One giraffe apparently died on the Estate due to stress during the capturing process and the second on the N1 highway when its head hit the Garsfontein bridge while being transported in an open trailer.
According to a resident at the Estate, “Proper procedures could have prevented the death of two giraffes from the Meyersdal Eco Estate.”
On Friday, a daily newspaper reported that an eyewitness saw the giraffe’s head hitting the bridge, then the neck just hanging and almost jumping up again due to shock. It further reports that when the witness saw the blood coming from the giraffe’s nose, he knew it was dead.
A resident in the Estate told said that this incident has come as a shock to all residents.
“It could however be prevented if it was not for one of our residents who lodged a complaint with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development about the animals being kept in an environment that is not their natural habitat, and that the necessary permits to keep them were not in place.
“How ridiculous is that. The Estate is unique in what it offers game in Gauteng and we were in the process of getting the permits. The only other place to see a giraffe would be to visit the Johannesburg or Pretoria Zoo,” he said.
The RECORD’s efforts to make contact with the resident, who apparently lodged the complaint, were unsuccessful.
“This is so sad. So totally unnecessary. The giraffe were so beautiful to watch. When they walked through the veld in their own graceful way, watching them gave you a moment to escape from the harsh realities of city life in the midst of city life,” said a regular visitor to the estate who phoned in and who wishes to remain anonymous.
The newspaper contacted the Estates attorneys for comment and received a release stating that the management and community of the Estate was shocked and deeply saddened about the incident and that they will give their full co-operation to authorities investigating.
It also states that the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued a permit to Ditjabe Wildlife Services to capture and transport the animals, and that they were assured that all ethical and legal requirements will be followed.
In a follow-up email the RECORD requested comment on the giraffe which died on the Estate and whether there are still any giraffes left on the Estate. Their comment read as follows:
* A total of six giraffes were resident at the Meyersdal Eco Estate.
* It has been widely reported that two giraffes were transported after being sold.
* Unfortunately a day prior to this, a female giraffe had died at the Estate during capture. The exact cause of death is not known as the buyer declined to have a post mortem performed on the animal.
* A total of three giraffes remain at the estate.
* Our client has been in constant communication with the Gauteng Department of Agricultural and Rural Development since 2013 regarding the giraffes.
* With regard to the remaining giraffes, our client is pursuing all possibilities to retain the remaining giraffe on the estate.
* We can confirm that they are in good health.
In the meantime, Ditjabe Wildlife Services’ Dirk Boshoff told a daily paper that the Garsfontein bridge was lower than any of the other bridges on their route.
However, in the same report, an engineer states that all the bridges on the highway are the same height, that there may be a difference of about 200mm to 300mm, and that the bridge in question adheres to all building regulations, leaving between 5.1m and 5.2m between the bridge and the highway.
Dirk Boshoff of Ditjabe Wildlife Services, told the RECORD to send an email with our questions and the phone went dead. The following questions were forwarded via email on Monday August 4 at 09:11, with a request that the RECORD needs an urgent response:
* Is it true that the first giraffe died on the Estate due to stress during the capturing process?
* If true, how could this happen?
* Did they plan their route ahead to ensure that the animals will at all times be safe and whether all bridges and obstructions on route would allow for safe passage of the animals?
At the time of going to press, Ditjabe Wildlife Services did not respond.
Tswana SPCA is investigating the accident and on Monday they were not aware of the death of the first giraffe. The NSPCA (the national body situated in Alberton) also confirmed that they did not know about the giraffe which died on the Estate but that they are investigating the incident.
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