SANParks: Respect our animals

[Sprocky]

2014-01-21

Cape Town - It's been less than a month since the controversial Kruger National Park killing of an elephant that charged and injured two tourist after they got too close for comfort - and yet another video has emerged of a similar situation with lions.

Two children can be seen hanging out of a car window, less than 3 metres away from two lions. The male lion eventually assumes an attack position and gives off a warning growl.

SANparks Acting Head of Communications, Reynold Thakhuli said, “Unfortunately if the lion had mauled the children we would have been faced with same situation of having to put the animal down.

“Once these wild animals have human contact and taste human blood we have to put them down.”

Thakhuli said it was disappointing that people chose to “take a grand stand approach to these incidents instead of reporting it to the authorities”.

“Visitors must respect the SANParks rules and respect our animals, which includes remaining in your car at all times and keeping a 50m distance between you and the animals,” Thakhuli said.

“I appeal to our visitors to report these incidents to us instead of posting it to social media.

“Upon entering the park people are given a pamphlet detailing the code of good game viewing. We rely on our visitors to familiarise themselves with these rules and to adhere to them.

“The scourge of rhino poaching has the park's limited resources stretched and we cannot police everybody that comes into the park."

South African law requires SANParks to submit a written statement of an eye-witness account along with video footage in order to prosecute individuals who break the rules.

Visitors who witness an incident are advised to report it to the nearest camp reception or to a park manager at the nearest Kruger entry point, along with the registration details of the car involved.

Incidents can also be reported to the park’s 24hr emergency call centre – 013 735 4325

“We have taken action before to reported incidents with fines between R500 and R5 000 being issued. In some instances we have in fact banned people from coming to the park. But we need people to report the incidents before we can do something,” Thakhuli said

[Richprins]

“Once these wild animals have human contact and taste human blood we have to put them down.”


What rubbish! Another knee-jerk reaction! Highly speculative and dependent on the situation. A healthy lion has it's own routine, and there has ben no instance of one grabbing a tourist out of a car in Kruger! Old or weak animals mey resort to stalking humans on their own terms. That is different. This sort of attack would be coincidental, and the lion would go back to routine, IMO..it's not Dracula!



Thakhuli said it was disappointing that people chose to “take a grand stand approach to these incidents instead of reporting it to the authorities”.


Why is it disappointing, exactly? Reporting is fine, but everyone has the right to share their concerns, which should be applauded!




“Visitors must respect the SANParks rules and respect our animals, which includes remaining in your car at all times and keeping a 50m distance between you and the animals,” Thakhuli said.


If everyone kept a 50m distance from animals, there would be no traffic flow on most of Kruger's roads. What a load of crap!

“I appeal to our visitors to report these incidents to us instead of posting it to social media.


Why? As said above... Because it makes Kruger look bad? Social media is extremely convenient regarding the promotion of SANParks, but not regarding "inconvenient" situations"



“The scourge of rhino poaching has the park's limited resources stretched and we cannot police everybody that comes into the park."




What a pathetic "cop-out". The first example of the "rhino card" now being played, conveniently. The release is about people reporting illegal behaviour. Nobody expects staff to be on duty at every sighting!? According to this logic, Kruger should be shut down while the rhino war rages, as tourist's lives are at stake and they cannot be policed!

[Richprins]

I think SP need another acting acting media setup...

[nan]

“I appeal to our visitors to report these incidents to us instead of posting it to social media.

everybody (well almost) have to live with the new medias

... if we stay at 50m.... what do a Chameleon, for exemple.... looks like

[Sprocky]

“I appeal to our visitors to report these incidents to us instead of posting it to social media.

Hey Rey, if the people in your organisation reacted faster than social media, I'm sure we all would!

[Bushcraft]

“I appeal to our visitors to report these incidents to us instead of posting it to social media.

Hey Rey, if the people in your organisation reacted faster than social media, I'm sure we all would!

[Lisbeth]

“Once these wild animals have human contact and taste human blood we have to put them down.”

In India it has been proved scientifically that tigers become man eaters, especially older specimens ......also because humans are much easier to catch.

[nan]

people live IN the parks and Tigers are much bigger than Lion

[Bushcraft]

people live IN the parks and Tigers are much bigger than Lion

In India there are people cruising around in the same habitat, but in Kruger people are cruising around in cars, so there’s no proof that if a lion chomps a visitor who’s hanging out a car that the lion or any animal would do it again

[Bushcraft]

The 50m part had me rolling