Oorbevolkte olifant getalle in Kruger Wildtuin.

[Ferdi Bam]

Hi Almal,

Om mee te begin stem ek saam dat uitdunning van olifante moet plaasvind, dis onvermydelik vir die voortbestaan van KNP. Maak nie saak hoe ons daarna kyk nie.

Ek het n paar vrae:

Die vleis word versprei na die plaaslike bevolking. Wie gaan dit beheer en is daar n werkbare metode uitgedink. Ek voorsien net dat byvoorbeeld die Kekana groep op n stadium gaan se maar die Mofokeng groep het meer gekry as hulle. Afguns is n groot euwel.

Volgens Ron Thompson word die daaglikse kwota verwerk en uitdedeel? Die Suid Afrikaanse etniese boorling het totaal n ander houding as die etniese groepe buite ons landsgrense. Reels hou net solank! Wat ek eintlik vra is daar n eweredige verspreiding van afgehaalde olifante per dag van die begin tot verste grens van die KNP.

Wat gebeur met die ivoor. Ek is seker dat dit verkoop sal word, die veilige bewaring daarvan kan egter tot wanpraktyke lei. In watter bankrekening word die inkomste betaal, KNP??? Wie kontroleer??

Gaan die Chinese enigsins betrokke wees.

Uiteraard gaan die politici betrokke wees en hoe gaan hulle beheer word. Hierdie is vir my n ongesonde teelaarde maar n realiteit soos daglig.

En die Greenies met hul biljoene wat omkoopgeld betaal. Hoe en wie gaan opstaan teen die lot. n Politikus hou van sy pap met room, ongeag sy velkleur. Ons weet ma net nie van alles nie.

Ek is eerlik van mening dat die huidige bestel nie veel gepla is nie en dit gaan n tyd vat om hulle uit die saal te lig. Dit kos net n t-hemp, kospakkie en nog n Dischem om hulle in die saal te hou.

Ek hou vir eers op met vrae vra. My vrae is negatief maar uit ondervinding weet ek dat binne die Afrika konteks slegs n paar basiese behoeftes aangepreek moet word......... Ek glo dat die betrokkenes ookal aan al hierdie vrae en nog baie ander struikelblokke gedink het.

Vir die wat betrokke is en hard werk aan die vraagstuk kan ek net baie sterkte toewens. Ek hoop dat julle suksesvol sal wees in hierdie taak en moet nie moed verloor nie.

Groete

Ferdi Bam

[TFDADD]

Goeiemôre Ferdi,

Eerstens, dankie vir jou saamstem dat olifant uitdunning móét plaasvind in die KNP - mens hoef net een kyk te gee na die fotos wat Piekenier hier geplaas het om dit te besef.

Tweedens,
Ek glo nie enigiemand het antwoorde op jou vrae oor potensiële probleme wat mag en kan opduik gedurende die uitvoering van die werklike uitdunningsproses wanneer ookal dit sou plaasvind.
Selfs Ron Thomson het in antwoord op 'n vraag aan hom daaroor soos volg geantwoord: (Sien my plasing van TFDADD » 20 Oct 2022 14:33 -

And if any such an operation were to be seriously contemplated I would insist that major benefits should flow to local African village folk just outside the boundary of the national park. And THAT is a whole new ball game.

Nou daardie THAT spel alles uit waaroor jy ook bekommerd is, Ferdi.

Op hierdie vraag van jou:

Gaan die Chinese enigsins betrokke wees.

Dit sou presies dieselfde wees as om buitelandse diere aktiviste in te bring om geboortebeperkingsmiddels aan die KNP se olifantkoeie toe te dien.
Totaal onnodig om iets wat reeds moeilikhede van sy eie hier plaaslik het, verder te kompliseer.
Maar met ons ministers en regering is dit logies om die vraag te vra, nogtans, ek hoop en vertrou dat dié THAT nooit deel van die proses sal wees nie.

[Ferdi Bam]

Hi TFDADD,

Moet asb nie my antwoord verkeerd opneem nie maar jy gaan baie meer as geloof en gebed hier nodig he. Ek praat hier uit ondervinding uit. Die verwysing na "THAT" bevestig dat Thompson weet waarvan hy praat.

Hierdie hele debat is nou verwant aan die Kanadees wat geen kennis van Suid Afrika se komplekse issues en wat uitsprake maak oor Eskom en oplossings daarvoor. Dit is soos die greenies wat "meer" weet van olifant, veldbestuur en natuurbewaring as Ron Thompson en ander kundiges op die grond in die KNP.

Dis vir eers genoeg vir nou van my af.

Weereens sterkte met hierdie saak.

Groete.

Ferdi Bam

[Frederik]

Daar is 'n hele "Processing plant" in Skukuza wat die olifant vleis geblik het vroeer. dit kan net weer aan die gang gesit word.

So gaan die makliker wees om daardie "THAT" vleis uit te deel en dan ook weet dit het rak leeftyd en nie rou vleis wat oor maand klaar is nie.

[TFDADD]

Ferdi, jy is heeltemal reg in wat jy sê.
Die wêreld oor is hierdie diere aktiviste bedrywig en veroorsaak net probleme met die verkondiging van hulle leuens aan die oningeligtes, dít terwille van fonds insameling tot hul eie voordeel.

Lees gerus hierdie, bietjie wyd, maar kyk ook heel onderaan die artikel wie is John Nash -

Animal rights are nonsense.

Weens hierdie skewe toestande wat heers in die wêreld, moet ons wat die saak nugter aanskou, nou meer as ooit tevore saamstaan en onsself laat hoor oraloor, om sodoende te red wat daar nog te redde is.

Frederik, daardie slagpale in Skukuza is blykbaar in 'n redelike vervalle toestand, maar kan nogtans seker weer in werking gestel word.
Hier beter ons probeer om plaaslike privaat instansies in die vleisbedryf betrokke te kry, aangesien van owerheidskant af dit veels té lank sal neem om die regruk aksie uit te voer.

[Wouter Roets]

Boys

Die probleem in die lewe is eenvoudig, libralisme, mense wat n opinie oor iets het vanwee sy omstandighede en heeltemal verwyderd is van die realiteit. As easy as that!

Groetnis
Wouter

[Krobb]

As hulle besluit om uit te dun moet hulle tog net nie videos maak en dit op sosiale media plaas nie.
Dit sal net onnodige reaksie veroorsaak.
Ek jag en slag self maar as ek n video oor n abatoir se werking kyk dan voel ek nie lekker oor wat ek daar sien nie.
Maar dit is goed wat gedoen moet word en iemand moet dit doen.

[TFDADD]

Mens wil eintlik nie glo hoe vrek (wil eintlik 'n heel ander 'kragtiger' woord gebruik) bang die algemene lesers publiek media is, om enigsins
betrokke te raak by hierdie dreigende ten gronde gaan van die eens pragtike Kruger Nasionale Park nie.
Dít is 'n skandelike tragedie en 'n miskenning van hulle, die media, se verantwoordelikheid om die korrekte feite aan hul lesers oor te dra.

Hulle slaan behoorlik agteroor net by die noem van die begrip "uitdunning van olifant getalle", nog selfs voordat hulle hoor dat die probleem totale vernieting van die hele ekosisteem is en die gevolglike uitsterwing van alle spesies tot gevolg sal hê, om nie eers te praat van 'n woestynland waar daar eens 'n pragtige boomryke, dig begroeide park met 'n wye verskeidenheid van dier, voël, reptiel en insek spesies was nie.
Sou sweer jy gooi 'n giftige swart mamba tussen hulle in.

Nogtans, verstaan hulle nie wat Ron Thomson hier sê nie??????

Habitat Carrying Capacity – Elephant Management

Few people have NOT heard of the “endangered species concept”. Most of us, however, have no idea what it really means. And nobody can explain just how it can or should be applied in the field of science-based wildlife management. This is because it is based on a false premise and there is no logical place where it can be applied.

NB: The original definition went something like this: “An endangered animal species is one whose numbers are low and constantly declining, and the reasons for the decline cannot be halted; or the habitat of which is constantly degrading, the reasons for which cannot be reversed. In either case, the conclusion is the same – the species faces inevitable extinction.”

Now let us have a look at one species that is currently listed as endangered – The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana). It is reported to occur in 137 African countries (known as the African elephant “range states”) and to comprise over 150 separate populations.

NB: To make absolutely certain that everybody understands what I am going to be talking about, I will now define what a species is; and what a population is.

A SPECIES can be defined as: “A group of individual animals that share the same physical and behavioural characteristics (they look and act alike) and which, when they breed, produce fertile offspring with the same physical and behavioural characteristics”

A POPULATION is: “A group of animals of the same species the individuals of which interact with each other on a daily basis, in continuum, and which breed ONLY with other animals in the same group”.

This does not mean that individuals in a population meet all other individuals on a daily basis. The statement declares that individuals are linked “in continuum” – which is another way of saying their individual home ranges continuously overlap.

Elephants are able to live, and thrive, in a variety of habitats – savannah; grassland; woodland; lowland, montane and riverine forest; and in swamps – all of which occur between the coast and the continent’s highest mountains; and in regions of high rainfall as well as the most arid of deserts. In some areas they live in harmony and in close association with human settlements. In others they are heavily poached by their human neighbours. In places some elephants raid the local people’s crops and damage their water supplies; and they are often shot because they have become “problem animals”.

So each of Africa’s 150 elephant populations live within an environment that is uniquely its own. Each population’s habitat, and the various other environmental pressures that are exerted on it, are very different to those that pertain to every other population. THAT means they have to be managed individually. There is NO universal management solution.

If we want to understand the full implications and applications of elephant population management practices, however, we must also have a clear understanding of the term “habitat carrying capacity” – because THAT is a vital benchmark in elephant management programmes.

NB: In the simplest of terms, “habitat carrying capacity” quantifies the maximum number of elephants that a habitat can sustainably support without the vegetation suffering permanent and progressive damage.

If we want to maintain an elephant population in a national park for posterity – that is forever – it is imperative that the park’s habitats be maintained in a dynamically stable and healthy condition.

The wildlife manager, therefore, must not allow elephants to proliferate without constraint because, ultimately, that will lead to the population exceeding the sustainable habitat carrying capacity level. Such habitats are then continuously over utilised – by too many elephants – so they progressively degrade. This state of affairs is currently the norm in most southern African national parks.

If such situations are allowed to continue, the end result will be that the elephant sanctuaries will become deserts. In other words, the elephants will eventually destroy their own habitat and cause their own extinction – without a single poacher’s bullet being fired. And remember, they share their habitats with every other animal species in the game reserve. And every other animal species in the game reserve will suffer the same fate. They too, will disappear.

Leaving elephants to their “own devices” in a game reserve, therefore, will destroy everything!

So to those of you who believe that nature should be left to her own devices in a national park, I say: “Think again”. Elephants – being the largest mammals on planet earth – are also the most destructive. They and their habitats need to be managed!
Ron Thomson.

[TFDADD]

Uiteindelik!
Een publieke media organisasie wat hulle verantwoordelikheid nakom en belangrike sake onder hul lesers se aandag bring - dit is bemoedigend.

Net gister hierdie e-pos vanaf Maroela Media ontvang -

Ons het ʼn ruk gelede omvattend oor hierdie kwessie berig:

Olifantgetalle in Kruger buite beheer.

en

Wildtuin antwoord oor olifante.

Ons gaan dus nie nou weer onmiddellik oor hierdie kwessie berig nie, maar hou die situasie dop.

Groete.

Ron Thomson maak die volgende opmerking -

An elephant population the numbers of which (in 2020) change according to who is making the assessment. Ferreira and van Aarde, for example, state the number is now static at 15 000 to 17 500. Joubert (Dr Salmon Joubert) claims the figure cannot be less than 32 000. Thomson aligns himself with Joubert. Who should the reader believe?

Duidelik stem Ron Thomson en Dr Salmon Joubert nie saam met "Dr Sam Ferreira. Specialist Scientist: Large Mammals. Location: Skukuza", nie.

Só, wie glo ons?

Kyk na die verwoeste habitat in die KNP en weet verseker dat daardie getalle eerder hoër is as 32 000 olifante.
----------------------------------------
Uittreksel uit die "Wildtuin antwoord oor olifante" -

Hy (Dr Sam Ferreira) meen daar is wel geleentheid dat natuurlike prosesse wat olifante raak, ook kan plaasvind. In sommige plekke en gevalle kan dit bevolkingsbeheer tot gevolg hê.

Maar daarby bly dit, niks van die vermelde bevolkingsbeheer van olifante word toegepas nie. Word die reeds verwoeste boomryke streke dan nie deur Dr Ferreira en sy span raakgesien nie?

Ferreira erken dat nie almal saamstem met hierdie bestuursbeleid nie, maar dat almal eens is in hul kommer oor wat die olifante aan die omgewing kan doen.

Die oplossing hiervoor, sê Ferreira, is egter nie so eenvoudig soos hoeveel olifante daar is en watter impak dit op die landskap het nie. “Dit gaan oor meer komplekse meganismes soos die impak wat olifante op ʼn plaaslike skaal het, hoe lank hulle in ʼn bepaalde plek vertoef en wat hulle daar doen. Die wetenskaplike benadering wat ons volg, probeer om al hierdie meganismes te bestuur.”

Met alle respek gesê Dr Ferreira, hierdie bestuursbeleid wat julle toepas lewer geen positiewe resultate nie - die verwoestening duur net eenvoudig voort.

[TFDADD]

Die media, spesifiek die aanlyn organisasies, begin nou kennis neem van die Kruger Nasionale Park se massiewe olifant probleem.

In ondesrtaande artikel word daarop gewys hoe belangrik die natuur en die bewaring daarvan is.

Nature is an asset and all of human society, including business, fundamentally needs nature. However, the world is compromising its future ability to draw on these services, said WWF South Africa CEO Dr Morné du Plessis.

World Wild Fund + WWF SA

In die volgende artikel staan mens skoon verstom oor wat Minister Barbara Creecy kwytraak -

Creecy added that the White Paper envisages an inclusive, transformed society living in harmony with nature, where biodiversity conservation and sustainable use ensure healthy ecosystems, with improved benefits that are fairly and equitably shared for present and future generations.

“Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity can contribute to addressing South Africa’s triple challenge of poverty eradication, inequality and job creation,” she said.

Dit strook nou mos glad nie met wat sy in die Kruger Nasional Park propageer gedoen gaan word nie?

Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

Onderaan beide die bogenoemde artikels, sal julle my kommentaar oor hierdie olifant probleem sien asook my uitwys van verskillende optredes/uitsprake deur die Minister.

Plaas asb u eie kommentaar ook daar sodat die saak al meer en meer gewig begin dra en ons sodoende moontlik verandering teweeg kan bring.

By voorbaat dankie vir u bydrae op dié wyse.

[TFDADD]

Hierna volg 'n kort beskrywing en video wat Ron Thomson se TGA film vervaardigers gemaak het om die reeds sigbare skade deur die oorbevolkte olifant getalle veroorsaak, aan te toon in die Kruger Nasionale Park tot op datum 21 November 2021.

Elephant Mismanagement in Kruger National Park

IN NOVEMBER 2021, together with a four-man-team of The True Green Alliance (TGA) film-makers, I spent a week in Kruger National Park recording the impact that the park’s elephants have had, since 1960, on the game reserve’s habitats. Our program culminated in a 1-hour-and-18-minute-long documentary film which should leave no one in any doubt that all is ‘not well’ in Kruger National Park. Indeed, since the documentary’s release, the public has expressed a great deal of genuine concern about the wildlife management practices that have been applied - or not applied - in this, South Africa’s premier national park. Link to the Kruger documentary film:

TGA Video November 2021

This was not a scientific study - nor was it meant to be one - although it was conducted in terms of science-based wildlife management principles. The film was merely a statement - a visual record of the condition in which we found the park’s habitats after 61 years of severe elephant abuse; and after what I believe to be the gross MIS-management of the park’s wildlife by the SANParks’ administration. A lot of our reported assumptions are, however, based upon statements made by Kruger’s scientists over the last 60 years.
The film records THE FACTS, the truth as we found it to be after six long decades of inappropriate wildlife management activity in the national park. And these facts are presented without fear or favour.

Vervolgens gee Ron Thomson sy siening met betrekking tot "Wildtuin antwoord oor olifante" soos reeds in vorige plasing hier verskyn het en ook deur Maroela Media gepubliseer is.
Terloops, hierdie antwoord wat op 9 Desember 2022 vanaf Ron Thomson ontvang is, is reeds aan Maroela Media deurgegee vir publikasie vroeg in 2023.

Evidence of Mismanagement in Kruger National Park.docx

[TFDADD]

As daar nou een organisasie is, wat oop en eerlik, sonder enige bybedoelings, veg vir die volhoubare bewaring en benutting van ons pragtige natuur- en wildlewe in al ons nasionale parke, dan is dit sonder huiwering daaroor, Ron Thomson se TRUE GREEN ALLIANCE wat, ongeag die wêreld se agterbakse sogenaamde "diere regte aktiviste" teenstand, deurlopend veg vir dit wat logies en reg is in die algehele natuurbewaringsproses.

Lees die onderstaande en word deel van hierdie proses wat hier aan jou gebied word - niemand oefen enige druk uit op enigiemand nie, en meeste van alles nog, geen korrupte omkopery om steun te bekom, word hier geduld nie.

TRUE GREEN ALLIANCE

[pietskiet]

Ons was in 2019 in die KNP en die hele groep was dit eens dat die park oorbevolk is wat betref Olifant getalle en dat iets drasties gedoen moet word.Dis so duidelik soos daglig, selfs vir leke soos ons, dat die habitat verwoes word deur die grootvoete.

Ongelooflik dat enige regdenkende mens daarteen kan stry!

[TFDADD]

Baie toevallig dat in hierdie onderstaande artikel ten opsigte van Suid Afrika, spesifiek na die Kruger Nasionale Park onder andere, verwys word.

According to Midjourney, Dubai (like many other locations) will face increased pollution levels making visibility almost impossible, while the Kruger National Park will see drought and very few of its native animals.

Dit is, om die minste te sê, vreesaanjaend om hierdie kunsmatige intelligensie vooruitskouings te sien in vergelyking met wat dit kan wees ... "if we do not reach our Net Zero target by 2050' ... in terme van algehele besoedeling of dan ook genoem "CO2 emissions."

Kunsmatige Intelligensie (AI) vooruitskouing van ons wêreld in 2100

[TFDADD]

Hier word nou kaalvuis ingeklim onder die sogenaamde 'diere regte' aktiviste, wat in NGO's (Nie-regringsorganisasies) kragte saam snoer en dan boonop ook CITES met 'n glimlag dwing om saam te speel deur groot bedrae geld wat rondgegooi word, om hulle onderduimse planne in te stel en deur te voer.

Die onderstaande koppeling is net die inleiding tot meer besonderhede, lees gerus al 6 dele daarna - belowe dit is 'n riller van 'n speurverhaal hierdie.
En Suid Afrika is nie uitgesluit hierin nie.

Poacher in modern African mythology

[TFDADD]

Mense wat werklik omgee vir die bewaring van ons wildlewe en natuur, jagters en ook talle ander mense, sal verstaan as een van ons groot nasionale parke kenners bekommerd vra: "Please find an article that Ron Thomson would like to be published far and wide."

Dit is alom bekend dat ons wild- en natuurlewe in ons nasionale parke slegs kan voortbestaan deur volhoubare benutting en bewaring van die omgewing se totale diversiteit.

Lees asseblief die onderstaande artikel en bring dit sover moontlik onder die aandag van almal wat waarde heg aan die erfenis wat ons vir ons nageslag moet bewaar en deurgee.

Ipso facto, the animal rights movement is organised crime.

Hierdie artikel het ook op Maroela Media verskyn in Afrikaans -

Diereregte-isme vermoor ons wild.

[TFDADD]

Diere-regte aktiviste word hier ontmasker en Jan Publiek moet deeglik kennis neem oor hoe hulle 'n rat voor die oë gedraai word voordat hulle swaar verdiende geld in hierdie leuenaars se koffers stort.

Ron Thomson se jongste artikel in Maroela Media

[TFDADD]

Nog verdere ernstige, spesie uitwissing veroorsaak deur oorbevolkte olifant getalle in die Kruger Wildtuin en ander nasionale parke.

In die onderstaande artikel word spesifiek aandag gegee aan die ernstig bedreigde swart renosters in gebiede waar olifante oorbevolk is.

Swart renosters - hoe lank nog?

[TFDADD]

Ron Thomson Fund Raiser

Ron Thomson, one of the greatest wildlife conservation and hunting authors of our time, needed an urgent and unavoidable triple bypass surgery. This sudden medical condition could not be delayed.

Ron Thomson commands the respect of hunters and conservationists and has been described by some as a 'Living Legend'. Others consider him a "Hunting Icon".
He is the CEO of the TGA (the True Green Alliance) as well as an Exco Member of SUCo-SA (Sustainable Use Coalition of southern Africa).

Stand with Ron and give him a chance to continue the excellent work he has been doing in opposing the animal rightists and sharing his invaluable wildlife, conservation, and hunting knowledge with all of us.

So far, we have achieved a little more than half of OUR GOAL of R500,000 to cover the cost of Ron’s operation. We thank you in advance for your support.

________

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to PHASA for expertly managing this fundraising process.


Please do not hesitate to donate now:
PHASA Foundation

Or

Banking details:
Nedbank
The PHASA Foundation NPC
118 752 3313
Branch: 162145, Centurion
Swift Code: NEDSZAJJ
Reference: Ron Thomson
Contact: finance@phasa.co.za
***
Lion Task Team: WRSA's full conversation with DSTV's 'In gesprek met Lourensa Eckard'
'In gesprek met Lourensa Eckard'

What are we transforming?
We are transforming people into poverty
The message we have send out as an industry is clear.
It doesn't help changing one lion cage for another and now say well lions are in Sanctuaries and so they are looked after.
Captive bred lions are captive bred lions.
Sanctuaries and lions that are bred for sustainable use through trophy hunting are the same - they are captive no matter how else you look at it.
Richard York

[TFDADD]

'n Dankie sê brief aan almal wat tot die fonds bygedra het of nog gaan bydra en daarmee behulpsaam was, vanaf Ron Thomson se dogter.

Ron's Latest Update with Gratitude

I am writing to you today with a heart full of gratitude and joy, as I reflect on the recent journey my father, Ron Thomson, has been through. Your generosity and support have touched us in ways that words can scarcely express.

On Monday, 17th July, my father, Ron Thomson, underwent a life-changing quadruple heart bypass operation.

The procedure was challenging, but thanks to the skilled hands of the medical team and the countless prayers and well-wishes from our friends and family, the surgery was a resounding success. It was nothing short of a miracle, and your contribution played a significant role in making it possible.

The following week was a roller coaster of emotions for all of us. He spent a week in the Intensive Care Unit, where the medical staff provided exceptional care and monitored his progress with unwavering dedication. From there, he moved to the general ward, where he continued his recovery journey with immense courage and resilience.

I am thrilled to share that yesterday, my dad finally returned home, with a new lease on life and a heart filled with gratitude.

While there is still a road to travel, we are filled with hope and optimism, knowing that we have a network of incredible individuals rallying behind us. Elma continues to be an amazing support to him, for which I am so grateful, and she joins me in her thanks to you all.

The support and love we received during this time, including the financial assistance from people like you was very much appreciated.
Your generous contributions towards my father's operation touched our hearts deeply.

Words cannot express the immense gratitude we feel for your selfless act of kindness. Your financial support not only eased the burden of medical expenses, but also provided us with the reassurance that we are surrounded by a compassionate community that cares for one another.

Your compassion has touched our souls, and we will forever be grateful for your help and prayers.

With warmest regards
Karen Hobson.

[TFDADD]

Hier volg 'n opvolg verslag van Ron se herstel na sy viervoudige hartomleidingsoperasie -

It was Ron’s birthday on the 14th of August 2023 and here is the last update from his daughter on same date -

After a week in ICU then a few days in general ward, Ron was released from hospital on Thursday 27 July 2023.
He and Elma initially stayed with Ron’s daughter, Karen and her husband, Harold, for 10 days where he made slow but steady progress.
Ron and Elma returned back to their own home on Monday 7 August 2023.
Ron has a wonderful night carer for a few weeks to help him until he feels stronger - she has been an absolute blessing to them both.
Ron’s recovery is a long slow process, but he is making great strides in getting back to normal life - one day at a time.
Ron and his family continue to be grateful for all the love and support shown to him during this difficult time.

From Karen Hobson (Ron's daughter)

Hi everyone,

I would like to thank you all once again for all you have done to raise money to help ease the financial burden of dads operation -
your contribution and efforts are VERY much appreciated. I don’t feel I have enough words to express my gratitude but …….
Thank you!

All the best and God bless
Xx
Karen