Kruger Park Sightings IPHONE IPAD APP

[iNdlovu]

Or an animal hurt or killed by idiots chasing these sighting all over the park.
All these sighting sites are doing is replacing the chaos we had with OSV's chasing around (and that used to upset everyone in a big way) now instead of maybe a dozen OSV's we have
50 or 100 private vehicles doing the same thing. Much worse in my book.

I absolutely cannot understand rushing off to a sighting in the knowledge that when you get there chaos reigns supreme. Surely this is not what going to the game reserve is all about. I'm a bit like Dewi...if i see another car on the road I'm on, I take the next turnoff onto another road. To heck with what sighting has been reported ahead, if I bide my time an exciting sighting will come my way sooner or later and I'm sure as heck not going to broadcast it.

In my opinion these sighting reports are going to be the cause of SanParks canning self drives in Kruger, then we'll all sit up and say what happened. Just like with the no alcohol story. A few bad apples messed things up for everyone. If these sighting websites lead to the kind of behavior reported by BC we're in for a rough time.

The next time I'm in the park, I'll report sitings in the opposite ends of the park to where I am and watch the crowds rush off, leaving me in peace.

[Penga Ndlovu]

[harrys]

I switch off my cell when in KNP and check for messages at night , I have a Blackberry but I don't have BBM so we don't check these updates and that way we enjoy the outing looking for animals the old fashion way . I think technology ruins the fun and only stresses people more

[Flutterby]

I agree Harrys and iNdy....things are going to get worse...but how do you stop it?

[Bushcraft]

FB, I don’t believe that it can be stopped as the technology is available and people can’t be stopped from using it. Twitter, F-book, cell phones, etc can’t be stopped. In a way it’s just like someone at the old sighting board shouting his head off about a kill down the road, just as multiple OSV’s talk amongst themselves, etc. There will always be people who will rush off based on that, but now it’s potentially exponential with automatic updates available to all in the park.

If I get an update about a leopard on a kill next to the road, or a pangolin sleeping under a tree, etc, etc, in the area that I’m in there’s no way I’m not going to take a look.

The only options I see is for SANParks to also follow these updates and dispatch control vehicles accordingly, or effectively educate visitors on sighting etiquette, but SANParks can’t teach visitors manners, which seems to also be a large problem at a crowded sighting.

[Flutterby]

As you say, SP need to be more vigilant, and stricter when it comes to enforcing the rules!!

[Bushcraft]

I have been thinking about this and there’s one way to turn it into a positive:

Encourage all those that receive and post sighting updates to also post speeding, suspect activity, rule breakers, etc.

The auto update gang could police themselves and it could make KNP a better place as all types of issues could be reported

[Flutterby]

Good idea!

[Richprins]

I think the time of year also plays a role, whether you do the BBM thing or not! School holidays in the South means chaos at sightings, end of story!


During quieter times, BBM groups could actually make a tremendous difference to a tourist's trip!

[serval]

The next time I'm in the park, I'll report sitings in the opposite ends of the park to where I am and watch the crowds rush off, leaving me in peace.

These sighting reportings via fruit machines BBM & whatever else they are referred to (what are these blackberry things in any case?) are handy to me as I will drive in the opposite direction.

These stupid things are turning people into blind & stupid follow the technology nincompoops who can't get home from the mall without a GPS .

Aren't we really ruining the wilderness experience enough as it is ????