Hippos stuck in mud as pans dry
THE fate of at least 40 hippo and several other species hangs by a thread as the relentless drought continues in several game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal.
Richards Bay resident Clive Thompson has taken dramatic images of a pod of nearly 40 hippo stranded in thick mud in the rapidly drying Nsumo Pan, once the largest expanse of water in the Mkhuze Game Reserve.
Thompson said he visited Mkhuze about 10 days ago and saw the hippo stranded in the pan’s “last puddle of mud”.
“While I was there, there were rumours that Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife would be forced to cull them if rain does not come soon,” he said.
Normality
However, Ezemvelo spokesman Musa Mntambo said wildlife managers were not “extremely worried” about the situation at Mkhuze.
“We have been through the worst and are now slowly returning back to normality. This will take time though. Nsumo Pan has enough water in its other sections. Hippos somehow enjoy lying in a muddy section of the Nsumo Pan,” he said in response to questions from The Mercury yesterday.
Mntambo said Mkhuze had received 16mm of water recently which had slightly improved the drought situation.
“We are also engaging the stakeholders that run Mjindi irrigation scheme with the hope that, if agreement is reached, Jozini Dam may release water which will finally flow to Mkhuze.
“Mkhuze is a droughtprone area and in the event mud-caked that water was to dry up in Nsumo Pan, hippos will move to the Mwuzi or Cezwame pans which are outside the reserve, but we do not think that the situation is about to result in that movement.
“Rain is predicted on Sunday and if it does rain it will be a welcome relief. We will not cull any animals at Mkhuze.
“Nature will have to take its course.”
Thompson, however, said he saw no visible water in the vicinity of the pod.
“I have seen hippo in Lake St Lucia and I don’t believe that they deliberately choose to wallow in mud if there is open water nearby.
“There is also very little grass left in Mkhuze and you can see that the grazers are suffering. There was only one waterhole in the park where animals were congregating and it was a long way from where the hippos are.”
Thompson said he believed the best solution was to truck water by road to Nsumo Pan from Jozini Dam.
“Jozini is only about 50km away – so if a big construction company or corporate donor in that region could bring in at least three tankers a day, I think these poor hippos would be much happier,” he said.
“They are desperate for help.”