An application to hunt in the Timbavati reserve has raised concerns over the protection of wildlife that roam between national parks and private game reserves as a result of dropped fences.
Michele Pickover, Director and Head of the EMS Foundation Elephant Programmes, has raised concerns about hunting within areas adjoining national parks. She is quoted in Daily Maverick as saying: “In my opinion, hunting in an area where the fences have been dropped with Kruger Park flouts national legislation that prevents hunting in protected areas. The agreement is out of date and is a loophole that needs to be closed.”
The fence between the Kruger National Park and the Timbavati reserve was removed in the early 1990s. While national legislation prevents hunting in national parks, legislation does not forbid it in private nature reserves, said Bryan Havemann, General Manager and Warden of the Timbavati.
When asked how an application to hunt supported national legislation that prevents hunting in protected areas, William Mabasa, GM: Communication and Marketing at SANParks, responded similarly. “Dropping a fence doesn’t automatically qualify the private reserve to become a national park where hunting is not allowed,” said Mabasa.
Havemann emphasised that there were also strict rules in place for hunting. The right processes must be followed, which includes applying for permits from conservation authorities, such as Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA). “Hunting in the Timbavati only takes place if backed-up by scientific research about animal populations, and a permit issued by the MTPA.”
