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)