Hippo hunt controversy at the Great Fish River
HUNTERS from all over the world come to South Africa, and the Eastern Cape in particular, in order to hunt animals that can only be found in this area.
Recently, a farmer faced a problem when a hunter and his entourage came onto his property to retrieve body parts from a felled hippopotamus that had allegedly been shot at a location along the Great Fish River and had wandered onto his farm.
Poaching animals has always been a problem around the Fish River area and the two sides, the predominantly white farmers on the eastern side of the river and the predominantly Prudhoe tribe on the west bank, held a meeting two years ago to agree on boundaries, the illegality of poaching animals and trespassing.
The SAPS, along with security companies also attended the meeting and it was agreed to respect property rights of the farmers on both sides.
However, permits are being issued by the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism to enable private hunters to shoot animals at certain locations, especially along the Fish River.
The permit issued by the department to a private hunter from Spain recently stated he was allowed to hunt hippopotamus at the “Fish River Mouth on the Great Fish River course”.
It was further stated by a confidential source that outfitters charge hunters in the region of $9000 (R123000) to hunt hippo.
According to Dudley Waters of Panther Farm Security, the question was whether the hippo was shot at the river or on the farm itself. The body of the hippo was found 20m onto the farm.
“The hippo was shot between the eyes. Is it possible that it climbed up the river bank and onto the farm after it had been shot?” Waters asked.
The private hunter was after souvenirs such as the animal’s head, feet and skin.
According to reports, he left the lifeless body of the animal on the farm for others to help themselves to the meat.
Waters said he was not against permits, but that they must be more specific as to where hunters are allowed to hunt.
“Permits must be done properly, not vague like this one.”
He also said the SAPS and farmers must be informed as to when a hunt is taking place.
He also questioned how a dead animal could be left on someone’s farm and said the hunter had no right to invite other people to trespass on the farm to take meat.