MARLOTH PARK – The cancellation of last year’s culling, the state of the bushveld and the lack of rain this summer, have caused several impala to die of starvation.
This is according to Mr John Webber of the Honorary Rangers, in Marloth Park.
The company which has been appointed to take care of the game capture this year, WildLife Vets, as well as many sponsors in and around Marloth Park, have donated many loads of game pellets for the animals, because grazing is non-existent.
The Nkomazi Rangers offloaded the feed and took it to the two capture sites where bomas will eventually be erected.
They will also control the distribution of the feed daily.
The poor condition of the veld means that the grazers, in particular, need feeding prior to the game capture taking place.
There has been a delay due to the need for transport permits to move animals to Mozambique.
Ecologist Mr Ralf Kalwa told Lowvelder that, “Even if every single animal from Marloth Park be removed today, it would take five years for the bush to recover. We are facing a very serious situation here.”
The chief honorary ranger of Marloth Park, Mr John Webber, has taken photographs of the grazing at his house in Marloth Park a year ago and currently.
“There is nothing left,” Webber added.
Residents told Lowvelder that they objected to last year’s culling, because they claimed that the wrong animals were going to be taken out of the park like kudu and giraffe, rather than the animals that need culling like impala and warthog.
According to Webber at least four impala have died of starvation, but there might be more.
The longer the game capture takes, the more dire the situation becomes.
