Wanted: Springboks
16/05/2009 21:28 - (SA)


Durban - An auction of more than 1 600 animals fetched R13m on Saturday, exceeding the hopes of organisers.

"Prices were down... and I thought we would hardly make R10m," said Rahman Devdhut, of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Wildlife nature reserve which organised the sale.

"We did very well... We have been hit by the recession, but it not so bad."

Among the most popular items was a hippopotamus bought for R38 000 - R20 000 more than a similar one in 2008.

But the price of rhinos fell by around R40 000 since last year to R215 375.

"There is no ecological reason for these variations. It is just the law of supply and demand," Jeff Graiford, media manager at KZN Wildlife.

One South African buyer splashed out on all the springboks on auction for double their 2008 price, largely because of national pride.

"I love springboks. We are the Springboks," said businessman Ockert Pretorius.

Money from the sale of the animals, culled this year from surplus stock in 90 protected areas in KwaZulu-Natal, will be spent on conservation and biodiversity projects as well as local development programmes.

"We know how many animals can live in each reserve," said Devdhut.

"If there are too many, they destroy the vegetation. We have to remove the surplus."

Last year's auction fetched R14m rand.

Game auctions in South Africa fetch up to R200m a year.

- AFP