A WORD FROM THE CEO: THE EWT CALLS FOR THE URGENT REOPENING OF NATURE-BASED TOURISM IN THE NO-TOUCH ECONOMY
Yolan Friedmann, EWT CEO
yolanf@ewt.org.za
The coronavirus or COVID-19 global pandemic has affected every aspect of life as we know it. There is speculation about whether the world will return to ‘normal’ or if society will ever be the same again. However, we do know that the COVID-19 virus will not merely disappear and until a vaccine becomes available, or until human beings have developed a minimum immunity response rate, the world will not return to normal, if ever.
Despite job losses in major South African industries in recent years, the tourism sector has shown resilience. In 2017 the industry created 31,752 net new jobs, which was the most number of net new jobs generated by tourism within a year in at least the previous eight years.
“Africa’s unique diversity of wildlife and habitat has the potential to radically transform the continent’s economy” (UNEP, 2019).
There were 705,871 persons (or 4,5% of total employment) directly engaged in producing goods and services purchased by visitors in 2016, 681,619 persons (or 4,2% of total employment) in 2017, and 739,657 (or 4,5% of total employment) in 2018. (Tourism Satellite Account for South Africa, final 2016 and provisional 2017 and 2018/ Statistics South Africa). Over 60% of employed people in the sector are women (mostly in the areas of catering and accommodation) with a younger mean average age than all other sectors. Furthermore, Stats SA published data in 2018 show that one in every 22 working South Africans, and more than 2,892,303 people, are employed in the tourism sector.
The tourism industry in South Africa is heavily reliant on nature-based tourism, which is one of the main attractions for travellers in South Africa, as it is for 80% of foreign tourists (Saayman, 2017).
Nature-based tourism refers to all forms of tourism, where relatively undisturbed natural environments form the primary attraction or setting. The wildlife and nature-based sector specifically, supports a vast number of associated industries and sectors such as the conservation sector through generating income for park management, wildlife protection, anti-poaching, and to some degree border control through the management of human movement in transfrontier parks. For years, national and provincial conservation agencies have been generating significant revenue through nature-based tourism that contributes substantially to conservation management. The sector generates 40% more full-time employment than agriculture and provides greater opportunities for women than other sectors. (UNEP, 2019).
Game reserves in South Africa also generate significant benefits to the surrounding communities who contribute to goods and services consumed by visitors. In the absence of economic activity in these parks, there is an increased risk of poaching, illegal resource extraction and park invasion. It has taken years of stakeholder engagement and hard work for communities to have equitable access to benefits arising from conservation and nature-based tourism, and this will be for nothing if our protected areas lose their economic value to the communities who depend on them. To survive, these communities may resort to illegal resource use. It must be noted that many people employed in the nature-based tourism sector are unskilled/semi-skilled and are usually breadwinners in their families. Reopening local tourism ASAP will contribute to securing their employment and to safeguarding livelihoods in the most vulnerable households.
SANParks, as the custodian of approximately 70% of South Africa’s state-owned protected area network, derives 80% of its income from nature-based tourism activities. A significant component of this revenue funds park management, anti-poaching, management of marine protected areas, ranger patrol, and protection services, including the aircraft and associated rhino security technologies, as well as management of wildlife. Many community-owned reserves generate income for clinics, schools, community recreation facilities and contribute many jobs linked to goods and services associated with these reserves, including catering and accommodation. A number of these community-owned reserves are related to national and provincial parks and benefit from visitors to parks, or their own concessionaire managed lodges.
“To preserve their wildlife and wild places, governments should look at protected areas not only as environmental assets but economic ones as well, with the continent’s 8,400 protected areas producing US$48 billion in revenue.” (UNEP, 2019).
Tourism, and in particular wildlife and nature-based tourism, should, therefore, be prioritised in the measures to ease the economic impact of COVID-19. Nature-based tourism is also a major outlet for people who have been confined in urban areas. Many studies have shown a close link between human wellbeing and nature-based tourism. Approximately 70% of visitors to our national parks are local tourists, and the tourism sector can continue to support thousands of livelihoods, even before our borders reopen.
Other consumptive forms of nature-based tourism such as hunting for biltong and game meat also have a local market and might contribute to food security.
The consequences of any extended lockdown for the wildlife and nature-based tourism sector, and by extension to the entire tourism industry, will be dire and potentially devastating as a result of:
- significant job losses (in particular for those with a low skill base and less likelihood of finding alternative employment);
- revenue losses for the parks’ agencies, communities, NGOs, conservation authorities, and government (through taxes);
- eroded protection of South Africa’s biodiversity and protected areas;
- eroded infrastructure (fences, road networks, camp maintenance etc.);
- an increase in poaching, wildlife crime, and illicit wildlife trade;
- reduced benefits to communities whose land has been returned to them in the land restitution process;
- over-reliance on the unsustainable use of natural resources by rural communities;
- potential negative sentiment towards the protected area network should communities lose all the benefits derived from them; and
- reduced income for conservation NGOs who play a significant role in biodiversity conservation and community conservation in South Africa, and are major employers in the sector.
Most of our parks and game reserves are in areas that have lower infection rates and where economic activity could open faster than in metros. It is possible to introduce nature-based tourism into the economic recovery now, through a phased approach that sees this form of tourism being allowed to begin operating, under stable conditions and Standard Operating Procedures. This is based on the fact that:
- guests can participate in almost all nature-based tourism activities in semi-isolation and applying physical distancing principles. People could only visit the parks and reserves within their own provinces and limited numbers can be accommodated at any given time;
- wildlife and nature-based tourism offers guests the chance to self-drive, or go on game drives in open-air vehicles with reduced numbers of guests or family members only; providing a more exclusive and interactive experience;
- adventure tourism offers guests the opportunity to undertake outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running, mountain biking, canoeing/paddling, bird guiding and more, in semi-isolation states and with expert guides, thus reducing social interactions and in low numbers.
- Standard Operating Procedures have been developed for game reserves and parks, specifying acceptable sizes of groups for different activities, and enforcing strict protocol in restaurants and reception areas
The EWT believes that nature-based tourism not only offers guests the opportunities to have enjoyable, safe, and healthy vacation opportunities but is one of the few sectors that stands to revitalise our economy and bring much-needed income back into South African households in the short term.
Allowing a limited but early phased reopening of this sector offers the opportunity to increase the economic, mental and physical wellbeing of millions of people, and sustain the conservation of South Africa’s natural resources for future generations.
FARMING FOR THE FUTURE
Bonnie Schumann, Nama Karoo Coordinator, Drylands Conservation Programme, bonnies@ewt.org.za
The Karoo is an iconic and timeless landscape that has been farmed for large-scale small stock production for almost 400 years. The question is, will the Karoo be able to support agriculture for the next 400 years, given the extraordinary current economic and environmental conditions? The Karoo landscape is largely intact, with natural rangeland forming the foundation for its world class small stock meat and wool production systems. However, it bears the scars of the learning curve that farmers went through to learn how best to manage this rugged but fragile ecosystem, with a loss of species diversity and soil erosion evident across the landscape.
Hard lessons have been learned. Karoo farmers are some of the most resilient, adaptable and resourceful land users in the world. The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme (EWT-DCP) launched the Karoo Forever project two years ago. The project aims to capture lessons learned, spark future farming innovation, and share this knowledge far and wide. This year we launched a project specific website to make this information accessible to the broader farming community.
Both the EWT and the farmers with which we are working, believe that the Karoo can be farmed forever, and that sustainable land management and farming efficiency, including the diversification of income streams, are key to ensuring that this happens. The Karoo has the potential to sustain livelihoods in this arid ecosystem indefinitely; unlike alternative unsustainable land uses such as fracking or uranium mining – which are “flash in the pan” sources of income for a limited few, and which invariably leave devastated landscapes and impoverished communities in their wake.
With this in mind, the EWT-DCP embarked on the Karoo Forever project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment (DFFE), to promote sustainable land management (SLM) in the Karoo.
The project website has links to sustainable land management resources, which include a number of topic-specific webinars. Manie Grobler, Agricultural Advisor for the Department of Agriculture (Western Cape) and Dr Louis du Pisani (all-round karoo farming expert and consultant) have each conducted a webinar series. Manie has been integrally involved in the project from the outset, helping to design the Integrated Farm Planning and Management (IFP) training course which we conducted twice for emerging farmer groups last year. The course is now also freely available online through the Karoo Forever website. The webinars form the advanced content component for the basic IFP course.
The first webinar series was conducted by Manie and focused on the Intensification of sheep production. Dr Bennie Grobler, veterinarian in Beaufort West, shared his expertise on some of the livestock health aspects as well. Intensification of sheep production has some great ecological spin-offs, in that while livestock are kraaled (periods vary according to the production system), the veld gains valuable extra rest days, and ewes lamb safely under supervision, avoiding predation during this critical period. The second webinar series focused on the Recovery of veld following drought in light of climate change. Dr Louis du Pisani, through the National Wool Growers Association, hosted this webinar series. Louis recently published a book titled Smart Drought Management for Livestock Farmers (available here). This is definitely a must-have resource for every farmer. Both Louis and Manie have a lifetime of valuable knowledge gained in the field. Their passion for all things farming is evident, and both have a great way of communicating this knowledge, which is inspiring as well as educational. Henk Cerfonteyn guided viewers through a very insightful webinar on accessing seasonal weather forecasts for South Africa, as well as understanding and interpreting these forecasts. His presentation also helped viewers obtain a perspective on the current climatic and vegetation conditions. Henk, a risk assessment scientist, worked for the Department of Agriculture (Western Cape) for many years. Although Henk has since retired, he is still sharing his passion for weather with farmers.
This digital approach to sharing knowledge not only reduces the carbon footprint of travel, but at this critical time in our country, allows participants to stay safe and maintain social distancing, as farmers can join in the discussions from the comfort of their homes. Fortunately, the Drylands Conservation Programme has a strong focus on technology in its approach to conservation, so we were inadvertently ready for the impact of Covid-19, with an already well-developed online platform to reach even the most remote farmers.
Thank you to the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries (DFFE) for making this project possible.
Whether you have a passion for the Karoo, conservation, agriculture, or all three, please visit the Karooforever website to learn more about the exciting partnerships and project activities happening now.
A LEGACY OF LAND: PAPKUILSFONTEIN PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT
JP le Roux, Field Officer , Drylands Conservation Programme, jeanpierrel@ewt.org.za
The proposed Papkuilsfontein Protected Environment is situated in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The farm forms part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 5 Sustainable Land Management (SLM) initiative implemented by the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Dryland Conservation Programme and funded by the United Nations Development Programme and Department of Environment, Forestry, & Fisheries.
The GEF 5 project promotes innovative approaches to protecting the vulnerable ecosystems in the dryland areas. Most farms in the drylands rely solely on agricultural income, which makes them particularly vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions, such as the current drought. One of the ways the project assists farmers, is through encouraging diversification of farming activities that are not weather dependent and that can help build economic resilience in the face of negative environmental and economic conditions.
An SLM exchange is used as one of the strategies to implement projects. The latter is an arrangement where the EWT offers assistance to the farmer, in exchange for an SLM commitment. A Small Grant (SG) is made available to fund an SLM project that the farmer wishes to implement. In exchange for this, the farmer must actively contribute to the implementation of the project, usually in the form of materials or labour. In addition, the farmer must also make a land management commitment, normally this will entail the implementation of certain practices, management plans or conservation actions on the property.
In the case of Papkuilsfontein, the Van Wyk family applied for assistance to develop a network of mountain bike trails on the farm to complement their existing guest farm accommodation. The mountain bike trails will contribute to existing activities and will draw a new tourism segment to the farm. This will bring about more visitors which will translate into economic benefits and jobs. In exchange for this benefit, enabled by the Small Grant, the Van Wyk family has agreed to declare their farm a Protected Environment. The declaration process represents a collaboration between the landowner, the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Land Reform and Rural Development’s Provincial Biodiversity Stewardship Programme, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust.
Papkuilsfontein will serve as a flagship project to demonstrate the effectiveness of diversifying income streams, as well as actively integrating a biodiversity conservation approach in a living working farming landscape. The Van Wyk family has been farming on this farm for more than six generations and this has always been done with the mindset of conserving this biodiversity hotspot.
What makes Papkuilsfontein such an important area to conserve, is that it lies on the Bokkeveld Plateau, which is known as the bulb capital of the world. More than 1350 species of flowering bulbs occur here. In some areas the density of bulbs reaches more than 20,000 plant per square meter, more than anywhere else on earth.
Four main vegetation types can be found on Papkuilsfontein, Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos, Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld, Hantam Karoo and a small area of Vanrhynsdorp Shale Renosterveld. Each of these vegetation types contains a myriad unique species. Approximately 3000 species occur on the Bokkeveld plateau, with high levels of species endemism. More than 80 endemic species can be found here, most of the endemics are geophytes, together with a few succulents and shrubs. More than 30% of the endemics are Red Data species threatened with extinction.
The amazing species richness of the area makes it a high priority to conserve. Looking forward, innovative approaches to protect areas like this will become more important for sustaining farming, tourism and conservation. We are proud to work with conservation champions such as the Van Wyk’s. The success of the project will encourage other farmers to diversify their activities, reduce their risk and conserve biodiversity on their farms. Watch the video of the project here
For more information visit Papkuilsfontein Website
Biodiversity gems on Papkuilsfontein
Besides the incredible botanical biodiversity, Papkuilsfontein is home to 36 mammal species recorded so far, including leopard, black backed jackal, silver fox, bat eared fox, Smith’s red rock rabbit, porcupines, duiker, Cape Clawless otter, pole cat, baboon, rock hyrax, klipspringer and kudu.
Bird species are well represented, with Blue Crane, Lesser Kestrel, Ludwig’s Bustard, Martial Eagle, Black Shoulder Kite, Jackal Buzzard, Cape Pheasant, Namaqua Grouse, Egyptian Goose, Spurwing Goose, Namaqua Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Bokmakierie, Fiscal Shrike, and Cape Sugarbird all occurring here. Breeding pairs of Vereaux’s Eagles, Blue Cranes and Black Harriers have been recorded on Papkuilsfontein. The Rameron Pigeon, Cape Flycatcher and Southern Water Shrike may also occur along the riverine vegetation. Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, which borders Papkuilsfontein, has recorded 152 species of birds, most of these probably occur on Papkuilsfontein as well.
Reptiles recorded on the farm include the Angulate Tortoise, Mountain Tortoise, as well as ten lizard, agama and gecko species. The most common snakes in the area include the Black Spitting Cobra, Boomslang, Cape Cobra, Rhombic Egg Eater, Skaapsteker and Whipsnake. Four frog species are found in the adjacent Oorlogskloof River and may occur in the rivers of Papkuilsfontein.
Invertebrates found on the farm include many species of bees, flies, beetles, moths, and butterflies. Many of these are important pollinators and have unique interactions with specific flowering plants. These insects include long-tongued flies that are the important pollinators of species such as Babiana.
WORLD RANGER DAY – A CELEBRATION OF OUR EWT CONSERVATION CANINE RANGERS
Megan Murison. EWT Communications Officer, meganm@ewt.org.za
On the 31 July 2020, we celebrate World Ranger Day. This is a day to acknowledge the courageous rangers who risk their lives daily to protect our wildlife, and to commemorate the lives of those who have died fighting for this cause. This year we would like to celebrate the lives and work of our Conservation Canine rangers, particularly the two amazing dogs who passed away in June 2020, Fury and Annie.
Conservation Canine Fury worked with his handler, Shay Seebran, in the screening of vehicles for wildlife products and ammunition. Their two-year partnership included many happy memories and even a few occasions where Fury saved Shay’s life, such as when they encountered an elephant in the bush on a routine antipoaching patrol:
“Fury and I were patrolling towards an observation post approximately 8 km away, when we came across a very moody bull elephant. Despite everything I tried to defuse the situation and back away, the elephant made it clear that we had been in his comfort zone for too long, and that mock charging was not an option anymore. I unclipped Fury’s lead and chased him because I knew I was not going to outrun the elephant, nor did I want to shoot the animal. I guess Fury’s instinct kicked in and despite his size he charged at the elephant charging at me, putting himself between me and the elephant, miraculously stopping the elephant in his tracks and sending him fleeing in the opposite direction, leaving me speechless and in tears, thanking my K9 for saving my life”
-Shay Seebran
Travelling across South Africa as a team, they spent every second of the day together, leaving an everlasting footprint in the fight to save African wildlife. Fury, a legend in conservation and a well-known friend to many, has left his legacy to be carried on by many conservationists just like him. Losing him was a big loss to Shay and the EWT as a family.
“The legend may be gone, but certainly not forgotten, and I appreciate your service, rest in power son.”
-Shay Seebran
Conservation Canine Annie was sponsored by the EWT and trained at the Southern African Wildlife College. This is where she met her handler, Colin Patrick. Annie was trained to track, and her job was to follow up on poacher spoor at both fence incursions and away from crime scenes. Her legacy is proof that she was a true hero. Annie and her handler Colin were one of the first K9 Conservation teams to develop the ability to track down suspects at night, which changed the game in the fight against rhino poaching, and the team became highly successful at tracking down and arresting suspects. She assisted with over 17 arrests, one of which was a 13 hour follow up, during which they tracked poachers for 43.5 km to successfully apprehend the suspects. An extremely loyal conservation canine since 2018, she never left Colin’s side and travelled with him wherever he went.
“Their bond was unbreakable and one in a million and all were amazed by their connection”.
-Becky Patrick
“It was a privilege and honour to be a part of Annie’s life, to call her my partner and friend. Thank you, Annie, for your dedication and loyalty. Your legacy is an inspiration to all conservationists.”
-Colin Patrick
Fury’s work was funded by U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and Tourvest and supported by Royal Canin and Boehringer-Ingelheim. Annie’s work was supported by the EWT through sponsorship from the Relate Trust, MyPlanetRhino, Platinum Life, Royal Canin and Boehringer-Ingelheim, and a big thanks to Tomlin’s family for their ongoing support of the EWT Conservation Canines.
COLOUR CODING FOR CONSERVATION: ASSESSING THE RED LIST STATUS AND GREEN STATUS OF THE BLUE CRANE
Christie Craig, PhD Candidate & Western Cape Field Officer, African Crane Conservation Programme (ACCP)
Our National Bird, the Blue Crane, is an interesting species in the context of modern conservation. They occur in the eastern grasslands of South Africa, Karoo, and Western Cape, with a very small isolated population in northern Namibia (less than 50 cranes). Blue Cranes were once abundant in our eastern grasslands, but in the second half of the 20th century, degradation of these habitats led to a crash in the Blue Crane population – an estimated decline of around 90%. At much the same time, areas of Fynbos in the Western Cape were being rapidly transformed for cultivation, namely wheat and pastures. Blue Cranes found these cultivated lands enticing and flocked to the Western Cape. Their numbers increased so dramatically that we now estimate that over half of all Blue Cranes live in the Western Cape.
An intensively farmed agricultural landscape, such as those the Blue Cranes have chosen to occupy, can be a treacherous place for wildlife, and presents the cranes and conservationists working to protect the species with significant challenges. Threats rife in these areas include powerline collisions, fence entanglements, breeding disturbances, and occasionally conflict with farmers. Climate change and socio-economic factors placing further pressure on the agricultural landscape call into question the stability of this ‘artificial’ population. By contrast for example, the Karoo population experiences much less disturbance and as a result the population numbers have remained quite stable over the years.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is a tool used to categorise the risk of extinction in species, and provides information on their range, population size, habitat and ecology, use and/or trade, threats, and existing conservation initiatives. The categories into which species are placed range in severity from Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered to Vulnerable. Species that are not yet considered threatened but have suffered some declines are categorised as Near-Threatened, while species that have healthy, stable populations are classified as Least Concern. The Red-Listing process is rigorous, and to inform the process biologists need reliable quantitative data to demonstrate actual or future declines in the species. The Blue Crane is listed on the global IUCN Red List as Vulnerable because of the declines in their grassland habitats and the rate of their population decline (30–50%) over three generations (39 years for Blue Crane).
The Red List is an incredibly useful tool for prioritising species for conservation action based on sound scientific evidence. However, it does have its limitations. As we see more positive impacts from conservation interventions, it is becoming clear that many species are in some way dependent on continued conservation efforts, and if these were to stop, the species population could once again begin to decline. These nuances are not accounted for in the red-listing process, which is what led the IUCN and other partners to establish the IUCN Green Status of Species. The Green Status is a way to categorise a species according to its recovery potential, its state of recovery, and its dependence on conservation. In December 2019, The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s African Crane Conservation Programme (EWT-ACCP) took part in a global project run by the IUCN to test the Green Status of real-world species. We ran through the process of assessing the Green Status of the Blue Crane, the results of which, as well as those for hundreds of other species across the globe, are being analysed by the IUCN and will soon be published for comment from the scientific community. We are very excited to have contributed to this exciting project, which will allow us to view threatened species not just in terms of their risk of extinction, but also of their recovery potential.
However, assessing the extinction risk of a species through the Red-List is, and will remain, an important part of understanding the conservation status of a species. In the case of the Blue Crane, with available data showing the population increasing in parts (Western Cape), and stable or slowly declining in others (Karoo and grasslands), it was proposed that the Blue Crane’s Red List status be down-listed from Vulnerable to Near-Threatened. This is every conservationist’s ultimate goal – to see species move down to less threatened categories. However, due to the population crash in the grasslands, and the uncertainty about the long-term viability of the Western Cape population, we considered the down-listing very carefully. In 2012 Sally Hofmeyr, a PhD student in the University of Cape Town’s Animal Demography Unit (ADU) undertook a detailed analysis of Blue Crane monitoring data collected by citizen scientists, which showed an increase overall for the Blue Crane population. As this data are now almost 10 years old, I worked with Sally to update this analysis up until 2019. What we found was rather concerning, as in the last 10–14 years, the Western Cape population stabilised and then began to decline. In the Overberg, where we find the highest density of Blue Cranes, the population has been declining on average by 4% per annum since 2011. More than half of all Blue Cranes are found in the Western Cape, and if we continue to see even a lower rate of decline (2% per annum), we can still expect the global population to decline in the region of 32% over the next 39 years. Given this worrying trend in the Western Cape, the EWT, the International Crane Foundation (ICF), the IUCN Crane Specialist Group, CapeNature and the Fitz Patrick Institute motivated that the Blue Crane remain listed as Vulnerable. The reasons for the decline are unclear, but my PhD project is focused on better understanding the threats and opportunities this species faces in the Western Cape. Armed with this knowledge, we are in a better position to inform and prioritise conservation action to conserve our national bird. This research is funded by the Leiden Conservation Foundation, Eskom and Dave Myers.
CONSERVATION CHAMPION: KLB ENGINEERING
Frank Jackson, Business Development Officer, EWT, Frankj@ewt.org.za
KLB Engineering (Red Rhino) is a family-run business and has been the distributor of Red Rhino products in the South African market since 1980, dedicated to achieving excellence in their service, products. and community involvement. Aside from Red Rhino, KLB’s product range includes brands such as Power Plus, Dual Power, Kreator, Pro-Pumps, Waterfall Pumps, Oleo-Mac, and Waterfall Filtration, and includes power tools, garden tools and equipment, pumps, and water filtration systems.
KLB has been a monthly donor to the EWT for over four years, contributing over R100,000 to-date. Many of the EWT’s conservation achievements have been made possible by generous contributions from regular and steadfast donors such as KLB Engineering. Claudia Kahn, from KLB’s Marketing Department had the following to say about the relationship they have with the EWT: “We believe that wildlife conservation is not only about protecting the wildlife we have now, but also preserving it for future generations to enjoy. By aiding this cause, we hope to bring excellence to the lives of South African wildlife, as well as the spectators that benefit from it. All life is precious and valuable, and deserving of a fighting chance at being conserved. It is to this end that we are proud to call ourselves donors to the Endangered Wildlife Trust.”
The EWT will forever be indebted to KLB for their ongoing support, even during the tough times of Covid-19 Pandemic. We urge our supporters to browse their product range, knowing that your purchase is also supporting the work of the Endangered Wildlife Trust.
For more information, visit www.redrhino.co.za
MANDELA DAY CAMPAIGN – 67 THINGS IN 67 DAYS – IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START!
In 2009, a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, by Phillippa Lally and colleagues from University College London, found that it took 96 subjects about 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic.
If it takes 66 days for a new behaviour to become a habit, we will give you 67!
We know that many people were unable to venture out and help your community safely this Mandela Day and didn’t feel as though they did enough this year. For this reason, EWT created the 67 things campaign, which is a challenge to you to do one or more of 67 acts to change the world, for 67 days. If practiced regularly for 67 days, your actions can have a positive impact on people, our planet, and could become the habits that help save our future! Even though Mandela Day has passed, it is never too late to do your bit to build a better future. The acts we have identified have been categorised into the following six categories: Conservation support, Energy saving, Environmental impact, Kindness, Sustainable use, and Water saving.
If you do even one of these acts for 67 days, and this becomes a way of life, your impact can be lifelong.
You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret to success is found in your daily routine.
– John C. Maxwell
SCIENCE SNIPPETS
IS THE NEIGHBOURHOOD GOING TO THE DOGS?
Samantha Nicholson, Lion Database Coordinator, EWT Conservation Science Unit
Carnivore species that overlap in their use of space, food or habitat are called sympatric carnivores, and competition for resources between these species can lead to conflict and death. To avoid this, species have adapted a wide range of different behavioural mechanisms to share resources, and to survive in their shared environment.
Spatial partitioning is one such mechanism, where one species will avoid an area based on another carnivore’s presence or population density. For example, among large carnivores, Lions will kill African Wild Dogs when they come into close contact, and as a result, Wild Dogs will actively spatially avoid areas where there is high Lion activity or density. Small carnivores will exhibit the same behaviour in avoidance of other carnivores. An example of this is Cape Foxes, which spatially avoid jackal core areas when foraging as they are often killed by jackals. However, some species will not exhibit this behaviour, even though there is competition. For example, neither Black-footed Cats nor Bat-eared Foxes avoid jackal core areas, even though jackals frequently kill them.
In this study, we set out to investigate the spatial relationship between Black-backed Jackals and large carnivores, to determine whether jackals use spatial partitioning at different scales to coexist with Lions and Wild Dogs. Our study was conducted in Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve (VLNR) in Limpopo Province (South Africa). At the time of the study (2008) VLNR had a wide array of large carnivore species including Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Spotted Hyena, Brown Hyena and Wild Dog. VLNR is a small reserve enclosed by an electrified predator-proof fence. Radio collars were fitted to three jackals from three different family groups to obtain location data. One jackal actually moved to another family group during the course of the study, which gave us data for an additional family group. At least one male and two females from each of the three Lion prides, and one dog from the single Wild Dog pack were collared.
Using the location data obtained from the collars, we calculated the annual home-range sizes of the study animals, as well as their core areas. We then compared the overlap between the three species at the home-range level (hereafter, broadscale) and the core areas (hereafter, fine scale). We found that the annual home-range sizes for the jackal groups ranged between 2.7 and 9.0 km2 while the annual home range of the pack of Wild Dogs was 339.5 km2. The annual home ranges of the three Lion prides ranged between 112.8 and 208.5 km2. Our data showed that the extent of spatial partitioning between jackals and both Wild Dogs and Lions depended on the scale at which we were looking. At the broadscale, jackals did not exhibit spatial partitioning with either of the large carnivores, meaning that there was extensive overlap between home ranges. However, when we looked at the fine scale, we found that jackals did appear to exhibit spatial partitioning. This was to be expected as both Wild Dogs and Lions kill jackals if presented with the opportunity.
Nonetheless, our study yields the first evidence of spatial partitioning between jackals and two large carnivores, and we hope future researchers will examine spatial partitioning between these species under a variety of environmental conditions across Africa, to help build a more complete understanding of their interactions.
Reference: Kamler, J. F., Nicholson, S. K., Stenkewitz, U., Gharajehdaghipour, T. & Davies-Mostert, H. T. 2020. Do black-backed jackals exhibit spatial partitioning with African wild dogs and lions? African Journal of Ecology.
SUBURBAN BLISS FOR BIODIVERSITY
Dominic Henry, Ecological Modelling Specialist, EWT Conservation Science Unit (CSU)
Reference: Chamberlain, D.E., Reynolds, C., Amar, A., Henry, D.A.W., Caprio, E. & Batáry. 2020. Wealth, water and wildlife: landscape aridity intensifies the urban Luxury Effect. Global Ecology & Biogeography. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/geb.13122
Biodiversity plays an important role in urban ecosystems and restricted access to it can profoundly affect human wellbeing. Unfortunately, urban dwellers rarely have equal access to biodiversity. Ecologists studying urban ecosystems have in many cases revealed a pattern whereby wealthier neighbourhoods in many cities have higher levels of biodiversity than poorer areas – a phenomenon that scientists have called the “Luxury Effect”. The Luxury Effect is indicative of environmental injustice, as the benefits associated with biodiversity are not shared equitably across society.
A new study published in Global Ecology & Biogeography by an international team of scientists from the University of Turin in Italy, the University of Cape Town and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, and the Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary, and co-authored by EWT staff member Dominic Henry, conducted a meta-analysis (an analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies) to determine the generality of the Luxury Effect and identify factors that drive variation in this pattern. The authors tested the Luxury Effect across 96 studies from around the world that examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and biodiversity.
The authors found that there was a significant positive relationship between terrestrial biodiversity (including the abundance and species richness of plants, birds, reptiles and insects) and the level of wealth in a city, confirming the existence of a global luxury effect. An interesting finding was that this relationship was far more prominent in the drier regions of the world suggesting that the Luxury Effect could partly be driven by water availability. Wealthier people living in more arid regions may invest more in water features, such as ponds or swimming pools, or in irrigation of their gardens and parks. Alternatively, wealthier areas may be associated with wetter areas within these arid landscapes, with higher property prices associated with lakes, rivers, or other wetland features.
The relevance of this finding in a South African context is profound given how city planning under the apartheid government fell along racial lines. Within cities, most black South Africans continue to live on the periphery in areas where the land is degraded, and often within close proximity to industrial sites where access to clean air and water are limited. Understanding the finer details of the mechanisms that drive and maintain the Luxury Effect can help with the creation of more equitable cities in the future. Acknowledging that access to biodiversity is an incredibly important part of our lives can help facilitate the management of urban areas to make access to the benefits of biodiversity more equal across the socioeconomic spectrum.
CONSERVATION CHAMPION: IRENE AMIET
Alison Janicke, EWT Head of Resource Development, alisonj@ewt.org.za
Irene Amiet is a freelance writer and internationally renowned photographer. A native of Basel, Switzerland, Irene currently lives Ribble Valley in Lancashire, UK.
Irene has volunteered and worked on exciting projects all over the world, including research on Leatherback Turtles in Panama and big cat density research in Limpopo, working as a correspondent for Coast Magazine and running an online blog on outdoor photography for the Galveston Daily News in Texas. In addition to a large variety of images featured internationally, Irene has also produced breath-taking collections of images, such as that entitled “Avian Ballet”, which captures the dance-like performances of wading birds’ in their natural seagrass habitats, and “Love Letters From Africa”, a coffee table book of wildlife and nature in Southern Africa, with diary extracts from Irene Amiet. All proceeds of the sale of this book will go to the Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa.
As a nature and wildlife photographer, I believe it’s a duty to give back a little towards conservation efforts. The regions I’ve been privileged to live and work in are closest to my heart and as I know the grassroots conservationists personally, I am convinced their work makes a difference and can assure you that any moneys raised goes directly into the right hands.
Over the years I have put signature pieces of mine up for sale with the revenue going straight to these organisations.
Irene Amiet
See here for more detail regarding these incredible collections.
