Kruger must cull or face destruction
07/08/2003 08:53 - (SA)

Linda de Nysschen

Nelspruit - Unless the number of elephants is not drastically reduced, very little will be left of the Kruger National Park in five years time.

Therefore culling seems almost inevitable in order to stop extensive habitat destruction, David Mabunda and Josias Chabani, the park's most senior officials said on Tuesday.

Mabunda, the director of the park, said: "The growing elephant population concerns me more than anything else. We have tried contraception and relocation, but these are only temporary solutions."

At present there are an estimated 11 000 elephants in the park, while the capacity allows only 7 000. The elephant population grows by between 7% and 10% a year.

"Even if people don't see a single elephant while visiting the park, they cannot fail to see the destruction they cause. This is a perfect example of what happens when one ignores scientific research," Chabani said.

As a result of pressure by animal rights groups, no elephants have been culled in the park since 1994.

However, the park's management plan makes provision for the culling of elephants in certain areas, while unbridled increase is allowed elsewhere.

Mabunda said all interest groups supported the plan, which should have given the green light for culling. But as a result of politicking (by rights activists) it has so far not been implemented.

Relocation

The relocation of elephants to Mozambique's Limpopo reserve is at present one of the most important ways of reducing numbers in Kruger. But the reserve can accommodate only a limited number of elephants.

Also, relocation is expensive and only small groups of elephants can be moved at a time.

Mabunda said he respected the debate around the removal of the Kruger head from the park, but the elephant issue deserved greater public awareness because of the immediate threat it holds for the park.

"Most people should be aware of the problem, but they choose to ignore it. If they understood the magnitude of the challenge, they would have been more sympathetic towards culling," Mabunda said.

This is too depressing to even respond.

Another example of the benefits of do-gooders.

It amazes me that such a slow breeding animal; nearly two years gestation and longtime between births can multiply by 7 to 10% a year. Well, I guess they just don't lose very many young to predators like antelope would.

The really stupid part of it all is that whilst the KNP is so broke it can't even afford to repair it's own game fences it will still pay rangers to do all the culling. If they built a camp in the north of the park and sold a few trophy (Elephant and otherwise) hunts to overseas hunters, it would pay not only for a proper culling team to deal with the cows and calves, it would also bring in a lot of much needed hard currency to bolster the Parks dwindling finances.......... it's a shame they don't have the balls to do it!

What really p****** me off about situations like this is that everyone is so afraid of the animnal rights folks and do what they ask, yet the animal rights folks never offer to assist financially(birth control etc)or otherwise with their solutions. This is unlike the hunting/conservation organizations most of us are familiar with, SCI, DU, RMEF etc.

Just my 2 cents

Doug

I have to agree with Steve. It wouldnt take too many hunts to finance things nicely. As far as that goes alot of people would pay to do some of the culling as well. I know I would if it was reasonable.

Smak dab on the spot Steve, as usual....

/

Alf, I understand your point as well and it is a good one. I just think if the culling is to be done why not charge for it instead of paying. No trophies and the cull is done like normal. Perhaps trophy hunting isnt the answer but you could sustain income and complete the cull at the same time.

The book Mahohoba by Ron Thomson explains very succinctly why sport trophy hunting can be used as a conservation tool in Africa......... or more accuratly, in the National Parks. For those who are seriously interested in the subject, its on the "must read" list.

Whilst I have no wish whatsoever to portray myself as an "expert" on this or any other subject, I wholeheartedly agree with RT on this. The culling needs to be done on a scientific basis by taking out entire family units. And it needs to be done by professionals.

However, some trophy bulls also need to be culled (in both cases for the good of the entire eco-system) and I personally believe that sport hunting by hunters who can pay in hard currency is the answer to the conservation & financial problems that the KNP & other parks face. It goes without saying that this should be very carefully controlled. All you need to do is take a drive through the KNP and see the Elephant damage the KNP is suffering. If the damage continues unabated there will come a time when not only the Elephant population suffers, but also most if not all of the other species.

I understand the KNP (and other parks) policies on this. But at the end of the day the KNP is a fenced areas, surrounded by human habitations. This means that the Elephants (and indeed other species) cannot migrate as they did in the old days........ if they can't migrate then their immediate surroundings cannot have a chance to recover.

I won't try to go into all of the arguments, but the book is really worth looking at before making a personal decision on this.