A river runs through it - Roving Reporters...through the organisation or at its regional and...

NEWS 9SUNDAY TRIBUNE FEBRUARY 11 2018

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SOUTH Africa’s notorious cap-tive-bred lion hunting industry was dealt a serious blow when American hunting colossus Safari Club International (SCI) finally slammed the door shut on its future at its 46th wildlife sport-hunting expo.

The expo is a massive annual marketing shindig and award ceremony at the Las Vegas Con-vention Centre.

While the move was not totally unexpected, the vociferousness of the hunting body’s statement caught many off guard.

Rejecting the hunting of cap-tive-bred lions as of “doubtful conservation value”, the new SCI policy prohibits captive-bred lion (CBL) operators and agents from marketing, selling or advertis-ing any captive-bred lion hunts through the organisation or at its regional and international shows.

South Africa’s legion of cap-tive-bred lion hunters and out-fitters who make the pilgrimage to SCI reacted angrily, but the ethical hunting community’s loud response was they had brought it on themselves after years of unscrupulous behaviour tar-nished notable and respected reputations in the industry.

The action came hard on the heels of a similar policy state-ment issued in January by the Texas-based Dallas Safari Club.

Former Australian minister Greg Hunt said South Africa’s legal/licensed abuse of cap-tive-raised African lions “speaks volumes about a nation that appears to have lost its moral compass”, adding it was “a bar-baric and morally repugnant relic of colonialism out of step with 21st-century forward thinking”.

SCI hunters and clients were also notified that hunting tro-phies bagged from such hunts would automatically be excluded and ineligible for SCI’s macabre Record Books, a hall-of-fame list of hunters who have scored the highest record-setting meas-urements and achievements for nearly every kind of species ever hunted around the world.

Bred for the bullet and skinned for their bones, these hunts have now been firmly ejected by almost every civilised and ethical hunt-ing institution in the world.

DA member Roy Jankielsohn, leader of the Opposition in the Free State Legislature said: “South Africa and especially the Free State are notorious as legal havens for the captive breeding of lions, hunting them and export-ing their bones.

“There are, however, serious ethical considerations around the issue of breeding and hunting captive-bred lions. The legalisa-tion, albeit with limitations, of harvesting and export of lion body parts have added to these concerns.

“This should not be an eco-nomic debate in which brand damage is weighed up against income generated for the prov-ince. It remains an ethical debate which should be reflected in the government’s decision-making around this issue.

“The problem is that our material society has placed mon-etary values on all non-human animals and their lives. Instead of finding ways to protect and cherish all life, governments have become custodians of this mater-ialism.”

In a mixed bag response of hot air and denial this week, Environ-mental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa refused to express any form of compassion or environ-mental concern over her depart-ment’s misguided policies and decisions.

She also failed to acknowledge the severe reputational damage the captive-bred lion industry has wreaked on South Africa’s once-proud conservation record, Brand SA, and its responsible tourism sector.

For years, Molewa has been blissfully content to rubber-stamp the battery-breeding farms where lion cubs are ripped from their mothers after two or three days, legitimise unethical captive-lion hunts and the export of lion bones to criminal wildlife trade networks in Asia, all under the guise of the “sustainable use of a natural resource”.

For your information, cap-tive-bred predators do not form part of any natural kingdom, except possibly in the afterlife.

The minister’s reasoning flies

in the face of global opinion, as well as the advice of trans-national organised crime experts.

A former crime intelligence officer told Independent Media: “What concerns me about the CBL industry is the enormous impact it has on transnational organised crime.

“The pseudo-hunting of our rhinos and the smuggling of their horns by Chumlong Lemtongthai began with the export of lion bones to the Laotian-based Keos-evang crime syndicate,

“The CBL and bone export industries in South Africa are poorly managed. Furthermore, the hunting of these iconic ani-mals is hardly monitored by conservation officials for compli-ance with norms and standards and provincial regulations. At present, they do not have the human resources or capacity,” he said.

Seasoned wildlife campaigners and conservationists Ian Michler and Chris Mercer describe the captive lion industry as both “a sustainability scam” and “unsustainable abuse”.

“The notion of ‘sustainability’ has become the most overused and consequently meaningless phrase within conservation and wildlife circles,” wrote Michler.

“Used in equal measure by those who manage responsibly and the abusers of our wildlife, it’s hardly surprising that the predator breeding and canned or captive lion hunting industry is also invoking the term as a way of trying to sanitise what they do. But how sustainable will it all be when the ‘wildness’ and the thrill has gone?” he asks.

“This entire industry is based on selling the notion that what-ever it is buyers will be doing to or with the lions, the supplied creature will be a wild one. And the government, a rather odd bed-fellow to this constituency, seems to have been seduced by flimsy short-term economic arguments.

“The breeding, killing, skin-ning and de-boning frenzy in South Africa is about making as much money out of these animals as they possibly can and doing this in the shortest possible time frame, Michler added.

At the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Hawaii in 2016, a motion calling on the South African government to “ter-minate the hunting and breeding of captive lions and other preda-tors” was unanimously approved.

Molewa failed to heed that call – and ignored two unanimously approved motions to ban cap-tive-bred lion hunting that were moved in our National Assembly by the IFP.

“That our government has been asked to close the captive lion and predator industry, and ignored sound advice to do so, is a travesty. As a prime conservation destination, we cannot afford this rot on our reputation” said a lead-ing KZN environmental lawyer.

Putting a heavy touch of gov-ernment spin in his response to questions, Molewa’s department spokesperson Albi Modise said: “The minister is committed to the conservation of all species and to a thriving tourism industry.

“That South Africa has legisla-tive protection in place for endan-gered and threatened species and subscribes to the principles of the sustainable use of natural resour-ces, there is no reason to prohibit the breeding of lions in captivity for hunting.

“The department has no inten-tion of closing the captive-lion breeding and hunting industries in the near future,” Modise said.

But Michler, who featured in the film Blood Lions, warns fellow campaigners against com-placency and of a new threat.

“While canned hunting oper-ators have seen the bottom drop out of the US market as a result of the US government’s ban on captive-lion trophies, the oper-ators have started extensive marketing campaigns in other markets, like Eastern Europe, Russia, and China. With our gov-ernment’s look East policy firmly entrenched, we expect the indus-try to solicit clients from these countries to fill the void left by American hunters.

“The next phase of the Blood

Lions campaign is shifting into gear, and we will soon be visible in Asia,” said Michler.

● Bloch is a freelance environ-

mental journalist based in

Durban.

SA’s captive lion hunters isolated and under fireSIMON BLOCH

This series focuses on people who are making a difference in their communities. If you know of someone who is a change-maker in your society, e-mail: [email protected] with their details.

PAOLO Candotti, chair-person of the Kloof Con-servancy, will do whatever it takes to keep it healthy.

If it means sweeping, cleaning, digging and retrieving litter, he’s happy to do it – as long as he is left alone to get on with the work.

“It’s one thing talking about all the things you plan to do,” he says, trying to duck away from having his photograph taken. “I say rather roll up your sleeves, put your head down, get your feet dirty and be happy to do what is necessary.”

The “necessary” bit he is refer-ring to is the work done by the Kloof Conservancy to assist in the preservation of delicate biodivers-ity in the Outer West and raise much-needed finance for ongoing projects in the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve and surrounding areas.

“For the most part we rely on the goodwill and commitment of volunteers to help maintain this eco-sensitive area. Fortunately, we have many unsung heroes, who are prepared to go the extra mile.”

Krantzkloof Nature Reserve is arguably one of the most precious natural gems we have in South Africa, says Candotti, a mechanical engineer whose family roots may be in the ancient Italian city of Udine, but whose working boots are “def-initely planted” in KZN territory.

“Parts of the reserve are in hazardous and difficult terrain. That’s good and bad. While experi-enced climbers can do some of the cliff climbs, most of the area has remained untouched and untrod-den for millions of years, simply because you can’t get there.

“As you can imagine, the plant and animal life that exist in this 669-hectare area has changed little over time and in some ways remains a mystery. I think that is why we are so passionate about its preservation. We feel almost responsible for its well-being.”

Candotti says one of the roles

of the conservancy is to support Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in improv-ing and protecting the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve.

It also assists in the removal of invasive and alien vegetation from the grassy roadside verges along the M13 from Richmond Road to Hillcrest and the rivers and streams that run through Kloof and neigh-bouring areas.

The conservancy is also the implementing agency for the city’s far-reaching Take Back Our Rivers project, which aims to restore the health of the rivers in eThekwini.

“Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has limited funding, which has to be

spread across the biosphere, so it was up to the local community to help where they can.”

The assistance has included the installing of sturdy roadside pole fencing and improvements to the reserve’s entrance areas, which includes riverside picnic areas and large displays showing the sort of flora and fauna visitors can expect to see when they walk or trail run in the reserve following the river course.

In line with a worldwide trend to introduce a business and commer-cial wing to voluntary projects, Can-dotti believes that the revamping of the old Interpretative Centre oppos-

ite the reserve entrance has helped to generate much-needed funding.

“The building, which was once

used as a meeting place for early KZN conservationists and visitors, was under-used and in need of maintenance when our conserv-ancy team decided that for practical and historic reasons it needed to be brought back to life.”

Fast forward and thanks to a network of supporters there is an attractive stone building nestling among ancient trees, with a new roof, tile floor, windows and doors. It has become a popular wedding and corporate function venue, attracting much-needed funds.

“It has enabled us to expand our awareness programmes, espe-cially for kids, who can enjoy hands on learning in a safe and natural environment.”

A favourite adventure for the young is the conservancy’s award-winning “Molweni River Health Schools Project”, he says.

“Twice a year, we invite teams of high school children, from the richest and poorest backgrounds, to join in our ongoing environmental education programme, identifying and collecting data on what is grow-ing and living in and near the river, as well as testing the water’s health.

“After completing the sampling, the teams come back to the Krantz-kloof centre and share their find-ings with scientists and teachers who have volunteered their time and knowledge to assist with the project. It’s a win-win situation and popular with pupils and schools.”

He says buy-in from groups like GCS Consultants, Umgeni Water, and eThekwini Municipality as well as the use of miniSASS (mini-stream assessment scoring system) citizen science test kits have raised the level of science outreach.

So if you have never heard of blood worms or Arthropoda Ephem-

eroptera, commonly known as may-flies, wade into the water and find out what these creatures are telling us about our rivers and streams.

[email protected]

Testing in the Molweni… high school pupils get to know their rivers.PICTURES: LIZ

CLARKE

Some plants and creatures in this part of Kloof are so rare most people will never see them. Liz Clarke spoke to one of the green warriors who wants to preserve the mystery of this special place

A river runs through it

Paolo Condotti… turning conservation words into action.

TAKE BACK OURRIVERS PROJECT

The Take Back Our Rivers initiative is a flagship project of the eThekwini Conservancies Forum that seeks to restore the health of rivers across the eThekwini Municipality with a par-ticular focus on engaging communities from various economic backgrounds to take responsibility for the health of the stretch of river that they live on or use.

MINISASS is a tool used to monitor water quality and explore reasons it might not be as good as it should be. You collect a sample of micro-inverte-brates (small animals) from the water and, depending on which groups are found, you have a measure of the general river health and water quality. Once you have collected a sample, you look for the different bug groups and score whether they were found. The score tells you the health class of the river, ranging across five categor-ies from natural to very poor.

MEASURINGWATER QUALITY

CONSERVANCY CONTACT:

For more information, go to the Kloof Conservancy web-site http://www.kloofconserv-ancy.org.za and the miniSASS website https://minisassblog.wordpress.com

A river runs through it - Roving Reporters...through the organisation or at its regional and...

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