Dry Riverbed Vehicle Driving Activities in Kruger

[Richprins]

Not sure concessions are allowed to go off-road in Kruger itself. Greater Kruger yes.

The premise is that it is not right, unnecessary, against the conservation ethos, disturbing etc. Where does one draw the line?

[Lisbeth]

When there were fewer tourists and consequently fewer OSVs it was different. These days even in Greater Kruger it should be prohibited. There is simply too much traffic and it is definitely disturbing a lot of animals, especially the smaller ones

[Klipspringer]

Here the game drive policy for concession in KNP, more or less the same as in Sabi Sand.
Do you really think guests are prepared to pay the high rates only for the luxury of quality accommodation?
Tracking and ORD is the real attraction for tourists keen to see lion and leopard within a limited time.

https://www.sanparks.org/docs/groups_te ... manual.pdf

6.20.1.1 Game Drives
Game drives are only permitted on designated tracks within the CA. The general public road network is available for use by the
Concessionaire, but normal SANParks rules will apply. Within CA’s, the following rules will apply:
(i) Driving after dark is permitted in agreed areas up to 22h00. Driving later than this time requires SANParks approval;
(ii) Guests may alight from the vehicle under instruction from the Guide and not move more than 50m from the vehicle. Should they
wish to move beyond this distance, this must be done with the concurrence of the Guide, and the Guidelines for Walks.
Guides must ensure the group is not visible to other Park users;
(iii) Only Concessionaire staff are permitted to sit or track on the ‘tracker seat’ located on the bonnet, and they must move inside the
vehicle when approaching dangerous game and when using or crossing public roads;
(iv) Calling of any nature, baiting or any other activity to attract animals’ attention is not permitted;
(v) Game Drive Guides must have obtained the following qualifications and pre-requisites:
 THETA Nature Site Guide TGD/NSGDGm/2/0030 NQF Level 2 certificate
 FGASA Level 1
 KNP Orientation Course (recommended)
 Valid First Aid Certificate
 DEAT Registration (Site Guide: KNP & surrounding areas)
 Valid EC Driver License (Code 08)
 Valid Public Drivers Permit (PDP)
If the Guide carries a firearm on the Game Drive, the following needs to be in place:
 SASSETA Unit Standard 10750 (pre 2008) or Unit Standards 123519, 119651 & 117705 (post 2008)
Certification (preferable to also have Firearm Competency Card as issued by the SAPS)
 Valid KNP Basic Firearm Proficiency
(vi) Guests may not stand up while driving or at game sightings.
(vii) Noise levels on a drive must be kept to a minimum and controlled by the Guide.
6.20.1.2 Sighting Procedures
The following procedures must be observed at sightings in a CA:
(i) Only one vehicle may move into, around, or away from a sighting at any one time;
(ii) The Guide who first arrives at a sighting will take charge and control of the sighting, and will hand over to another Guide upon
leaving the sighting;
(iii) A maximum of three vehicles is permitted at a sighting at any one time;
(iv) Escape routes from the sighting must be assessed before entering;
(v) All animals must be regarded as potentially dangerous and caution must be observed at all times;
(vi) A sighting must be approached in the appropriate gear;
(vii) Guests may not remove or damage vegetation or artefacts; and
(viii) Areas where guided walks may be conducted must be avoided.

[Klipspringer]

And the offroad part:

6.21 OFF-ROAD DRIVING
6.21.1 Principles
(i) To provide off-road driving as an alternative form of wildlife appreciation for the guest, where such activity may be appropriate,
and conducted by a professional within a responsible and environmentally acceptable manner, with due cognisance of the fact
that such activity is being undertaken in a sensitive wilderness environment that remains the natural heritage of all South
Africans.
(ii) To regulate the activity of off-road driving (ORD) on concessions which may only be undertaken on soils which can
accommodate this activity and under conditions which are not irreversibly harmful to the ecology of the area and which will allow
for a sustainable recovery of the impacted zone. The code will form part of the contract agreement between the concessions
and SANParks.
(iii) SANParks may suspend off-road driving in any or all CA’s at any time if it is determined that negative impacts are not managed
appropriately, if it is determined that the adverse impacts are of a level unacceptable to SANParks. A Concessionaire who fails
immediately to abide by such a determination will be considered in material breach of the contract and SANParks will have the
right to terminate the contract with immediate effect.
(iv) The Concessionaire will maintain a register and record on a daily basis each off-road driving event that occurs, including all
relevant details of the event, as required by SANParks. Failure to maintain the register will be cause for terminating a
Concessionaire’s permission to drive off-road.
6.21.2 Guidelines
The following conditions must be adhered to:
i. Each concession must have a dedicated and responsible employee to monitor ORD driving and incidents on the concession.
The responsible person will use the ORD Code of Conduct and their expertise to apply restrictions and close roads during wet
conditions. This person should preferably be a Head Guide or Habitat Manager;
ii. No ORD activity will take place within 2 hours of 0,5 mm of rainfall; not within 6 hours of >0,5-5 mm of rainfall; not within 1 day of
>5 -10 mm or rainfall, and not within 2 weeks of >10-30mm of rainfall (too extreme) (dependant on soils, presence of seep lines
etc) (SANParks to assist with seasonal roads that should be closed during periods of heavy rainfall) concession specific, time
frames.
iii. ORD incidents will be restricted to a maximum of 25 incidents per month; concession specific according to number of vehicles,
occupancy rates, bed nights. Look at the records and find an average. And do not exceed average. What is defined as an
incident? Wheels off the road .....considered an incident.
iv. ORD may only be undertaken in the event of confirmed sightings of leopard, lion, wild dog, and cheetah;
v. If it is required to drag carcasses out of the bush closer to the game viewing road, permission must be obtained from the SR.
This is restricted to giraffe, buffalo, elephant and hippo carcasses;
vi. Vehicles are allowed to off-road for a maximum of 50 m into the bush from the centre of the main game viewing road; (specific –
vegetation) (set a upper limit).
vii. A minimum distance of 30 m must be maintained between the vehicle and an animal when following it in the bush. The sound of
the vehicle crashing behind them can cause stress. When the animal becomes stationary, it can be approached closer.
viii. If a predator is hunting, greater caution must be exercised whilst following. Vehicles are to be switched off while the predator
stalks and can only move again when the predator moves. All spotlights are to be switched off during hunting and may only be
switched on again once the predator has chased and either missed or caught the prey.
ix. If more than one vehicle at a sighting, only one vehicle is allowed to be mobile at a time;
x. If more than one vehicle drive off-road to a sighting they should follow one route in and one route out in each other’s tracks;
xi. ORD is strictly prohibited on sodic patches, duplex soils, saturated clay soils and seasonally wet areas or seeps;
xii. The following ORD is not permitted:
 near or on research monitoring sites as identified by KNP: Scientific Services
 in areas identified by the relevant Section Ranger for a period of time necessitated by operational and security needs;
 any areas that SANParks may designate at any time for conservation or other management purposes;
 near any known cultural or historical sites;
 in areas where Red Data species are known to exist,
 over underground burrows or dens;
 over woody plants and trees, bush clumps and edges of termite mounds;
 through water filled pans or seasonal troughs which are often home to unique species of terrapins and amphibians;
 over seep lines, river crossings and entering and exiting out river beds.
xiii. As far as possible, ORD must be avoided on overgrazed sections of land and on areas that have recently been burnt;
xiv. Driving in extended straight lines through open grassy plains must be avoided;
xv. Wheel spinning is unacceptable under any conditions. Guides must negotiate all inclines in 4-wheel drive to prevent spinning
and loosening of the soil and causing erosion spots. This is especially important when travelling up or down slopes of more than 5
degrees;
xvi. Trackers must look out for logs, rocks, burrows and small animals in the grass;
xvii. Entering or exiting through gullies must not be done at right angles but rather obliquely to avoid creating vertical channels for
water run-off. Care should, however, be taken not to roll the vehicle;
xviii. Guides are expected to be aware of no-go zones on each game drive. If the guide has any doubt that conditions may be
unsuitable, he or she is expected to adhere to the ‘precautionary approach’ and not drive off-road. Common sense should prevail
at all times.Off-road driving may only be undertaken in the event of a confirmed sighting of elephant, leopard, lion, rhino, buffalo,
wild dog, and cheetah;
xix. Off-road driving will not be permitted in areas where Red Data Plant species are known to exist, or in any other areas that
SANParks are using for conservation or other management purposes;
xx. Vehicles driving off-road may under no circumstances follow in the tracks of another vehicle;
xxi. NO off-road driving will be permitted at river crossings. Concessionaires wishing to drive along riverbeds must develop and
carefully manage track spurs into and out of the river(s), which will count as part of the road and track network allocation;
xxii. Off-road driving is not permitted in wet conditions, on sodic patches, or duplex soils; and
xxiii. Any off-road impact to be repaired immediately (compaction reversed, ruts erased)

[Richprins]

Klippies!