Questionable Buffalo and Hippo culling in Kruger

[Richprins]

Yes, and then smaller breeding groups with mostly subadults and babies were immobilised and taken away to Pilanesberg etc. Another lesson was learned when the boy elephants went haywire as they were no adult bulls to discipline them at the new spots, so bulls were also brought in. They are just like humans!

[Lisbeth]

Yes, but more instinctive, which makes it even more difficult. Elephants must be treated in a very special way

[Klipspringer]

Elephant culling is another story.

This buffalo hunting is just another method of commercialisation and social engagement with communities.

I think the harvesting business is another product to be developed (and not only buffalo meat).

Government also wants to encourage communities to farm with more wild animals instead of cattle and goats and SANParks has a wildlife economy programme (loan and donate wildlife to game farmers or communities as founder stock). So these experiments could be a pilot to develop a viable buffalo meat production and export the knowledge to communities.

[Klipspringer]

https://www.sanparks.org/groups/tenders ... -plant.php

The purpose of these terms of reference (ToR) is to invite professional service providers to submit a
quotation to complete a detailed business and implementation plan to direct immediate, medium, and
long-term investment into the Skukuza meat processing facility, in line with the broader Wildlife
Economy concept for a Greater Kruger game meat market and brand.

In the Kruger National Park (KNP), the Skukuza Meat Processing Facility is an existing facility, which is
a registered abattoir, which has historically been utilised to process game meat harvested through
culling, research and other operational management practices within the Kruger National Park (KNP).
Given the restrictions imposed through the location of KNP within the Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD)
zone, live sales of most species are not viable, with culling or harvesting and the sale of such wildlife
products as per Veterinary regulations being the only viable alternative.
In the context of the national Biodiversity Economy Programme and need for meaningful socio-economic
development and beneficiation on the western boundary of KNP, SANParks KNP initiated the
development of the Skukuza Meat Processing Facility Draft Feasibility Assessment and Business Plan
(2019), through funding from WWF Nedbank Green Trust. The purpose of the Draft feasibility and
business plan, was to assess the potential for the Skukuza ‘Meat Processing Facility to be a significant
driver of socio-economic development in the Greater Kruger landscape, based on meat processed from
sustainable resource use and game off-takes in the KNP and surrounding Conservation Cooperative
Partners .
An internal KNP workshop was held on 11 November 2019 to discuss the Skukuza Meat Processing
Facility Draft Feasibility Assessment and Business Plan (2019) and agree on a way forward. The
outcome of the workshop, and agreed way forward, was the need to complete a detailed business plan
for primary and secondary products, inclusive of operational and financial projections, to adequately
inform (and attract) the required investment

[Klipspringer]

A Kruger Game Meat brand will be developed and KNP animals will be hunted for meat sales.

[Richprins]

Why does SANParks not proudly announce this venture everywhere?

[Lisbeth]

Maybe this is also where the game farms come in The ones mentioned in the Third Quater Report https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... 84#p490484

[Klipspringer]

SANParks sould become a key role player in developing and assisting all kind of consumptive use enterprises, game farming, ranching, hunting, plant harvesting etc. That's another one of the new roles they have to play.

[Lisbeth]

Apart from not being their core business or business at all, I wonder if they are really up to all these different things. And the investments, where do they come from? They already get 20% of their exigency from the state

[Richprins]

one of the new roles they have to play.

They don't "have" to do that at all. They decided to do it for money and votes...