External problems put pan’s birdlife at risk

Broken fences and overflowing rubbish bins not only detract from the beauty found within the Korsmans Bird Sanctuary but poses a threat to the rich biodiversity that the Korsmans Conservancy has been working tirelessly to maintain.

According to the conservancy’s chairperson, Jane Trembath, it has been an increasingly tense week for volunteers after a Goliath heron was spotted with plastic entangling its beak.

According to Trembath, volunteers have been tracking the bird on a daily basis in an attempt to remove the plastic which could hamper it from eating.

“It is difficult to ascertain where the plastic came from but the overflowing rubbish bins outside the perimeter of the sanctuary cannot be ignored,” she said.

“The parks department has emptied the bins twice since July last year, prompting an elderly volunteer to take it upon himself to do it more regularly.”

Trembath said that she fears that the indigenous birdlife nesting within the sanctuary may soon become targets of poaching and that illegal fishing may soon follow.

“Two sections of the fence have been damaged. In December 2021 a car drove into it at Kilfenora Road followed by a fallen tree causing damage at Aloe Street, in September, last year,” said Trembath.

“The damage is not extensive and could easily be fixed by the metro. I am sure the vehicle owner’s insurance would have paid for the Kilfenora section.”

Ekurhuleni metro’s spokesperson Zweli Dlamini stated that a claim for the damage caused by the driver could not be instituted as the matter was not reported to the EMPD.

“We do not have the necessary information to trace the vehicle owner, subsequently an insurance claim could not be initiated,” said Dlamini.

“The Real Estate Department will visit the site and will submit the estimated repair costs to the Finance Department in line with standard approved rate, as calculated by the CoE supply chain management.

“Repairs have not been conducted as the sanctuary was not on the department’s list for planned maintenance or repairs.”

Dlamini said that due to budgetary constraints, funds and approval for the repair of the fence will be motivated.

“If successful, repairs will be concluded by the end of May,” he said.

As efforts continue to save the destressed heron, Trembath is pleading with the community and visitors of the sanctuary to become more intuitive about the risks that pollution, especially littering poses to the safety of the feathered residents.

“We need to protect these amazing creatures and the only way to do that is to become proactive,” she said.

“If everyone picks up a single piece of litter, there will be less laying around the pan. If everyone takes their rubbish home to discard responsibly not only will the area remain clean but the birdlife will continue to thrive.”

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