- he's going to be a full-grown adult in no-time, and those horns are going to be quite dangerous -- not to mention the hooves. It is likely those weapons are going to be backed with a temper to match. Right now, he's willing to take discouragement from us -- but that won't last. Even young horned animals engage in play that involves butting -- he could have hooked any of us if he just got excited.

Dan

"...Afterwards he suffered insomnia and whenever he did manage to sleep, he was plagued by nightmares..."

That does it, I'm calling the attorney! In 2001 I wounded a ram estimated at near 27" on a friend's farm. We tracked him off and on for four days before losing all sign of him completely. I to suffered nightmares and considerable remorse at losing him then last year while visiting again my good friend had a new mount - a 27" Impala "found dead" in the veld. I haven't even mentioned the possibility, we're too good of friends for such nonsense.

Huhhh... I'd heard the same story, except that it was different people, and bushbucks...

Dan

I personally do not believe in hand raising wild animals. Once there is human intervention in nature you must keep it up. You might have saved a young animals live only to take it again later. That animal will never again adapt in nature and it will become dangerous to people and very difficult to manage.

Nature might be cruel but it survived well untill humans got involved.

Never the less there is something funny about the article, especially the part about DG.

DanEP
You should recomend that they castrate and cut the horns back. It will stop the agressivenes and will be prime meat in 6 mo or so.
Dr B

If any forum members get an opportunity to visit the Hoedspruit area (Eastern part of Limpopo Province) it might be worthwile to pay a visit to the Moholoholo Animal Rehab Centre. (Check out http://moholoholo.co.za/index.asp?pgid=1) They have a bunch of animals over there that were injured as result of the doing of man including some that were hand-reared and were confiscated by Nature Conservation Authorities. When you hand-rear wild animals, it becomes human-imprinted , loses its fear of man and sees humans as one of their own. These animals can become extremely dangerous.

Wild animals are just that: "wild animals" and should best be left alone - in the bush where they belong.

The day I got attacked by two wild cats! And loved every minute of it1

quote:

I personally do not believe in hand raising wild animals. Once there is human intervention in nature you must keep it up. You might have saved a young animals live only to take it again later. That animal will never again adapt in nature and it will become dangerous to people and very difficult to manage.

I agree for the most part Jaco. Besides, its bloody hard work, long hours and can be quite expensive. Not as romantic as it seems!

I have have found raising reptiles to be quite easy, but was really into that for mnay years. But I must say, I am vehemently opposed to capture of any indigenous reptiles in SA, as mony don't survive and its illegal (indigenous retiles rquire transporation and keeping permits in most provinces).