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ENVIRONMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Is "Cull" a Four-Letter Word?
By Moyiga Nduru
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 5 (IPS) - Lawrence Anthony is known for rescuing animals,
including lions, from former Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein's palaces after
Baghdad fell to U.S. forces in April 2003.
"The animals were starving and we removed them from various palaces and
took them to the main zoo in Baghdad," he told IPS.
Now the South African animal lover has, along with scientists and other
activists, embarked on another mission: stopping the proposed cull of more
than 5,000 elephant in South Africa's world-renowned Kruger National Park,
located in the north-east of the country. The proposal was put forward by
the board of South African National Parks (SANParks), the government body
which manages the country's network of protected areas.
"We believe that more scientific research is needed before any decision
is taken. There is not enough research on how many animals the Kruger Park
can carry," said Anthony.
In addition, noted Ian Raper of the Pretoria-based South African
Association for the Advancement of Science, there are other options on the
table for controlling the elephant population in Kruger - notably
contraception.
"We get protein from pigs and dart the animals, and it prevents them from
conceiving," he told IPS. "It has been used since the 1970s on numerous
animals like horses and seals in the sea, and it has been tested in the
Kruger Park."
In fact, this contraceptive technology appears so effective, that it has
attracted the attention of other countries.
"Kenya has approached South Africa to vaccinate 700 elephants.We are
exporting our technology, but we are not using it ourselves," said Anthony.
The contraceptive vaccination, which is administered by someone flying
above the elephant herd in a helicopter, also has the virtue of being
long-lasting.
"One dart can last for two years," said Raper, and: "We are very close to
having it last for five years.The vaccine has minimal side effects, with
only a lump on the elephant where it has been darted."
Christina Pretorius of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a
non-governmental organisation, is similarly upbeat about elephant
contraception.
"The vaccine has been proven to work in a number of small game parks. For
example, in Makaladi Game Park they use the contraceptive and find it very
successful. It's an option that we need to explore further," she said in an
interview with IPS. Makaladi Game Park is situated in South Africa's North
West Province, on the border with Botswana and Namibia.
Both Anthony and Raper feel that South African conservation authorities
may not be sufficiently informed about the latest advances in elephant
contraception, to make an informed decision about whether to use this
technology.
"People don't know that contraception has improved. It's not hormonal
anymore.There should be no fear of the vaccine at all," said Raper. "Culling
is a terrible prospect. The animals will be traumatised and become
aggressive."
However, Gehard Verdoorn, a leading South African conservationist based
in the financial capital of Johannesburg, says there's more to the story
than ignorance.
"I do not believe that contraception is economically and ecologically a
viable option, as the only option. It may be used as a small contributor to
solving the problem," he told IPS.
"What is also important about contraception is that there is as yet no
drug that is formally approved and accepted," Verdoorn added. "The work that
was done so far on contraception was research, and there needs to be more
research before this can even be submitted.for approval."
As a result, he noted, all options for managing the elephant population
in Kruger needed to be taken into account to combat elephant overpopulation.
The number of elephant in the park has increased from 7,500 in 1994 to
12,500 at present, according to official statistics.
"I don't think anybody likes the idea of culling elephants. But, it is a
definite option to contribute to the management of overpopulation - as long
as it's done with the most humane and ethical methods available to the
Kruger National Park," said Verdoorn.
This view is echoed by conservation authorities.
"In all South African national parks with elephants, the populations are
increasing at near maximal rates and currently show no signs of being
limited.Populations cannot continue to grow indefinitely," said David
Mabunda, chief executive of SANParks, in a report issued Sep. 8.
South Africa suspended culling in Kruger in 1995, mostly as a result of
local and international pressure. In the preceding three decades, some
16,000 elephants had been culled in South Africa, according to Pretorius.
Anthony maintains that any resumption of culling would have swift and
severe repercussions globally.
"TV images showing elephants killed will spark international outrage," he
noted. "The era of the internet will make matters worse."
The Washington-based Humane Society of the United States, Anthony added,
had warned that it would advise its 8.5 million members to avoid South
Africa as a tourist destination if the cull took place.
For her part, Pretorius believes widespread opposition to the proposed
cull may yet sway South African officials.
"I don't think that the government will be able to push this through
without expecting a lot of protests from scientists and animal rights
groups," she noted.
"We are cautiously hoping to win the war."
(END/2005)
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