Closure of Water Points in Kruger National Park

[Toko]

Nature culling Kruger jumbos
Graeme Hosken | 04 Dezember, 2014 00:35

Kruger National Park is allowing Mother Nature - on a giant scale - to play a role in limiting the population of elephants and that of the reserve's other game species.

Armed with scientific research, park officials have for the past eight years been shutting down artificial water points.

"We are not trying to control anything. We are allowing nature to take its course," said William Mabasa, Kruger National Park's spokesman.

Until 1994, the park's elephant population was controlled through the highly controversial method of culling. The mass slaughter of elephants sparked huge public outcry and condemnation.

Mabasa said research showed that the water-for-game programme which was launched in the 1960s during severe droughts had not produced positive results.

"The results were not good as it changed the behaviour of many animals with many, including elephants, often congregating in areas that they usually would not move into or be found in."

Now, after eight years of research, the effects of Mother Nature are starting to show, he said.

He said the programme was aimed at limiting the supply of water in the park provided by artificial methods, such as dams.

"It is part of a larger ecological programme, and while it slows the growth rates of elephant populations, it does the same for other animals as well."

The results, in terms of slowing down the growth rates, had yielded positive results, he said.

The results, said Mabasa, were that elephant population growth rates had dropped from more than 6% to 2%. He said the time between pregnancies was now at least 18 months longer.

"It is nature taking control," Mabasa said.

Dr Sam Ferreira, SANParks' large mammal ecologist, speaking to the Conservation Action Trust, said the park was restoring natural patterns.

"We've closed boreholes and we're removing some dams," Mabasa said.

"We've also dropped fences between ourselves and Mozambique in the north and private reserves in the west, allowing more spatial range," he added.

[H. erectus]

We are not trying to control anything.

Now, after eight years of research, the effects of Mother Nature are starting to show

You are blatantly bailing out here on the back of good governance regarding
mother nature!!!

Rather make your statement applicable to the concerns bordering
Kruger!! Fornicating oneself into a syndrome, hah,...the worlds
biggest problem,..

[Richprins]

Armed with scientific research, park officials have for the past eight years been shutting down artificial water points.


The best scientific research regarding elephants is a comprehensive full-transect aerial census. This has not happened for a long time, since before the shutting down of waterholes.

"We are not trying to control anything. We are allowing nature to take its course," said William Mabasa, Kruger National Park's spokesman.

Until 1994, the park's elephant population was controlled through the highly controversial method of culling. The mass slaughter of elephants sparked huge public outcry and condemnation.

Mabasa said research showed that the water-for-game programme which was launched in the 1960s during severe droughts had not produced positive results.


That is correct, but those results were mostly linked to the reduction in numbers of rare antelope, nothing to do with elephant.

"The results were not good as it changed the behaviour of many animals with many, including elephants, often congregating in areas that they usually would not move into or be found in."

What changed the behaviour of grazers was the erection of the fence around the entire Kruger Park in that time period. This is a far more serious "control"..entirely necessary, that actually saved Kruger, IMO...elephants only started exploding in numbers decades later, squat all to do with waterholes, IMO. They will congregate mercilessly at rivers and destroy the vegetation in the dry season. A windmill cannot support a breeding herd of ellies, so obfuscation. A dam can, but they go to the rivers and get out of dodge as soon as the rains create pans in the veld.




Now, after eight years of research, the effects of Mother Nature are starting to show, he said.

He said the programme was aimed at limiting the supply of water in the park provided by artificial methods, such as dams.

"It is part of a larger ecological programme, and while it slows the growth rates of elephant populations, it does the same for other animals as well."

The results, in terms of slowing down the growth rates, had yielded positive results, he said.

The results, said Mabasa, were that elephant population growth rates had dropped from more than 6% to 2%. He said the time between pregnancies was now at least 18 months longer.

"It is nature taking control," Mabasa said.


If nature is taking control, I think it may rather be food availability than water, or plain herd dynamics. As said, ellies will ruthlessly chase other game away from water, and drink it all up. But they have to eat everything around any water point while it lasts, and they eat everything...not selective. So selective grazers/browsers die. Once again, who knows without a comprehensive census?

Dr Sam Ferreira, SANParks' large mammal ecologist, speaking to the Conservation Action Trust, said the park was restoring natural patterns.

"We've closed boreholes and we're removing some dams," Mabasa said.

"We've also dropped fences between ourselves and Mozambique in the north and private reserves in the west, allowing more spatial range," he added.


The Western fences have been dropped for over 30 years now, and the Eastern fence to Moz partially dropped maybe 10 years ago? Moz ellies in Transfrontier Park reached saturation quickly, regarding available water.

[okie]

BY: GRAEME HOSKEN | 4 DEC 2014 12:05

© Johan Swanepoel – 123RF.com

The Kruger National Park is allowing Mother Nature - on a giant scale - to play a role in limiting the population of elephants and that of the reserve's other game species.

.....................................................

..........................."We've closed boreholes and we're removing some dams," Mabasa said.

"We've also dropped fences between ourselves and Mozambique in the north and private reserves in the west, allowing more spatial range," he added.

Source: The Times

Of course , this " natural limiting of population " ( read culling , killing , poaching ) happens much much faster on Mocambican side
Out of sight , out of mind , and it is no longer our problem

[Lisbeth]

My thought exactly.

"Fences down between SA and Mozambique"

[H. erectus]

Basically just passing the buck!!! Oh for goodness sake,..!!!!

In the Greater South African Constitution is there some remark
that may allocate "responsibility toward society"",...............

This 'not guilty syndrome' needs parliamentary scrutiny, in depth!!!

[Richprins]

Lots of stuff here:


viewtopic.php?f=197&t=1059&p=81369&hili ... nce#p81369



The fence is still down in the North of Kruger...not a big rhino area (North of Giriyondo, sort of). Those ellies left Kruger, entered Moz, bulls came back, breeding herds entered Moz, bulls went back, all to do with water availability, but the bottom line is ellies have repopulated the Moz side of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park chop chop, no more space there, unless artificial water is provided, ironically!

There is confusion regarding fences being put back up. It mostly pertains to the far South of Kruger, facing concessions that allow hunting etc. in Moz.

[Richprins]

There was a long thing about buffer zones protecting Kruger's inflowing rivers in Wild magazine.

The thing is, there are two relatively large pristine catchment areas in the Park...the Mbyamiti and Mphongolo.

Pollution is going to get worse, and sacred species need safe havens...almost like rhino.

SP destroyed Stolsnek Dam, the biggest on the Mbyamiti, many years ago. And Sirheni Dam fell away during the floods some years back.

These two should be prime reservioirs, IMO?
Something to think about for the future?

There are other dams in those systems!

[H. erectus]

Yash Rich,.. voiced my opinion about all this at the last
Groenkloof meet,.. not relevant too the topic!!!!

[H. erectus]

We as humans are already bitching and moaning about our water resource
for self,....do animals just perhaps also have such a right?????,......

so let nature go it's course,.....

The results, said Mabasa, were that elephant population growth rates had dropped from more than 6% to 2%. He said the time between pregnancies was now at least 18 months longer.

"It is nature taking control," Mabasa said.

What a bottomless open ended cavity where verbal diarrhea spills!!!!

Kruger is fast becoming a large zoo that needs menial logistical support
mechanisms in place , that to justify it's independence from mankind!!!


Dynamite,..??? why dynamite???,..Just cap the source for the time being!!!!!!

Currently the whole damn lot seems stressed, vegetation as well the mammals,..
without water,....