Issue 6 – The Industry and Infrastructure Edition November – … · 2019. 2. 27. · arm on 22kV wood poles) were replaced with bird friendly de-signs (design where the outer

Conservation Matters - Issue 6: The Industry and Infrastructure Edition 1

Issue 6 – The Industry and Infrastructure Edition

November – December2017

Conservation Matters - Issue 6: The Industry and Infrastructure Edition1

Physical Address: Building K2, Ardeer Road, Pinelands Office Park,Modderfontein 1609, Gauteng, South Africa, Postal Address: Private Bag X 11, Modderfontein 1645, Gauteng, South Africa

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It’s as easy as one-two-three! Once you’ve made your donation via SnapScan, you’ll get an SMS confirming the transaction, and the EWT will be notified via SMS too. Supporting Conservation in Action couldn’t be simpler.


In a week characterised by a tornado in the western suburbs of Gauteng, severe and mass flooding on the south coast and central parts of Durban, sink holes, hail storms and yes, still drought in the Western Cape, you may think that climate change is at the top of my mind. But it isn’t. What strikes me most about the havoc that these events, and others such as Harvey in the USA have caused, was the role that infrastructure played in it all. Let me explain. It is not the wind or the rain that killed or maimed anyone. It was the flying debris, the caving in rooves, the shattering glass, the car crashes on the roads due to slippery conditions, faulty lights, poor visibility or the rising water from blocked storm water drains. It was the collapsing walls, the washed away shacks in low-lying areas and the grounded rescue staff who could not access roads or byways, that directly caused the deaths and injuries of these events. Modern infrastructure is vital to support the economies and way of life that humanity has come to depend on. Long gone are the days in which we made make-shift shelters out of palm fronds and scrambled for the hills along with our feathered and furry friends, when tsunamis and stormy waters threatened our coastal hides. The very roads, railways, office blocks, warehouses, fences, walls, sheds, parkades, and bridges that give life to much of the modern world that humans have created, can also be responsible for taking it away when nature decides to demonstrate who is in fact more powerful.

Modern infrastructure is not just a potential killer in times of extreme weather events, but for many species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians – infrastructure like roads, fences and power lines kills them every – come rain or shine. For too long, the impacts of an artificial built environment have been overlooked, underreported and poorly addressed despite the significant impacts on all forms of life that may suffer. Yes, it is true that in many instances, the extremity of the weather events has increased, but this is not likely to remain the odd ‘freak’ incident given future climate warnings. Modern infrastructure design must take into account a changing world, and a demanding Mother Nature who simply won’t be ignored as we humans continue to re-engineer Her world without taking Her needs into account.

In the USA, the American Society of Civil Engineers’ produces a Report Card every four years (infrastructurereportcard.org), describing the condition and performance of American infrastructure in the form of a school report card and assigning grades based on the physical condition and investments required for improvement. To give just one example of what the 2017 report states, America has 614,387 bridges, almost 4% of which are 50 years or older and 9% of which were considered to be structurally deficient in 2016. More to the point, on average there were 188 million trips made by human beings across a structurally deficient bridge each day. South Africa does not produce any report like this and in a country that is decorated with poor construction projects – rushed to address the targets of the Reconstruction and Development Programme and National Development Plan, one shudders at the thought how many millions of people are at risk of failing bridges, roads, dams, ports and so on. American bridges scored a C- in 2017. The estimated cost of bridge rehabilitation in the USA sits at around $123 billion.

If one doesn’t have that $123 billon, what does one do? Build taller buildings and stronger weirs? In order to avoid damage and mitigate risk, and to build resilience to increasingly severe natural disasters, natural infrastructure solutions are starting to become considered and implemented. Natural infrastructure refers to the use of planned and managed natural or semi-natural systems, which provide benefits or which may even replace a functionality that is traditionally provided by grey infrastructures. These natural or ‘green’ infrastructures can include forests, estuaries, coastal landscapes and wetlands and solutions may comprise coastal ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs for protection from storms; watershed restoration for water quality regulation; afforestation for carbon sequestration; habitat restoration or conservation for pollination; and phyto-remediation to rehabilitate contaminated soil and water (Business Line).

In the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami in which 230,000 people lost their lives, research was undertaken to understand the role of natural intact mangroves in possibly reducing the impact of the event. The Food and Agriculture Organization Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific produced a report in 2007 in which they stated that “though coastal forests are only partially effective against flooding, particularly when caused by successive, non-breaking waves of long-period tsunami, they greatly reduce impact forces and flow depths and velocities, which in turn limits the extent of flooding. Nevertheless, almost complete protection from impact damage of 6 – 7 meter waves can be achieved. It is even possible that a large, well-designed coastal forest could substantially mitigate the damage of a tsunami up to 8, or even 10 meters”. This work added to the growing body of knowledge that indicates that it is denuded landscapes, over populated residential areas, poorly constructed and badly planned infrastructure as well as lack of ongoing maintenance that is directly responsible for the significant losses of life and sky-high dollar estimates for reparations in the event of natural disasters and weather events.

In this edition of Conservation Matters, we focus on built infrastructure and its direct impact on wildlife and our environment through roadkill, power lines, buildings and industrial development. We also focus on the solutions, and what the EWT is doing to create sustainable, effective adaptations that support the existence of wildlife in an increasingly modern, unnatural world. The context for our developing, industrialised world will always be the natural world in which we live, and we cannot ignore or attempt to override the power and force of Mother Nature. Only when we adapt our approaches towards infrastructure build to accommodate, and integrate natural systems, will we see the impact of extreme events less devastating for both human and wild life.

As the annual December holidays in South Africa approach, I wish you all a safe, happy, rested and peaceful time with your loved ones.

Until next year

Yolan


A powerful pArtnershipKishaylin Chetty, Senior Environmental Advisor, Eskom Biodiversity Center of [email protected]

Eskom is responsible for generating sufficient electricity supply to meet the increasing power demands of South Africa. Interactions between the resulting infrastructure and wildlife often lead to negative impacts to ecosystems and/or specific species. This in turn creates operational, financial and reputational risks or challenges for Eskom. The challenge for Eskom is to find the balance between the interests of industry, the residential electrification programme, and the effective use and conservation of resources. In view of the complexity, scope and persistence of the problem of interactions between wildlife and Eskom infrastructure, Eskom and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) formalised their long-standing relationship by entering into a partnership in 1996. The Eskom/EWT Strategic Partnership was established to address the potential problems in a systematic manner from a national perspective, and to establish an integrated management system to minimise these negative interactions.

The Eskom/EWT Strategic Partnership has expanded to ensure continuity of Eskom’s electricity supply, integration of biodiversity into the business, and improvement of environmental compliance, whilst reducing cost and environmental risk. The Eskom/EWT Strategic Partnership provides strategic and operational guidance that enables Eskom to effectively understand, identify and deliver plans to minimise the impact of Eskom’s activities on ecosystems and where possible, enhance biodiversity through responsible management practices. Based on this, the objectives of the partnership are:

1. Assist with the mainstreaming of biodiversity into the Eskom business, through specialist advice on latest trends, biodiversity management practices, biodiversity networking and through in-put into the Eskom Biodiversity Strategy.

2. Maintain, implement and regularly review the existing national central incident register for all wildlife interactions.

3. Investigate reported wildlife interactions with Eskom infrastruc-ture (including those on Eskom-owned properties).

4. Support with research on, and the design of, mitigation measures to reduce negative wildlife interactions with all electrical infra-structure, including renewable energy and impacts related to business risks.

5. Raise awareness through effective communication amongst Es-kom employees and the general public on the issue of wildlife interactions.

6. Provide support through investigation and monitoring of Eskom renewable energy projects.

The Eskom/EWT Strategic Partnership continues to be of benefit to, and valued by, both partners. Since its inception, the partnership has built this specialised field worldwide, and remains a highly respected and esteemed collaboration internationally, achieving its objectives through a range of activities. The interventions and outcomes are varied in nature and can only truly be appreciated when quantified. Since March 2016:

• A total of 1,427 poles were mitigated as part of the bird un-friend-ly wood pole replacement programme in Eskom’s Free State and Eastern Cape Operating Units.

• Gaps were cut in the earth wire of 7,472 structures to prevent phase-to-earth electrocutions in the Free State and Eastern Cape Operating Units.

• A total of 3,360 structures were insulated with Raptor Protectors in the Free State and Eastern Cape Operating Units.

• The jumper wires were insulated on 1,119 structures in the Free State and Eastern Cape Operating Units.

• A total of 788 T-structures (all three conductors above the cross-arm on 22kV wood poles) were replaced with bird friendly de-signs (design where the outer two conductors are suspended below the cross arm) in Eskom’s Eastern Cape, Free State, North-West and Northern Cape Operating Units.

• Eskom’s Limpopo Operating unit converted approximately 800 existing poles from either staggered vertical design or T-Structure design, to the bird friendly design.

• A total of 1, 054 steel structures on 382km of 66kV and 132kV power lines were fitted with bird guards to prevent phase-to-earth mortalities in ‘vulture sensitive’ areas in the Northern Cape Operating Unit.

• A total of 969 spans were fitted with bird flight diverters on 22kV-132kV networks in the Eastern Cape, Free State and North West Operating Units.


The Eskom/EWT Strategic Partnership is a great model for how industries and NGOs can work together for the benefit of the environment. As the Eskom/EWT Strategic Partnership has developed, so has the ability of Eskom changed from simply talking about biodiversity towards mainstreaming biodiversity activities into the core Eskom business as illustrated above. This has effectively enabled Eskom to be compliant to relevant biodiversity legislation, ensure continuity of electricity supply to customers, reduce overall business expenditure related to reduced line trips and hardware damage, improve Eskom’s global corporate image, and enhance the livelihoods of local communities within South Africa.


endAngered dolphins’ port of cAll Dr. Shanan Atkins, Conserve Dolphins Project [email protected]

I am so lucky! It is my job to find and follow dolphins, to study their behaviour to help figure out how best to conserve them. Richards Bay is a hotspot for Endangered Humpback Dolphins (Sousa plumbea) – there is a relatively high density of dolphins overlapping with a high density of manmade threats – so it’s an important place to focus our attention.

The thing about studying dolphin behaviour at Richards Bay is that it is unusually difficult because the water is particularly brown. Underwater, it’s impossible to see much beyond your own outstretched hand. But, as they are air-breathing mammals, they do have to come up to breathe so we rely on what we see at the surface to figure out what they’re doing underwater, out of sight. When they are travelling, their surfacing patterns are regular in time and in space and generally the whole group surfaces in a consistent direction. Feeding dolphins’ surfacing patterns are irregular in time and direction, their dives are often fast and steep and occasionally they leap out of the water; sometimes fish are seen at the surface or in a dolphin’s mouth. Socialising dolphins also surface erratically, often with obvious interactions between individuals and/or frequent energetic displays, including leaps, somersaults, lob-tailing and spy-hopping. Resting dolphins surface slowly and calmly; dives are long but cover only a short distance and often they go round in a circle.

We need to understand how they use the Richards Bay coastline and which areas are important for which activities. One of our most important findings was how critical the harbour mouth is to dolphins as a feeding area. In fact, the harbour mouth can be considered a core feeding area, not just for Humpback Dolphins that are resident at Richards Bay; it’s probably key habitat for the KwaZulu-Natal population in general. We think it could be a good spot because the two long concrete breakwaters jut out into the ocean, disrupting currents and restricting the flow of water in and out of the harbour. Such disruptions create eddies and vortices which are particularly good foraging sites for dolphins. However, this was probably a good feeding site even before the breakwaters were constructed because close by there is a persistent upwelling of cold water that is particularly nutrient-rich.

The dolphins’ travel paths and feeding behaviour suggest that feeding success inside the harbour is high too, which is really good news, considering that the harbour is an industrialised estuary. In fact, estuarine ecologists are confident that the harbour still has a good representation of natural habitat that is used by estuarine and estuarine-dependent marine species, including the fish that comprise Humpback Dolphin prey.

Care will need to be taken to maintain this industrialised system as a functioning ecosystem as there are many threats like boat traffic, dredging, poaching and pollution. Boat traffic is known to disturb

Humpback Dolphins, whether it’s the large, slow cargo vessels or the small, speedy ski-boats. Impacts are direct and indirect, such as noise pollution, ship strikes (vessels and dolphins collide), fuel spillage and the transport of marine and estuarine alien invasive species. Every time any of these boats enter or leave the port (which happens countless times each day) they travel right through the middle of the dolphins’ core feeding area.

Noise is an important issue for Humpback Dolphins and a fascinating subject when considering the dolphins’ feeding behaviour. Analyses of stomach contents revealed that Humpback Dolphins’ most important prey species are sounding-producing fish, like Grunters and Croakers (known locally as Kob). Given the low water visibility, passive listening for fish may be an important way for these dolphins to find a meal. Noise is highly likely to affect the dolphins’ ability to detect and localise their prey. Noise also interferes with the dolphins’ own social signals and disrupts their behaviour.

Boat traffic in South Africa is set to rise as ports and maritime infrastructure are viewed as key engines for economic growth. In fact, government has an aggressive plan for speeding up development, known as Operation Phakisa, and phase one focuses on unlocking the economic potential of South Africa’s oceans. There are benefits to growing volumes of cargo handling, shipping and support infrastructure, but conservationists will need to improve our grasp of the situation just as quickly to mitigate the environmental costs.

The EWT began this process by publishing a technical paper titled The potential impacts of anthropogenic noise on marineanimals (which can be downloaded at www.ewt.org.za/sciencepubications). Recently, we deployed a hydrophone (an underwater microphone) in the Richards Bay harbour entrance to study the Humpback Dolphins’ acoustic behaviour. Fast-tracking investigation of mitigation strategies is imperative.

In closing, there is good news. A positive impact of the harbour infrastructure is the opportunity for people to get a little ‘offshore’.


At the end of the northern breakwater, you will find a dolphin viewing platform that was built by the EWT thanks to support from the Richards Bay Surf Lifesaving Club and Portnet (now Transnet National Ports Authority). This is probably the best place in the whole of South Africa to see the Endangered Humpback Dolphin, but you have to be patient, observant … and lucky!

Many thanks to the project’s donors and supporters: Kelly Legge Dolphin Fund,

Richards Bay Minerals, Elizabeth Wakeman Henderson Charitable Foundation, National

Research Foundation, Iziko South African Museum, Society for Dolphin Conservation (Germany), and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks

Board.


will you brAke for wildlife?Wendy Collinson, Wildlife and Roads Project [email protected]

South Africa currently has a serious problem with regards to road-related fatalities, and this epidemic is relevant to wildlife too. Insurance claims suggest that approximately R82.5 million is paid each year against collisions with wild animals, though the costs to wildlife of these collisions are never calculated. So what are the consequences for animals? The EWT is tackling this question and working to find solutions to the problems associated with wildlife and transport infrastructure

Studying the complex relationships between roadways and the natural systems they bisect, is the focus of road ecology of which the Wildlife and Roads Project (WRP) has been at the forefront in South Africa since 2011. The WRP has raised public awareness of its projects through media campaigns and engagement with South African road management agencies. An increase in public awareness of roadkill has led to an increase in the reporting of roadkill incidences contributing to the development of a national database of roadkill occurrences. To date there are over 16,000 roadkill data points for the country – an increase of almost 7,000 since last year. This has enabled us to identify priority species and habitats most at risk from roads and initiate research projects to investigate possible solutions. One of our main projects is the ‘Roads in Parks’ project, which evolved as a result of public concern and reporting of wildlife killed on roads in protected areas. We have launched a driver awareness campaign in Pilanesberg and Kruger National Parks, aimed at changing driver behaviour.

As you take your year-end break, why not join our Brake for Wildlife survey?December sees the start of Brake for Wildlife, our nationwide survey of roadkill sightings on South African roads. We’re inviting you to add your sightings to help us find out crucial information about the status of our wildlife.

How does the survey work?We want to know about your route and what you see along the way. This information will be compared year to year, alerting us to changes

in the wider population. You can take part as many times as you like during the month. A passenger should record the sightings and the survey’s perfect for those summer holiday getaways! Why not get the whole family involved recording South African wildlife?

How to send your sightings to usRoadkill data can be emailed to: [email protected] or submitted via EWT’s Road Watch app. Visit the iTunes or Play store to download. Further details can be found on the EWT website: www.ewt.org.za

When reporting roadkill, the following information should be provided:

• Location of roadkill (GPS coordinates);• Identification of species (as best as possible); • Date and time it was seen; and,• Notes on the habitat type at the particular section of the route

where the roadkill was located (e.g. riverine, grassland, rocky, wetland, etc.) would also be useful.

Good identification photos (particularly if the carcass is very squashed) require a little bit of attention. Only stop and take a photo if it is safe to do so, then try and record the following:

• BIRDS: Tail and wing feathers; beak and feet (if the whole bird is no longer there); and eye

• REPTILES: Scales; head shape; foot shape (if applicable)• AMPHIBIANS: foot shape(webbed); presence of warts;

colouration around head and eye• MAMMALS: fur/hair colour; body size; teeth type (carnivore or

herbivore)

Your support will help us to protect our wildlife. Please don’t ever put your own lives at risk in an attempt to provide information; always consider your safety and please do not use your phone while driving.Will you help make a difference on our country’s roads?

This work is made possible by Bridgestone SA, Ford Wildlife Foundation, North West Parks Tourism Board, Pilanesberg National Park, SANParks, Copenhagen Zoo, Mikros Traffic Monitoring, N3 Toll Concession (RF) Proprietary Limited, Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concession, TRAC N4


ford wildlife foundAtion keeps conservAtion on the roAdBelinda Glenn, Marketing and Communications [email protected]

At a recent function in the EWT-managed Modderfontein Reserve, the Ford Wildlife Foundation (FWF) handed over a new Ford Ranger to the EWT’s Wildlife and Roads Project, which aims to reduce the impacts of roads on wildlife, particularly roadkill rates in South Africa’s protected areas. The handover forms part of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s (FMCSA) commitment to the conservation and preservation of the environment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Work conducted by the EWT suggests that roadkill rates in South Africa’s protected areas are substantially higher than in protected areas in other parts of the world, and with tourism expected to grow significantly by 2020, the road networks in protected areas will be placed under increasing pressure to meet the associated demands. Striking a balance between the need for an efficient transport network to support tourism in protected areas and the need to conserve wildlife is therefore a challenge.

The Wildlife and Roads Project team will benefit enormously from the use of the Ford Ranger since they are active on all roads in the country – from protected areas to regional and national highways – and the enormous amount of traveling that they do has often been problematic in the past due to the lack of a project vehicle. Being a part of FWF will allow them more freedom to expand their projects, with a reliable vehicle.


keeping toAds off the roAds in noordhoek, cApe town: when residents tAke mAtters into their own hAndsAlison Faraday, ToadNUTS [email protected]

The Western Leopard Toad (Schlerophrys pantherina) is found on the south coast in the Western Cape, South Africa. Historically found in sand fynbos areas and breeding in low-lying fresh water ponds, much of the species’ habitat has been converted into gardens, homes and the roads that go along with these. Thankfully, the toads have adapted well to living in gardens, but vehicle-related deaths are one of the main threats facing these toads. Most known breeding sites are situated on private land, and only a few are on public land. This means that the fate of this Endangered species (listed by the IUCN in 2004, 2010 and again in 2016) lies largely in the hands of residents and private landowners. To secure a future for the toads, it is essential that the public be empowered to conserve this beautiful animal.

Since 2007, Alison Faraday and Suzie J’kul have been working to save the Western Leopard Toad from local extinction by educating the public and involving residents in conservation initiatives. In 2008, the volunteer group Toad NUTS (Noordhoek’s Unpaid Toad Savers) was formed with approximately 20 passionate residents. Their mission is to reduce the number of toads killed on local roads during the winter migration that takes place between mid-July and mid-September each year.

During this period, hundreds of Western Leopard Toads make their way from local gardens to breeding ponds on the other side of many roads, making the toads’ migration extremely hazardous.

Toad NUTS has been training volunteers to rescue and record all toads found on roads during the migration period, and the results from the first five breeding migrations of 2008-2012 showed a high level of roadkill* (Table 1):

* Roadkill percentage is calculated as the number of toad observations which were dead. It is not an indication of population size.

TABLE 1: Number of alive and dead toads on roads in Noordhoek from 2008 to 2012 (before barrier)

Number of toad observations ALIVE DEAD TOTAL % DEAD

year On

road

On

road

On

road

On

road

2008 166 62 228 27%

2009 140 33 173 19%

2010 325 80 405 20%

2011 298 73 371 20%

2012 362 111 473 24%

Average percentage dead 22%

Due to the particularly high number of toads being killed on one stretch of the very busy Noordhoek Main Road, Toad NUTS pioneered a drift net and pitfall trap system part way through the 2013 breeding season, which was funded by the EWT. The decrease in roadkill was immediate on this stretch of road during 2013 (Table 2). This indicates that the roadkill percentage dropped to 0% on this stretch of road once the barrier had been erected.

TABLE 2: Number of alive and dead toads on roads in Noordhoek in 2013 (introduction of barrier)

noordhoek bArrier

Number of Toads Alive dead Total % dead

Total before Barrier 51 19 70 27%

Total after Barrier 88 0 88 0%

totAl before & After 139 19 158 12%


The barrier’s reduction of roadkill impacted on the overall percentage of dead toads found on the roads for Noordhoek, dropping this from 23.5% in 2012 to 17.6% in 2013 (Table 3).

TABLE 3: Number of alive and dead toads on roads in Noordhoek from 2013 to 2017 (including barrier)

Number of toad observations ALIVE DEAD TOTAL % DEAD

year On road/barrier On road On road/barrier On road

2013 incl behind barrier 605 129 734 18%

2014 incl behind barrier 419 101 520 19%

2015 incl behind barriers 473 79 552 14%



It would seem from the steady reduction in roadkill over the last five years that the barrier and bucket system on Noordhoek Main Road (and from 2015 on Silvermine Road) has been effective. However, the number of toads found behind the barriers has been declining each year, particularly on the Noordhoek Main Road section (Table 4).

TABLE 4: Total number of toads found behind barriers in Noordhoek from 2013 to 2017

noordhoek bArriers 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Noordhoek Main Rd 158 143 84 31 32

Silvermine Rd N/A N/A 22 58 15

Total 158 143 106 89 47

Going forward Toad NUTS needs to consider the following factors:

• What could be causing the numbers of toads caught at the barrier to drop? Are the barriers themselves creating a problem for the migrating toads? Or, are these just natural year-to-year fluctuations in the number of toads migrating to these ponds? Or, is this influenced by other external factors?

• What is the total number of toads making up the population in Noordhoek? Although the numbers of toads seem to be increasing from 2008 to 2017, this could be due to better toad movement predictions (i.e. weather-related) and better trained patrollers. In

addition, the number of toads found on the road during the migration season may not be related to the total number of toads in the overall population.

Knowing how many animals make up a breeding population of Western Leopard Toads is of fundamental importance to almost every conservation decision going forward. No studies have been conducted to date to determine current population numbers of these toads. Although volunteer patrols have recorded observations of toads on roads since 2008, these numbers do not indicate the total numbers of toads (i.e. toads may be counted twice or more as they go to and from the ponds). A robust population estimate is therefore urgently needed to obtain baseline data on population size. The next step is therefore to initiate a study using photo recognition of individuals to estimate population sizes, and determine survival rates of offspring and trends in the population over time. We hope to see survival rates increas-ing as a result of volunteer efforts. Based on mortality numbers from road counts, we can conduct comparative studies to estimate what proportion of mortality is attributable to road deaths, and whether this contributes a significant proportion of the estimated mortality, or whether it could come from other unknown causes.

Development of concise conservation action for the Western Leopard Toad, in collaboration with researchers, the City of Cape Town, the volunteer groups, members of the public and the EWT is crucial for ensuring the long-term survival of this iconic species.


going Above And beyondRonelle Visagie, Wildlife and Energy Programme Field [email protected]

In August, I was driving between Richmond and Middelburg in the Eastern Cape, and spotted a juvenile Blue Crane with a broken wing in a camp next to the road. I realised that a mid-flight collision with the telephone line between the road and the two dams in the area could be the only reason why the crane had been injured.

I returned the next day and found that there were two juveniles with broken wings. Of course, I had to take action, and caught the birds, stabilised their wings, and drove them to a nearby vet. The two juveniles were believed to be the chicks of the adult pair that was found walking with them, and were older than one year as they were calling like adult Blue Cranes. Their feathers were also in a very poor state from walking through the shrubs and bushes. One of the juveniles was very lean, and it was apparent that the bird had been suffering with the injury for some time.

Telkom was approached regarding the incident and confirmed that the line was no longer in use. Unfortunately, they didn`t have the resources to remove the line but they agreed that I could do so myself. Ten days later, I returned with my husband, two volunteers and a chainsaw! More than a kilometre of line was taken down adjacent to the two dams where an estimated 200 Blue Cranes were roosting.

In the interim, the two juvenile Blue Cranes were examined by the vet, who said that the wings were badly broken and not much could be done to help them from a medical perspective. If these juveniles had been returned to their parents, the parents would also be negatively affected as they would continue to take care of their chicks and refuse to take flight. With this in mind, the decision was made to take the injured birds to my rehabilitation centre in De Aar, where they have now settled in to a life of luxury, and are well fed and safe from predators. The adults are also now free to fly again, and the risk of the telephone line has been eliminated.


helping eskom to work birdsmArtAmos Letsoalo, Wildlife and Energy Programme, Senior Field [email protected]

The BirdSmart campaign was designed by the Wildlife and Energy Programme and Eskom to increase awareness surrounding specific bird species that are most at risk of collisions and electrocutions on electrical infrastructure, and how to effectively mitigate against these threats. The nine Eskom Operating Units, situated in each of the country’s nine provinces, have each been allocated five priority species. Priority species were selected based on historic incidents, distribution range as well as their conservation status. Next, informative posters were created for each of these species. For example, the Martial Eagle poster, a top priority species for the Northern Cape Operating Unit,

gives information surrounding the population trends of the species, a description of the bird and its collision and electrocution risks.

Our training project, Wildlife & Power Line Interaction Training, forms a significant aspect of our work that aims to raise environmental awareness amongst Eskom staff and introduce the participants to the various interactions between Eskom infrastructures and wildlife. This training has equipped a large portion of Eskom field staff with the conservation knowledge required to identify and report incidents to the EWT.

Over the last year, 86 training sessions were completed, attended by a total of 1,455 Eskom employees and 18 Eskom contractors.

why did the monkey cross the roAd?Wendy Collinson, Wildlife and Roads Project [email protected]

Would you cross a busy road, knowing that you might not make it safely across? Unlikely. So why does the Samango Monkey do it? The EWT and Lajuma Research Centre are working together to establish the answer to this question, and to provide a solution to the problem of Samango Monkey roadkill.

According to Bibi Linden, the Project Coordinator of the Samango Monkey Roadkill Mitigation Project, there have been regular road fatalities of Samango Monkeys on a particular stretch of road along the eastern Soutpansberg in northern Limpopo Province. This special monkey is listed as Vulnerable in South Africa, and is considered a rare species as it inhabits South Africa’s smallest and most fragmented biome, indigenous high canopy forest. As an arboreal (tree-dwelling) species, the monkeys rely on tree canopies to move about their home range. Roads will often bisect their ranges, with their vital habitat – the tree canopy – being removed over roads to allow easy and safe passage for vehicles. This is often to the detriment of the monkey’s habitat, fragmenting it, resulting in the monkeys having no choice but to come down from the trees and cross the roads to move from one

forest fragment to another: this can then result in their deaths. Bibi and her team have 18 recorded mortalities to date, with two occasions where infants were orphaned and had to be taken to a rehabilitation centre.

In April 2015, with the support of the EWT and Lajuma Research Centre, Bibi began a project to prevent Samango Monkey road fatalities, and designed and installed experimental canopy bridges on private roads suited specifically for the monkeys. From experimental bridge designs, they learned that Samango Monkeys prefer using rigid pole bridges rather than flexible rope bridges. They also found that Samangos were most likely to use the bridges when they had a partially closed forest canopy above.

The research team is entering the final phase of the bridge testing component of the project. A systematic camera trap survey on the ‘monkey bridges’ showed that other species will utilise the bridges too. These cameras picked up the other four South African primate species (baboon, Vervet Monkeys, Lesser and Greater Bushbabies) as well as Rock Hyrax, Gambian Giant Rat and a Dwarf Gecko, all using the bridge to cross through the tree canopies. They also recorded three raptor species utilising the canopy bridges as perches, which is of interest as the raptors could prevent small mammal and reptile species from using the bridges.

With the camera trap survey completed and almost a year’s worth of behavioural data of Samango Monkeys crossing the bridges, Bibi and


her team are now analysing the data and preparing it for scientific publication, with a further aim to create Primate Canopy Overpass Guidelines for conservation and management use.

The next phase of the project will focus on more awareness work in rural areas where the actual road fatalities are occurring, including the design and printing of brochures and posters and their distribution. For the prototype bridge to be built on Lajuma, Bibi is still seeking an enthusiastic engineering student or graduate who would like to put their skills to use for conservation.

The Samango Monkey Roadkill Mitigation Project is a first for South Africa, and the use of bridges over roads is a cost-effective method of preventing arboreal species from becoming roadkill.

The EWT is continuing its work to help prevent roadkill of all species by gathering data from across the country. We are calling on members of the public to assist us through being our watchdogs on the roads. If you find an animal on the road, dead or alive, please send us a photograph, the location (preferably GPS coordinates) and road name, to [email protected]. If you find an injured animal, it can still be saved by taking it to your local veterinarian.

Together, we can make a difference on our country’s roads – will you help?

The EWT’s Wildlife and Roads Project is supported by Bridgestone SA, N3 Toll Concession, Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concession and TRAC N4.

Colobus monkey bridge over Diani road near Ukuinda Kenya South Coast | @Coastweek


nocturnAl movements of lesser flAmingosMatt Pretorius, Wildlife and Energy Programme Senior Field [email protected]

In 2016, the EWT’s Wildlife and Energy Programme, in collaboration with Eskom Research, Testing and Development, started a new project focused on tracking the movements of Lesser Flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor) in South Africa. The project was initiated in response to recurring collision mortalities with power lines previously marked with conventional bird flappers. We wanted to find out whether the flamingos are unable to see these devices due to the fact that they fly at night. To test this theory, twelve Lesser Flamingos were fitted with GPS-GSM satellite transmitters in order to investigate their spatial ecology and, in particular, the prevalence of nocturnal activity.

Initial results revealed a significant difference between nocturnal vs diurnal flight frequency and average distance travelled (Figure 1). This adds support to previously held sentiments that these birds fly predominantly at night, and explains the reoccurrence of collision mortalities where power lines have previously been marked with conventional bird flappers. Looking at nocturnal flights only, there was no difference in the frequency of flights in periods of different moon phase, meaning the amount of available ambient light should not

influence the decision to fly at night. So, we are still not sure what prompts flamingos to undertake these long distance movements between waterbodies, but are hopeful that further analysis of the environmental conditions at the time that they set off will help us to solve the mystery.

An even more significant result of the project has been the recording of some interesting dispersal movements. Astonishingly, we recorded non-stop flights of close to 1,000 km on two separate occasions. The first was of Lesser Flamingo no. 2, which flew to the island of Madagascar, crossing the Mozambican Channel. The second, more recent event, was recorded by Flamingo no. 12, which flew north from Kamfer’s Dam near Kimberley to Sua Pan in the Makgadikgadi (Botswana) in one night!

We are accumulating a significant amount of GPS fixes, however flightpaths between different waterbodies are relatively few and we need to record many more in order to be able to identify the most appropriate sections of power lines within their range that require specific mitigation using a nocturnal bird flight diverter. Such a diverter already exists in the form of the ‘OWL’ device; a solar-powered diverter equipped with flashing LED lights that improve the visibility of a power line to birds flying at night. Our Lesser Flamingo tracking project will thus inform future pro-active power line marking with these OWL devices.


mAking A difference in locAl communitiesBonnie Schumann, Drylands Conservation Programme Senior Field Officer, and Esther Matthew, Drylands Conservation Programme Field [email protected] and [email protected]

The EWT’s Dryland Conservation Programme (DCP) has undertaken two very exciting new initiatives that will provide support to the communities where much of our work with the Critically Endangered Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) take place.

The first of these sees the team working with the Mind Moves Institute to support children with learning disabilities in Loxton. The Clever Rabbit Project came about as a result of the regular environmental education programmes the DCP conducts at the local school in Loxton. While conducting monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the education on children’s knowledge, the EWT staff realised that there was a problem with many of the childrens’ ability to comprehend and retain information exchanged at these events. In addition, there have been numerous examples of children in Loxton killing wildlife in and around town, including mountain tortoises and owls. Despite growing up on farms, these children do not seem to know how to behave around wildlife or domestic pets. Consultation with experts pointed to the fact that there is a fundamental problem with the children in terms of compassion and understanding consequences of their decisions, and knowing right from wrong. This can be traced to learning disabilities, and childhood developmental problems. These are also rooted in the very difficult social circumstances the children grow up in, which often include abusive situations and neglect. Mind Moves is one the few forms of therapy that can address learning disabilities and the decision-making capacity of children. Understanding right from wrong and the consequences of their actions are addressed during therapy sessions. If children are going to be responsible custodians of wildlife and compassionate pet owners, this behaviour needs to be instilled at a young age. As conservationists, we live and work in communities. We believe that identifying needs and taking steps to address these where possible builds our support base and invests in the future.

The Clever Rabbit Project is headed up by Nicolette van den Heever, who has been part of the Loxton community for many years, first as

a teacher at the local primary school, and now as an Advanced Mind Moves Instructor. Training of educators forms a key component of the project, and all 13 pre-school to Grade 7 teachers from the local school participated. Additional community members, including the local clinic and EWT staff, also received training. Following the launch of the Clever Rabbit Project, Nicolette arranged a meeting with parents of the Grade 1 and 2 learners. The meeting involved an introduction to the Mind Moves project and provided the parents with an opportunity to consent to their child’s participation. The parents were also trained on how to do a few basic Mind Moves exercises with their children before sending them to school. Following this event, Nicolette assessed 90 Grade 1 and 2 learners to identify learners with disabilities at the school, using the aptitude test for school beginners from the Human Sciences Research Council for this initial assessment. The aim of this project is to see if the Mind Moves exercises can improve the learning abilities of children with a range of learning disabilities.

This project is funded by Rand Merchant Bank as part of their initiative to support communities with disabilities. For more information please visit https://www.mindmoves.co.za/

The second community project is known as the Blacksheep Project, and is part of a needs assessment process aimed at investigating opportunities for integrating conservation needs with those of agriculture in the resettled farming landscape. The project name “Blacksheep” refers to standing out from the crowd and points to a creative and innovative solution. Following on from an initial immersion process, during which two sociology students spent a week with emerging farmers in the Krom River area, the team recently hosted a follow-up workshop in the area. The workshop was ably facilitated by Malinda Gardiner (Conservation South Africa) who has vast experience in implementing biodiversity stewardship in the communal farming sector in the Kamieskroon area. Twenty-two stakeholders attended the workshop, providing valuable insight into what they view as challenges, as well as exploring a range of possible solutions. Represented at the workshop were emerging farmers, farmworkers, conservationists, a sociologist, a commercial farmer and government officials.

This project is supported by the First Rand Foundation as part of their initiative to explore innovative solutions to environmental challenges in the agricultural landscape.

Blacksheep Project workshop participants.


the tourism potentiAl of frogs in south AfricAZoëgné du Preez, MSc Student, North-West [email protected]

Although they may be small, and often heard more than they are seen, amphibians play a crucial role in ecosystems. Sadly, both environmental and human threats are causing unprecedented losses of these special creatures around the world. Conservationists are trying many tactics to stop these losses in their tracks, including some that are more novel than others.

One of the possible ways in which the protection of amphibians can be enhanced is through the ecotourism industry. Worldwide there has been a tremendous growth in nature-based tourism over the last decade. South Africa’s fauna and flora is rich and diverse, and has contributed to a continuous increase in tourists to South Africa. According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), in 2016, South Africa hosted over 10 million foreign tourists, of which 2.5 million were overseas visitors and 7.5 million were visitors from other African countries. Statistics from 2015 demonstrate that over 1.3 million of the visitors that came to South Africa visited nature-based destinations during their trip and 33% of the trips made by domestic tourists (South African citizens) are to visit nature-based destinations.

South Africa has a network of national and provincial parks that represent the wide variety of amazing animals and beautiful landscapes in our country, including an incredible diversity of frog species and frogging tourism may be the novel approach we need to generate income while promoting amphibian conservation and expanding public knowledge about frogs and the threats that amphibians are facing. As part of my student agreement with the EWT, I decided to embark on a project to find out more.

Since amphibians are generally not as popular as other species that tourists want to tick off their must-see lists, like large carnivores or birds, a novel approach is required. One of the main goals of the project is therefore to formulate training guides that will provide detailed descriptions of the frogs that can be found in the various parks, how to find them, and how to identify them correctly. Tips will be provided on how to search for frogs, such as nocturnal surveys, and the dos and don’ts of “frogging” when visiting nature sites.

This project aims to stimulate a new form of nature-based tourism that centres around some of the most Endangered, most colourful, most elusive and most important wildlife species on the world! Anyone with past frogging ecotourism experience who would like to share ideas, is invited to contact me by emailing [email protected]

Site guide students listening for frogs at a wetland in Adams Mission


protecting the dogs thAt keep our cArnivores sAfeMSD Animal Health is one of the world’s leading animal health companies. Our company is dedicated to the research, development, production and marketing of innovative, high quality animal health products and feed additives spanning across all animal species groups. We are probably best known to the pet owner for our product, Bravecto, the innovative tasty chew that protects dogs from ticks, fleas and mites for 12 weeks!

We believe strongly in supporting extraordinary partnerships between dogs, their owners and the environment, which is why we jumped at the opportunity to partner with the EWT and its Livestock Guardian Dog Project as one of our focus projects. We understand the critical role that these dogs play in ensuring that livestock is

protected from carnivores which in turn results in these carnivores being protected from persecution. Keeping these dogs healthy is paramount and preventing diseases spread by ticks and fleas plays an integral part in their health and wellbeing. We sponsor each of the dogs in their first year of placement on a farm with Bravecto. This not only ensures that they are continuously protected against ticks and fleas but it offers the farmer the convenience of only needing to have them treated four times a year, as a single Bravecto chew will provide tick, flea and mange protection for 12 weeks. As Bravecto works from the inside out it also doesn’t matter if the dogs cool off with a swim in a dam or get caught in the rain, because they will still be protected against ticks and fleas for the full 12 weeks.

BRAVECTO Reg No G4083 (Act 36/1947) | Contains minimum 25 mg Fluralaner per kg body weight. For more information on Bravecto visit www.bravecto.co.za or find us on Facebook at Bravecto South Africa.


Dr Andrew Taylor, Wildlife in Trade Programme Wildlife Ranching Project [email protected]

The Endangered Wildlife Trust regularly publishes the results of our conservation science research in scientific journals, so that our work can contribute to a growing body of knowledge on conservation science. Here we highlight our most recent scientific publications and other important science-related news.

Sustainable rhino horn production at the pointy end of the rhino horn trade debatePoaching for horn is an ongoing threat to global rhino populations, with South Africa bearing the brunt of this criminal activity over the last decade. The number of rhinos killed illegally across the country has exceeded 1,000 animals each year for the last three years, and this trend looks set to continue as 2017 draws to a close.

Anti-rhino poaching law enforcement has expanded massively during this poaching crisis, with associated increases in spending and allocation of resources to security. While this has increased the risk of capture for poachers and prevented the total annihilation of our rhino populations, it has not reduced the involvement of organised crime in the illegal trade of rhino horn. For that to happen, the financial rewards from selling horn illegally need to decrease substantially. Two different approaches have been proposed to achieve this, namely demand reduction (which would decrease the overall number of people who wish to buy horn), and the creation of a legal market (which would theoretically attract buyers away from the illegal market, making it harder to sell poached horn).

While the idea of a legal trade in rhino horn is not new, it is controversial for a variety of reasons. One area of contention is the potential risk that a legal trade would lead to an increase in market size, which might exacerbate the poaching crisis if there is insufficient horn to meet the demand through legitimate pathways. Knowing how much horn could be

supplied to a legal market is, therefore, an important consideration in assessing the viability of trade but, to date, there have been no formal estimates for this quantity. In an attempt to fill this gap in knowledge, and in the interests of using a scientific approach to inform decisions regarding the feasibility of legalising trade, conservation biologists from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) have worked with colleagues from other conservation organisations to publish an estimate of sustainable rhino horn production in the journal Biological Conservation.

Taking into account uncertainty surrounding rhino population sizes, mortality rates, horn growth rates and attitudes of private rhino owners to legalising trade (amongst other things), we estimated that anything between 5,319 and13,356 kg of rhino horn could be produced in South Africa over one year at current rhino population levels under various management scenarios. In comparison to the amount of horn that is thought to be leaving Africa and entering the black market every year (~5,346 kg), the lowest estimate of horn production results in a shortfall of about 30 kg, while the upper estimate, which

includes a supply of horn from state and private stockpiles, results in a considerable surplus. The amount of rhino horn leaving South Africa illegally every year is not however, an indication of the potential size of the consumer market, which may in fact be considerably bigger if rhino horn was legally available. It is therefore not reasonable to assume that the potential supply of rhino horn can meet potential demand.

We wish to emphasise that this estimate provides just one piece of a large body of evidence that will be necessary to determine if legal trade is viable; it is not sufficient on its own to demonstrate viability. There are some critical unknown factors in the market dynamics of rhino horn that confound our attempts to estimate the extent of potential continued demand for horn under a future legal trading regime. For example, we do not know how much horn is being used for medicinal purposes versus how much is being stockpiled, which could impact heavily on demand patterns. We also do not know how consumer demand will be affected by legalising rhino horn purchase and making it socially acceptable, which may once again affect the levels of demand and user patterns. We do not understand the price elasticity

of demand for rhino horn which means that demand for rhino horn may increase or decrease depending on the prices, sources of rhino horn and legal regime.

Importantly, we do not know if users will want horn from rhino that are farmed in captivity versus horn from wild

rhino. We are pleased to be able to contribute one piece of scientifically sound information that may inform the debate

but it is also our opinion that more research is required to assess the likely outcomes of legalising trade.


CoNSTANT HoogSTAd – senior mAnAger: industry pArtnershipsWe caught up with Constant Hoogstad, who was recently promoted to Senior Manager: Industry Partnerships after three years managing the Wildlife and Energy Programme. Constant is a born and raised Johannesburg man, and attended Rand Afrikaans University (RAU – today the University of Johannesburg) where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Law and represented RAU in both rugby and cricket. Always having a love for the bush, he then completed FGASA and associated training courses and pursued a career in guiding at Edeni Lodge, Karongwe Private Game Reserve. He later moved into wildlife research, where he conducted research on all the large carnivores and ultimately became reserve manager. After managing some other game reserves across South Africa, Constant ended up back in Johannesburg, and joined the EWT in 2010. He is currently studying Strategic Business Management through the University of Cape Town, and has been married to Samantha, who is from the UK, since 2010. They have an 18-month-old son named Bastiaan.

Constant’s new role as Senior Manager: Industry Partnerships sees him taking responsibility for directing, overseeing and providing

Your next stay in Sandton could support the EWTSignature Lux Hotels opened their first hotel in June 2017, located in the heart of the Golden Mile, Sandton, Johannesburg. Signature Lux Hotels are embracing an exciting, modern, creative, eco-friendly and innovative room space, delivering high-quality bedrooms with four-star finishes, and providing an exceptional sleep experience while catering to the connected age. The progressive hotel chain is targeting tech-savvy millennials and business travellers who value the freedom to travel.

The Signature Lux Hotel experience offers guests exclusive services, including a fully integrated app, which offers more than just a booking function. Your entire hotel visit is controlled at your fingertips. After your first stay, check in remotely from any location and your cell phone doubles up as your room key. Signature Lux offer a 24-hour hassle free, self-service check-in kiosk, automated housekeeping, internal Wi-Fi calling and built in “call-a-cab” service.

Their first property in Sandton is located 30 steps to Nelson Mandela Square, 300 steps to the Sandton Convention Centre and 230 steps to the Gautrain station. This sought after property will also be the most “Instagrammable” building in the city with wildlife murals painted by Faith47.com.

Signature Lux has formed a partnership with the EWT and is donating R5 for each room night sold.


leadership to the range of EWT programmes that focus predominantly on reducing the impact of corporate and industrial development on environmental goods and services and biodiversity; and which aim to mitigate the negative impact of development on the sustainability of our environment. This includes the Wildlife and Energy, Wildlife and Roads, National Biodiversity and Business Network, and Urban Conservation Programmes. Besides performing this oversight role, he is also developing a suite of new industry partnerships for all of the programmes as well as a rage of Social Enterprise Development initiatives in the EWT.

What excites you about this new position? “There are endless opportunities for EWT programmes to link with industry partners. To identify and explore these opportunities further and to help develop these is probably the most exciting part of my new role.”

What are you passionate about?“All things wildlife and sport related! Leopards, vultures, the Lions and Springbok rugby teams, the Protea cricket team, the Kruger National Park, Pilanesberg , the Lowveld, and Kgalagadi are some of my passions, to name but a few.”

If you had to get stuck in a lift with anyone, who would it be and why?“Leonardo DiCaprio, due to his keen interest in wildlife and conservation. Besides that, he is also a very successful human being with very strong morals and ethics. And of course, I would use the opportunity to convince him how his foundation can support some of the EWT programmes!”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and who did it come from?“’Think twice and speak once,’ from a CEO of one of the leading companies in SA.”

LourENS LEEuWNEr – wildlife And energy progrAmme mAnAgerWe also spoke to Lourens Leeuwner, who has recently been promoted to Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager. Lourens studied Nature Conservation in Cape Town and completed his practical training in the Kglagadi Transfrontier Park. A few years later, he ended up in Limpopo for a four-year stint, managing a volunteer research project, dabbled in a bit of game breeding and then moved to Centurion where he worked as an Environmental Auditor for a further four years. The corporate world got a bit much for Lourens, so he was glad to join the EWT in Cape Town in 2014. Lourens is married to Kimberley and they have a three-year old daughter, Zara. Their family also includes three dogs, Willem, Sally and Enzo, and two rabbits, Hop Hop and Polar.

Lourens’ new position sees him managing the day-to-day deliverables of the Wildlife and Energy Programme. Although this is admin intensive, there is still time for the odd field trip, including power line incident investigations, Blue Crane captures and the occasional drone flight for the programme’s research project.

What excites you about this new position?“This position enables me to add value through decision making at a higher level, and I’m really enjoying that.”

What are you passionate about?“I am passionate about conservation in general, but I have real soft spot for hippos. All those years in the water and they still can`t swim! I also really enjoy seeing mind-set shifts in individuals once they have been properly informed about conservation issues. This is the only way we will be able to move forward in my opinion – getting information to people and changing attitudes.”

If you had to get stuck in a lift with anyone, who would it be and why?“Homer Simpson, because that would be hilarious!”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and who did it come from?“My father told me ‘money is an enabler, not an end in itself. If money is your goal, you will never stop chasing and you will never be happy.’”

INNoCENT BuTHELEzI – wildlife And roAds project field officerWe also chatted to Innocent Buthelezi, who recently joined the EWT as the Wildlife and Roads Project Field Officer. Innocent was born in Jericho, a rural Village in the North West Province, and grew up in Johannesburg. He believes that both his parents’ rural background inspired him to follow a career in Nature Conservation, which he studied at Tshwane University of Technology and graduated in 2012. Since then, he has not looked back because he is passionate about conservation.

Innocent met his wife, Kutullo, who works for SANParks, while they were studying Nature Conservation, and they have a two-year old daughter, Luthando.

What does your role at the EWT involve?“My role involves undertaking fieldwork to minimise the impacts of roads on wildlife in protected areas in South Africa. Some of my daily activities include conducting questionnaire surveys with members of the public to gain a perception of their understanding of the impacts of roads on wildlife, and analysing roadkill data collected from the fieldwork and surveys to guide decision making in future road design and planning. I also undertake road patrols with various road agencies, including training their staff to gather roadkill data through the correct identification of carcasses. I also get involved in research projects that help to identify and prioritise risks and help to find ways to mitigate those risks.”


What excites you about this new position?“Being part of a great organisation like the EWT and specifically being part of the Wildlife and Roads Project is very exciting for me. Working with the team has been fruitful in terms of the new research knowledge that I am gaining.

Being an ambassador for wildlife that are killed on the roads on a daily basis motivates me in my new position. I see my new role as a blessing because I am enjoying my work with the organisation and I believe there are lots of opportunities for growth. I am learning new skills every day.”

What are you passionate about?“I am passionate about nature in its diversity, and football is another passion which I actively follow by playing on weekends. I also love music of various genres. My biggest passion, though, is my wife and daughter.”

If you had to get stuck in a lift with anyone, who would it be and why?“Nozililo Margaret Buthelezi, my mother. Despite being a domestic worker for the past 30 years, she has contributed to my life in many ways. Our struggles motivated me to work hard so I could be successful and make her proud of me.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?“I can’t pick one. There is so much great advice out there. I am a self-motivated person, though, I believe in hard work and never giving up.”



leAving A legAcyTammy Baker, Business Development [email protected]

It’s the kind of subject we don’t like to dwell on, but none of us can avoid the need to have an up-to-date will, ensuring that our last wishes are carried out and our legacy is continued in the way that we would choose. Including a bequest to an organisation that you have supported in your lifetime, or that you would have liked to support had you been able to, is a way to bring dignity and meaning to a life well-lived. You, and your values, beliefs and generous philanthropic role modelling, will live on in the generations that benefit from your support.

Should you choose to remember the EWT in your will, you are not only ensuring that out critical conservation work carries on to benefit generations for years to come, but you could also be providing tax benefits to your loved ones.

Section 4(h) of the Estate Duty Act determines that bequests made to public benefit organisations such as the EWT should first be deducted from the nett value of your estate before estate duty is determined. This means that remembering the EWT in your will could exempt your estate from estate duty. A deduction for estate duty purposes is allowed in respect of the value of property bequeathed to a public benefit organisation.

The EWT relies on bequests both large and small to ensure that we continue fulfilling our vision of a healthy planet and an equitable world that values and sustains the diversity of all life.

We would like to thank you if you have already decided to leave a bequest and invite you to consider doing so if you have not. Your legacy will make a lasting impact to the benefit of all people who inhabit our beautiful world.

There are different types of bequests that you can select from, namely:

• Residue of your estate• A percentage of your estate• A specific sum of money• A life insurance policy• Property

We recommend that you use the below wording:“I bequeath to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) registered NPO number 015-502 of K2 Pinelands Office Park, Ardeer Road, Modderfontein, Gauteng, (insert bequest details of your choice), and I express the that such estate be used for the purpose of conserving threatened species and habitats for future generations”.

mAx ‘snowy’ hAlbekAth“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.” - M.K. Clinton, author.

The world is certainly being made a better place by people like Max ‘Snowy’ Halbekath, who loved animals enough to make their protection his legacy. Snowy, as he was known to most because of his snow-white hair, would have liked to be remembered as a protector of animals both domestic and wild, and so he generously divided his estate between the EWT and the SPCA.

Snowy was born in 1931 and was an excellent target shooter at school, faring well in competitions. His sister-in-law, Kathleen, tells us that although he was a brilliant shot, he was fiercely opposed to shooting anything alive and only shot targets and clay pigeons. His love of animals was obvious from an early age.

He married Kathleen’s sister, Sheila, in 1979, after losing his first wife, Desiré, early on in their marriage. Sheila and Snowy, the perfect match, were true dog lovers, and always had at least two around. They had no children but treated their dogs as if they were their babies. Kathleen jokes fondly that perhaps Snowy preferred animals to humans. He came to run an informal shelter for anyone who found abandoned dogs, housing up to five at a time, and would treat each dog to a home-cooked meal every night.

Snowy was well-known for his sense of humour and this came out in the naming of his favourite dog. Kathleen says: “He had a tradition of always naming his dogs with names starting with an S and that is how the name Satan came about for an absolutely special German Shepard that he owned. Satan excelled at dog training and no other dog could ever compare or compete with Satan. I’m pretty sure that Satan was actually the love of his life!”

Not only did Snowy love his dogs, but he also loved wildlife and the bush. He and Sheila travelled to the Kruger National Park once a year. It was this affinity for wild animals and spaces that inspired this humble, kind man to leave his bequest to the EWT when he sadly passed away in 2016. His generosity will ensure that we are able to continue the work we do to protect the animals and habitats he loved so much.

Thank you Snowy. Your memory will live on forever in the work you made possible.


donAtions mAde eAsy with debit ordersThe EWT relies on the amazing generosity of our supporters to make Conservation in Action possible. Your support could make a difference to one or more of our critical projects, ensuring the sustainability and future of our fragile environment and a wide variety of increasingly threatened species of wildlife.

Donations via debit order and stop order both offer the advantage of potential tax benefits in the form of a Section 18A certificate. This certificate, issued for bona fide donations, means you could qualify for tax relief, subject to SARS regulations.

Here we’d like to explain the difference between stop orders and debit orders, and share some of the benefits of the latter with you.

There are two different ways to make a monthly contribution, namely:

1. Monthly Stop Order

In this instance, donors instruct their bank directly, through either internet banking or physically visiting the bank, and tell them to deduct funds from their account and credit the EWT on a monthly basis. The agreement is between the donor and the bank and the EWT is a beneficiary. All adjustments of either the amount or any change of details including account numbers are communicated directly to

the bank. The EWT is simply a beneficiary in this method of payment and the agreement is between the bank and the donor. All queries are to be directed to the bank and not the EWT.

2. Monthly Debit Order

Unlike with a stop order, in this case the agreement is between the EWT and the donor, with the bank acting as a third party facilitator of the transaction. The donor will complete a debit order initiation form and sign it. For your security, the EWT keeps your personal details secure and will never share them with a third party. Once the form is completed, signed and received, we then initiate the debit order with the bank and no administration is required from the donor’s part. You simply contact us and provide us with any adjustments and we will make sure they are implemented. The EWT handles any queries that may arise.

The advantages of debit orders are:

• The bank charges are cost effective for both the donor and the EWT.

• Debit orders reduce the amount of admin for you, as the sys-tem is automated.

• The process is secure, giving both the donor and the Trust peace of mind.

• Debit orders provide a simple, cost-effective way to give back!


rhino poAching And trAde in hornDr Harriet Davies-Mostert, Head of [email protected]

Since 2008, the range states for rhino populations have been hard-hit with a massive upsurge in the poaching of rhino for their horns. Governments, the private sector and civil society organisations have been called to action to address the drivers of a crisis that may spell the end of a number of rhino populations – and even species – if not urgently halted. In the decade that has since passed, different factions have been formed in the conservation community, the media, governments and the public, all clinging to the belief that their perspective, and the rhetoric that surrounds it, are in fact, fact, or the only facts. The EWT uses credible information, sound research and a strong conservation motivation to underpin our perspective on the rhino poaching issue, as well as all other conservation challenges. In this edition of the EWT’s myth-busting series, we offer some clarity on the facts and the fiction surrounding rhino poaching and the trade in rhino horn.

In 2017, the South African government lifted the moratorium on domestic rhino horn trade, effectively allowing for permitted sales of rhino horn within the borders of the country. This action deepened the confusion among many people, both locally and abroad, around the issues pertaining to the trade in rhino horn. The different perspectives on the trade in rhino horn have often led to polarisation of the conservation sector, fuelled by statements on social media and in the press, which have further confused the public who are desperate to see our rhino conserved. The EWT considers the conservation of wild and free-living rhino as a priority and, within this context, would like to set the record straight on some of the misconceptions.

Myth 1. Ngos that do not support a legal horn trade are “animal rights activist organisations” and are opposed to the sustainable use of natural resources.

When it comes to sustainable use, not all natural resources are created equal. Different species face different threats, and the risks posed by the consumptive use of these species or their components must be closely interrogated and backed up by sound research and scientifically rigorous data, before a decision to use them, or how one can sustainably use them, can be made. Wildlife trade can only be considered to be sustainable if that trade has no negative impacts on the persistence of wild populations and, in fact, it should positively contribute towards the security of free and wild populations. Benefits should be equitable and fair and sustainability is defined in terms of the species’ role in its ecosystem and natural habit. NGOs and other organisations who apply this approach to wildlife utilisation are in fact responsible and ethical and cannot simply be dismissed for whatever their stance on other issues may or may not be.

Myth 2. The rhino horn trade ban failed so we need to legally trade in rhino horn; what we are doing is not working so we must try something new.

To say that the trade ban has not worked is simply not true; the ban was put in place in the 1970s and poaching was low (generally less than 20 rhinos per year) until 2008/9 when poaching started to spike. We do not know what the situation would have looked like if there was

no ban in place. It is acknowledged that bans alone are not enough to address any form of illegal trade and it is human nature to create black markets and break laws. Trade bans need to be supported with measures that strengthen our ability to tackle transnational organised crime, which include improving the security of our borders and ports, improving the capacity and resources of law enforcement agencies and the judicial system, understanding the drivers of consumption and the markets, supporting large-scale demand reduction in the consumer countries and creating higher value for the live animal, in its habitat, than for its body parts in the trade system. Trade bans can only be as effective as the systems put in place by countries to address all elements of the trade; when these are aggressively applied, bans can and do work. It has been proven that consumers are less likely to use products which are known to be illegal, so whilst trade bans do not kill demand, they assist in managing it by clarifying in the minds of consumer that the product is illegal, and assisting law enforcement agencies by supporting instant apprehension and arrest.

Myth 3. Conservation Ngos benefit from the rhino poaching crisis through an increase in donor income and therefore have no real incentive to see the crisis abated.

Bona fide NGOs with strong, credible track records, which are working to conserve rhinos are administered under the principles of good governance and transparency – their financial records are publicly available, they undergo annual external audits, and they do not receive personal benefits from funds raised for rhinos. Importantly, they spend money on project activities and not personal assets, and must fulfil rigorous reporting requirements to donors to demonstrate impact. As they usually do not own rhino, they cannot benefit from any moneys spent on rhino conservation. Public Benefit Organisations are subject to stricter scrutiny than private and commercial entities, and they remain one of the safest avenues for concerned members of the public to contribute to rhino conservation.

Myth 4. Trade in rhino horn is a “silver bullet” that will stop the poaching or rhinos and save them through providing a cheap legal source of horn or by flooding the market.As with trade bans, legal trade is also no silver bullet. There is no evidence to support the claim that trading in rhino horn will disrupt the illegal market or reduce market demand in any way. The suggestion that a legal trade in rhino horn will address the poaching of rhino, makes a few tricky assumptions. Firstly, it presupposes that the consumers of horn are willing to use captive-bred rhino horn as a substitute, or that wild horn will not be preferred over captive horn. However, a recent study of rhino horn consumers in Viet Nam1, found that most users prefer horn from wild and free living rhino. Secondly, it assumes that the supply of captive-bred rhino horn will be enough to meet the international demand for horn; this is difficult to determine given that very little is known about the rhino horn market and how elastic it may be once rhino horn is freely available. Finally, it suggests that legally produced rhino horn will be significantly cheaper than illegally acquired horn; however, no pricing data have ever been released from legally sold rhino horn, so it is not possible to support this assumption.

1 MacMillan, D., Bozzola, M., Hanley, N., Kasterine, A. & Sheremet, O. (2017). Demand in Viet Nam for rhino horn used in traditional medicine, International Trade Centre, Geneva, Switzerland.


Myth 5. Ngos cannot contribute to rhino conservation because they do not own rhinos and are “armchair scientists/conservationists”.

A key benefit of not owning rhinos is that NGOs have no vested stake in the outcome of any particular management strategy. Many of the NGO staff working on rhino conservation in South Africa and elsewhere have postgraduate and doctoral degrees and have decades of experience working in the field with rhino, stakeholders, government, poachers and civil society. They continue to increase their knowledge and skills base by attending conferences and workshops, publishing their data and experiences in technical or peer-reviewed journals and speaking publicly generate awareness. This extensive knowledge base contributes significantly to rhino conservation. Furthermore, to our knowledge, no conservation NGO staff member has ever been investigated for, or faced allegations of, rhino poaching and none are under suspicion of alleged wildlife misdemeanours. It is interesting to note that the studies often cited by pro-traders were in fact undertaken by research institutes and NGOs, none of which own rhinos.

Myth 6. Allowing trading is the only way to reduce the poaching of wild specimens.

Proponents of a legal rhino horn trade state that trading in horn produced from captive bred animals will prevent the poaching of wild rhinos. There is no evidence to support this statement and, on the contrary, legal trade has not worked in the past with other threatened species. To demonstrate, in Asia, tigers were bred in captivity for decades to supply the demand for their bones in medicinal use in the East. Despite this, poaching of wild tigers continues and the captive breeding has, in fact, been identified as detrimental to the wild populations through laundering of and increased demand for wild bones or ‘the real thing’. As a result, the captive breeding of tigers for supplying this trade is currently being shut down. In South Africa, Abalone is produced in captivity to supply the demand as a food item, yet Abalone poaching is rife and the species is under substantial threat in the wild due to this poaching. Cycads are also cultivated in captivity as ornamental plants, yet we have lost three South African species in the wild in recent years due to illegal harvesting, despite there being a legal source of the plants. The Vicuna from South America is often presented as a species for which trade has worked to conserve the species. However, the opening of a limited legal trade was quickly followed by the laundering of illegal counterparts. There is no evidence to suggest that rhinos will be any different. Legal trade in some species does indeed support their conservation but again, the case must be made on a species-specific basis with hard evidence and data, without which, it is imperative that the Precautionary Principle is applied.

Myth 7. All private rhino owners are a united group that support the legal trade in rhino horn.

The pro-trade voices among the private rhino owners are the most vocal and visible, but this does not mean that all private rhino owners support a legal trade in rhino horn. Many have expressed concerns about the legal trade in rhino horn and its impact on their wild populations. Assuming that all private rhino owners are one homogenous group that want to trade in horn is like assuming that all NGOs are anti-trade or animal rights activists.

Myth 8. South Africa has the capacity to properly track legally-produced horn and differentiate it from illegally-acquired horn.

There is substantial concern that it is not possible to keep track of all legal horn and to distinguish it from illegal horn due to capacity constraints, resource shortages and the inability to even detect, let alone sample, all rhino horn leaving the country. This offers opportunities for the possible laundering of illegal horn through the legal channel. This may further incentivise poaching and put increased pressure on the already strained law enforcement and compliance sectors. It has also been demonstrated that, in consumer countries such as China, the availability of a product implies the legality of the product and it is not feasible to suggest that the illegally sourced or traded products will be identified once they leave the supply country.

The EWT firmly supports the ecologically sustainable use of wildlife when it leads to the improved conservation of wild and free living species in their habitats. Any use of a species and/or its components must benefit the persistence of this species in the wild, which must be supported by evidence in order for a trade-related decision to be rational and meaningful for conservation.

We do not believe that the intensive farming of wildlife for their parts equates to sustainable use, and we are concerned about the growing trend towards the commodification of wildlife in South Africa. Only when utilisation practices make tangible, positive benefits to wild populations, natural systems, and the people of South Africa, can they truly be considered sustainable.

We recognise that different role-players have divergent views and opinions on the trade in rhino horn (and other wildlife), and we appreciate that debate is important for interrogating and addressing the complex issue of wildlife trade. There are new publications and evidence emerging every day and we welcome the input of science as a means of informing excellent conservation practice.


environmentAl dAys• 21 November 2017: World Fisheries Day

• 4 December 2017: International Cheetah Day

• 11 December 2017: International Mountains Day

ewt events• 19 November 2017: 947 Cycle Challenge

EvErY SWIpE CouNTS!Did you know that you can support the EWT through the MyPlanet programme? The MyPlanet fundraising programme was launched as an extension of MySchool to provide community-minded people like yourself the opportunity to support a worthy cause, such as the EWT, that is focused on the improvement and protection of the environment and animals. And it doesn’t cost you a cent!

So get your free MyPlanet card (no monthly fees, no costs to you!) and nominate the EWT as the beneficiary you wish to support. Then swipe your card at partner stores when you shop, and they will donate a percentage of your purchases on your behalf.

• If you don’t have a MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card yet, simply apply for your free card now and select the EWT as your beneficiary. Once you start swiping your card, we’ll start receiving funds.

• If you already have a MySchool card, but would like to change your beneficiary or add a charity, simply call the Client Service Centre on 0860 100 445 or email [email protected] – there is no need to get a new card!

Find out more by visiting http://www.myschool.co.za/schools/myplanet

mAke A difference with wildlifecAmpusWildlifeCampus is a FGASA endorsed distance learning provider, and has been offering Wildlife, Wildlife-related, Guiding and Natural Science courses for over 16 years.

As a supporter of the EWT, WildlifeCampus is proud to announce that by signing up for one of our online courses, 25% of your tuition fee will be donated directly, free of any administration of facility fees, to the EWT!

By using the reference EWT when registering, you will be helping to make Conservation in Action possible.Find out more about the available courses at www.wildlifecampus.com or contact us on [email protected]


THIS SuMMEr, WE’rE MAkINg IT #CooLToCoNSErvE! The festive season is just around the corner, so why not choose from our range of extra-special EWT products and spoil your family, friends, and even yourself with gifts that give back! 100 % of proceeds from the sale of all products in the EWT shop go towards making conservation in action possible.

CAP R110

BEACH BAGR160

COOLER BAGR250

RHINO COPPER BANGLE R110

MEMORY STICK 32GB

R190

2018 CALENDARR350

FLUFFY TOYSR300


Physical Address: Building K2, Ardeer Road, Pinelands Office Park,Modderfontein 1609, Gauteng, South Africa, Postal Address: Private Bag X 11, Modderfontein 1645, Gauteng, South Africa

Tel: +27 (0) 11 372 3600 Fax: +27 (0) 11 608 4682 NPO

Which Pangolin caught the ant?


Dear Readers

Can you believe it’s been a year since we launched Conservation Matters? To celebrate this, we’d like to reward one lucky reader with a few EWT goodies. All you need to do is share your valuable feedback with us by answering some questions about the magazine, and we’ll randomly draw a winner from the responses. We’d also like to make it as easy as possible for you to submit your answers to the below questions, so you can either email them to us at [email protected] (typed or a scanned copy of this page completed), post this page to us at Private Bag X11, Modderfontein, 1645, marked for Belinda Glenn’s attention, or drop it off at our offices at Building K2, Ardeer road, Pinelands Office Park, Modderfontein, 1609. We’ll also include a clickable link to the survey in our next electronic newsletter.

Please circle your chosen answer.

1. How would you rate the magazine, overall, on a scale of 1 – 5, where 1 is extremely poor and 5 is excellent?

1 2 3 4 5

2. Do you find the content enjoyable and easy to read?

a. Yes b. No c. Somewhat Reasons (Optional)

3. Do you find the magazine visually appealing?

a. Yes b. No c. Somewhat Reasons (Optional)

5. How do you think we can improve on the magazine?

6. Do you like the fact that each issue has a theme? a. Yes b. No c. I didn’t notice the themes

Circle one of the following

7. Which is your favourite section (Features, Tails from the Field, Science Snippets, Meet the Pack, Members’ Corner, Pups’ Place)?

a. Features b. Tails from the Field c. Science Snippets d. Meet the Pack e. Members’ Corner f. Pups’ Place Reasons (Optional)

8. Is there a section that you don’t find valuable?

a. Features b. Tails from the Field c. Science Snippets d. Meet the Pack e. Members’ Corner f. Pups’ Place Reasons (Optional)

10. Do you prefer printed or electronic publications, or enjoy receiving both?

a. Printed b. Electronic c. Both

This is also our last issue for the year, and I hope you’ve enjoyed this bumper edition of all our news. As always, I have to say a really heartfelt thank you to all of our incredible supporters for being a part of our pack! We couldn’t do it without you, that’s for sure.

Whether you’re enjoying a staycation this year, or heading off on holiday, I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable end of year break. If you’re on the roads, stay safe, and look out for wildlife! And remember to always make responsible decisions when it comes to the tourism attractions you support and the curios you buy.

We can’t wait to bring you the next edition in 2018!

‘Til next timeMwitu

P.S. If you don’t already receive our electronic newsletter, ChitterChatter, which goes out in alternate months from Conservation Matters, and you’d like to subscribe, please email me ([email protected]) and we’ll add you to the mailing list.


Issue 6 – The Industry and Infrastructure Edition November – … · 2019. 2. 27. · arm on 22kV wood poles) were replaced with bird friendly de-signs (design where the outer

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