What does the future hold for Kruger’s lions?

Kruger National Park’s lion population faces an uncertain future - or does it?

That was the question facing scientists at a Lion Bovine Tuberculosis Disease Risk Assessment Workshop held in 2009. The collection of scientists from around the globe found answering the question of how Kruger’s lion (Panthera leo) population would respond to the increasing prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in the Parks’ buffalo herds more challenging than most had expected. This was despite having sophisticated mathematical models designed to answer such questions and the results of a number of research projects conducted on the lions.
The problem was that predictive models are only as good as the information they are using. The reliability of the model and validity of the results it provides are highly dependant on the both the quantity of data channelled into the model, but more importantly the quality of that data. To model the population effect of a specific disease like bovine tuberculosis, a detailed understanding of both the disease transmission rate and the demographic response to the disease in lions is required. Unfortunately, there are big gaps in current knowledge when it comes to both these aspects of the disease.

Undeterred by the extent of information required, SANParks have commissioned one of the largest investigative studies of its type, to gather the information needed to model the effect of bTB on Kruger’s lion population. It is a multi-faceted research programme, dependant on expertise from across a number of SANParks departments including Scientific Services, Veterinary Wildlife Services, as well as researchers from the University of Pretoria and Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty.

Dr Sam Ferreira, SANParks’ large mammal ecologist, heads the programme. He explains that the aim of this project is to collect data which will try and fill the current gaps in knowledge. These gaps include understanding both the vertical and horizontal transmission rates of the disease.
Vertically transmission is via predation, with buffalo being the primary hosts for bTB in the park and one of the lions’ favourite food sources. The lions catch bTB from the feeding on diseased buffalo. There is a concern that male lions could be particularly susceptible, as they often get first choice at a kill and will frequently select the most disease-ridden parts, including the lungs.
Horizontal transmission is intra-species transmission from lion to lion. Lions are social animals, feeding, sleeping, playing, and hunting in prides. Due to their social nature, lions tend to be particularly susceptible to horizontal intra-pride transmission, as bTB is an airborne disease and lions breathe over one another constantly, especially around a kill. Another gap in current knowledge is the demographic response of lions to bTB. Little is known about how bTB affects the birth intervals, fecundity, cub survival rates, life spans and pride takeovers in lions.

Sam’s programme aims to test all this, by collecting detailed information from 30 prides over a six-year timeframe. Kruger will be split into three distinct regions - southern, central and northern - and ten prides will be studied in each. These regions will differ in the amount of prey available and prevalence of bTB, both of which can influence the demographic response in the lions. However, no distinction will be made between the different zones, granite and basalt, within each region. Re-sampling of each pride will happen every two years, although every two months, researchers will spend three days and nights with the pride, using radio collars to track their every move and recording the behaviours they witness.

Before this can happen, the 30 prides have to be caught so that collars can be attached and initial samples taken. Collaring 30 prides carries a large cost, both financially and logistically. The programme has therefore been split into three smaller projects, according to the different regions, to make it more feasible. Currently collaring and sampling of lions in the southern region has started, with a team from SANParks going out on a week of night captures. Using a fresh carcass and a calling station the team hopes to draw in a pride from the vicinity. Audio calls are particularly important, and a lot of work is going into what sounds work best. Traditionally, buffalo distress calls and the sounds of hyenas noisily celebrating a kill have been used. Both bring in lions, however, the lion’s response differs dramatically. Hyena calls will bring lions in from a great distance however it will tend to be male lions looking for a fight, whereas the buffalo distress call tends to bring whole prides in, but from a lesser distance. Small factors like these need to be considered when setting up call-ups given that SANParks wish to attract prides and not only males.
When the lions have been called in, vets from Veterinary Wildlife Services dart as many of the individuals of a pride as possible. Several tests commence once lions have been retrieved at the capture site with assistance from the Operations Unit. Currently there is no solid test to diagnose bTB in lions, so two associated projects under the auspices of the KNP Veterinary Unit aim to evaluate methods of testing in the hope of finding a reliable, standardised test for bTB. Alongside testing for bTB, screening for a number of other feline diseases will be carried out, including testing for feline aids (FIV). A pioneering study by Dr Dewald Keet stimulated a lot of the discussion surrounding bTB in Kruger’s lion population and identified a potential correlation between the effects of bTB and lions that have also have FIV. Dr Danny Govender from Scientific Services screens captured lions which hopefully will shed some light on how the various feline diseases affect the survival and reproduction of lions either on their own, or in combination.

As well as the physiological studies, a behaviour study will also be undertaken. From each pride selected females will be collared. These will hopefully provide scientists with a lot of the data they are currently missing. Researchers will follow the prides and will document everything from interactions on a kill to litter sizes. These observations will provide the team with the life history data for bTB prides they are currently lacking as well as giving them much better insights into disease transfer rates.

One of the aspects of lion capture which makes it such a drawn out process, is waiting for the lions to wake up after being anaesthetised. Male lions from different coalitions are notoriously hostile to resident pride males, so the team have to stay with the lions until the effect of the drugs have totally worn off, otherwise other prides might come in and take advantage of the sleeping or drowsy lions. The team is addressing this by looking at new drug combinations. Dr Peter Buss, from Veterinary Wildlife Services, is also involved in this project. He is looking at refining a drugs trial he initiated in October 2009, which would replace zoletil (the traditional drug used for darting lions) with a combination of drugs that includes butorphanol, medetomidine and midazolam. This new combination of drugs will enable the vets to reverse the drug effects, when and if required. So the lions can be quickly back on their feet after all the sampling has been completed, reducing the waiting time dramatically. It also gives the vets the option of using the reversal drugs if the lions experience any troubles under the anaesthetic, an option previously not available to them, lessening the risks associated with anaesthetising lions.

The project is in the very early stages. Lion capture in the southern region of Kruger started in early March this year. 10 females from 10 prides have been successfully collared and a total of 51 lions caught and tested. It won’t be until 2011 that all 30 prides will have been selected and even then that is just the beginning of an intensive six years of data collection. However, these initial efforts by the SANParks team, their colleagues from various academic institutes and the sponsors, who have made all this research possible, will result in a significant difference in six years time.

Then when asked whether “Kruger Nationals Parks lion population faces an uncertain future due to bTB” the scientists and managers of Kruger National Park will be able to have a better understanding of what influences lion survival in the Kruger and how significantly TB is playing a role in lion survival.

Are Catfish Killing Kruger Crocs?

From May to September 2009, 28 crocodile were found dead in the Olifants Gorge.
This is far less than the 170 carcasses that were found over the same time last year.
This year, rangers were prepared and early detection, removal and burning of carcasses may have seriously brought down the mortality, says Dr Danny Govender, ecology scientist at the Kruger National Park in an article in the Kruger Park Times.
“The disease that kills them is called pansteatitis, an inflammation and peroxidation of body fats, usually brought on by the consumption of rancid fish fats. In this case death could not be attributed to a large scale fish mortality incident; however there was a small fish kill recorded in the Olifants gorge in June 2009.”
It appears the sharp-tooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in the area, which usually would comprise about 60 % of crocodile diets in these systems, are showing pathology very similar to the crocodiles. It is hypothesized that these affected fish would be quite lethargic and may fall victim to a largely opportunistic predator, such as a crocodile. Consumption of this oxidized fat from live fish may be enough to trigger the disease.
Several simultaneous changes have occurred in the Olifants Gorge in the period preceding the crocodile deaths, including increases in river flow rates, rising of sluice gates at the downstream Massingir dam, a progressive eutrophication with subsequent blue-green algal blooms and a build-up of fine clay sediments in the areas favored by the crocodiles. Clay particles are also known to bind a large number of organic pollutants and heavy metals. Could a fish like the catfish that lives in the interface of water and sediment, close to the sediment bottom, be exposed to a chemical that is causing this change, this is what scientists are determining.
Catfish are usually not considered in aquatic biomonitoring due to their extreme tolerance to pollution and reduced flows; however in an interesting twist of fate they appear to be the most affected.
It is believed that it is not one chemical alone (as none have been found in high enough concentrations), but a concoction of a multitude of compounds that have acted synergistically to produce the current situation.
The good news for Kruger’s crocodiles is that though there has been a localised decline of crocodiles in the Olifants Gorge, the general picture has been that of growth, with all Kruger’s rivers showing an increase in population numbers in the latest census।

Five-year survey aims to detect link between worms and TB in buffalo

If you come across a collared buffalo in the vicinity of Crocodile Bridge or Lower Sabie, chances are it is one of 200 animals that may shed more light on how different parasites on the same animals interact and how this may influence patterns of disease in animals in a natural environment.
According to one of the team leaders for the project, Dr Anna Jolles, from the Oregon State University in the United States of America, the focus will be on how gut worms may affect bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in buffalo populations.
The study will also track the other main endemic diseases of buffalo – foot-and-mouth disease, rift valley fever and brucellosis – putting the team’s findings in context with the full complement of parasites affecting the buffalo.
The large scale field experiment will be conducted over the next five years in the Kruger National Park (KNP). During the first two years, 200 buffalo will be collared and monitored and another 200 in the following two years.
All animals will be marked individually and fitted with a radio-collar to facilitate recapturing every six months. Half of the group will be treated against worm infection, while the other half will act as a control group. Only cows older than two years have been included in the study. During every capture, blood and dung will be taken to determine the BTB and worm infection status.
During the second phase of the study, only animals older than 10 years will be monitored.
With this study, Anna and collaborator Vanessa Ezenwa of the University of Montana also aim to provide continuity with a previous buffalo-BTB study, led by Paul Cross from the University of Berkeley in the USA. Both studies will provide a combined data set stretching over 10 to 12 years.
"Long-term monitoring efforts are essential ti understanding the dynamics of chronic diseases such as TB, particularly in the context of variable and changing climatic conditions, which likely affect host health status and population dynamics in complex ways. However, long-term studies are hard to funds, because funding agencies typically focus on intensive short-term (three to five years) studies. Combining the UC Berkely study and this project thus presents a rare opportunity to begin to understand the longer-term dynamics of this important wildlife disease."
Jolles' project is funded for five years through a grant from the National Science Foundation of the US.

Magnificent tusker Duke’s tusk: lost and found

Raymond Travers, media liaison spokesperson in the Kruger National Park wrote this story for the paper ….
The photo of is Duke with his tusks still intact and was taken by Johan Marais who has written a magnificent book on the Big Tuskers in the Park. The other photos are of Neels van Wyk, Kruger National Park section ranger at Crocodile Bridge and, field rangers, William Nkuna and Bigboy Sibuyi.

It seems sadness has crept into the thoughts of everyone around.
It is as if a good friend has lost something very dear.
Duke, the elephant with the largest set of ivory on any elephant presently living in the Kruger National Park (KNP) has broken his left tusk.
But, like many tragedies, an amazing story of good fortune, effective use of technology, enthusiasm from the Sanparks Website Forum members and good co-operation has surfaced with the recovery of the piece of ivory that used to grace Duke.
To make this even more incredible is that it is the first time on record that a broken piece of ivory has been recovered that can be positively linked to one of the KNP’s legendary tuskers.
With reasonably accurate information, Crocodile Bridge section ranger Neels van Wyk searched the supposed area where the tusk was last seen on foot without success on Tuesday August 21, 2007.
On deciding that it was a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack, Van Wyk decided to recruit the help of Kruger’s air patrol Bantam ultralight aircraft and its pilot, Tshokwane section ranger Steven Whitfield. Unfortunately, the aircraft was scheduled to fly in the Phalaborwa region on Wednesday August 22, 2007 and thus was only available on the morning of Thursday August 23, 2007.
Supplied with information from Sanparks Website Forum members Dirk Human, Jonathan Heger and Matthew Harding, which included vital GPS co-ordinates, Whitfield and Van Wyk took off with trepidation because it was still very difficult to find something like a piece of ivory.
“We flew along the Mbyandzwuspruit and made one turn and Neels saw the ivory lying under a leadwood bush,” said an excited Steven, “we marked the spot and flew back to Crocodile Bridge and our vehicles immediately.”
A 600-metre walk from the S28 to the scene enabled the rangers, a delegation from the Honorary Rangers and an exited Jonathan straight to the bush and the ivory.
After the obligatory photograph session, the ivory has been returned to Crocodile Bridge ranger post for the KNP’s Cites (Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) approved process which has to be followed strictly whenever ivory is found in the bush.
The story of the breaking of Duke’s tusk has spread like wildfire among Duke aficionados both within Sanparks and outside the organisation.
Those that have studied elephants say:
“I suppose we half expected it,” or “well he is nearing the end of his life so his tusks are probably quite brittle.”
But we really don’t want to face the possibility that Duke might be coming to the end of his time with us.
“It has happened in the past that elephants with large tusks have broken parts off their tusks just a few months before we have discovered their carcasses. I truly hope this is not the signal for this great elephant’s demise,” said Johan Marais, the author of the coffee table book The Great Tuskers of Africa.
Not only is Duke the Kruger tusker that has been spotted most often by tourists and Sanparks officials alike, he is also the tusker that has been photographed the most of all.
The Sanparks Forum members’ role in not only the discovery that Duke had indeed lost a tusk but also the eventual recovery of the ivory should also be noted.
The three friends– part of the original Duke Quest – were enjoying a return visit to the Lower Sabie area and a chance decision saw two of them, Dirk and Matthew, turning onto the S28 on Monday August 20, 2007.
As fortune would have it, the two dapper Duke Quest veterans spotted Duke a few minutes later and enjoyed at least a 30-minute sighting of the tusker. They then managed to get hold of Jonathan – who had just arrived in Lower Sabie after the long journey south from where he had been staying at Balule – and after unhooking his caravan, he made his way to the sighting as quickly as possible, enabling him to see Duke.
The three then returned to Lower Sabie at around 16h00 to pitch their tents and set up their camp and, after this was done, they drove out to the site again to spend one last moment with the legendary Duke.
They found Duke in exactly the same position at around 17h30 but, after carefully scanning the graceful old bull, they discovered that something was desperately wrong. There was a tusk missing.
Like true Kruger enthusiasts, these three Duke Quest members ensured that they had plenty of photographic evidence and the photographs taken by Jonathan at around 16h00 and 17h30 are probably the last photograph of Duke with his full ivory and the first photograph with him showing a broken tusk.
Although this is a great moment for the forum, particularly the Duke Quest members, it is also a sad moment because the great tusker Duke will no longer be the same again.
But Duke is still very much alive and, at the time of writing, he has been seen - sans-most of his left tusk – snooping around the Ntandanyathi Hide (between Lower Sabie and Crocodile Bridge rest camps) with his askari bulls in tow behaving like his good old self.
Duke is reported to have a “very relaxed disposition” and there is only one incident known when he did lose his cool with a human. It seems he has an intense dislike for motorbikes and once gave patrolling Crocodile Bridge section ranger Neels van Wyk this message with a charge and a horizontal tail (“elephantese” for “I’m-cross-with-you”).
But, the writer has personally seen Duke harmlessly ambling past Dr Ian Whyte and a film crew with only a rather mischievous sideways glance. There are plenty of other similar stories from Sanparks officials and visitors of how they saw Duke calmly munching away, not bothered about anything, including the antics of these “crazy humanoids in their smelly boxes”.

Battle at Kruger on YOUTUBE: viewed more than 15 million times

On August 1, 2007 an eight minute amateur recording of a face-off between a herd of buffalo, lions and a crocodile or two in the Kruger National Park had been viewed more than seven million times on the internet, according to an article posted on ABC News. According to the latest figure, the clip has been watched well over 15 million times. That is phenomenal!
Drew Millhon reports how an American, David Budzinski, had been showing the footage to friends and family at home for the last two years until another man who had also been on the safari asked for a copy and “posted it on YouTube so that friends could see it.”
According to Millhon, one of the founders of YouTube has called it his favourite video on the site. In the article, Budzinski is quoted as saying, “I was so lucky to be there with the camera, much luckier to be able to take some of the footage. I truly was blessed at the time to hold it steady and catch what I did, because very easily, I could have missed so much.” To see this amazing clip, search for “Battle at Kruger” on www.youtube.com.

Ethanol vs resettlement

Since President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique inaugurated the recently completed Massingir Dam in the Olifants River on June 4 this year, it seems to be storing more than just the water it was built for. A storm could be brewing over land use south of the 2.8 billion cubic metre dam where a newly proposed biofuel project and a long-running resettlement programme are vying for the same land.
While every attempt was made to ask for comment on this story, Izak Holtzhausen of Procana (Camec) declined to answer any of the Kruger Park Times’ questions unless a joint interview with all the parties could be arranged at the same venue. As this was not possible, he then opted to “respond if we feel it necessary.”
About three years ago the Mozambican government earmarked about 70 000 hectares of land south of the Olifants River, outside the Limpopo National Park (LNP) in Mozambique, for the resettlement of the approximately 11 000 families that are resident in about eight villages in the LNP, which is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP).
The German development bank KfW will fund the pilot resettlement programme, which included several feasibility, economic and public participation processes.
“Everything was done, two model houses had been built, a compensation framework had been approved by the donors, the budget was approved for the pilot project and the contractor had been appointed to build 144 houses,” says Arrie van Wyk, project manager of the LNP.
Two villages, Macavene, 128 families, and Nangueni, 16 families, agreed to take part in the project that entailed moving to the proposed resettlement site outside the park where dwellings, similar to the model houses, will be built for them in host villages. They will also receive agricultural fields similar in size and quality what they currently have and grazing land will be made available for their cattle.
The host villages and Mozambican government were amenable to the concept and the use of the land had been approved for resettlement on provincial and district level.
It is this land that has become the bone of contention with a new player on the block, Procana.
While LNP was finalising the pilot project according to the donors’ and World Bank standards, Procana applied to utilise a portion of the same land for an ethanol project, claiming that it was the only soils suitable for the production of sugarcane.
As far as can be ascertained, Procana applied to use 30 000 ha of which 22 000 hectares will be planted with sugarcane the remainder of the land is ‘unsuitable’ for sugarcane production and will be used for the construction of the ethanol plant and other infrastructure. Some of this land could also still be available for grazing.
According to Arrie, there is still enough land available in the strip between the Olifants river and the proposed Procana project to develop the residential sites and agricultural fields for the communities to be resettled, but not enough grazing land as the proposed grazing area will be taken up by the Procana project.
Apparently the governor of the Gaza province, even though he was fully aware of the LNP resettlement programme, believes the ethanol project could be beneficial to the local economy - Procana claims to be able to create about 7 000 job opportunities - and would like all stakeholders to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
He proposed some 20 000 hectares south of the proposed sugarcane plantations to be allocated for grazing land.
“We, the LNP and Procana, are now in the process of appointing a consultant to determine the carrying capacity of the proposed land and to investigate the potential of cultivated fodder,” says Arrie.
However, any land granted larger than 10 000 hectares has to be approved by the ministers’ council in Mozambique and it appears this has not happened.
As for the 22 000 hectares proposed for the ethanol project, not much information is available about the project. The land is mostly mopane veld that will have to be debushed.
On July 24, the newspaper Beeld reported that the Procana-scheme is linked to Camec, the Aim-listed Central African Mining and Exploration (Camec) company with Billy Rautenbach as a major shareholder. Rautenbach faces charges of fraud and corruption in South Africa and was deported from the Democratic Republic of Congo as persona non grata on July 17.
According to Beeld, Camec needs about $280 million (R1,9 milliard) for the first phase of the ethanol project at Massingir, which it hopes to attract from investments from former sugar farmers who have sold their farms because of land claims in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
The article states that Charles Senekal, former sugarcane farmer from Mkuze, has been appointed as executive manager, and the company hopes to be noted on the London AIM. It states Camec has a 60 percent share in Procana.
According to Beeld, the Independence Magazine, a Mozambican weekly newspaper, was to reveal how the proposed Procana project will be the end for the irrigation farmers and projects in the Chokue- and Chibuto area on the Limpopo rivers. These areas make up the backbone of Mozambique’s agricultural sector.
In dry seasons, the Massingir dam feeds water from the Olifants River to the Limpopo to sustain these areas.
The article commented on the implications of the ethanol project’s water extraction on the Chokue and Chibuto areas.
Beeld states that the editor of the Independent, Salamao Moyana, said the minister of agriculture requested that Moyana postpone publication until he could comment on the article.
However, on the Sunday before publication, six armed men robbed the newspaper of 12 computers and other documents. According to Beeld, Moyana did not want to speculate on the motive for the burglary.

Radar station in Kruger National Park completed

“With this in operation, we will be able to get data about rainfall in an area of 1x1km anywhere at any time in the park up to as far as 20 kilometres south of Shingwedzi,” says Nick Zambatis, vegetation ecologist in the Kruger National Park (KNP), who is also responsible for the KNP’s climate monitoring program.
Nick says the new facility in Kruger’s research toolkit will have a huge impact on many of the research projects in Kruger, as “rain is the main driver of the Lowveld ecosystem,” and to date, Kruger has had to rely on data gathered from about 30 rainfall stations across the Park. “Trying to map the extent and amount of rainfall over a major part of the Park’s surface using the data from these gauges is something which has had many technical problems, with generally unsatisfactory results. The data which will be provided by the radar and which will enable this to be done reliably is a dream come true”.
He adds that the SA Weather Service will also make other related weather data available to scientific services in Kruger. This includes data from the Lightning Detection Network, which has an accuracy of 200 metres and will assist with capturing data about the occurrence of lightning in the park. Does lightning occur randomly or is it concentrated in certain areas, and at certain times? These are only some of the factors that can be assessed, which could in turn be applied in Kruger’s fire management programme.
This was, however, not the main reason why the radar station was constructed. The South African Weather Services needed to erect another radar station to fill a gap in their existing network that provides weather data in terms of rainfall and thunderstorm activity for agriculture, disaster mitigation, aviation safety, and especially as an early warning system for floods such as those that occurred in 2000.
The radar station can monitor cloud activity within a radius of 220km and will link up with a radar station in Xai-Xai in Mozambique, as well as other stations in Ermelo and Polokwane.
The second-hand system was shipped from the United States of America, and once it arrived was totally revamped and upgraded with unique South African technology. The radar housing and antenna tower have been painted in a colour which blends in best with the environment during winter and summer. The coating of the antenna radome, which does not contain any metal, and thus does not affect the radar signals, was specially sourced from Norway.
According to Nick, the Weather Services decided on Skukuza as the best location as the other options were either too close to high mountains or located in uneven terrain, obstructing the ‘visibility’ of the radar.
The heart of the radar station is located in a custom-built container at the foot of the steel antenna tower. The 4.2 metre diameter parabolic antenna is contained within a glass-fibre radome on top of the tower. Data from the radar will be transmitted to the SA Weather Service in Pretoria, and from there to forecasting offices countrywide. Jan Blackie of the SA Weather Service says they are just waiting for the Telkom data line to be installed before final operational tests are carried out, and that the radar station should be fully operational by September this year.

Annual mass capture completed

The annual mass capture of plains game for release into the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) was finalised between June 8 and 21 this year.
The Sanparks veterinary wildlife services section, with the assistance of the Kruger central regional rangers, captured most game from Kruger’s Satara area.
According to Marius Kruger, operations coordinator, the team captured 258 zebra, 105 blue wildebeest, 64 impala, 11 waterbuck and 21 giraffe.
Due to mechanical problems with equipment, the impala capture could not be completed and has been postponed pending a suitable time later in the year.
Markus Hofmeyr, head of the veterinary wildlife services section, says the annual mass capture programme began in 2001 with the capture of 25 elephant that were released in the Limpopo National Park (LNP), of which most returned to South Africa.
One of those was fitted with a collar and has returned to Mozambique where she is still roaming the LNP.
“This is exactly what we had hoped for,” says Markus. At first elephants were released into the fenced sanctuary inside the LNP. In 2002, Sanparks initiated the mass capture of plains game and released the animals in the sanctuary as well.
After the official opening of the Giriyondo tourism access facility, sections of the fence between Kruger and the LNP have been taken down, a plan which authorities hoped would encourage the natural movement of animals between the two national parks.
To date Sanparks has relocated more than 4000 animals.
“All indicators show that the animals have adapted to the new distribution patterns and populations in LNP are looking healthy,” says Markus.
“The fact that the animals are able to move within a bigger reserve and become part of a bigger system, the better their resilience,” he adds.
(photo: Markus Hofmeyr)

Mass bat die off baffles boffins

It is estimated that more than a 1000 Angolan free-tailed bats (Mops condylurus) died over the third week of July at Letaba Camp in the Kruger National Park (KNP).
Sharp-eyed visitors alerted section ranger Joe Nkuna and Amy Pollard, assistant interpretive officer about bats found dead near one of the eight bat houses at the camp on Saturday, July 14.
Joe Nkuna decided to call in disease experts after staff collected another 40 carcasses on Monday and he also found about 150 carcases at the bat house at the ranger station. Dr Dewald Keet, KNP State veterinarian, called in the assistance of the Special Pathogens Unit at the National Institute for Communicable Disease.
While they were on their way, Dewald and researchers, Dr Janusz Paweska, Prof Bob Swanepoel, and Alan Kemp, asked Amy and Liezel van Lingen, a conservation student at Letaba, to collect a few samples which led to the discovery of another 134 carcasses. The linen room staff then showed them their collection of about 500 carcasses they collected earlier that day.
Dr Paweska and his team arrived on Thursday. “We looked for the Angolan free-tailed bats in three places – one of the occupied staff houses, two empty houses (in one of which we stayed) and the bat houses,” says Prof Swanepoel.
They found many ‘very white skeletons’ in the ceiling of the house in which they stayed, which implies that there had been deaths in the staff houses prior to the deaths in the bat houses.
Prof Swanepoel says it is not possible at this stage to say what caused the deaths. “The possibilities included poisoning, sudden unusual cold weather or infectious agents: blood parasites, bacteria or viruses.”
According to Prof Swanepoel the Letaba staff indicated that there was no recent change or large-scale use of insecticide or other chemicals at the camp. Cold weather has also been ruled out.
The team dissected a few bats on site to preserve frozen organ samples for laboratory tests, but could not reach any immediate conclusions.
They returned to the Institute with the samples where tests are in progress. ‘This could possibly be a new thing and tests could take some time, but we never discard any material so we could always resume tests later if necessary.” says Prof Swanepoel.
According to Liezel, who has been regularly checking the bat houses for more carcasses, there have been no more bat deaths recorded at Letaba.
(photos: liezl van Lingen)

Chinese investors bid to upgrade GLTP

According to the Zimbabwean government run The Herald newspaper, a consortium of Chinese investors has put in a bid to upgrade the Zimbabwean side of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP). This was said by the minister of environment and tourism, Mr Francis Nhema, at the end of May.
"There are some Chinese investors who intend to assist us in the development of the park in line with the renovation strategy of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Talks were expected to begin sometime in June," said Mr Nhema.
Zimbabwe has been on a drive to lure foreign investors to assist in the development of Gonarezhou National Park, which forms Zimbabwe's side of the GLTP, along with Kruger National Park of South Africa and Limpopo of Mozambique ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
"Consultations involving all the stakeholders are in progress so that Zimbabwe does not lag behind in terms of facilitating a smooth refurbishment process of Gonarezhou," said Mr Nhema.
According to The Herald, the Chinese investors would assist the Government in the renovation of lodges, de-mining, roads construction, electrification of some parts and construction of a border post.
Funds are also needed for the construction of a bridge that would link Gonarezhou and Kruger, which is expected to allow tourists to cross over from the South African side of the park. Mr Nhema said while the Government has continued to provide funds towards the upgrading of Gonarezhou, local tourism players should take some of the responsibility.
"Stakeholders in the tourism sector should also play a crucial role through mobilising funds," he said. (article published on http://allafrica.com)

This makes for very interesting reading…it would be interesting to see what the Chinese investors would want in return?

Pregnant section ranger saves vet husband from enraged buffalo

On Friday June 29, 2007 at about 09h30 Corporal Wilson Baloyi phoned Karien Keet, section ranger at Mahlangeni ranger post, to tell her about an apparently sick and lame buffalo in the veld.
Wilson and fellow field ranger, Reckson Khosa was on patrol, walking along the Matalakuwa spruit when, close to the Fourmiles firebreak, they came across an emaciated buffalo with an injured front leg.
Karien, accompanied by husband Dewald Keet, and also the Kruger National Park State veterinarian, met the field rangers on the road and walked towards the buffalo.
“It was about one kilometer further when we saw him the first time. He was about 30 meters away from us and lying down, but facing us,” says Karien.”
They were watching the buffalo, hoping it would stand up. It didn’t.
“We wanted it to walk to see if we can determine the extent of its injury,” said Dewald. Karien said they made a noises, but “he gave us that typical buffalo couldn’t care look. I then realized that this buffalo bull has a particularly aggressive attitude and is not going to back off.” After some time, and even a few stones hurled at him later, the buffalo stood up and limped away.
Dewald says he could see the animal’s left front leg was severely injured and probably broken.
“At that stage I realized that this was not a tuberculosis-infected buffalo and probably a very simple necropsy was waiting as the chances of this animal recovering was extremely limited and he would have to be euthanized”.
They followed the buffalo in the dense Mopani bush until they came to a clearing where the buffalo had once again stopped about 30 meters away from the group. Dewald, moved into the clearing and was still studying the injured leg with his binoculars when the buffalo decided he has had enough of the spectators.
He started bellowing and viciously charged towards Dewald, who was slightly separated from the group and not armed.
Dewald yelled frantically at Karien and her team to shoot, but with their sight slightly impaired by the Mopani bush this proved easier said than done.
“I had my .375 Holland & Holland, a gift from my father, with me, while Wilson and Reckson had their R1 rifles,” says Karien.
“At first I could not see the buffalo in the dense Mopani shrubs and only when it was about 15 meters from me did I have a clear shot. It was then that I had the opportunity to give the first shot in the head from a right angle. I could see the buffalo was stunned, but he kept on coming. Wilson was standing on my left and Reckson to my right, with both rangers firing at the animal. They were not hitting any fatal parts and he was still coming. When he saw Wilson he turned away from Dewald and was now facing me. I shot him in the head and he dropped about five meters from me,” recounts Karien.
Dewald says when he examined the animal he found the animal had a compound fracture of the shoulder joint and had no chance of recovery.
“Afterwards everybody was very relieved and I felt proud that we all handled the situation very well,” says Karien, who was seven months pregnant with their first child at the time of the incident.