biodiversity
Present challenges centre mainly around the following
issues and it looks as if the only long-term hope for the
future of the reserve is further meaningful private sector
involvement:
Ecological management has been non-existent and
severe overgrazing has led to bush encroachment,
subsequent habitat degradation and the consequent
loss of or reduction in a number of rare antelope
species. Old timers throughout the area in the 1920s
recall a thick covering of grass and an average distance
of around 100 metres between trees!
The reserve is largely de-capacitated and under-funded
with no senior management in place. Staff morale is
low and there is a complete lack of interest from the
Limpopo Tourist Agency.
Rhino poaching, both black and white, has reared its
ugly head.
There is a shortage of water points, pumps/boreholes
are not being maintained and many boreholes are not
even rigged.
Critically the boundary fencing is not well maintained,
posing both a security and an elephant breakout risk.
An elephant population way in excess of what it
should be has already caused serious damage to the
ecosystem and is no doubt contributing to a loss in
overall biodiversity. A significant number of both marula
and knobthorn trees have already been destroyed with a
consequent decrease in white-backed vulture breeding
pairs as a result of the loss of nesting sites.
7 Population now way too high:
African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana).
Photo © Sean Heatley
Black rhinoceros or hook-lipped
rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis).
Photo © EcoPrint