The buckstops atVergelegen

An ambitious project for veld management and ecological research, that combines ancient animal lore with state-of the-art technology, took a step forward when five eland were released at one of South Africa’s best-known wine estates.

The arrival of the eland (Taurotragus oryx) at Vergelegen in Somerset West forms the latest stage of the Gantouw Project. This is a programme of the non-profit organisation Cape Town Environmental Education Trust (CTEET), and has been in operation since 2015 under its Nature Care Fund. The project mimics the historic migration of eland, using them as a natural driver to boost ecosystem diversity.

“Gantouw is a word that is derived from the Koi language and means ‘the way of the eland’,” said Dr Anthony Roberts, CEO of CTEET. “This refers to a path that eland carved into the land over many years as they migrated back and forth from the Cape Flats over the Hottentots Holland Mountains.

“Urbanisation has resulted in fragmented ecosystems, many of which are collapsing. By introducing eland and allowing them to browse vegetation and prevent bush encroachment, one of the main threats to the ecological health of these systems, the characteristic diversity of the veld starts to return and the ecosystem functions more effectively.”

The impact of the eland on the Vergelegen veld will be monitored using drones and spectral imaging, as well as on-the-ground flora and fauna surveys. This will indicate the animals’ grazing preferences, their impact on flora and fauna, and estimations of veld carrying capacity.

The eland group comprises three cows and two neutered bulls, transported from Elandsberg, Wellington. The project will run for five years then be reviewed. Vergelegen has provided a fenced 10 hectare camp near the hilltop wine cellar, secluded from its hospitality and management operations. CTEET has erected a boma in this camp to shelter the eland and estate management has undertaken to monitor their health. CTEET will conduct research to obtain baseline data as well as ongoing ecological monitoring, and will submit an annual report.

The first phase of the Gantouw Project focused on Cape Flats Dune Strandveld, which is endangered and only found on the lowlands of Cape Town. At Vergelegen the eland will graze on various species of fynbos including renosterbos, osteospermum, searsia, helichrysum, oxalis, various grasses and restios. Much of the original vegetation at Vergelegen has revived since the estate management embarked on South Africa’s largest privately funded alien vegetation clearing project, said Vergelegen MD Wayne Coetzer. Completed in 2018, the project has restored 2200 hectares of fynbos vegetation, while supporting job creation and skills development in local communities.

The eland research will form part of a PhD thesis by ecologist Petro Botha, the Gantouw Project Manager. The estate has a long history of collaborating with both local and international universities so that students and professionals can further their education through various projects at Vergelegen, said Coetzer. By end-2018 there had been 24 formal studies: seven undergraduate, eleven postgraduate and six PhD studies. Of these, 19 were from local institutions and five from international institutions.

“We are delighted to be able to play a part in this far-sighted project and look forward to seeing the research findings in due course,” said Coetzer. “We hope the knowledge gained at the estate will help to protect other precious natural habitats.”

Vergelegen was the first Biodiversity and Wine Initiative Champion in 2005, and was awarded the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) 2019 corporate award, which recognises the wine estate’s sustained commitment to environmental initiatives. The Gantouw Project is proudly sponsored as an environmental responsibility project by Quemic, a unique and dynamic provider of integrated risk solutions within the safety and security environment.

www.vergelegen.co.za

Conservation enthusiasts have the rare opportunity to book a safari package at Tintswalo Lapalala over the Heritage Day long weekend of 24 September 2020, to join a veterinary team and scientists from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) while they collar a number of African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) in the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve (Limpopo).

The African Wild Dog is Southern Africa’s most endangered large carnivore, with only about 438 left in all of South Africa. Conservation history was made in April (2020) when 10 adult dogs, notably one of the last free-roaming packs of the Waterberg, were successfully captured and relocated to a holding facility on the Lapalala Reserve. In the reserve they will be safe from pervasive threats such as hunting, poisons, road collisions, snaring and habitat loss, which have over the years reduced the population to near extinction.

The dogs adapted quickly in the boma at Lapalala and within a few weeks a litter of pups was born. The eleven pups are now strong enough to be released into the reserve, together with the 10 adults. The first step however is to raise funds to purchase VHS and satellite tracking collars, which has presented the unique opportunity for guests to not only donate, but physically participate as sponsors of the project.

Derek van der Merwe from the Endangered Wildlife Trust says that it is critically important to safeguard this pack within the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve. The scientific monitoring of the pack will help to secure the future conservation of the species, particularly in the Waterberg. It is essential to keep track of their movement patterns, habitat utilization, and population demographics, and to avoid snaring and poaching incidents and breakouts.

He says: ‘This particular pack is very used to going through fences as the Waterberg area in general is full of game fences. However, we are hoping that the time spent in the boma has given them some respect for fences and that they won’t head straight out of the reserve after release.’

Spreading over 48 500 hectares of pristine bushveld, the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve is one of South Africa’s largest private nature reserves and is recognized as a champion of sustainable wildlife conservation. CEO Glenn Phillips says that this Wild Dog conservation project is another important conservation milestone for Lapalala. ‘We are however under no illusions that these dogs will eventually leave the expanse of the reserve and continue to do what they have always done. Roam free. We are very privileged to have been in a position to provide a temporary home for these wonderful, critically endangered animals, and trust that the role we played has provided them the best possible chance of survival.’

Tintswalo Lapalala’s Wild Dog Collaring Conservation package is available to 12 guests only, for the long weekend of 24 September 2020. Children are welcome. Guests will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take close-up photographs of the Wild Dog adults and pups feeding. They will also attend a briefing session by the veterinary team who will explain the collaring procedure, before they take part in the exercise which aims to collar at least two of the dogs. The release of the dogs into the reserve will take place on a later date (to be confirmed).

www.tintswalo.com

Samara Private Game Reserve is delighted to announce its acceptance as a Fellow Member of The Long Run – a global community of nature-based tourism businesses committed to meeting the highest standards of sustainability encompassing the 4 Cs: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. “We find ourselves in excellent company with more than 70 partners from 22 different countries, collectively safeguarding over 21 million acres of nature, protecting 30,000 plant and animal species, supporting 6,300 jobs, celebrating 120 cultures and improving the lives of 175,000 people,” says Sarah Tompkins, founder of Samara. Established in 1997, Samara is an award-winning Big 5 reserve located on 67,000 acres of born-again wilderness in the Great Karoo near Graaff-Reinet. A passionate conservation undertaking, Samara has pioneered land-use change in the region, painstakingly restoring 11 former livestock farms across 5 vegetation biomes and reintroducing threatened wildlife including cheetah, lion and elephant. Samara engages in rehabilitating degraded landscapes, managing water catchments and regenerating carbon sinks, all the while functioning as a ‘living laboratory’ for researchers from around the world. This conservation commitment is underpinned by a strong sense of social responsibility. Samara employs 60 mostly local staff and is involved in skills training, community development

and the preservation of indigenous knowledge. Just 26 guests at a time are invited to join Samara’s ongoing journey, with an emphasis on active participation in Samara’s projects. Accordingly, as well as the usual safari game drives, bush walks and wilderness picnics, Samara offers hands-on conservation sessions, personalised tours of rewilding projects and immersive experiences such as fly camping.

“We believe in the positive and lasting impact of ecotourism, when done conscientiously and sustainably,” adds Tompkins. “It is our vision that the recovery of tourism post-COVID19 will usher in a new paradigm of travel founded on responsible, ethical experiences that benefit their local spheres of influence. We are excited to work with The Long Run in pursuit of this goal.”

www.samara.co.za www.thelongrun.org