Lords of the wilderness under threat

Hunters, out to get their pound of flesh, eye last of the magnificent bull tuskers in our reserves

FEW tourists will experience the privilege of seeing a real “tusker” in Africa’s game reserves today.

Historically, a “tusker” was defined as an elephant with tusks each weighing at least 45kg but those days are long gone. The largest tuskers have been all but wiped out, with possibly 40 or fewer 100-pounders left in Africa.

The US-based Safari Club International ( SCI) now requires a minimum tusk weight of 40kg for trophy status, but says tusks above 32kg are still considered “very good”.

It is against this background that Timbavati private game reserve in Mpumalanga has come under fire after seeking permission to hunt 11 elephant bulls, including one “trophy bull” with unlimited tusk weight. Privately- owned, the reserve shares an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park, where hunting is prohibited.

Johan Marais, a Pretoria-based wildlife vet and author of two books on Africa’s last tuskers, says these are the last remaining “lords of the wilderness” and form part of our heritage.

“They need to be protected at all costs!” he said in a Facebook post last month.

The Timbavati hunting application was made through the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR), whose latest hunting Off- take Request includes a trophy bull. The APNR hunting protocol confirms there are no tusk weight limits for elephant bulls over the age of 50 – clearly implying that a 45kg tusker would not be off limits.

Timbavati, along with three other private reserves west of Kruger, all form part of the APNR, whose hunting protocol specifies that only bulls can be hunted. No collared elephants and no “iconic tuskers” can be hunted in the four reserves, and a representative from the Kruger must be present to assist with calculating the age of the elephant

But Timbavati warden and general manager Bryan Have- mann denies there are plans to hunt a “super tusker”.

“Timbavati will not hunt a 100-pound tusker… period. We

100-pounder

will not be hunting a ‘tusker’ that has ivory even near to that approaching 80-100 pounds per side. The category would most likely be in the 60-70Ib class, if at all,” he said in response to recent criticism on social media and online petitions urging government to ban the hunt.

His response clearly contradicts the off-take request for a trophy bull of unlimited tusk weight. Nevertheless, Marais remains opposed to hunting any very large- tusked elephants.

“I don’t care whether you are talking about Kruger, Kenya, Zimbabwe or Timbavati – you just cannot issue a permit for a 100 pounder… ‘finish and klaar’.

“People come from all over the world to see these magnificent bulls. Yet the custodian of our wildlife national heritage seems to think this (hunt) is okay. What is wrong with us? Everyone is going down hard on Timbavati – but the decision lies with SA National Parks and they should be taken to task on this.”

SANParks have approved an off-take request which includes the trophy bull as well 33 other elephants and more than 5 000 other animals in the four APNR reserves ( Timbavati, Klaserie, Balule and Umbabat).

Elephant researcher Marion Garai, who chairs the Elephant Specialist Advisory Group (Esag), says bulls are sexually active as long as they live. “Bulls from 45 years and above are the preferred choice by matriarchs to sire their offspring in a natural population. This is because the old bulls with the largest tusks have the most experience and the best genes. If we take out these large bulls, we are changing the genetic pool and shifting it to lesser-sized tusks… it is never justified to take out the best genes and largest knowledge, especially as we have too few large tuskers left.”

Fellow Esag elephant researcher, Dr Lucy Bates, also argues that hunting is not compatible with eco-tourism and that many tourists would be appalled to learn that some of the animals they photographed were shot later to raise revenue.

Havemann argues that bulls over the age of 50 are “getting into their twilight years”.

“Timbavati has not said that they no longer breed, only that as mature bulls they have had at least 10 years between the ages of 40 and 50 years old to pass on their genes in the system.”

On criticism that Timbavati allowed hunting and eco-tourism, he said: “Timbavati has very successfully had photographic and hunting safaris operating on the same area for many years. Why must one be mutually exclusive?,” he asked.

However, the storm of comments on social media appear to clearly indicate that several tourists considering visiting wildlife areas in this part of the world are concerned that hunting may take place in areas offering photographic safaris

Has SANParks considered the negative effects of the image which will be created for South Africa as a tourism destination by shooting a trophy elephant?

SANParks responded: “We have noted the public criticisms and comments over the proposed hunting of a ‘super tusker’ or trophy elephant bull in the Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP).

“SANParks is committed to supporting ethical, sustainable and resilient wildlife economy initiatives in conservation areas adjacent and open to national parks .

“There are key guiding principles which govern such approaches and they are ethical practices, maintaining the sustainability and integrity of the system, compliance with the legal framework and relevant protocols, transparent decision making, accountability and co-operative partnerships allowing for fair and equitable distribution of benefits from the use of natural resources in all national parks.

“Kruger National Park is consulted on animal takeoffs for systems open to the national park.

“Neighbouring conservation areas submit annual sci- entific monitoring reports, specialist studies and further requested information as per protocols that govern animal off-takes, whereafter the Kruger will make recommendations.

“Neighbouring conservation areas are also requested to sign protocols that govern any animal take- offs which are regulated by provincial conservation authorities. The protocol stipulates that no iconic tuskers will be hunted.”

While it was not responsible for issuing hunting licences in neighbouring private parks, SANParks would “not condone any practices outside the legal framework or outside protocols supportive of ethical and sustainable use or practices that might negatively impact biodiversity management”.

However, this appears to be contradicted in correspondence with the APNR in January and again last month.

SANParks c omplained that the APNR hunting protocol had not been signed by all four APNR reserves and warned that no further off-take requests would be considered until this was done.

“APNR should have the highest due diligence to get any protocols concluded and formally signed off within and between entity structures, but this is still not the case.

“This simply demonstrates ineffective governance and decision making between entities within the APNR system,” it stated.

While APNR chairperson James Campbell insists that the protocols were signed off in early February, it still begs the questions why SANParks signed off the APNR 2017 off-take request and saw fit to express “concern and disappointment” and to state it would “critically review” future hunts in the APNR?

‘I don’t care if ‘If we take out

these large bulls, we are changing the genetic pool and shifting it to lesser-sized

tusk animals’

It is rare for game park visitors to see a real tusker, with tusks each weighing at least 45kg, above, Tourists are more likely to see an elephant with tusks the size of the elephant, below.