UPDATE: Animal relocation is no game for reserves

While the meeting centred around the Rietfontein Nature Reserve, reference was also made to Norcot Koppies and Kingfisher Nature Reserve, as the same principle applies to both.

According to a representative from City Parks, requirements from Gauteng Nature Conservation Ecological Services stipulate that only reserves which have more than 50 hectares of land may contain game. Rietfontein has 25 hectares of land, while Norscot has only 16 hectares.

City Parks is now in the process of relocating all its game from Rietfontein however, Norscot will be responsible for the relocation of their own game which includes blesbok, klipspringer and duiker, as these animals were introduced to the reserve by the volunteer management committee of the reserve, not by City Parks.

Mary Borkett, chairperson of the management committee of the reserve, said the committee had, in fact, been trying to reduce the amount of animals in the reserve for years and had sourced two possible reserves who were willing to take on the game. However at the time, City Parks did not grant a permit for the relocation of the animals. Borkett said that last year, the committee took matters into their own hands and relocated 12 blesbok. At the meeting, Norscot agreed to relocate the six remaining animals in the reserve at their cost.

City Parks will shoulder the cost of the relocation of Rietfontein’s animals which includes one blesbok and a group of duiker. A representative from Friends of Rietfontein said while they were disappointed by the relocation, there is nothing that they could do about it since it is in the best interest of the animals to live in a bigger reserve.

However, Rietfontein is working with City Parks on various projects to introduce more bird life into the reserve so that there will still be wildlife on their premises.

Read our previous story,

Animal relocation is no game for reserves