Conservation Services National Project of the SANParks Honorary Rangers

Veterinary and Wildlife services

Our National Parks are not only havens for our plants and animals, it is also a hive of conservation activities.
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The parks offer an invaluable source for scientific studies of our national environment. Many dedicated scientist study all kinds of nature related topics. Some include the study of animal diseases, the influence of fire, rainfall and climatic conditions, the role and distribution of plant communities, geology and animal population dynamics.

There are also teams involved in the management of sick and injured animals, and the translocation of animals to help strengthen and protect animal genetics and restore the natural occurrence of animal populations in areas where populations of specific species had been eradicated or weakened.

Often these dedicated people work with limited budgets, and have to battle to get important work done.

The support of these activities is a priority focus area for the SANParks Honorary Rangers. Many projects have been launched to assist in these activities.

For more information: http://www.sanparksvolunteers.org/

On Safari with Karen From 20 January 2014

20 January 2014

After picking up guests we drove to Phabeni Gate to enter park, this way avoiding all the potholes and having a nice scenic drive as a bonus.

We entered the park and straight away bumped into some impalas hiding in the bush. 

We had a great drive down Doispane with more impalas, kudu, warthog, buffalo and pretty birds like a woodlands kingfisher and lilac breasted rollers.

Furthermore we spend some time at Nyamundwa dam with hippos playing, rhinos bathing close by and buffalo relaxing on the other side. Not to forget all the water birds. 

While continuing on Doispane we came across a couple of elephant encounters while the Marula trees drop their fruits. As there were no other cars we had those to ourselves which made it great. 

After the busy road with sightings we continued down Skukuza road, Napi to Pretoriuskop. On the way we spotted a crash of rhinos, some zebras with youngsters and giraffes.

We arrived at Pretoriuskop at 6:15pm! All in all a very good start to this safari,

Let's see what tomorrow will bring!

21 January 2014

Today we woke up early and after a nice cup of coffee or tea we left the camp at 6am. Within a couple of kilometres we saw an elephant mum lazily feeding with her calf. They did not feel intruded by our presence so we sat and enjoyed the sighting as long as we could still see them. It was a good start to the day .

Further on Napi we came across buffalo close by the road and saw a rhino trying it on with his girlfriend. He sniffed her hindquarters and grunted and snorted and it looked like he was going to mount, but she wouldn't have none of that and turned around to snort back. As they then disappeared in the bush who knows what happened later...

On the way to breakfast at Skukuza we also saw giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, kudu and impala. We had a good day for spotting raptors too: martial eagle, brown snake eagle, yellow billed kite and a bateleur.

After breakfast we followed a tip from our colleague Frank and we were lucky enough to find a cheetah at the Renosterkoppies! He was relaxing under a tree keeping an eye on the impalas feeding close by. But those impalas had seen the cheetah as well and were way out of reach for the cheetah so he just rolled over and didn't bother getting up.

On the way back to camp via the H3 and once again Napi we spotted some new animals that we hadn't seen this safari yet: ground hornbills, steenbok, waterbuck, Chameleon, bushbuck, baboons, vervet monkeys and while standing at an elephant sighting we even had a leopard cross 50m in front of us. Unfortunately he was so quick that not everyone saw it and he had disappeared into the bush when we pulled up to the spot.

After a siesta in camp 2 of the guests went on a sunset safari while I took the other two back into the park for a short dash around Fayi Loop. At first it looked like a quiet drive but then we had a road block in the shape of a big elephant bull that was walking leisurly ahead of us. Being patient we followed at a distance and waited till he got off the road. And then just around a couple of corners we saw another elephant happily eating the fallen marulas in the middle of the road. It was a great sighting to watch. Before returning to camp we also spotted a black shouldered kite, leopard tortoise and 3 very pretty kudu bulls.

Tomorrow it's going to be an early day, so let's see if we have as much luck!

22 January 2014

Last night's sunset drive was highly successful with, apart from a lovely sunset, plenty of owl sightings, nightjars, a rain tree, elephant, lions, hyena and wild dog!

This morning we started early again to see if we could find some great sightings. In the crisp morning air we followed Albassini road up to Doispane. The drive started quiet with just a couple of scrub hares, but when the sun started warming us we came across a couple of elephants snoozing and feeding. And a little while later we had our daylight encounter with the same lions that were seen on the sunset drive. This was a mating couple and we decided to hang around for a while. In the hour we spend watching those lions they mated 3 times! The second time was close to us and in plain view and the third time there were very few cars and no engines running that we had the privilege of hearing how noisy lions mate!!

This made a great start of the day and we only left because some stomachs started rumbling. On the way to breakfast we also came across impalas, kudu, hippos, chameleon, more elephants, leopard tortoises, zebras, giraffe and warthogs.

After a nice breakfast at the golfclub with the hippos close by, we stopped at Lake Panic to have a great view of all the waterbirds and our first sighting of a crocodile. And to make it easy he was lying right under the hide's "window". If we would have stuck out an arm we could have pet it so close! We also saw 2 bushbucks grazing, dragonflies mating, a green backed heron fishing and a fish eagle.

While leaving the hide we got a tip from another visitor that wild dogs were close to Skukuza crossroads, so we went off to look for them. We got at the sight and we were the luckiest people as right at that moment the wild dogs decided to stand up and reposition. We stayed for a while with dogs continuously standing up and lying down again until they were all comfortably back to snoozing in the heat of the day. Another great sighting!!

The way back towards camp via Napi was hot but we saw more elephants and this time a herd of females and youngsters, some of which crossed the road next to us, just before we entered the camp again.

After a siesta we went back out in the afternoon and came across a buffalo in the reeds at the first drainage line we came across. On the way to Shitlhave dam we saw 3 more. At the dam we saw another crocodile sunning himself with his mouth wide open. Also there were waterbucks and we saw a terrapin.

On the crossroads with Numbi road we then saw this lone young elephant cow with a calf that is about a year old. The calf had too much fun chasing at the cars while jiggling its trunk, throwing leaves and sometimes even trumpeting that he kept at it until he ran out of energy. All the while the mother just lazily kept on grazing barely keeping an eye on her youngster. I think this young boy is going to be a handful growing up with no other elephants around than its young mother!

The rest of the afternoon drive we enjoyed ourselves watching kudus, impalas, hippos, and various birds like white fronted bee-eaters, yellow billed kite, tawny eagle, bateleur, yellow billed hornbill, barn swallows and fighting woodlands kingfishers.

Tomorrow will be the last day and we will start bright and early again.

23 January 2014

As today would be a short drive we decided to start as early as the gate opened. Yesterday we did start early as well, so much so that we did some stargazing while having our morning cup of coffee. After spotting Scorpio and the Southern Cross we saw the sky lightening in colour telling us it was time to go.

However this morning there were no stars or sunrise, it was actually raining. This caused us to see a new animal almost straight away as the rain made the frogs come out. But unfortunately it made our start a bit cold.

Today was a day of babies. It took a while before we saw mammals but we were rewarded a glimpse of a rhino with her small calf and an impala herd with babies. Furthermore we had an amazing sighting of 7 hyenas and 2 pups that were calling and a male that was trying to mount one of the females (but she wanted none of that). And to top it off we encountered two separate herds of elephants with very young calves, 1 even crossing the road in front of us giving us a good look.

Even though it was cold and rainy in the morning we saw leopard tortoise, hinged tortoise, impalas, kudus, giraffe, warthog, baboons (also with a baby), the sun which came through the clouds and ended this safari on a high with even more elephants just before the exit. 

After a quick stop at Numbi gate it was time for the return journey. The slalom around the potholes from Numbi Gate to Nelspruit completed the safari. I thank Aaron, Seth, Ian and Eva for joining me on this wonderful trip!!

Keep watching for more updates!!

On Safari With Curtis from 21 January 2014

21 January 2014

Picking up the guests and we head towards Numbi gate and Nkambeni Tented Lodge, our accommodation for the next few nights. After settling in and having some lunch we headed off on our first safari of the tour. Leaving at 14:30hours we drove down Albasini spotting Impala, Waterbuck, Hippo, Elephant, not to mention the always beautiful Lilac-breasted Roller perched on a branch.

We turned onto Doispane road coming across a large herd of Impala and about ten Wildebeest, after watching these for a couple of minutes and hearing the alarm calls of the Impalas we moved forward to where a couple of other cars had parked. What we saw when we got there were two Lions, a courting Male and Female, we positioned the car in the hope that the pair would get up and move towards us. We sat and waited.

Twenty minutes later as we were beginning to think that nothing was going to happen when suddenly the female got up and started to walk away, the male quickly followed and they begin to mate, unfortunately behind the bushes. We had missed the action!!!!! However we moved the vehicle to a great view point where we could see both Lions. Our patience was rewarded when the female got up again and the male followed and they proceeded to mate. Now if that's not enough as the guests were watching this something caught my eye and I turned to see another large male Lion walking across the road. This lion ignored the mating pair and headed straight for the herd of Impalas and Wildebeest who smartly scattered every way possible with lots of snorting and alarm calling. In total we spent over an hour at this sighting.

Heading back the way we come we came across Giraffe, more Elephants next to the road and Buffalo walking towards us on the road, as we came along the dirt road towards our camp we also saw Impala, Kudu and a large Male Elephant snacking on the fallen fruit of the Marula tree.

22 January 2014

An early start today, up at 05:00, a quick cup of coffee and we were off. But not for a safari in an open safari vehicle but for a bushwalk in Kruger National Park. A great experience seeing the animals on foot and plenty were seen. Lions spotted up on the copse as the guests drove to the start of their walk and then Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino on the walk. Lots of happy faces when the guests returned to camp.

A quick breakfast and then back in the safari truck for a couple of hours before lunch. Sightings included Impala, Waterbuck, Kudu and Common Duiker. After lunch we went back out spotting more Impala, Kudu, Warthog , a lovely group of Nine Giraffe, Elephants and Hippo.

23 January 2014

Today was the day for six of our guests to go on the Panarama tour, taking in the beautiful views of the third biggest canyon in the world. So as Dean took them on that adventure I took my two remaining guests for another great day in the Kruger. A great start as we came across Elephants next to the road, all making a good snack of the fallen Marula fruit around them. A little further down the road we found 2 adolescent male Lions sitting up on Shabeni Copse (Not quite mature but still not suitable for matting!!)

Driving along Napi was a little bit quiet this morning but we came across Leopard Tortoise as well as Impala, Kudu and plenty of big Bull Elephants. Transport Dam turned out to be very active with Hippos, Waterbuck, two very large bull Elephants as well as so many different species of water bird.

After stopping for lunch at Skukuza we drove back to camp via Doipane and Albasini spotting even more Elephants, Kudu, Impala, Zebra, Wildebeest, Hippo, Cape Buffalo and Warthog as well as a Tawny Eagle sitting on the road.

The great thing about a safari is you never know what might be around the corner and so when we went through Numbi gate to drive the 500metres to our camp it was no surprise to come across Rhino and Elephants and Impala all by the side of the road.

Keep watching for more!!!
 

  

Unite Against Poaching

Conservationists are fighting an uphill battle against well equipped and resourced poachers backed by international organised crime syndicates. There is a huge rise in rhino and elephant poaching, and the organised b...ush meat trade is also a considerable threat.

Now you can join hands with Unitrans Volkswagen motors and the SANParks Honorary Rangers, to help our rangers in the war against poaching.

Unite Against Poaching is a collaboration which is aimed as providing critical financial resources, to assist the rangers in our National Parks, in this war.

Unitrans motors will donate an amount out of their pocket, for each Volkswagen motor sold by them. This money is donated to a counter poaching trust used by the SANParks Honorary Rangers to fund counter poaching activities. This includes providing field rangers with the necessary equipment and training to fight the war on the ground in our parks.

You can support this effort by buying your next vehicle, at no extra cost to you, from Unitrans Volkswagen. Simply contact your nearest Unitrans dealer. A complete list of dealers and the latest updates can be found at: http://www.uniteagainstpoaching.co.za/

The more vehicles Unitrans Volkswagen sells the more money we receive and the higher the amount is per unit sold. Please help us by considering to buy your vehicle or that of your fleet from a Unitrans Volkswagen dealer (Not just any Volkswagen dealer!).

For more information: http://www.sanparksvolunteers.org/

South African National Parks Calls On South Africans To Match Rangers Efforts In Fighting Poaching

The South African National Parks (SANParks) today appealed to the South African public to support efforts by Rangers to stop the massacre of our natural heritage by greedy poachers, who are promise wealth by syndicates.

This year alone, 46 rhino carcases have been discovered in the iconic Kruger N...ational Park which is bearing the brunt of the carnage. Six were from last year and 40 from the past 21 days of 2014. This has brought more resolve from the Rangers Corp to double their efforts to keep the species alive.

This weekend alone saw four armed contacts with Rangers that resulted in the death of seven suspected poachers. Rangers confiscated four hunting rifles, ammunition, poaching equipment and a pair of horns. The death of the seven suspects brings to 11 the number of poachers killed in contacts with our Rangers Corp and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members in the KNP in January 2014. During these incidences two suspected poachers were arrested and eight firearms recovered. These armed contacts take place during the night and present a high level of risk to members of the KNP Rangers Corp.

Well over 80% of the incursions are from the Mozambican side. Multiple incursions of up to 15 heavily armed groups operate in the KNP at any given time especially during the full moon period. They operate in groups of four to six and are aggressive and engage and shoot at the Rangers on sight, creating a daily life threatening situation. The recent recovery of a handgun at a contact scene suggests elevated levels of aggression from the poaching groups. This heightens the fear of losing a ranger to a poacher’s bullet.

Despite all of the above, the Officer Commanding of the Rangers Corp, Major General (RET) Johan Jooste is optimistic that his well thought out long term strategy will bear fruits. “ We brought down the level of poaching incidents last year to 42.6% from 72.6% the previous year, we have also arrested 123 individuals in connection with poaching activities, it is now up to the prosecuting teams, investigators and the SAPS to conclude what we have started. We would like to ask the public, law enforcement agencies and our counterparts in Mozambique, to play their part, match the work that is being done by the Rangers and we will reap the rewards and win this war” concluded Jooste.

Issued by :
South African National Parks

Ongoing Concern For The Selati And Olifants Rivers

The South African National Parks (SANParks) today announced ongoing concern over water pollution threats from the Bosveld Phosphate operation near Phalaborwa. Unauthorized discharge of polluted water from the fertilizer production plant into the Selati River between 30 December 2013 and 5 January 2014 resulted in immediate acute toxicity evidence...d resulting in a massive fish kill.

The Department of Water Affairs, Department of Environmental Affairs and South African National Parks are continuing to cooperate closely on both the operational responses and the investigation associated with this incident. Senior representatives from the Department of Water Affairs’ the Department of Environmental Affairs’ Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CME) Directorates and South African National Parks met with the Board of Directors of Bosveld Phosphate last week. A number of immediate response actions are being developed and technical task teams have now been established to deal with both short term and longer-term threats and risks.

On Thursday morning a new spillage was observed by SANParks personnel which drained into the Selati River. This was also revealed to the Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, MP, who then accompanied SANParks and DWA CME officials to the spill site on Thursday afternoon. Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi expressed concern and commitment to ensuring that the matter received high priority attention.

Relatively stable weather has been predicted for the next 2 weeks by the SA Weather Services. This will enable the implementation of the immediate response measures by Bosveld Phosphate to alleviate the threat of further spillages. SANParks is however concerned that industry is not adapting fast enough to climate variability in their risk management approaches and that further incidents of this nature may become more frequent. Reacting to the new developments Dr. Stefanie Freitag-Ronaldson said that sincere commitment needs to be shown by Bosveld Phosphate to address the new spillage and its effects as well as to ensure that no further spillages occur. “Real urgency is required from Bosveld Phosphate’s Board and management and the team needs to move fast to avoid a catastrophic ecological disaster” said Freitag-Ronaldson.

The Olifants River is an important river for the economies of South Africa and Mozambique and as a result is highly pressurised. It is also a very important component of the ecosystem of the Kruger National Park. In recent years this river has shown signs of chronic ecological degradation including the disease and death of top aquatic predators such as crocodiles.

Three tourist camps in the Kruger National Park, usually supplied with water from the Olifants River, continue to be supplied by safe potable water from nearby boreholes. A detailed monitoring programme has been implemented by SANParks to evaluate the short, medium and long term impact of these spillages on the aquatic ecosystem.

Issued by:
South African National Parks Kruger National Park Communications

On Safari With Curtis From 17 January 2014

17 January 2014

After picking up guests at the Sasol garage we made my way down to Numbi gate, arriving at approximately 12.45pm. I passed two guests onto Mark and after getting my permit sorted I started my first Nhongo safari with my two guests. We drove along Numbi tar and at about 3km came across a small group of Elephants, 2 females, 1 baby and a large male. We watched the herd for around 15 minutes with the male Elephant crossing the road in front of us to get to the females. The females then subsequently crossed to the other side, just behind us, and the male followed. Soon after, they all disappeared into the grass.

We carried on, coming across Zebra and Wildebeest  from a distance and close sightings of a Warthog family, Impalas and a group of Giraffe as well as 2 other good sightings of Elephant. We also had a good, but quick sighting of a Boomslang (tree snake) crossing the road.

600m past Mtshavu bridge, on doispane road where we came upon a courting pair of lions. To start the pair of Lions were hiding in the shade of some bushes, then after about five minutes the female got up quickly followed by the male and then mated right next to my open vehicle.  An amazing sighting for myself and my guests.

Arrived at Skukuza around 17:30 and got the guests settled into their accommodation before having dinner at the Selati restaurant at 19:30.

18 January 2014

Leaving Skukuza at 05:00am we crossed low level bridge and sand river heading along Tshokwane tar seeing Kudu and Impala, Common Duiker and a solitary female Lion which walked just past our vehicle, after following the lion for around 5 minutes we carried on down the road where we saw plenty more Kudu and Impala, At Leeupan we had sightings of 3 Dagga boys (buffalo Bulls) lying close to the water, numerous waterbirds and a large troupe of Baboons.

After breakfast at Tshokwane picnic spot, with Vervet monkeys all around, we carried on down the H10 spotting  Ostrich and Wildebeest at the Nkumbe Viewpoint, and  more Lion and Buffalo and lots of Elephant, Kudu and Impala and rhino. 

As we turned onto the H4-1, heading back to Skukuza we stopped at the Sunset dam to spot numerous Hippos and Birds, further along the road we spotted Buffalo, lots of Elephants in the river bed, Baboons, Giraffe, Impala and Bushbuck.

We arrived back at Skukuza around 13:30 and will be going out again at 16:00 hours to try and find the Leopard, before dinner at Selati restaurant and then the guests went on their night drive.

19 January 2014

Getting up early we left Skukuza at 05:00 hours heading down Napi towards Petoriuskop for breakfast. Along the way we spotted a leopard walking along the road as well as Hyena, Impala, Rhino, Elephant and Waterbuck.

After breakfast we headed down to Numbi gate to leave Kruger National Park and headed to White River to Lowveld Link where my guests transferred onto their shuttle to go to Johannesburg to continue their South African adventure.

Keep watching for more!!

  

Poaching Update

The total number of rhino poached in South Africa during 2013 increased to 1004, as the number of people arrested for rhino poaching-related offences climbed to 343.

During 2012, 668 rhino ...were poached, while 448 were killed in 2011. Since 2008, 2 778 rhino have been poached in South Africa. A total of 37 rhino have been poached since the start of 2014.

During 2013, the Kruger National Park continued to bear the brunt of rhino poaching losing a total of 606 of the iconic animals to poachers. A total of 114 rhino were poached in Limpopo, 92 in Mpumalanga, 87 in North West and 85 in KwaZulu-Natal.

The number of rhino poachers arrested during 2013 increased considerably with 343 being arrested, 133 of them in the Kruger National Park. In 2012, 267 alleged poachers were arrested. Since the beginning of 2014, 6 alleged poachers have been arrested.

South Africans are urged to report incidents of poaching and tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.

Issued by:
Department of Environmental Affairs