Month: June 2015

Members of the Gumbi community follow their dreams

In 2005, the Gumbi community successfully laid claim to land previously taken from them. As part of their plan for economic development in the area, the community established Somkhanda Game Reserve, a 12000 ha piece of Zululand bushveld with rolling hills and large tracts of wilderness areas. For two young members of this community, Sibusiso Mathe and Ndumiso Ndwandwe, Somkhanda represented an opportunity to lift themselves out of rural poverty and create a successful life for them and their families.

The Gumbi community realised their shortfalls in certain areas around business development and therefore partnered with Wildlands to improve their chances of success. Through this partnership, African Insight, a tourism operator in the area, was brought into the fray to help develop the tourism product and build capacity of passionate members of the community. Tourism operations were established and these two community members, Sibusiso and Ndumiso, showed their enthusiasm and natural ability to work with guests and were gradually trained in various tourism elements. With this exposure, it became clear that they both had talent in the guiding field and wanted to share their passion with guests. It was because of this passion, that they were selected to attend the Wilderness Leadership Schools Field Guide Training.

Through generous funding by ABSA, the Wilderness Leadership School was resourced to offer this training, which included both theoretical and practical training through registered programmes. The students also learnt key elements of guiding in wilderness areas, such as ‘Leave No Trace’ and the ‘Wilderness Ethos’. Cherryl Curry, General Manager of the Wilderness Leadership School commented that, “it was really great to have two students who now have the opportunity to develop their guiding in their own community game reserve. They showed such passion and enthusiasm to learn and, with continued guidance, will become great wilderness guides.”

“With the community steadily taking ownership of this game reserve and becoming more involved in the operations, we are developing a group of owners who are improving their livelihoods through a commitment to maintain the protected area status of the land,”, commented Mark Gerrard, Conservation Grants Manager for Wildlands.

For information on the reserve, visit www.africaninsight.co.za/somkhanda-game-reserve

Unilever calls all to Take Climate Action NOW!

“There has never been a better moment than the present to protect the planet for future generations,” said Paul Polman, Global CEO of Unilever, speaking at the Unilever Gala Dinner at Monte Casino, in Fourways on 01 June 2015.  In his call to government, business and NGOs to launch the company’s “brightFuture” campaign, he continued by saying:  “Now is the time to join hands as a global community to work together towards finding and committing to solutions for climate change.”

The “brightFuture” campaign is intended to engage people, especially future leaders to ensure that:

  • Everyone has enough food to eat and no child goes to bed hungry
  • Children reach their fifth birthday and have the right to a happy childhood
  • Every home has enough water to drink and to wash, cook and clean
  • And everybody can enjoy life today while protecting the planet for future generations

The Gala Dinner closely followed the activation held on 21 May 2015, where Unilever and Wildlands hosted a Brighter Future Activation Day at the Sports Grounds in Ndwedwe Verulam, Kwa-Zulu Natal.  At the activation, which drew members from the surrounding community, 68 Tree-preneurs received 122 hampers as part of a unique barter model.

Peter Cowan, the Chairman of Unilever South Africa made it known that with the power of the people, input by government and interest by all companies, big and small, we can undo the damage we, as humans, have affected on our planet.

“Roads in India are actually melting as we feel the brunt of global warming.  Gone are the days where global warming was a future notion; an issue for the next generation to handle.  It is our time to act now or there may not even be an earth, a planet to sustain our progeny.  The time to act is now.”

The Gala Dinner was an invitation to change, an invitation to do more at this present moment.  All this was but a call to action, ahead of the COP21 to be held in Paris towards the end of this year.

Mr Polman emphasised Unilever’s commitment to sustainable business practice.  “We don’t just create campaigns for the sake of looking good and ticking CSI boxes.  At the core of our business we strive to decouple the company’s growth from its environmental footprint and increase positive social impact.  We aim to help more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being as well as enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020,” he added.

“While our competitors and other corporates are talking about ‘brands with purpose,’ we have put some definition and measurement behind what we call ‘sustainable living brands’ – meaning brands that contribute to one or more of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan goals and have a sustainable living purpose.  We have been doing this for four years now and the result in each of our markets is proof that we are doing something right.”

Unilever, and other large corporates, have the opportunity to eradicate poverty and deal with the issue of climate change in partnership with government and NGOs.  In order to tackle climate change and ensure global growth, future leaders must be engaged and encouraged to heed the call and “Take Climate Action Now”.

Mr Polman concluded:  “Unilever cannot solve the world’s climate problems alone.  Worldwide in every country, every citizen, company, government and NGO has a role to play.  Together we can make significant strides in ensuring a better future for the leaders of tomorrow.”

Speaking at the same event, the CEO of wildlands, Dr Andrew Venter, mentioned that with Unilever’s support, as well as that of key donors such as the Department of Environmental Affairs, they are able to support over 10 000 Tree-preneurs, plant over 1 000 000 trees per annum and recycle over 20 000 000kgs of waste.

“It was an honor to share the stage with such a well-respected and passionate individual, Mr Paul Polman,” said Venter. “We share a common goal of wanting to uplift people and promote sustainability while doing so.”

Support the Minister

Almost a decade has passed since the horrors of canned hunting were first exposed to the world. Brought to our attention with shocking images of caged lions being shot from close range by shameless hunters and their clients, few could have imagined back then that these scenes were in fact not an isolated incident, but rather the beginning of a dark and disgraceful period for South Africa’s wildlife industry. I for one expected these scenes to galvanize the wildlife community, hunting bodies and the authorities to act. Instead, an apparent lack of will (or was it tacit approval in some quarters?) during the ensuing years brought indecision and no clampdown of any sort. Yes, there were official statements of disapproval from DEAT and various hunting bodies, but nothing concrete and constructive to stop the industry flourishing into a multi million dollar one. Emboldened by this display of inertia, a second horror began unfolding. Those involved began establishing large breeding facilities and farms, predominately in the provinces of Free State, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng, to supply the trophy hunters and the animal traders with a sufficient number of captive bred predators.

I have been closely monitoring these industries over the last five years, much of which has been reported through this magazine. It has been an awful task, made all the worse by nagging doubts of whether it would ever be possible to have these practices stopped. Without fail, after leaving every property, my mind would swirl with images of caged predators pacing a maze of wire fencing, and the pack of lies I had just been fed by the owner or guide. The result would be wild swings of reason between absolute outrage and an attempt to understand a chosen livelihood based on an entrenched hunting culture justified by perverse borrowings from the language of conservation and sustainable utilization. Inevitably, I was always left with same conclusion; that of doubting the possibility of any change.

But I now find myself thinking and believing differently. For the first time, and based on the actions and words of Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, I firmly believe there is hope for a full ban on canned hunting and major restrictions to be placed on those wanting to breed large predators. These measures are also likely to be accompanied by stricter regulations governing the hunting industry and the wildlife management industries in general. Why my change in heart? Firstly, Van Schalkwyk has seemingly recognized these industries for what they are, secondly he has accepted that there are major structural, operational and regulatory deficiencies in the hunting industry in general and thirdly, he appointed a ‘Panel of Experts’ earlier this year to review all of the above.

The Minister must be applauded for taking such a proactive stance, but more importantly, he and the Panel of Experts should now be given full support during this period when the laws and regulations are being formulated. The Panel has completed their work and these findings have been delivered to the Minister for review. With regards to canned hunting and the captive breeding of wildlife, the main recommendations of the panel are as follows:

  • “In general, the practice of hunting captive bred animals should not be allowed”.
  • “The Panel recommends that the Minister place a ban on the import of all alien species for hunting purposes”.
  • “The Panel recommends the prohibition of the translocation of species outside their range zones”.
  • With regards to put-and-take hunting and canned hunting, “the Panel recommends that both these practices should be prohibited as they compromise the principle of fair chase and the humane treatment of animals”.

It needs to be stressed that at this stage these are merely recommendations, and any changes to the law are unlikely until mid year sometime at the earliest. In the interim, there is no doubt that the industry heavyweights will be lobbying government against any bans, and if their activities are heavily curtailed, one can expect a full array of legal threats to be introduced.

While the legal challenges are pressures the government should be able to deal with, there are more serious concerns to begin pondering if an outright ban is to be implemented. What do we do with approximately 3 000 human imprinted lions, 500 cheetah, 250 wild dog, 60 tigers and countless other predators that breeders will surely look to abandon?

Kill the Canned Hunting Industry (2002)

The canned hunting industry has again been in the news lately. For those readers who have not been following the debate, the State President has before him a policy document that awaits his signature. First drafted in 2002, the document aims at legislating the cowardly and abhorrent practice of shooting captive bred animals, mostly large predators, that are kept in cages and confined areas, sometimes drugged and feeding from a bait. The policy has already been approved at various levels of government, including parliament. As it stands, it should not be allowed to receive his signature. There are obvious loopholes – policing the legislation, it does not provide for exotic species, there are weak definitions of what constitutes human-imprinted animals and the lack of public participation amongst others.

While these oversights are serious, I believe there is a more menacing aspect to the industry that needs to be introduced into the debate, and that is the process of domestication. Are the canned operators not in the process of creating a domesticated version of the wild lion? And for that matter, the same could be asked about a number of the other species being bred by canned operators and wildlife ranchers. Do we understand the biological, behavioural and philosophical implications of what is actually going on behind the fences and cages on these farms? One can distinguish three broad categories of interaction between Humans and wild animals. Habituation occurs when wild animals become familiar with our routine movements, taming occurs when we control their feeding behaviour, and domestication occurs when we control their breeding behaviour. The managed hunting industry is all about supplying animals that offer sufficiently attractive trophies. Larger, heavier, longer and more colourful equates to higher prices paid by the hunter, and in order to achieve this, breeders will control and manipulate the breeding behaviour of animals. With the large predators, one-week old cubs are often removed from their mothers in order to induce another estrus cycle; lions will be mated with their own offspring (particularly in the case of white lions); lions and tigers are being cross-bred producing what are known as ligers. By consistently doing this, the reproductive capacities of the females are placed under stress as they will be reproducing at rates that exceed the normal circumstances in the wild. The cubs on the other hand are being reared outside of their natural social pride dynamic. With plains game species for example, blesbok and bontebok are crossbred to achieve longer horns and springbok and impala are bred for recessive genes. One need only consider the mutations that have occurred in domestic dogs and cats to accept that there will be critical future consequences to this reckless practice.

Controlling the breeders in South Africa is only half the solution as they are only half the problem. The hunters, who come from all over the world, also need to be targeted. Much like the illicit drug industry, effective legislation needs to be aimed as much at the user and abuser as at the dealer. The ultimate control would be to put a blanket ban on the export of all trophies. This would also be an interesting acid test as to why people hunt in general. This measure should not materially affect the overall experience of genuine hunters, who claim that they are primarily involved in conservation and the fair chase!

And while discussing the distinction between wild and domestic animals, the hoary? old story still put forward by hunters and breeders to justify their practices by comparing them with the domesticated animals is simply outlandish. The majority of domesticated animals is the result of a process that has taken place over thousands of years – when Humankind was inexplicably linked to the natural world for food, clothing and survival. Our relationship with the environment has fundamentally and unquestionably changed, and to argue otherwise is both foolish and self-serving. If there is any doubt, lets ask the hunting world a question in a paradigm they will understand. Do they ever come to Africa to shoot our prize cattle and horses to hang these trophies on their walls? Or conversely, when last did they pop down to their local butcher to order a kilogram of prime lion or zebra ribs? The fair treatment and slaughter process of domesticated animals is another issue altogether. Ultimately, by carrying out these practices with wild animals and attempting to link the argument to domestic animals, they defeat the very purpose of what they say is central to their sport – that of the thrill and challenge of pitting ones hunting skills against the instincts and survival strategies of wild animals.

Canned hunting has no conservation status whatsoever! How can we trust canned hunting operators with the gene pool of Africa’s wild species. The canned hunting industry must be completely killed. It has no place in a forward-thinking society.

Op-Ed: Playing with Words While Captive Lions Die

In an article published in the Sunday Times a week ago [May 31], Edna Molewa, the minister of environmental affairs, admonishes conservationists to “put the lid on” what she believes are unfounded claims of canned lion hunting in South Africa that are “damaging our reputation for species conservation”. By ANDREAS WILSON-SPÄTH.

At issue is a semantic disagreement over exactly what is understood by the term ‘canned hunting’. When Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa accuses opponents of “a deliberate strategy to conflate canned lion hunting with captive breeding of lions” she is engaging in a play on words entrenched in the policy documents that regulate lion hunting in South Africa.

The National Norms and Standards for the Sustainable Use of Large Predators, which falls under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, defines canned hunting as “any form of hunting where a large predator is tranquilised, artificially lured by sound, scent, visual stimuli, feeding, bait, other animals of its own species or another species, or any other method, for the purpose of hunting that predator”.

Molewa conveniently ignores the second part of the definition, which states canned hunting also includes any form of hunting where “captive large predators are hunted”.

Over 99% of all lions killed by trophy hunters in South Africa are animals that have been bred and raised in captivity. If hunting such animals is regarded as canned hunting according to the official definition, how can the minister insist that the practice is outlawed and does not happen in South Africa?

The answer to this apparent dilemma is positively Machiavellian: the National Norms and Standards do, in fact, allow for the legal hunting of captive-bred lions, provided that “they have been certified as rehabilitated to wild status”. The rules which determine what it takes for such captive-bred lions to be rehabilitated rest with provincial authorities.

In practice, this is what happens: if a trophy hunter shoots a captive-bred lion in the facility where it was raised and kept, they would be engaging in an illegal canned hunt. If, however, that same lion was transported to and released into an appropriate area, the same hunter can legally kill it within as little as four days, depending on the province where the hunt takes place.

In essence, South African regulations allow for lions that have been born in captivity, have lived there for virtually their entire lives, have always been fed by humans, and are incapable of surviving on their own in the bush, to be magically “rehabilitated” and transformed into “wild” animals that can be legally killed by trophy hunters.

What Molewa doesn’t appear to understand is that critics of the South African lion hunting industry do not just object to hunting of tranquilised or artificially lured or baited lions, but to the very concept of industrialised captive breeding and farming of an undomesticated wild species – the continent’s apex predator and an animal with considerable ecological and cultural significance no less – predominantly for the purpose of trophy hunting and financial profit.

The false dichotomy between “canned” and “captive” lion hunting is mere wordplay. Whatever you want to call it, lions are being bred and held in captivity for the express purpose of being killed for trophies. Unlike the minister, many of her critics are extremely uncomfortable with the fact that this industry already hosts more than twice as many captive-bred lions than there are free-roaming lions left in the wild.

Molewa argues that “some” captive-bred lions, “including cubs”, are making a contribution to lion conservation, when this is clearly not the case for the vast majority of these animals who cannot fend for themselves in the wild and outside of zoos have no conservation value whatsoever.

The onus is on the minister to show exactly how the captive-bred lion industry contributes to lion conservation, financially or otherwise, by providing concrete answers and figures. How many captive-bred lions have been “sold to start new conservation areas of free-roaming lions” and where?

What scientific evidence is there that trophy hunting of captive-bred lions is a source of “job creation, community development and social upliftment”? How many jobs have been created and how much money has gone to communities?

While the breeding and trophy hunting of lions has produced various revenue streams, few can be justified as genuinely benefitting lion conservation and some are likely to impact negatively on wild lion populations, for example through stimulating the trade in lion bones to Asia, where they are replacing tiger bones which are associated with supposed medicinal properties but are increasingly difficult to procure since the Chinese government banned the trade to protect dwindling tiger populations.

Molewa claims “the hunting of captive-bred lions takes pressure off the hunting of the wild lion population”, but offers no concrete evidence for this. Many critics are concerned that the opposite will happen, warning that legal, captive-bred hunting and a trade in captive-bred lions and lion products will stimulate demand and increase poaching of wild lions not just in South Africa but elsewhere in Africa.

Whatever foreign exchange income there is from the lion hunting industry represents a small fraction of the country’s overall tourism earnings and most of it ends up in the pockets of a few individuals. Canned or captive lion hunting is increasingly unacceptable to the world at large. It’s government policies, not tweets and articles by animal rights activists, which are damaging our international reputation for conservation and tourism.

The minister’s assurance that “the African lion is not endangered” is misplaced, especially considering that that there is growing pressure elsewhere in Africa for lions to be listed as an ‘endangered’ species on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and for them to be included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It’s irresponsible for government to promote the domestic lion breeding and hunting industry without considering the impact this will have on lion populations on the rest of the continent.

At a more fundamental level, the most glaring difference between Molewa’s government and its critics, relates to the interpretation and application of the doctrine of “sustainable use”, which the minister rightly notes as being enshrined in the constitution. She articulates the official position quite clearly when she writes that “lions do in fact form part of South Africa’s indigenous natural resources, and play an important role as an income-generating species”.

The commodification of vulnerable wildlife species, as expressed in a variety of policy documents, is a growing trend in South Africa. Extracting profit from these “natural resources” – alive or in parts – through legalised commercial farming and breeding, trophy hunting and trade, all governed by market economics, is increasingly seen not only as the most efficient mode of wildlife conservation, but also as an effective method to counter illegal wildlife poaching and trafficking.

In contrast, opponents around the world caution that the wildlife-industrial complex which is being created by government and its allies in the hunting and wildlife breeding lobby to generate multi-million dollar profits for a few people under the guise of sustainable economic growth is extremely ill-considered and will have detrimental effects on wildlife conservation.

The crucial question is this: are we willing to let a profit-hungry lion farming industry domesticate the pride of Africa’s wildlife heritage for the benefit of a wealthy hunting elite? DM

Photo: A lion stands in a caged enclosure at a captive breeding centre for large predators at an undisclosed location in South Africa’s Free State Province in an undated picture released 16 November 2005 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). EPA/International Fund for Animal Welfare / IFAW HANDOUT FILE

Lion Slaughter a Disgrace to Hunting

Let’s put the lid on wild tales of canned hunting” (May 31) refers. How anyone can use the term “hunting” in connection with the shooting of canned lions in South Africa is beyond me.

We are talking about the killing of tame, farm-bred animals that never lived a natural life or were given a chance to breed and feed the natural way. That is why it is so different from most game farming in South Africa, which has been very beneficial to many rare species of antelope, released into suitable habitats after years of protection.

The lion industry is another matter — it is a money-making venture that has never been of any benefit to the wild population of lions in South Africa. Apart from a few token “p op u l at i o n s ” to create some sort of alibi, nearly all trophy lions are taken directly from their cages and killed by either very naive hunters, or hunters with no self-respect.

The failure by the authorities and professional organisations such as the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa to stop this unethical practice has severely damaged the reputation of our hunting industry, and the attempt by the association, and now also the honourable Minister Edna Molewa, to rename these hapless creatures “captive-bred lions” is, to put it politely, extremely naive.

Most importantly, the renaming has been met with disbelief by many overseas hunting organisations. The European hunting union CIC and the Nordic Safari Club in Scandinavia have distanced themselves from the shooting of lions in South Africa, and some ban South African hunting outfitters from marketing their special brand of “lion hunting” at hunting shows in their countries.

Hunters who still travel to South Africa to participate in the shooting of canned lions are increasingly becoming ridiculed by ethical hunters.

Even in the US, with import regulations on the horizon, and many airlines refusing to transport CITES trophies on their aircraft, the party could soon be over.

I’ve been a hunting outfitter for 35 years, and I am truly saddened to experience how those colleagues have lowered the ethical limits of hunting in South Africa. — A concerned hunting outfitter, by e-mail

Marine Biologists pass on enthusiasm and knowledge to Students

The Ocean Stewards Programme was officially launched at the end of May at the Grindrod Ltd offices in Durban. Students from around the country were given the opportunity to meet some of South Africa’s top marine biologists and geologists. Wildlands and Grindrod (as part of their joint Blue Fund initiative), together with Sea-Quests, have established the Ocean Stewards Programme as a means to develop and bring more students into the marine conservation sector. “By building capacity and bringing a new generation of Ocean Stewards into the marine sector, Wildlands hopes to address the key challenges facing marine environments, such as degradation, overfishing, pollution and many others,” said Mark Gerrard, Conservation Grants Manager for Wildlands.

At the launch event the 12 Third year and four Honours level students were introduced to the programme and given an overview of some of the ground breaking marine projects being undertaken in South Africa. Cathie Lewis, the Group Company Secretary for Grindrod Ltd, welcomed everyone and highlighted that South Africa needed believers, people who would dream big and lead the country forward.

The students will be taken on board the Angra Pequena, a research vessel currently undertaking work along the KZN coastline as part of the African Coelacanth Ecology Programme (ACEP). The cruise will be led by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, together with scientists and students from the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI), South African Institute for African Biodiversity (SAIAB) and University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Studies of the offshore canyons and seafloor (reefs and soft sediments) and associated fish communities and plankton and oceanography will be conducted. “By linking the Ocean Stewards programme into the ACEP Surrogacy project, we aim conduct vital research work while catalyzing the emergence of a strong cohort of future marine conservation scientists and managers,” said Dr Jean Harris of KZN Wildlife.

The day ended with the students being inducted into the ways of sailing, including a tour around the R/V Angra Pequena. “I am so fortunate to be a part of this programme and am really excited to head out to sea on the research vessel,” commented Asanda Mthethwa, one of the honours students from UKZN. The cruise sets off on the 4th of June and will return to port on the 24th.

Wildlands and Old Mutual team up at Comrades

Visitors to the Old Mutual stand at the Comrades Marathon Expo, which took place at the Durban Exhibition Centre from May 28 to 30, supported Wildlands and their various rhino conservation projects.

The Old Mutual & Wildlands stand at the Comrades Expo included the ground-breaking Oculus Rift, a three-dimensional immersive video which makes use of cutting edge technology to give visitors a vivid glimpse into what the iconic race entails. Old Mutual has combined this technology with running guidance from marathon legend Bruce Fordyce. Once inside the world of Oculus Rift, Comrades runners are joined by Fordyce as he gives essential advice on the Big Five Hills that formed part of this year’s up run.

There were fun opportunities to donate at the stand (involving a life-size rhino sculpture that needed to be coloured in), merchandise that flew off the shelves and also plenty of information available on the Old Mutual Wild Series endurance events for runners. The Wild Series events take place in various protected areas around the country to raise funds to conserve endangered species or protect that specific habitat (www.wildseries.co.za).

Wildlands made in excess of R42 000 through merchandise sales and all monies raised will go towards their three rhino conservation projects – namely, Project Rhino Tracker, Aerial Support and Investigations and Prosecutions.

On race day, Sunday May 31, Wildlands hosted the last refreshment station for the runners in Alexandra Road, Pietermaritzburg (1.9km from the finish), where entertainment was provided by Umlazi’s Prince Mshiyeni Choir, one of the top performing choirs from the Old Mutual National Choir Festival (NCF).

Wildlands also had 63 registered runners under the Amabeadibeadi Race4Charity campaign, who raised R300 000 for their rhino conservation projects. They were spotted on the route in their unique, bright green RUN FOR RHINO running kits.

Wildlands was also responsible for all the recycling from halfway (Drummond) to the finish, a project they have undertaken for the past two years in an effort to make Comrades a “green” marathon. The Wildlands recyling team collected just under 50 000kgs of waste and this will be sorted and distributed from their depot based in Howick.

“Comrades and Old Mutual are both very environmentally conscious organisations,” said Lauren van Nijkerk, Deputy Director of Marketing at Wildlands. “We would not have been able to elevate our brand presence or our fundraising efforts without their support, and them sharing a vision for activating in a sustainable manner helps us tremendously.”

Beautiful Cape weather highlights the success of the Clovelly Golf Day which aims to raise awareness for Coastal Conservation

Grindrod Asset Management, in partnership with Wildlands, hosted the Blue Funds’ Golf day at the beautiful Clovelly Country Club in Cape Town at the end of May 2015. Flanked on either side by grey Cape autumn weather, the day turned out spectacularly, with no wind and warm sunshine. Golfers were treated to 18 holes on the well managed course and were spoilt by Grindrod Asset Management who sent out refreshing drink carts throughout the day and handed out a great selection of prizes to wrap the afternoon up.

The focus of the event was to raise awareness for the Blue Fund, a partnership between Grindrod Financial Services and Wildlands, aimed at supporting coastal conservation throughout South Africa. “With South Africa’s spectacular and lengthy coastline being the focus of much development, there is a serious need for energy to be put into marine and coastal conservation,” says Mark Gerrard, Conservation Grants Manager for Wildlands. “It is for this reason that Grindrod and Wildlands have come together to form the Blue Fund, attempting to drive coastal conservation awareness and support the dedicated efforts of organisations working in the sector.”

The Clovelly Golf Day ended with a presentation from the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) on the threats faced by marine avifauna and the work that they are doing to assist. Paul Stewart, head of Grindrod Asset Management, together with Mark Gerrard of Wildlands, then handed a cheque of R300 000 over to members of SANCCOB to allow the purchase of an X-Ray machine for the centre. “The purchase of the X-Ray machine will allow SANCCOB to improve its operational efficiency as well as significantly save costs in the future and we really appreciate the support from the Blue Fund,” said Francois Louw of SANCCOB.

The evening wrapped up with Paul Stewart (Head of Fund Management, Grindrod Asset Management) handing out prizes to the participants of the Golf Day. He ended off by saying, “Through the success of Grindrod Asset Management and the involvement and success of our clients, we hope to continue the support for conservation through this partnership with Wildlands and the Blue Fund, ultimately contributing to the good work being done by organisations such as SANCCOB.”

Giant’s Castle Mountain Bike Challenge celebrates 20th anniversary

One of the oldest mountain biking events on the KwaZulu-Natal calendar – the Giant’s Castle Mountain Bike Challenge took place last weekend, the 23rd of May. The challenge involves a 50km route and is known as one of the toughest one-day mountain-biking events in the country.

This year’s event was staged in celebration of the rides’ 20th year and gave riders the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent Giant’s Castle surroundings for one last time.

This 20th Celebratory Ride lets us reflect back on the legacy of this event. Back to where it all started in 1995, when a small group of avid mountain bikers had a vision for ‘conquering the Giant’ and raising funds for the Natal Parks Board Conservation Trust. They were led by Bruce Houghting, whose on-going dedication and commitment to this event and conservation is, simply put, inspirational. The first official Giants Castle Mountain Bike Challenge was staged on the 27th April 1997. The efforts of the riders and sponsors raised an amazing R34 000, which was handed over to the Natal Parks Board Conservation Trust in support of the monitoring and tracking of Bearded Vultures.

Since 1997, the event has raised over R2 500 000 for the conservation efforts of Wildlands and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. This would not have been possible without the incredible commitment of the thousands of riders who have taken on the challenge of the “Giant” over the years!

“These funds are being ploughed back into Giant’s Castle and the Maloti-Drakensberg Park in terms of management infrastructure and Bearded Vulture conservation including tracking movement patterns of the birds, and enabling environmental education in the schools of the area,” said Deputy Director of Conservation SPACE at Wildlands, Kevin McCann. He then urged the riders to think about their significant contribution to the conservation efforts through their participation not only in this event but the Wild Series as a whole. The Bearded Vulture is an iconic species of the Maloti Drakensberg mountains, and requires significant intervention in order to survive into the long-term, including the provision of safe feeding areas, understanding their movement patterns and improving the awareness of the general public through visiting the new Giants Castle vulture hide, generously funded by N3TC.

A big thank you goes out to all who have supported this initiative from the beginning, such as David Sanders and Gary Preston who have ridden ever event since 1997. A special thanks to our sponsors Sunday Tribune and STIHL who have made it possible to stage this amazing event in the spectacular Maloti Drakensberg Mountain.