Zulu King and Conservation

[leachy]

this from the "star" newspaper 18 october.....

THE SHOOTING of Vincent, the one-eared hippo that ended up in the cooking pots of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, has sparked controversy.

The hippo was captured three months ago while grazing in the village of St Lucia inside the Isimangaliso Wetland Park and World Heritage site, shortly after it attacked and severed the left leg of Ezemvelo KZN wildlife technician Anthony Swatton.

The animal was a regular nocturnal visitor to the village and had been nicknamed Vincent by locals.

The beast was transferred to Ezemvelo’s game capture bomas at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi and, according to a statement issued by the Isimangaliso Wetland Park at the time, would be sold to a private buyer.

But Vincent was shot by Ezemvelo last month and apparently delivered to the royal homestead of Zwelithini around the time of the annual Reed Dance ceremony.

Ezemvelo spokesman Musa Mntambo said: “We took a decision to kill the hippo as it had attacked a human being and was viewed as a problem animal.

“Selling the hippo would have been irresponsible as it could have had negative repercussions if it ended up attacking another person. We could not take that risk.”

Chief executive Bandile Mkhize noted that the Isimangaliso Wetland Authority, not Ezemvelo, had issued the statement that the hippo would be sold to a private buyer.

“We never said it would be sold. From our side, we have a policy to destroy any wild animals which attacks people.”

Asked why the hippo was sent to the king, Mkhize said: “From time to time we do donate animals to the king. We have a special relationship and negotiate with him on what is possible or not possible, but I would hate to see him portrayed as someone who simply bulldozes us. He does not.

“We are respectful of him and he is respectful of us and is also a good ambassador for conservation.”

In a subsequent e-mail, Mntambo said: “The hippo was donated to the Reed Dance ceremony that took place in Ingwavuma from September 14-16 for the uMkhanyakude community. It was not given to the king per se.”

Nevertheless, it has emerged that the owners of a private game reserve near Mkhuze had been negotiating to provide a new home for the animal.

Karen Holmes, general manager of the 23 000ha Zululand Rhino Reserve, confirmed yesterday that the reserve had offered to acquire the beast and pay translocation costs.

“But a few days prior to delivery, we were notified that the hippo was no longer available. We were not told why.” She added: “All hippos are dangerous and pose a threat to humans, but I don’t believe this was an abnormally aggressive animal.”

Swatton, who is recuperating at home after the amputation of his leg, said: “I don’t bear any animosity towards it. It was looking for grazing in my garden and we just happened to cross each other’s paths at the wrong time. Hippos are dangerous and you have to respect them.”

[Flutterby]

[Twigga]

Ag no man....can't say I find the thought of hippo on the spit appealing.......

[Richprins]

“From time to time we do donate animals to the king. We have a special relationship and negotiate with him on what is possible or not possible, but I would hate to see him portrayed as someone who simply bulldozes us. He does not."


Yes, foreign viewers, this is South Africa 2012, unless you thought it was a joke!

You must placate your king or he may bulldoze you!

[Toko]

At the same time TRAFFIC has published a new report that finds that widespread illegal hunting and the bushmeat trade occur more frequently and with greater impact on wildlife populations in the Southern and Eastern savannas of Africa than previously thought.
The hippo for the royal ceremony sends out a great message to all bushmeat-lovers

[Richprins]

[Penga Ndlovu]

As far as I am concerned this is leagal poaching
and poaching per se is illegal.
Period

[Penga Ndlovu]

http://www.citizen.co.za/citizen/conten ... -necklaces

THE two elephants were shot in the same park where rangers were recently ordered to shoot two lions so that the Zulu king and senior chiefs could have lion claw necklaces made.

When the order came for two lions to be shot Tembe rangers insisted that only lions which were old, sterile or in poor condition be shot.

But Ezemvelo head office insisted that two lions be shot as soon as possible to give the chiefs time to have their necklaces made before the annual Zulu reed dance.

The necklaces made of lion claws are a traditional status symbol.

Shortly before the deadline for the lions to be shot, a male lion escaped from Tembe and was shot after killing several cattle.

No attempts were made to capture or chase the lion back into the lion park.

Its carcass was transported to the royal household.

Because the animal allegedly posed a threat to humans, the nature conservation body did not legally need a destruction permit.

‘‘Any animal that escapes from the reserve and causes damage outside the reserve is usually killed,” KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo told The Citizen last month.

“The lion was wounded outside the reserve and then shot dead – to stop its suffering – when it re-entered the reserve,” he said.

Mntambo denied that any lion had been donated to the Zulu king.

Shortly thereafter, another lion died in a freak accident as rangers were attempting to capture it after it was sold to a private game reserve.
Its carcass was driven to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife head office from Tembe and handed over to a senior
manager.

The manager then accompanied the carcass to the home of a senior chief, where the animal was handed over.

Multiple attempts to
contact royal spokesman Mbonisi Zulu for comment were unsuccessful


On Thursday Independent Newspapers reported that a hippo ended up in the Zulu king’s cooking pot after Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife shot the animal.

The hippo was shot in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve capture pens, where it was held for eight weeks while the wildlife body ‘‘fattened up the animal’’.

Ezemvelo reportedly said that the decision had been taken to destroy the hippo as it was a “problem animal” and had attacked a St Lucia home-owner, but did not explain why the animal was then fattened up for eight weeks before being shot.

After the report Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife CEO Bandile Mkhize, who allegedly ordered the possibly illegal killing of the two lions, lashed out at his critics, accusing them of being nostalgic for the days of apartheid.

Mkhize was quoted as saying: “From time to time we donate animals to the king.

“We have a special relationship and negotiate with him on what is possible or not, but I would hate to see him portrayed as someone who bulldozes us.”

The shooting of the lion, elephant and hippo come at a time when Ezemvelo KZN Wild faces funding shortages. Depending on their sex and size, elephants can fetch
hundreds of thousands of rands at auctions.
Hippos can fetch up to R20 000 each.

[Twigga]

How's that for double standards!!!!

Than we're mos not different than the eastern countries. One of the demands for rhino-horn is to assemble as a some type of "sword handle".
Status symbol.....

[Flutterby]