Bontebok draft open for public comment

THE publishing of the draft Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for Bontebok by Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa this week has been opened for public comment.

Publication of the draft has been done in terms of the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act to be gazetted.

Bontebok are endemic to the East Coast Renosterveld bioregion within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of the Western Cape.

Fossil records show evidence that past climatic and habitat changes promoted the splitting of the species into the two separately classified subspecies known today as the Blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) and Bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus).

Their natural ranges historically did not overlap, with Blesbok occurring widely on the grasslands of Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Free State and Bontebok restricted to the coastal plains in the southern CFR.

Conservation of the species within the natural distribution range and extended distribution range in the Western Cape has resulted in about 1 650 individuals.

With a further 7 500 individuals surviving on properties outside the native range of the species throughout South Africa.

Bontebok are tolerant of human activities and adapt to changes in the landscape and readily utilise transformed landscapes with old fields of short grass areas.

The draft BMP focuses on strategies to strengthen the implementation of conservation actions aimed at ensuring Bontebok populations are diverse.

That overall population fitness and resilience within the natural distribution range is enhanced and maintained in the long term.

To limit the historic and current threats and conserve this species, an integrated management strategy, applied through collaborative partnerships was urgently required.