Sprocky wrote:Date: 6th March 2012
The lions released into Karoo National Park in November 2010 have adapted well to their new home and are in excellent condition.
Both Park rangers and visitors have reported sightings of the lions at various areas in the Park over the past year and the lions have definitely brought a new aspect to wildlife viewing in the Great Karoo.
South African National Parks (SANParks) took the decision to introduce lions to the Karoo National Park in a bid to restore the natural functioning of the predator-prey balance in the ecosystem as well as to ensure that all historically-occurring species are once again conserved in the Park.
Eight lions were originally translocated to the Karoo National Park from Addo Elephant National Park. Three of these lions were part of the original group of lions brought into Addo in 2003 from the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Kgalagadi lions were chosen for their genetic similarity to the Cape lions which would historically have occurred in the area and for their disease-free status. Lions can suffer from diseases such as tuberculosis and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) which can be transmitted to other species.
Two of the lions have satellite collars which enable rangers and researchers to track their whereabouts for monitoring purposes. Visitors can also enquire about the latest location of lions at reception to enhance chances of spotting lions.
According to rangers and researchers, although the lions originally preyed on a few different species of animals in the Park, they have now begun to concentrate mainly on gemsbok.
Lions seem to frequent the area around the Park’s 4x4 trails: Afsaal, Nuweveld and the area around Embizweni cottage. The lionesses and subadult lions also move to the area around the Doornhoek picnic site at times while the male lions sometimes appear around the Lammertjiesleegte and Restcamp areas.
Preceding the introduction of lions, the restcamp area, including the fossil trail, swimming pool and accommodation units as well as the camping ground were fenced with low-level electrified fencing to allow visitors the freedom to walk around this area. Doornhoek picnic site, the Ou Schuur Interpretive Centre and Bulkraal day visitors’ site are also fenced. To cater for those who always enjoyed exploring the Karoo on foot, the Park now offers free guided walks (subject to availability) with an armed ranger to day and overnight visitors.
Although the lions have adapted well to their home in Karoo National Park, one of the subadult lions, a male, was killed in December last year when he was bitten by a puffadder.
Issued by:
South African National Parks
Enquiries:
Megan Taplin
Regional Marketing & Communications Manager
Addo Elephant * Camdeboo * Karoo* Mountain Zebra National Parks
Email: megan.taplin@sanparks.org
Tel: 083 6508649 or 042 2338609
Lions at home in the Karoo
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Sprocky
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Lions at home in the Karoo
Re: Lions at home in the Karoo
Lions introduced into Karoo National Park
15:22 (GMT+2), Thu, 07 February 2013
Two male lions from the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park have been released into the Karoo National Park outside Beaufort West.
SA National Park says this brings the total number of feline predators in the Park to nine.
Sanparks Eastern Cape communications manager, Fayroush Ludick, says Niklaas (named after former Kgalagadi Park Manager, and now Karoo National Park Manager Nico van der Walt) and Witwarm (derived from Nico's son, Hano's nickname from when they lived in the Kgalagadi) were released from a lion enclosure in the eastern section of the Park
"Park Management predicts that they will most likely develop their own fixed territories within the Park and defend these territories from the other resident males," she said.
Ludick said "three years ago a small founder population of lion was introduced into Karoo from Addo Elephant National Park outside Port Elizabeth and have settled in well since."
"The group was originally all from Kgalagadi or offspring from the original group of Kgalagadi lions that were introduced to Addo in 2003 . They have settled very well into the Karoo National Park and two cubs were born in November last year," she added.
Meanwhile, Van der Walt says, "The introduction of predators into Karoo National Park forms part of attempts to restore the ecological processes in the Park, specifically to re-establish the process of predation. This will help to control herbivore numbers naturally and decrease the need for capturing and culling, which is in line with SANParks' 'minimum interference' philosophy".
In 2010 a small founder population of lion was introduced into Karoo from Addo Elephant National Park outside Port Elizabeth. The group was originally all from Kgalagadi or offspring from the original group of Kgalagadi lions that were introduced to Addo in 2003 . They have settled well into the Karoo National Park and two cubs were born in November last year.
Van der Walt says, “The introduction of predators into Karoo National Park forms part of attempts to restore the ecological processes in the Park, specifically to re-establish the process of predation. This will help to control herbivore numbers naturally and decrease the need for capturing and culling, which is in line with SANParks’ ‘minimum interference’ philosophy”.
In protected areas with no large predators, herbivore numbers can soar to unnaturally high densities that could in return be detrimental to sensitive ecosystems like the Karoo. The lion fulfill their ecological role by removing older and weaker animals from the system and by impacting on the herbivore population size in the Karoo National Park.
It is hoped the two sub-adult males will take over the role of dominant males at a later stage, when the two older males reach their “retiring age” and lose their control over the pride.
Kgalagadi lion are known for their impressive dark brown manes and enhance the tourism product offered. “Introducing more lion into the Park has an economic spin off as it improves the eco tourism value of the area. Large carnivores are charismatic species which people like to seeand they even just like to know they are present in an area,” van der Walt added.
15:22 (GMT+2), Thu, 07 February 2013
Two male lions from the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park have been released into the Karoo National Park outside Beaufort West.
SA National Park says this brings the total number of feline predators in the Park to nine.
Sanparks Eastern Cape communications manager, Fayroush Ludick, says Niklaas (named after former Kgalagadi Park Manager, and now Karoo National Park Manager Nico van der Walt) and Witwarm (derived from Nico's son, Hano's nickname from when they lived in the Kgalagadi) were released from a lion enclosure in the eastern section of the Park
"Park Management predicts that they will most likely develop their own fixed territories within the Park and defend these territories from the other resident males," she said.
Ludick said "three years ago a small founder population of lion was introduced into Karoo from Addo Elephant National Park outside Port Elizabeth and have settled in well since."
"The group was originally all from Kgalagadi or offspring from the original group of Kgalagadi lions that were introduced to Addo in 2003 . They have settled very well into the Karoo National Park and two cubs were born in November last year," she added.
Meanwhile, Van der Walt says, "The introduction of predators into Karoo National Park forms part of attempts to restore the ecological processes in the Park, specifically to re-establish the process of predation. This will help to control herbivore numbers naturally and decrease the need for capturing and culling, which is in line with SANParks' 'minimum interference' philosophy".
In 2010 a small founder population of lion was introduced into Karoo from Addo Elephant National Park outside Port Elizabeth. The group was originally all from Kgalagadi or offspring from the original group of Kgalagadi lions that were introduced to Addo in 2003 . They have settled well into the Karoo National Park and two cubs were born in November last year.
Van der Walt says, “The introduction of predators into Karoo National Park forms part of attempts to restore the ecological processes in the Park, specifically to re-establish the process of predation. This will help to control herbivore numbers naturally and decrease the need for capturing and culling, which is in line with SANParks’ ‘minimum interference’ philosophy”.
In protected areas with no large predators, herbivore numbers can soar to unnaturally high densities that could in return be detrimental to sensitive ecosystems like the Karoo. The lion fulfill their ecological role by removing older and weaker animals from the system and by impacting on the herbivore population size in the Karoo National Park.
It is hoped the two sub-adult males will take over the role of dominant males at a later stage, when the two older males reach their “retiring age” and lose their control over the pride.
Kgalagadi lion are known for their impressive dark brown manes and enhance the tourism product offered. “Introducing more lion into the Park has an economic spin off as it improves the eco tourism value of the area. Large carnivores are charismatic species which people like to seeand they even just like to know they are present in an area,” van der Walt added.
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Lisbeth
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Re: Lions at home in the Karoo
How calm are you under pressure? Rudolph de Gerardier, photographer for Drive South Africa’s #TrekSouthAfrica project, took these stunning images of a curious lioness getting up close and personal with a bakkie during a game drive in the Karoo National Park.
According to De Gerardier, they found the three lions after a short ride out from their campsite in the Karoo National Park.
"We had been looking for these big cats - we could not have asked for better sightings. "The lions did not stay peaceful for long. After letting us watch them for a few minutes, one of the lionesses’ stood up."
De Gerardier says the lioness, known as Nati, suddenly walked towards one of their vehicles, "curious to see who dared to stay so close to her temporary lounge of grass".
But things really took on epic proportions when Nati decided to make her greeting more physical.
"She started to prod and nibble away at the bakkie’s headlights and bumper," says De Gerardier.
"Nati quickly realised that the vehicle did not meet her culinary expectations, and decided to give it a break. She left our vehicle to feel another tourist’s 4x4 in the distance."
See De Gerardier' stunning images here:
PICS: Curious lioness takes on bakkie in the Karoo National Park
If you're wanting to have a extraodinary close encounter of your own, the upcoming FREE SANParks week as part of Heritage Month celebrated globally and in South Africa during the month of September will be the perfect opportunity.
SANParks will be throwing open its gates to proudly South African visitors for no charge during the 11th annual SA National Parks Week, held from 12 to 16 September this year.
The official opening will be kicked off at Addo Elephant National Park, but the free access will be valid in most of the 21 national parks. Some of the parks will be extending the week to include the weekend, up until 18 September.
All of the parks managed by SANParks, excluding Namaqua National Park and Boulders Penguin Colony in Table Mountain National Park, will be participating in the initiative "to give the public an understanding of the role that SANParks plays as custodian of SA's natural heritage," SANParks says.
The excluded Parks will apply normal entry tariffs, as they have been declared non-participants in the free access scheme, due to the seasonality of their product offering.
According to De Gerardier, they found the three lions after a short ride out from their campsite in the Karoo National Park.
"We had been looking for these big cats - we could not have asked for better sightings. "The lions did not stay peaceful for long. After letting us watch them for a few minutes, one of the lionesses’ stood up."
De Gerardier says the lioness, known as Nati, suddenly walked towards one of their vehicles, "curious to see who dared to stay so close to her temporary lounge of grass".
But things really took on epic proportions when Nati decided to make her greeting more physical.
"She started to prod and nibble away at the bakkie’s headlights and bumper," says De Gerardier.
"Nati quickly realised that the vehicle did not meet her culinary expectations, and decided to give it a break. She left our vehicle to feel another tourist’s 4x4 in the distance."
See De Gerardier' stunning images here:
PICS: Curious lioness takes on bakkie in the Karoo National Park
If you're wanting to have a extraodinary close encounter of your own, the upcoming FREE SANParks week as part of Heritage Month celebrated globally and in South Africa during the month of September will be the perfect opportunity.
SANParks will be throwing open its gates to proudly South African visitors for no charge during the 11th annual SA National Parks Week, held from 12 to 16 September this year.
The official opening will be kicked off at Addo Elephant National Park, but the free access will be valid in most of the 21 national parks. Some of the parks will be extending the week to include the weekend, up until 18 September.
All of the parks managed by SANParks, excluding Namaqua National Park and Boulders Penguin Colony in Table Mountain National Park, will be participating in the initiative "to give the public an understanding of the role that SANParks plays as custodian of SA's natural heritage," SANParks says.
The excluded Parks will apply normal entry tariffs, as they have been declared non-participants in the free access scheme, due to the seasonality of their product offering.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
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Mel
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Re: Lions at home in the Karoo
Beware of the lions 
Naughty! 
Naughty! God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
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Klipspringer
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Peter Betts
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Re: Lions at home in the Karoo
Typical Frontier Region Parks = all the Lions have collars just because of the Human caused ' Sylvester' incident a few years back