Poor Fencing has Devastating Effects on Escaping Animals

[Klipspringer]

https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/news/nong ... s-31007651

Nongoma residents live in fear of roaming lions
NEWS / 20 AUGUST 2019, 12:00PM / NCAMISILE MKHIZE


Durban - Residents living near the Hluhluwe-­Imfolozi Park have urged the provincial government to intervene before animals that escape from the game reserve start killing people in the area.
This comes after the rural community of Nongoma in Zululand killed a lion that had escaped from the game reserve, saying that the predators had wiped out their cattle.


A Ngolotshe resident in Nongoma said wild animals often escaped from the reserve, adding that it was not the first time the community had killed a lion.

“We need some sort of intervention from the provincial government because we’re afraid that one day these animals might kill a person,” he said.

He added that in 2011 he had bought a cow for R15000, but it had been killed by a lion.

“I tried to claim from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, but they refused to pay the whole amount,” he added.

The chairperson of the local cattle owners’ association, Smirnoff Chonco, said that yesterday morning he got a call from the principal of Ngolotshe Primary School, complaining that pupils were afraid to go to school because of lions in the village.

“The fence of the game reserve is damaged and the community fears that someday these animals might attack a human,” said Chonco. Ward 11 councillor Nhlanhla Mthembu said the game reserve should be fenced to protect lives.

“It’s been more than three years since the fence was damaged, and for the past two months the lions have been killing our livestock,” said Mthembu.

Ngolotshe Primary School principal Duduzile Khambule said the community was so scared that parents were spending money on transport for their children even though they lived next to the school.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo said the fencing would be replaced soon, adding that discussions with izinduna were ongoing.

“Those who were employed to clear the area where we will erect the fence started working today,” said Mntambo.

The director of animal welfare organisation Four Paws in South Africa, Fiona Miles, said that human-wildlife conflict could be avoided.

“It’s absolutely essential that all security and safety standards be put in place to ensure that human-wildlife conflict doesn’t take place.

“Regular fence line patrols and maintenance are vital, and the authorities need to work closely with the local community to set up early warning and appropriate response systems in order to avoid any loss of life, either human, livestock or wildlife,” she said.

The Mercury

[Richprins]

It is ironic that sometimes the community steals parts of the fence...

[Peter Betts]

It is ironic that sometimes the community steals parts of the fence...

Thats a Fact

[RogerFraser]

It is ironic that sometimes the community steals parts of the fence...

and some how their cattle all manage to get through the holes and eat grass inside the park

[Richprins]

The R15000 cattle left unsupervised...

[Lisbeth]

Of course the amount is exaggerated. If you want 100 you ask for 168

[Klipspringer]

The problem is not new and well known, but a matter of money or priority

From the last annual report

BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT - CHALLENGES
Due to the excessive poaching pressure, mainly rhino, biodiversity
management has unfortunately had to take a back seat for the past few
years. This has resulted in problems developing, especially with the fence
on the boundary, alien plant control and infrastructure management.

HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT
AND COMMUNITY CONSERVATION
Concerns with the Community’s surrounding the Park need to be
highlighted. A number of reasons are contributing towards community
unhappiness with Ezemvelo and the Park.
These are Human-Wildlife Confl ict where predators, exiting the Park, are
involved in community owned domestic stock mortalities. Compounding
this problem is the fact that both Leopard and Hyena are not catered for
in the Organisation’s Predator Compensation Policy. The current Policy
only caters for predators which were introduced or reintroduced into State
Owned Protected Areas. The situation pertaining to the Compensation
Policy is currently under review.

http://www.kznwildlife.com/Documents/An ... 172018.pdf

[Lisbeth]

It cannot take much time to give orders to repair a fence

[Peter Betts]

It cannot take much time to give orders to repair a fence

..

[Klipspringer]

https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/kw ... e-31374546


More lions escape from KZN Game reserve

KWAZULU-NATAL / 27 AUGUST 2019, 12:02PM / ANELISA KUBHEKA


DURBAN - Two more lions escaped from the uMfolozi Game Reserve on Monday, the surrounding community say.

Residents in the area of Okhukhu in Nongoma, neighbouring the reserve say they called KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife when they spotted the lions.

“We spotted the lions yesterday morning and when we called Ezemvelo they came out in a helicopter and we showed them where we had seen the lions, they managed to re-capture one,” says a resident who does not want to be named fearing victimisation as he is still awaiting claims from Ezemvelo for his cattle eaten by the reserve’s lions.

He says they spotted the lions while on their daily morning walks to check if livestock was not eaten by escaped lions.

Earlier this month, the Daily News reported that after 8 of the 10 escaped lions had been captured by reserve rangers, community members discovered that five more had escaped and had devoured more of their cattle.

And a week after this the community of Ngolotsha area of Nongoma trapped and killed one of four more lions that had escaped.

At the time Ezemvelo spokesperson Musa Mntambo repairs on the reserve’s damaged fence would begin and after investigations those who lost cattle would be compensated.

On Monday night the a loose lion that had not been captured by rangers could be heard by residents roaring.

“Well into the night I could hear this lion. It roared until I could hear other lions responding its roars. So now it's out there with other lions,” says the resident.

He says repairs are underway and they can see a new fence being put up but the lions were on the community’s side of the fence and not in the reserve.

“On Saturday there was a meeting with the community and Ezemvelo however no real solutions came up, here we are still with lions roaming amongst us”.

While Ezemvelo was asked to confirm the recent escape of two lions, by the time of publishing the Daily News had not received a response.

Daily News