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Mhudi

Page 20

by Sol T Plaatje


  The owner of the hotel was a keen hunter, one of the most ethical I’ve come across. He clearly loved the outdoors and was keen to take us into the Alps, as far as one could drive, that is. We went off the beaten track into the wilder parts in his Land Cruiser, while his daughter, who spoke English, translated for us. Even though it was not the right time of year for snow, it snowed just enough to lay down a white blanket of welcome for us. The day we left, they gave us a vacuum-packed Italian ham and a bottle of grappa. The grappa? I’ve been rude enough already, but the ham, Mama Mia, delizioso! After two fantastic days we boarded a bus driven by Robert de Niro’s twin brother and we were bound for Milan. There was only one other passenger on the bus besides Meagan and I, an elderly lady who bent ‘Robert’s’ ear for the entire four hours it took to get to Milan. What was she talking about? You guessed it … food!

  When I got home, I contacted all my South African relatives; I couldn’t wait to put them in the picture. I told them we were all guilty of not taking my father seriously enough and that while the language barrier may have been partially to blame, it was a weak excuse. Italy, I said, has a heritage of culture and history second to none, from which we can all be truly proud to have descended. Best of all, there was still time to go and experience it, be a part of it.

  My only regret is that my dad isn’t around to see how much we appreciate what he gave us. But…

  ‘Well, Papa, maybe there’s still time to open that restaurant.’

  Fence Gone … Game Gone?

  November 2007

  Everyone was keen to see what effects the removal of the Klaserie fence had on our game numbers, so I compiled the following table and a brief analysis of the situation. The numbers show we’re on a winning streak. It is fascinating to see what the game census results have revealed over the years. For instance, who could ever have predicted the rapid increase in elephant numbers from seven to nearly 500 in only 14 years! It is now difficult to believe that about six or seven years ago, a few well-meaning shareholders were thinking about actually introducing elephant to Olifants because we hardly ever saw them on the reserve!

  Theoretically speaking, the removal of the fence in 2005 gave game the freedom to travel from Olifants River Game Reserve to the Indian Ocean without being hampered by a fence. It was a fantastic dream, indeed, but what was the reality?

  It has been more than two years since the Klaserie fence was removed. This is enough time, we feel, for the effects on game distribution in the re-created open system within the Association of Private Nature Reserves (APNR) to be revealed. More specifically, we can now see what happened within the Balule Nature Reserve itself.

  Although there have been perceptible changes, they’re subtle enough to elicit debate as to whether these would have occurred had the fence remained. In short, there is nothing unexpected or surprising to report. This may indicate that the time frame allowed for observation and analysis is too narrow, or conditions in Balule are not as markedly out of synch with the rest of the APNR open system as originally suspected.

  Larger herbivore numbers before and after the fence removal

  Species

  Before: 2004–2005

  After: 2006–2007

  Impala

  3276

  4398

  Waterbuck

  388

  519

  Wildebeest

  335

  217

  Giraffe

  325

  268

  Zebra

  448

  450

  Kudu

  428

  487

  Warthog

  315

  400

  Bushbuck

  27

  67

  Buffalo

  235

  391

  White Rhino

  14

  30

  Elephant

  304

  401

  Hippo

  73

  56

  As we have seen from the neighbouring Klaserie Nature Reserve’s game census figures (not tabled), there is an increase in their numbers where ours have decreased, though proportionately we still have more general or ‘plains game’. A percentage can be attributed to increased predation on our side. At this stage, I suspect, however, that the losses are largely due to natural dilution in a larger open system, rather than a looming predator/prey problem. The overall balance ratio between species, except elephant and wildebeest, appears to be comparatively healthy in Balule.

  I feel that we can finally put to bed the fears we had of masses of our game migrating to greener pastures. Our balanced numbers and our species mix is the best among the four reserves. But the situation is not as rosy as it seems. Our live animal biomass per hectare has increased dramatically, way beyond the reserve’s carrying capacity, and yet most of the species making up the herbivore biomass are on the decline. How is this possible? The answer is that the bulk of this biomass is made up of huge numbers of elephant. The bottom line is simply that the biodiversity of our reserve is being negatively affected in the short term.

  Elephant numbers have increased in one year by nearly 25 per cent, not that this increase can be attributed solely to the removal of the fence. Elephant were moving into Balule in large numbers prior to the fences coming down. At the time of its removal there were already 251 of them in the reserve. This upward trend has its root cause beyond our boundaries, because although the removal of the fence did encourage the breeding herds to move more freely, they had found ways around the fence long before it was removed. Frustratingly, it’s still a wait-and-see approach that we’re obliged to adopt. Until a national policy decision on elephant population management is taken, we can expect them in greater numbers as the pressure for space and food increases in the reserves around us.

  Surprise, surprise! Lion numbers are up! Although each and every lion cannot be counted from the helicopter due to their excellent camouflage at this time of the year, the figures over the last seven years indicate a consistent upward trend of the actual numbers seen from the air. This does not bode well for the wildebeest population, whose numbers are rapidly declining. Zebra, another popular prey animal, are also beginning to show the effect of increased predation on their numbers. Kudu are slightly up, but these ‘grey ghosts’ of Africa are notoriously wary and difficult to hunt, so should always hold their own, as the census figures reveal.

  Hyaena numbers appear to be showing a positive upward trend and greater numbers are being recorded at kills. On a giraffe carcass deserted by lions on Lisbon recently, nine adult hyaenas were seen.

  Despite the effect of the wild dog pack on their numbers, impala bred so well last season that their numbers have remained virtually unchanged. Buffalo numbers are showing a steady increase. We suspect some 70-odd may have crossed the river into the state-owned property and the wetland area created by the Palabora Mining Company’s tailings dams. Hippo numbers appear stable. Giraffe numbers are down, though this may not be evident when going on a game drive, because they’re larger and relatively easy to see. Of concern is that fewer than usual juvenile and sub-adult giraffe were counted this year. This may be indicative of an increase in predation on this tier of the population.

  The most encouraging outcome of the census was the number of white rhino counted. There can be no doubt that they feel at home on Olifants. Census figures indicate that they were marginally up on the previous year’s count. The number of baby rhino seen by shareholders recently attests to the fact that the cows are happy to have their calves in their old familiar range. I’ve also noticed a few optimistic rhino near Sable Dam still waiting in the vain hope that we may start our feeding programme again. When they hear the Land Cruiser approaching, they move closer, that’s proof enough of their wishful thinking! Despite the relatively poor veld conditions, all the rhino we’ve seen are in excellent condition, which indicates they’re able to range over a wider area and source quality natural feed now
that the fences are down.

  The increased number of baboon troops is a concern although this phenomenon is not fence-related at all. These primates, specifically the larger males, regularly catch, kill and eat the young of antelope such as bushbuck, grey duiker, Sharpe’s grysbok, and klipspringer. With the number of large male baboons having the potential to take out one or two young antelope per year now estimated to be over 100 individuals, this translates to a possible loss of nearly 200 antelope. At this rate, baboons may very well qualify as predators in their own right. A baby nyala was rescued from the clutches of a large male baboon the other day, bringing to three the known number rescued from baboons since I’ve been at Olifants. This clearly demonstrates that even the young of larger antelope are not safe. With the nyala population numbering as few as they do, I acted against our policy of allowing nature to take its course and made a judgement call. I believe there are times when science needs to take a back seat, and in view of the fact that so many of these primates are artificially encouraged in the region north of our reserve, I felt it was justified.

  The game viewing for which Olifants has become well known has continued to live up to expectations. The acid test is usually when the reserve’s shareholders give feedback on the game viewing, and again, all reports indicate a positive trend. Some days were better than others, but even the worst days were good.

  Despite a record number of visitors over the Easter period there was lebensraum for everybody, including the wildlife, and psychologically it felt less claustrophobic and the game viewing was far better than expected. The myth that more vehicles and subsequent viewing pressure equals less game seen was well and truly ‘busted’… I believe the attitude and approach of members towards their reserve is largely responsible for the prevailing vibe of Olifants.

  Even those of us not given to wearing kaftans and sandals would have to agree that Olifants is blessed with ‘good karma’.

  Tree Huggers … We Have Them, Too!

  Based on a newsletter from February 2005

  It was about mid-morning when I received a call to say a large elephant bull was steadily making his way from Idube Dam towards the office. In those days, shareholders nearly always called in the odd jumbo sighting, whilst nowadays it’s such an everyday event no one bothers any more. This jumbo continued walking along the road until he reached the flood plain on the banks of the Olifants River. He then cut across the clearing and made his way straight to a small wallow that had formed from recent rains. There, he proceeded to give himself a mud bath, a luxury which only took a few minutes. Turning on his crinkly and calloused heels, he resumed walking along the road and made his way to the office, moving purposefully through the car park area and up the road heading towards the Palm Loop. So far, nothing unusual about all this, but what happened next and why it happened, only another elephant will understand … maybe!

  With apparent single-mindedness, he made his way directly to Serengeti Plain, an open grass plain of some ten hectares on which stood two prominent umbrella thorn acacias. (At a stretch of the imagination, this clearing resembles a miniature version of its Tanzanian namesake.) Later we back-tracked his route and confirmed that he had neither deviated from this route nor stopped to feed. Moving onto the plain, he ignored the smaller of the two umbrella thorn trees and made a beeline for the bigger one. At that time, both of these trees were clearly visible on Google Earth, which gives you some scale to these events.

  Cautiously, he tested the rocks that we had packed around the base of the tree specifically to discourage elephant from damaging it or pushing it over. This elephant showed no respect for our labours and was obviously determined to prove a point. Using his front feet, he began manipulating the rocks. The soft soil soon yielded and the stones toppled over like dominoes, while others were slid aside to accommodate his feet and his angle of attack.

  In fact, pushing over the tree didn’t take a lot of effort: having exposed some of the root, he broke off a carrot-sized piece, which he chewed and then spat out. That done, he again turned on those crinkly calloused heels and left as unceremoniously as he had arrived. As always in this sort of situation, I felt completely helpless and resigned myself to the fact that nature should be allowed to take its course. But, shortly thereafter, I realised this was not to be.

  Bad news travels fast and it wasn’t long before a deputation of concerned shareholders visited the office enquiring as to what I proposed to do about their precious tree. My ecologically motivated viewpoint, punctuated with the longest biological terminology I could muster, did not convince them at all. Initially, they showed a measure of restraint, quietly mumbling their obvious discontent amongst themselves. But as more of them got to hear about the tree, they began to take on the characteristics of a mob, and when they began rolling up their sleeves to demonstrate they meant business, I could see I was dealing with extremists. These were ‘tree huggers’, a hitherto unsuspected social stratum of Olifants that defined the meaning of fanaticism.

  The insides of their arms were now exposed and they were chafed, as were their cheeks, sure signs of people who spend large amounts of time hugging trees, particularly the rough-barked African species. Australian tree huggers are less inclined to this affliction, as their eucalyptus trees have a smooth-textured bark, and so do not cause the abrasions associated with other trees. Nevertheless, their tree-hugging status is still easily identified by the claw marks on the outside of their thighs and arms made by male koalas, who mistake them for female koalas in the breeding season.

  Making my way nervously through the picket line of chanting protestors, I calmed them down by promising to try and save the tree. A few hours later, with the help of my bemused labour force and a CAT 966 front-end loader, the tree was re-positioned and supported in place with carefully selected wooden props. Fortunately, the wet conditions meant that the roots were quite pliable so they didn’t break off.

  New topsoil was placed over the one tender fractured root, and a handful of fertiliser was thrown in for good measure. To speed things up a bit the site was watered to facilitate the healing process. I am pleased to report that the tree has survived its ordeal and is on its way to a full recovery. When we are satisfied with its progress, the life support system in the form of a rubber-clad cable and timber props will be removed.

  In the greater scheme of things, this tree-rescuing effort, though noble and well-meaning, was actually quite ridiculous. Thinking of Grzimek and Michael’s book Serengeti Shall Not Die, I wondered what they would make of our attempt years later and 3 000 kilometres to the south, where their prophecy would be immortalised on Olifants’ own Serengeti.

  Not long after the tree incident, I noticed Idube Dam’s water level was dropping, which it shouldn’t. The large ball valve system that feeds this water point is designed to deliver water almost as fast as it is consumed, so something was clearly wrong with the mechanism. On closer inspection, I found that the same elephant bull had managed to lift the specially designed recessed steel cover protecting the ball valve chamber, and had removed the ball and valve by simply breaking it off. He then apparently tried to play soccer with the copper ball, which I eventually found crumpled, discarded, and resembling what the tree huggers would have done to me had I not complied with their demands to save their precious tree. The elephant had done all this in the hour or so prior to making his way to Serengeti. What is so incredible is that he had managed to lift this ball valve chamber’s lid. It was designed with two small metal ‘ears’ that would only allow two human fingers to grasp them and lift the lid. How on earth this animal managed the task is beyond me, and yet, it is just another demonstration of the dexterity of an elephant’s trunk.

  On a more serious note, key tree species and certain vulnerable specimens of the more common representatives of this reserve’s habitat type are being singled out for protection against ring-barking and subsequent destruction by elephant. These trees include those providing shade and ambience around our lodges as we
ll as those providing nesting support for white-backed vultures, Pel’s fishing owls, ground hornbills and myriad other vulnerable bird species which are dependent on them primarily as nest supports.

  As an experiment, we have selected approximately 1 000 trees which have had large-diameter chicken wire wrapped loosely around their trunks. The reason for using large-diameter mesh is to prevent tree agamas and other small wildlife from becoming trapped when they scale the trunks. The loose fit of the wire allows for tree growth to the point that by the time the trunks reach a girth where the wire may become too tight, it would have rusted away long ago.

  Unsightly as this process may seem on initial inspection, the wire soon becomes quite difficult to see against the grey-brown bark. Additionally, those trees used as back scratchers by the elephants acquire a layer of mud which actually plasters the wire against the bark, rendering it nigh-on invisible. Furthermore, the galvanising on the wire is scoured off by this abrasive action, which dulls it and accelerates the slow but sure rusting process.

  This project was started over four years ago at the suggestion of Doctors Michelle and Steve Henley, who are based in the Timbavati Nature Reserve, through the Save the Elephant Foundation, in conjunction with the APNR. This team has been conducting research in the area for nearly ten years now.

  So far, the results of our wire-wrapping experiment have been most encouraging. Only a couple of dozen of the smaller and medium-sized trees, mostly knobthorn and marula trees, have been pushed over by bull elephants. But, it has been interesting to note that hardly any of these trees were fed on. Nor has any attempt been made to remove the mesh. It appears that the trees were pushed over for the sheer hell of it, or as testosterone-charged displays of strength. What we have observed is that the breeding herds which are chiefly responsible for ring-barking trees have, as yet, made no attempt to get through the wire mesh or remove it to get to the bark.

 

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