Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 2 2019 i PRIVATE GAME | WILDLIFE RANCHING

“South Africa is well poised to take advantage of the rapidly growing global ecotourism industry.” At a time of load-shedding, anaemic economic growth and persistent drought in certain parts of our country, one would be forgiven for having a bleak outlook on South Africa’s future. This view would be reinforced against the backdrop of the global economic situation. The rise of populist nationalist political forces has resulted in the increasingly bitter trade war between the USA and China, Brexit and tensions in the broader European Union. Protectionist economic policies are becoming more mainstream and a threat to liberal economic policies. The uncertainty caused by this gradual policy shift and other factors have caused volatility in emerging markets and global commodities markets, negatively affecting South Africa. However, to us who are…

The economy is on everyone’s mind and lips and at the moment it is rarely a positive thought or expression. The world economy has not yet recovered fully from the 2008 crash a decade earlier. Today with the protectionist leanings to the right of many of the bigger economies, viz. USA, Britain and many countries in Europe, and the relational stresses such as immigration into Europe, Brexit, US-China tit-for-tat trade tariff squabbles and US-North Korea as well as US-Iran nuclear tensions, investors are becoming increasingly confused and cautious, especially when dealing with ‘developing’ economies. It is clear that the well-being of economies is about political choices, to a degree about which choices are made (the USA’s and China’s policies could not be more different) but even more importantly about knowing…

The name ‘Bhekifa’ originates from Tswana, meaning ‘expected inheritance’. Unyati purchased ‘Bhekifa’ on the Thaba Tholo auction in 2012. At the time ‘Bhekifa’ was the second buffalo bull measuring 50+" to be sold on auction – ‘Tyson’ being the first. ‘Bhekifa’, as with most of the Thaba Tholo genetics, was spotted by chance in their extensive area. The genetics of ‘Bhekifa’ will be available at the Wintershoek Private Game Reserve auction taking place on 22 June 2019. An opportunity not to be missed! For more information, visit: http://wintershoekwild.com…

Almost 300 wildlife ranchers gathered at the annual conference of Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA) in Pretoria on Saturday, 6 April 2019, to listen to the advice from prominent business and political leaders as well as scientists on current developments that have an impact on the wildlife sector. WRSA President, Tebogo Mogashoa, said this year’s conference attracted many new faces, which indicated a growing interest in the wildlife industry. “The conference programme with its selection of high-profile speakers addressed important current affairs that provided essential insight and a fresh perspective into the impact that national and global economic trends have on the South African wildlife sector. It was most encouraging to engage with so many delegates, some of whom are established wildlife ranchers whilst others attended the WRSA conference for…

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The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has remained in a moderate El Niño state and is predicted to strengthen throughout winter and spring. This, however, is not expected to influence South Africa during the current and upcoming seasons as ENSO has little influence over South Africa during autumn or winter. Above-normal rainfall conditions are expected over the southwestern parts of the country during late autumn (April-May-June) and early winter (May-June-July). These are the areas that typically receive significant rainfall during these seasons. An increased number of rainfall days (with rainfall greater than 5 mm and 15 mm) is also expected during late autumn, increasing the chances of flooding events in the area. However, a decrease in the number of rainfall days is evident in the early winter forecasts. For the rest…

A number of years ago, Afrivet launched a range of supplements for ruminants. OviMin, BoviMin and DairyMin were instant hits, and the company decided to develop a similar product for game. Game is, well, a different ball game. Unlike domesticated animals they are averse to being handled, which has always made administering supplements a challenge. “We took our cue from DairyMin,” explains Dr Fanus Cilliers, nutritionist at Camelus (ISO accredited 22 000 manufacturing facility) and advisor to Afrivet’s feed supplement development partner at the time. “Dairy cows taught us that animals would willingly eat a supplement drizzled over their feed, provided that they liked the taste.” Application through feed makes sense. Most game farmers feed their animals in any event, especially for breeding purposes, hence the animals are used to…

“In 1945 Norman Atherstone fenced in four kudu in a 200ha enclosure on the farm Rust, quite possibly the very beginnings of the first private game ranch in the Transvaal of the time!” THE ATHERSTONE NATURE RESERVE In 1917 Arthur Atherstone purchased the farm Rust 166 KP from the Government of the day in the Silent Valley district (right in the heart of the recently de-proclaimed Rustenburg Game Reserve) and settled there shortly after the First World War. He lost most of his livestock in what proved to be a very gruelling trek up to the farm from Ventersdorp and spent the next few years building up a cattle ranching operation. His son, Norman, born in 1924, followed in his father’s footsteps and continued ranching with cattle while clearly at…

• Brashares J.S. et al., 2014. “Wildlife decline and social conflict.” • Cloete, P.C., Van der Merwe, P. & Saayman, M. 2015. Profitability of the Game Ranching Industry in South Africa, Second edition. Pretoria: Caxton Publishers. • Draft Game Meat Regulations as published by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for public comments on 12 February 2016. • Dry, G.C., 2015. WRSA Pledge Towards Transformation, presentation at 2nd Biodiversity Indaba, 5 November 2015. • Du Toit, J.G., 2007. ”Role of the private sector in the wildlife industry”. Pretoria: Wildlife Ranching SA/ Du Toit Wilddienste. • E-news, “The global meat world”, April 2016. • Global advertisers and Meat News – Google accessed 19/03/2019 (notes in possession of author). • Janovsky, E., 2016. “Outlook for game and venison.” Game & Hunt,…

Dr Johan van Rensburg, a member of WRSA, is a retired gynaecologist and reproductive specialist, wildlife photographer and seasoned traveller, and now full-time involved in eco-tourism and conservation. Annica van Rensburg has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is a conservation photographer. You can see her work on https://lovenaturephix.com) Recently they’ve had enough of city life and retreated to an eco-friendly game farm in Limpopo. Eco Explore Africa was established for eco-graded establishments that are verified to be truly ‘eco’; to present sustainable tourism-related information as a community service to assist the prospective traveller to make an informed choice; and to build an eco-minded travellers community platform that puts the consumers (travellers) and service providers in touch and gives comprehensive information on eco-sustainable travel accommodation ethics.…

“Suid-Afrika is goed voorbereid om voordeel te trek uit die snelgroeiende wêreldwye ekotoerismebedryf.” In ’n tyd van beurtkrag, swak ekonomiese groei en volgehoue droogte in sekere dele van ons land, sou ’n mens vergewe kon word as Suid-Afrika se toekoms vir jou droewig lyk. Hierdie siening sal versterk word teen die agtergrond van die wêreldwye ekonomiese situasie. Die opkoms van populistiese nasionalistiese politieke magte het gelei tot die toenemend bittere handelsoorlog tussen die VSA en China, Brexit en spanning in die breër Europese Unie. Beskermende ekonomiese beleide word meer algemene en ’n bedreiging vir liberale ekonomiese beleide. Die onsekerheid wat hierdie geleidelike beleidsverskuiwing en ander faktore veroorsaak het, het gelei tot onsekerheid in ontluikende markte en wêreldwye kommoditeitsmarkte, wat Suid-Afrika negatief beïnvloed. Vir ons wat egter bekend is met die…

Wintershoek has acquired the Unyati Private Game Reserve in 2018 and we have changed the name to the Wintershoek Private Game Reserve for our ranching activities and Nyara Lodge for our hunting activities. We are extremely excited about this new project. We are adopting the Thaba Tholo model of an extensive system with good numbers of all the species allowing them to roam free and grow up in a natural environment in their own time – we will keep 2 000 hectares out for selective breeding of the best genetics available. Jaco Troskie, who first acquired the farm in 2007, shares the same vision – pure bloodlines and diverse gene pools creating legendary genetics. Jaco and his team have supported the industry in a big way by acquiring proven genetics…

It is strange how game farmers often pay impressive prices for superior animals but then seem reluctant to spend money on feeding them properly. It is true that game should get their nourishment from the veldt, as they have done for ages. However, we have ‘industrialised’ them and are now obliged to provide additional feed to fill the gap between what the veldt supplies and what modern game farming systems require. Modern livestock nutrition is based on a solid foundation of scientific data. Game feeding on the other hand is relatively poorly researched and relies heavily on extrapolation from comparative domestic species, experience and tradition. Unfortunately, and understandably, some of the data that does exist is shrouded in secrecy; such data should be viewed sceptically since it was not subjected…

Opponents of such bans usually point to the total failure of prohibition in the United States in the 1920s. Because it was assumed that demand for alcohol would magically fade in the absence of availability, it actually provoked a significant increase in consumption, a major rise in organised crime, a jump in official corruption and a burgeoning black market. The proponents of a ban on ivory trade ignore these incontrovertible facts. They believe that a ban on all domestic and international trade in elephant tusks will automatically put an end to poaching. It won't. In fact, it will likely increase poaching because prices will be higher, profits will be greater and interest in a forbidden fruit will be stronger . “The proposed ban on all ivory trade, both international and…

In conclusion then, and without wanting to sound too negative, it would appear that a lot of the early conservation efforts made in this part of the world have come to nought! Around the turn of this century a ‘Bushveld National Park’ was even proposed! It was planned to extend all the way from Madikwe through Atherstone, Thaba Tholo, Marakele, Welgevonden and on to Lapalala but nothing ever came of this initiative and the concept was shelved in favour of a ‘Heritage Park’ linking Madikwe to Pilanesberg. 15 years later this hasn’t gotten off the ground either and is frankly now unlikely to ever see the light of day! Apart from a lot of talk large amounts of money have been spent on one survey/proposal after another but nothing concrete…

Despite the introduction of the CITES international trade ban in 1977, overall rhino populations have suffered a severe decline. It is estimated that some 100 000 have been poached, that 23 African range states no longer have rhino, and that certain countries that still have rhino, have populations of less than 100 animals, and many of those are declining. All of this is despite attempts to reduce demand, to improve law enforcement, and to implement rhino protection projects costing hundreds of millions of US dollars across Africa. “If we calculate the asset loss through poaching, the decline in rhino values plus the loss of productivity from the 8 000 animals, this comes to a staggering R9.8 billion loss to South Africa.” South Africa was relatively free of poaching until 2008.…

When we considered the 2019 themes for Wildlife Ranching magazine, a focus on strategy was an obvious choice. One of the most effective tools for strategic planning is to use the PESTLE analyses as a guideline. The six influences, and the Wildlife Ranching themes for 2019, are: Political Economic Social Technological Legal Environmental In our first 2019 Wildlife Ranching issue, we look at current POLITICAL influences. In this issue, we contemplate current ECONOMIC influences. Economic factors are determinants of an economy’s performance that directly impact a business and have resonating long-term effects. It also accounts for foreign direct investment, which is of particular importance to the private wildlife sector – inclusive of breeding, consumptive tourism (hunting and products) and ecotourism. In our lead article, ‘The Bigger Picture’ , Michael ’t…

Ekonomiese Boerdery-Perspektief Wildboerdery is nie alleen ’n wonderlike leefstyl waaruit boere en sakemanne geweldige vreugde put nie – want mooi wild bly darem maar mooi – maar dit moet ook uit ’n ekonomiese boerderyperspektief gesien word. Wanneer ’n mens wil kyk na die ekonomie van die wildbedryf, is dit belangrik om die huidige aankoopprys van wild te vergelyk met watter prys haalbaar is in die huidige verkoopsklimaat. Dit sit ons nou op dieselfde voet as bv. skaap- en beespryse. Jy kan nie kyk na die historiese pryse en daarvolgens die huidige ekonomie wil bereken nie. ’n Mens moet kyk wat betaal jy vandag vir teeldiere en wat gaan jy kry as jy die aanteel verkoop – maak nie saak of jy van vee of wild praat nie, die beginsel bly…

GRONDGEBRUIK-BESTUURSMODEL VIR DIE PRIVAAT WILDBEDRYF VAN SUID-AFRIKA TREES (Tourism Research in Economic Environs & Society) en die NoordWes-Universiteit se Toerismebestuurskool het onlangs hierdie baie interessante studie gepubliseer. Die studie is gegrond op kwalitatiewe navorsing, dus onderhoude met wildboere wat oor ’n tydperk van drie jaar gedoen is. Die studie is befonds deur WRSA en die NRF en WRSA-lede het daaraan deelgeneem. Daar is onder meer gekyk na demografie, grondgebruik, ekonomie, uitdagings in die wildbedryf en wildboere se moontlike toekomstige investerings. Die doel van die studie was om grondgebruike op wildplase te bepaal en het, bo en behalwe die bekende gebruike van jag, teel, ekotoerisme en wildsbyprodukte, ook gemengde boerdery as ’n belangrike grondgebruik aangewys. Die dokument van bykans 150 bladsye toon die gewildste grondgebruiksvorme in Suid-Afrika aan, asook die produksieuitsette…

KZN, although a reasonably ‘small’ province in number of game ranchers, is an extremely important contributor to South Africa’s biodiversity, having a wide variety of the most beautiful and pristine ocean, mountain and bush environments. Needless to say, KwaZulu-Natal is a preferred destination for tourists enjoying our wildlife and ecotourism offered by our wildlife ranchers across the province. Some history and facts about KZN • The Pongola Game Reserve was the first ever proclaimed game reserve in South Africa in 1894. • Dr Ian Player’s Operation Rhino in the 1950s saved our rhinos from extinction. • Zululand is the home of the nyala and red duiker where they occur in their natural habitat to this day. Wildlife ranching in this province is dominated by ecotourism and hunting lodges. Breeding is…

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In the previous article, the reader was introduced to the different digestive classes or categories that exist for African ungulates larger than a blue duiker. It discussed how the different classes differ with regard to what forage they select and what mechanisms they have to degrade and digest it. The article also stressed the importance of the symbiotic/mutualistic relationship that exists between the host animal and the population of gut flora (microbes) that assist the animal in converting the selected forage into essential nutrients the animals absorb in the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). BACKGROUND To recap, herbivores are animals that select and eat the most palatable foliage available as a food source. Their mouthparts are adapted to select, grind and/or rasp selected plant matter (grass and leaves…

Author: Faansie Peacock Publisher: Pavo ISBN: 978-0-620-80689-3 (English) 978-0-620-80690-9 (Afrikaans) Language: Available in English and Afrikaans Pages: 432 Format: Soft cover with hard plastic covering to protect it from grubby fingers Retail price: R490 including delivery in South Africa Faansie Peacock, author of a number of excellent bird books, has been at it again and this time it’s for the new birdwatchers among us, namely kids of all ages. In his introductory note for parents, Faansie, a father of two boys, talks about “the greatest gift” they can give their children, namely encouraging an interest in nature. This is according to Faansie an intellectual pursuit that provides both a healthy and a productive form of escapism in the outdoors. And it’s not just about the birds because “to be honest,…