Conservation News Volume 2 – 2022 / Bewaringsnuus Volume 2 – 2022

Highlights from Conservation News Volume 2 – 2022 (Read full version here)

Hoogtepunte uit Bewaringsnuus Volume 2 – 2022 (Lees volledige uitgawe hier)

Riemland-tak bewaar Ouvolk

Habitatvernietiging en onwettige versameling van ouvolk of sonkykers bedreig die voortbestaan van hierdie diertjies in die natuur. Lede van die Riemland-tak het een so ‘n diertjie gered en teruggeplaas in die natuur. Sy het paar dae geneem om weer op koers te kom en self ‘n gat gekies. Twee kleintjies wat agtergebly het in die gat wat stropers toegeskop nadat hulle die ma geneem het, is gered en by ‘n ander wyfie geplaas wat hul aangeneem het.
Grondeienaars wat wil inskakel by ons Natuurlewe Erfenisprojek waar ons sonkykers se habitat bewaar, kan gerus navraag doen by die bewaringsbestuurder by Lizanne@sahunt.co.za. SA Jagters dien op die Nasionale Sonkyker Werkgroep waar ons saam met ander bewaringsorganisasies strategies besin oor hierdie spesie se bewaring.

Save our Succulants

The Save our Succulents (SOS) conservation initiative of Namakwa Branch donated 100 seed trays to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for the planting of confiscated threatened succulents from the Namaqualand area. These plants have been seized from poachers caught in the illegal possession of protected flora.
According to Adam Harrower, the Senior Botanical Horticulturist – Xerophytic plant collections of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, the poaching of threatened plants is escalating to the level where certain species in Namaqualand have already been driven to extinction in the wild . These trays serve as a critical part in keeping these plants alive, and the species still in existence.
If members of the public want to assist us in supporting this initiative, please contact the conservation manager at Lizanne@sahunt.co.za

Kampioen vir Bewaring

Richard Sowry is ŉ lid van die Mopani -tak en die visepresident vir bewaring van SA Jagters- en Wildbewaringsvereniging waar hy ook die voorsitter is van die bewaringskomitee. Bewaring is sy beroep en hy werk voltyds as veldwagter in die Pafuri-seksie in die verre noordelike deel van die Kruger Wildtuin waar hy verantwoordelik is vir die bestuur van wild en teenstropingsaksies. Hy is passievol oor jag en eet hoofsaaklik die wild wat hy self jaarliks oes. Richard is daartoe verbind om die feite en kwessies rondom verantwoordelike hulpbronbestuur oor te dra, asook die uiters belangrike rol wat verantwoordelike jag daarin speel. Sy belangstellings sluit in voëlbesigtiging, versameling van Afrikana literatuur, ballistiek, herlaaivan ammunisie, en klassieke groot kaliber gewere.

”Die belangrikste bydrae wat lede en jagters tot bewaring kan maak is die besluit oor waar om te jag. As bewaarders van die omgewing, moet ons besef dat hierdie keuse deurslaggewend is in ons ondersteuning van wildlewegebiede, verantwoordelike wildlewe bestuurspraktyke, en dat dit waarde toevoeg tot grondgebiede waar wild voorkom. Dit dien as aansporing vir grondeienaars om die ekonomiese aspekte van hulle bedrywighede te prioritiseer terwyl hulle bewaring en die omgewing in ag neem.” – Richard Snowy

Legislation and Policy

Public Comments Invited – National Strategy for the South African Taxidermy and Game Skin Tannery

SA Hunters has been consistently calling for the development of a biodiversity economy value chain for the by-products of hunting, such as skins and bones. Our annual hunting report data shows that 79% of skins, and 82% of skulls that are by-products from hunting, are thrown away. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC) through the Leather and Footwear Sector Desk appointed a service provider (Sustento Environmental and Development Company) to develop a strategy to address challenges and opportunities to grow and stimulate the sector for local and export market penetration, job creation, and transformation of the industry. SA Hunters and its members, together with members of the public have been invited to submit comment to DTIC for consideration and inclusion in the document. The draft strategy is available here.

An industry stakeholder workshop will be held on 26 July 2022 (hybrid). Comments can be submitted to the manager conservation Lizanne@sahunt.co.za by 20 July, or submitted directly to DTIC by 26 July 2022. Contact details for submissions are Mr. Xolani Dlamini: xolani@sustento.co.za; Ms. Melaine Wilkinson: mel@sustento.co.za; Ms.Mpho Rantlha: MRantlha@thedtic.gov.za.

Terugvoer oor die Nasionale Forum oor Luiperds

ŉ Nasionale konsultatiewe forum vir die bestuur van luiperds is onlangs deur die departement van bosbou, visserye en die omgewing gestig na afloop van vergaderings met verskeie belanghebbendes. Dié forum bied geleentheid vir betrokkenes om kwessies te bespreek oor monitering, waar-nemings, uitdagings en wetgewing ten opsigte van luiperds. Sodra die forum meer gevestig is, beplan die departement dat dit ŉ adviserende liggaam kan word in terme van die bepalings van die Wet op Nasionale Omgewings-bestuur (NEMA). Die departement sal ook verder met tradisionele leiers en gemeenskappe, tradisionele genesers en akademici hieroor vergader. Die terugvoer wat tot dusver van die verskeie fokusgroepe ontvang is, het bygedra om prioriteite vir die bestuur van luiperds te identifiseer. ŉ Konsepverslag oor die status van luiperds en die verwysingsraamwerk vir die forum is reeds saamgestel vir goedkeuring deur ander regering-strukture. Hierdie dokumente sal die grondslag vorm vir ŉ konsepstrategie vir die bewaring van luiperds en ŉ plan vir biodiversiteitsbewaring. Intussen het die Humane Society International geslaag in die hofaansoek om die jagkwotas vir luiperds tersyde te stel. ŉ Monitering taakspan sal voortaan insette lewer vir riglyne om luiperds te monitor en sodoende te verseker dat inligting verstaanbaar is vir alle sleutelrolspelers soos grondeienaars en gemeenskappe.

SA Jagters se voorstel vir ŉ duidelike plan en ŉ tydlyn vir die bepaling van kwotas, is aanvaar en sal aandag geniet.

Wildlife Welfare Forum

The Minister intends to establish a Welfare Forum to promote the well-being and welfare of wild animals as far as it relates to the conservation, management, and ecologically sustainable, responsible, and humane use of wildlife. Initially, the Ministry met primarily with organisations of which some are perceived to be extreme animal rights organisations. Subsequently, SA Hunters, which is also concerned about the welfare of wildlife, expressed its interest to comment on the terms of reference of such a forum and to become a member. Matters of wildlife welfare cannot be considered only by those who do not support sustainable and responsible use of wildlife. We will follow this matter closely.

Members of SA Hunters involved in rescue, rehabilitation and release of wildlife

Openbare deelname oor Wetgewing en Beleidsake ŉ netelige kwessie

Openbare deelname oor biodiversi-teit was nog altyd ŉ netelige kwessie in Suid-Afrika vanweë die gebrek aan terugvoer op insette wat ons op wetgewing en beleidsake lewer. Die Vereniging het die Departement van Bosbou, Visserye en die Omge-wing, deur middel van die Wildlewe-forum, versoek om ŉ formele proses vir openbare deelname te ontwikkel wat duidelikheid gee oor die tyds-duur vir die oorweging, aandag en aksies op insette wat die publiek (en SA Jagters) lewer. ŉ Soortgelyke proses is reeds van toepassing vir omgewingsimpakstudies. Die voor-stel is aanvaar, en SA Jagters sal voortaan bydra tot die proses.

Wildlife Certification Scheme

Thank you to members that participated in the consumer demand surveys that were circulated towards developing a wildlife certification scheme that the wildlife sector had requested during the Biodiversity Economy Lab process in 2015. SA Hunters together with other industry role-players and government are represented on the project steering committee. The consumer demand study identified and described relevant key factors that influence the buying habits among hunters and current and potential consumers of game meat. The study identified different consumer types and their perceptions and understanding of the importance of sustainable use, and the appeal of buying goods and services as an output of the certification scheme.

The full report will follow, but herewith some feedback for those interested and that participated in the study.

The participation of consumers of wildlife products and services that were surveyed were as follows:

Game Meat Survey: 3578 responses
Domestic Hunting Survey: 3073 responses
International Hunting Survey: 304 responses

Key findings:

Broad support for sustainability and a thriving / functional wildlife economy
People want to support wildlife custodians and consume wildlife products that are managed ethically and sourced from areas contributing to conservation and biodiversity
The level varies of premium consumers that are willing / able to absorb
There are very few consumers that are against certification
Consumers have concerns whether certification will represent actual conservation and biodiversity contribution
Credibility / trustworthiness is key

Nuwe Idees

Beeldhouwerk uit afval

Beeld van Walvis gemaak uit afvalmeteriaal – Plettenbergbaai

Omskep afvalmateriaal in omgewingsvriendelike kunswerke wat die publiek bewus maak van die gevare wat afval vir seelewe inhou terwyl dit vir iets nuttig soos ‘n vullisdrom benut kan word.