A WORD FROM THE CEO
Yolan Friedmann, EWT CEO
yolanf@ewt.org.za It is probably a coincidence but a wonderful opportunity that Youth Day/month in South Africa and World Environment Day are both celebrated in June. I say this not just for the obvious rhetoric that the youth are the future and therefore the best hope we have for saving our fragile environment from the havoc being reeked on it by the current generation; but more importantly, to highlight the critical opportunity that it gives us to both empower and protect the vulnerable, and in South Africa today, this includes both our youth and our environment. With all the problems facing both young people and our environment, what if solutions could assist both simultaneously? Here are two of my crazy suggestions that may just be able to achieve both….:
1. South Africa needs Kibbutzim. A kibbutz is a type of settlement that is unique to Israel. A collective community of people living together in mostly agricultural settlements. Not economically motivated, the residents of the communes share everything and work as members of a collective. In the early days, times were tough, everything was shared, and life was hard. The members all had different jobs in the community, either in agriculture or elsewhere. Some were in the kitchen, the kindergarten, or schooling children. Members lived in modest accommodation, and all meals were eaten in the dining hall with a strong sense of community. Since the 1980s, many kibbutzim have become privatised and have diversified away from their agricultural roots, largely into manufacturing. Companies on Kibbutzim account for about 10% of the country’s agricultural output, and many of these industrial pursuits have led to great successes. Activities include diamond cutting, manufacturing of drip irrigation equipment, and tourism, and skills development is offered for all these industries. Imagine if, in South Africa, unemployed youth could join a Kibbutz (called by another more appropriate local name) and learn valuable life skills and the meaning of common good; whilst developing valuable hard skills such as manufacturing, teaching, farming, or other artisanal/trade skills (motor trade, welding, boiler making, electrical, fitter, and turner). Imagine if they could contribute to the national targets for food security and contribute to building a better future for all, whilst learning invaluable skills, all at no cost to the taxpayer? And even better, if they did this whilst farming organically, and with regard for Sustainable Land Management (Farming for the Future principles) by conserving water, rotating crops, farming organically or with indigenous species, possibly applying permaculture principles and critically, giving value to land that developers currently eye for its potential as a coal mine, golf course, or fracking well due to it being ‘fallow’ and ‘useless’? Imagine what generation of caretakers we would be producing if this was an option for the 74% unemployed youth instead of crime, childbearing, or boredom?
2. South Africa needs better (and free) education for all young people. But the Fees must Fall campaign went about this all wrong. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven how thousands of students locally (and millions globally) have successfully managed to complete a year of university, all online. Why not give all willing and eager young South Africans access to FREE university education ONLINE? It is vastly cheaper to arm them all with an iPad and free data than trying to fund university fees as they stand, and qualifying students could easily be granted free access to a wide variety of online courses, the quality and diversity of which has vastly improved in the last year; with targets being set that speak to the need to pass and pass well for the next year to be unlocked. I will bet that most taxpayers would be delighted to see their contributions spent on this rather than a range of politically motivated demands that don’t actually move this generation forward. And how does our environment benefit? Well, having thousands of students learning from home (or Kibbutzim) saves countless carbon emissions, reduces transport costs and the need for accommodation, infrastructure, and wasted printing. Yes, universities need fee-paying students to keep them going, but for those who cannot pay fees, why not help them to study online for free?
These are just two suggestions of how supporting a better future for our youth can and should be, about finding solutions that also save the planet. After all, both the future of humanity and the planet depend on each other and the sooner we learn to think differently about how we save both, the better chance both may have,
I’d love to hear about other ideas, crazy or not, that could benefit both the youth and our environment – send them to ewt@ewt.org.za and let’s keep talking!
Yolan
“Do Shrews Swim?” – A Field Diary from the Outeniqua Mountains
Do shrews swim? This unexpected question dominated my thoughts during recent fieldwork in the misty Outeniqua Mountains above George, where our team searched for the Endangered Long-tailed Forest Shrew (Myosorex longicaudatus) – not seen since the 1990s.
Dr Oliver Cowan, Conservation Science Unit, oliverc@ewt.org.za
Musk Shrew after a swim. Photo credit: Oliver Cowan
Survey Methodology
Our team employed multiple techniques:
- 40+ Sherman live traps baited with peanut butter-Bovril-oats mix
- Camera traps placed along game trails
- Ultrasonic recorders for bat echolocation (Pettersson D500X)
- Microhabitat measurements (temperature, humidity, canopy cover)
- GIS mapping of all trap locations
Traps were checked at dawn and reset at dusk following strict ethical protocols. Each captured animal was:
-
Identified to species
-
Photographed for verification
-
Measured (weight, body/tail length)
-
Released unharmed at capture site
Notable Species Observations
Beyond the swimming shrew incident, we documented:
Mammals:
- Honey Badgers (Mellivora capensis) – First forest record via camera trap
- Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis) spraints along streams
- 4 bat species (new mountain records via ultrasonic analysis):
-
Cape Serotine (Neoromicia capensis)
-
Long-tailed Forest Bat (Myotis tricolor)
-
Egyptian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida aegyptiaca)
-
Banana Bat (Neoromicia nanus)
Birds:
- Forest Buzzard (Buteo trizonatus) – Constant aerial observer
- Knysna Turaco (Tauraco corythaix) – Emerald flashes through canopy
- Olive Woodpecker (Dendropicos griseocephalus) – Drumming in yellowwoods
Herpetofauna:
- Table Mountain Ghost Frog (Heleophryne rosei) in streams
- Southern Adder (Bitis armata) coiled in leaf litter
Do Shrews Swim? The Swimming Shrew
The aquatic surprise occurred during a lunch break:
-
Heard splash in forest stream
-
Discovered flailing Lesser Dwarf Shrew (Suncus varilla)
-
Documented rare swimming behaviour (3 minutes observation)
-
Rescue via tail-lift to prevent hypothermia
-
15-minute rewarming in cotton shirt before release
“This challenges assumptions about shrew ecology,” noted Dr. Cowan. “Their aquatic capabilities may explain how they colonise isolated forest patches.”
Verraux’s Mouse (left), Striped Mouse (top right), and Lesser Dwarf Shrew (bottom right). Photo credit: Oliver Cowan
Plans are underway for a 7-day expedition to survey this remote area:
Logistics:
- 15km hike-in with all equipment
- Base camp at 1,200m elevation
- Helicopter support for heavy gear (pending funding)
Target Species:
- Critically Endangered Boosmansbos Forest Shrew subpopulation
- Micro Frog (Microbatrachella capensis) in wetland areas
- Historical records of Acontias lizard species
Innovative Methods:
- Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling of streams
- Thermal imaging cameras for nocturnal surveys
- Automated recording units for avian monitoring
Conservation Implications
These findings:
- Update species distributions for IUCN assessments
- Reveal forest connectivity patterns
- Highlight need for protection of isolated patches
- Demonstrate value of mixed-methodology surveys
As I write by headlamp, the Forest Buzzard’s final evening call echoes through Tonnelbos – a reminder that these mountains still hold secrets waiting to be uncovered.
Our lunch spot in the Kloof. Photo credit: Oliver Cowan
The ever-watchful Forest Buzzard. Photo credit: Oliver Cowan
SCIENCE SNIPPETS: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROAD
Cameron Cormac, PhD Candidate, Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, downs@ukzn.ac.za For most drivers, it is fairly easy to spot an animal as large as an African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, or rhino on the road. However, despite these animals being highly visible because of their large size, there are still cases of drivers colliding with these large flagship species along roads near or in protected areas. Additionally, with fences being placed around the reserves that South Africa’s most iconic animals call home, aiming to protect both man and animals by keeping animals in and poachers out, the range that these large animals can roam is effectively reduced. But if large animals can be hit by cars and stopped by fences, what effect do roads and fences have on the smaller species that inhabit these protected spaces.
Globally anthropogenic land-use change, including the development of linear infrastructure, impacts species negatively. I am Cameron Cormac, a PhD student from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and working in conjunction with several supervisors, namely: Prof Colleen Downs, Dr Cormac Price (both University of KwaZulu-Natal), Dr Dave Druce, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and Wendy Collinson of the Endangered Wildlife Trust. My project aims to answer questions about the effects of linear infrastructure (roads and fences) on vertebrate fauna in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and the Zululand region of KwaZulu-Natal.
There are five questions that my project aims to answer. Firstly, to find out what vertebrate species are killed by vehicles along the sections of the R618 that separates the Hluhluwe and Imfolozi sections of Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and the section of the R22 that runs through the northern section of Isamangaliso Wetland Park. Secondly, to determine what vertebrates are dying along fences within Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Phinda Private Game Reserve because the fence impedes them from entering either park. Additionally, to find out what animals are killed along the R22 that runs through multiple rural communities and compare it with the Isimangaliso section of the R22. I am particularly interested in how reptiles and amphibians in this region are affected by the roads and fences. Finally, to determine what measures can be taken to reduce the number of animals that die along the roads and fences that this project is concerned with.
To answer my project’s questions, I conduct surveys in the morning and evening, collecting information on what animals are killed on roads and fences. I also record the environmental conditions when I locate any dead animals, as weather conditions can increase roadkills,
Cameron Cormac recording roadkill
and I note whether there are traffic calming or alternative structures for use animals to use to avoid the road. The number of cars that pass by during a set time frame, the number of cars that pass through the road sections in a day, and how far from the edge of the road the animal was are also recorded. This information will provide insights into what drives animals to use the road. Information from social media pages is also being used to obtain additional information about roadkills in the study area. Information on what animals are killed along fences is kindly collected by the rangers and park workers who patrol the reserves. All information is then used to determine what measures can be taken to reduce the mortalities along these man-made structures using computer analyses.
Vervet Monkey roadkill found during road surveys
At least 137 animal deaths have been recorded along the R618 and 103 deaths along the R22 over three months so far, including 77 amphibians, 14 reptiles, 21 birds, and 27 mammals in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and 63 amphibians, 14 reptiles, 17 birds, and 12 mammals in Isamangaliso Wetland Park.
You can also assist in the study. Please send pictures of any animals seen dead or alive on these roads to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi sightings Facebook group or by using the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s road watch application, which can be found in the Google play store, as this will add to our growing understanding of the threat posed by roads in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi and Isamangaliso Wetland parks. In conclusion, please drive carefully and slow down for all animals crossing the road, not just the large iconic species, and help preserve South Africa’s incredible diversity.
Vehicle sponsored for this research project by the Ford Wildlife Foundation
This work would not be possible without the generous loan of a vehicle by the Ford Wildlife Foundation.
A WORD FROM THE CEO
Yolan Friedmann, EWT CEO
yolanf@ewt.org.za June signals a brand-new month, the middle of the year (can you believe it?), almost mid-winter and most important, World Environment Month, with World Environment Day (WED) being celebrated on the 5th. There are Special Days on almost every day of the year, with many being quite silly, like World Television Day (21 December) and World Yoga Day (21 June), but many being critically important days for us to take stock of our lives, our loved ones, those less fortunate, those in need, our impact on others and this Earth, and how we can be better humans. World Environment Day encapsulates all of this. Since 1973, June 5th has been observed as the UN-established World Environment Day to heighten awareness of global environmental concerns, like climate change, deforestation, ocean pollution, over-harvesting and unsustainable development that harm plant and animal species and derail natural systems and processes that are essential for life on Earth.
It is not a day just about the birds and the bees, but a day in which people globally should take note of and celebrate the bountiful gifts we get from Mother Nature and how much all of our lives, present and future, depend on them to continue, regardless of who and where we are. WED is about recognising that our lives are interlinked and woven together by our dependency on, and vulnerability to, changes in nature above all else; how none of us can survive without the lifegiving ecosystem goods and services that only nature can provide; and how, despite the poor being the most vulnerable to the impact of the loss of nature’s protection and provisions, we are all vulnerable. It only takes a pandemic or a flood or an avalanche for the rich to be reminded that they, too, are at nature’s mercy. Sometimes a day is not enough for us to really take cognisance of our need to live less harmfully, and these days, the whole month of June is often marked by celebrations, campaigns, events, and tributes to our environment.
This World Environment Day, celebrate with the EWT and Hot 91.9 as we bring nature a little closer and into your homes with stories from the conservation frontlines, tips on how you can live a less impactful life, and competitions with great prizes up for grabs. Watch the EWT staff saving Endangered species on our YouTube channel and see our Conservation rats at work on the Waterbear Network. Check out our Wild Diaries blog and follow our daily updates from the field on our Facebook page.
This June 5th, and every day, do something different to live lighter, be kinder, and take care of our Earth and all the creatures we share it with. There is no Planet B.
CRANE CUSTODIANS STEP UP THEIR DRIVE TO ADDRESS CRANE POISONING IN UGANDA
Adalbert Aine-omucunguzi, Orishaba Phiona, and Gilbert Tayebwa, ICF/EWT African Crane Conservation Programme, adalberta@ewt.org.za
In 2012, the International Crane Foundation/Endangered Wildlife Trust Partnership (ICF/EWT) recruited and trained five community volunteers to safeguard breeding cranes in southwestern Uganda. This was in response to the escalating threats from crane poachers and wetland encroachment. These community volunteers were named Crane Custodians, and the approach was guided by the belief that securing a future for cranes depended on local people tolerating cranes on their farms, reporting poaching and other incidents, and receiving constant positive messages about cranes from their fellow community members. The Crane Custodians have since helped to raise community awareness about the importance of conserving cranes and have been instrumental in securing safe space for breeding cranes. The Uganda project has grown and now comprises 50 Crane Custodians, 17 females and 33 males
Despite this, in March and April 2021, over 60 cases of crane poisoning were reported in south-central Uganda. The poisoning is believed to have been driven by crop damaged caused by cranes. Some farmers are using agrochemicals, notably Furadan, to poison cranes that visit their crop fields. In response to escalating poisoning, our Crane Custodians have stepped up their awareness drive to educate communities so that they aware of the dangers of misusing agrochemicals, which are unfortunately readily available in local markets and can easily be purchased by anyone.
Through various available awareness-raising activities such as community meetings, church gatherings, music composition, and moving from house to house, the custodians are sensitising community members to the consequences of poisoning cranes and the need to protect Uganda’s National Bird.The custodians have been instrumental in building the current community support and pride for cranes that we see in Uganda. The dedicated volunteers also report and monitor cranes that are breeding, contributing to increased breeding success for cranes within these communities.
The Uganda project team is heavily indebted to these unsung heroes for their dedication to crane and wetland conservation and their willingness to volunteer their time to serve nature.
