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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2008 During the last two months the prevailing
drought has been SanWild’s main priority. Since the inception of
the protected wildlife reserve it has been the worst year we
have ever experienced. The last time we received any rain was in
December 2007. Daytime temperatures at the moment can climb as
high as 38 degrees Celsius on some days and we are desperately
waiting for the rainy season that can start at the end of
October 2008 if we are lucky. It is a very difficult time for
man and animals alike. Although it is times like this that tests
ones courage and faith you do have choices to make. You can
either fall into a deep depression while animals physical
condition deteriorate and they eventually die or you can choose
to deal with the deteriorating natural disaster in a positive
manner.
This year we had no choice but to remain strong
and try and find solutions to help starving and dying animals.
However these are also the times when we rely mostly on your
support and the support of our regular donors. Without your help
SanWild could never deal with crisis situations and ensure the
welfare of our wild animals.
T over and we still need your donations and urgent financial support.
An appeal was put forward to raise funds to purchase game pellets to feed the starving animals at SanWild and keep them going until the 1st good rains. We are by no means out of danger yet, but at least we have with the help of some very special people, managed to buy time (and food) for the starving wild animals, mainly kudu and warthogs. A number of animals have already perished in the reserve. The news that food is being provided during the difficult times soon spread amongst the animals. A variety of species started turning up in large numbers including baboons, vervets, eland, zebra, blue wildebeest, impala, kudu and warthogs are present at the various feeding points every morning and afternoon. Occasionally even the herd of elephants and our 2 white rhinos join the every increasing number of wild animals awaiting our delivery vehicles and the large trucks from Unifruitti delivering tons of oranges.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank every one who contributed to our drought appeal but two companies need special recognition for their exceptional contributions. Opticom donated 500 bags of game pellets to feed the starving animals. This single donation was a huge boost to our drought appeal and has helped save a large number of animals already. Since the receiving the first truck load of pellets all the way from Kwa-Zulu Natal some of the animals physical condition have definitely improved. Thank you to Gail Brosnihan and her team.
The Société Protectrice des Animaux in France made a donation to purchase a further 250 bags of game pellets that will be delivered this week. Thanks to Caroline Lanty and her team. If you would to make a financial contribution to
help us to ensure that sufficient food is made available to the
SanWild animals until the first good rains, kindly please visit
www.afritrust.com to make on on-line donation.
WILDLIFE REHAB COURSE Our 3rd wildlife rehabilitation course was presented at SanWild at the end of August. 14 Individuals attended the course that covered all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. The course was presented by internationally recognised wildlife rehabilitator Karen Trendler. Practical work was done on carcasses of wild animals that unfortunately could not be saved after they were brought to SanWild and the Free Me wildlife rehabilitation centre in Johannesburg. Course participants also had the opportunity to get some practical experience by helping out at our rehab centre and attending specialised wildlife veterinary procedures. Some of the students impressed us so much with their enthusiasm that we have decided to invite them back to help out with volunteer duties and research studies.
Four more wildlife rehabilitation courses are planned for 2009. If you may be interested, please email volunteers@sanwild.org to have your name added to our mailing list. Course schedules and prices will be email to you as soon as they become available. BUSHFIRES SanWild was called out to help with a number of injured or dying wild animals that got caught up in recent bush fires that raged across a number of provinces. Sadly we could only respond to the calls closest to us, but we did put people who needed help far away in touch with the relevant animal welfare charities or veterinarians closest to them. The animals that could still be helped included mongoose, vervets, baboons, squirrels, hares, tortoises, rock monitors and some smaller antelope. Sadly a number of animals were beyond help and the only thing that could still be done for them was to end their suffering. We have decided to not publish the photographs taken during these call outs as most of them are terribly sad and could disturb sensitive readers. On a personal level, the most heartbreaking call out for us was that of a very badly burnt giraffe calf that fortunately died soon after being discovered at a waterhole. Her mother unfortunately did not die quickly; the unfortunate creature, totally blinded by the fire was only located hours later and had to be put down. She suffered terribly and we were thankful once the horrible task of destroying this beautiful creature was over. On the same farm a number of zebra, blue wildebeest and nyalas were also killed in the raging fire. ANIMAL UPDATES Tarzan and Zorro, two young warthogs rescued earlier this year when both of them collapsed as a result of the prevailing drought is doing extremely well and have been joined by another 4 young warthogs. All of them will be released back to the wild soon after the first good rains. Five kudu calves rescued from the drought are all doing well and have made a full recovery. They too will be released back to the wild early in 2009. Frankie, our white tailed mongoose has still not
left the rehab centre and seems to still be enjoying our
Above: Frankie - white tailed mongoose Below: Sagaria and Boytjie The black backed jackal collected in Polokwane after she had been run over by a large truck has made a full recovery and was released at SanWild.
Young Kudu Calves in sleeping pen.
IMPROVEMENTS We have just completed 4 new rehab units and are extremely proud of the new enclosures. Constructed with the animals’ welfare as the main concern we have tried to make them as attractive and as natural as possible for the animals. Thanks to Andre Grobler and his team for all their hard work. A large 1 hectare release enclosure was also constructed for the troop of vervet monkeys that have entered a rehabilitation program in which wild and hand raised vervets are put together to form a single troop that can be returned back to the wild. We hope and trust that the young hand raised animals will learn from the wild adults that will give them to opportunity to be returned to the wild. We will keep you posted on their progress. The project is being sponsored by the Humane Society International and the Marchig Trust in Scotland.
HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) VERVET MONKEY RELEASE PROJECT Our vervet monkey release project is going well. A number of vervets have already arrived at SanWild to be joined into a single troop that will be prepared for release back to the wild ASAP. The new arrivals include:
Andre Grobler and his team constructed a stunning large vervet release camp with funds donated by the Humane Society International in Australia. We would like to use this opportunity to thank Verna Simpson and her team without whose financial support this project would not have got off the ground at all. Thanks very much indeed. Thanks also to Andre and his team for their hard work. We would also like to thank the Marchig Trust in Scotland for their support of the feeding costs of the vervet monkeys during their rehabilitation program.
VETERINARY PROCEDURES We just received the wild captured troop from Pretoria when we discovered that the adult female was pregnant. On the very last day of the rehab course she went into labour during the late afternoon. The next morning we got extremely concerned as the baby had not been delivered yet and it was clear the mother was in pain and in extreme discomfort. We would see no further movement by the baby and expected the worst when we set off for an emergency operation at the Phalaborwa Animal Clinic 68km from SanWild to remove what we though at the time would be a dead baby.
On arrival at the clinic Dr. Gerrit Scheepers anesthetised the mother and to our absolute amazement slight movements from the unborn baby could still be observed. Within minutes an emergency C-section was performed and a healthy but very large baby vervet was delivered. She has since been named Nikita. Unfortunately mom was in bad nick and showed no interest in her baby. The neo-natal infant needed expert care and Karen Trendler turned back on route to Johannesburg to collect her to ensure her survival. She will be returned to SanWild and her troop in the near future and will be reunited with her mother when she will join them to be released back to the wild in a couple of months. NALA’S FAMILY: A hand raised nyala female called Nala returned to the rehab centre this year with her entire family in tow. Her small calf and a wild bull hesitantly followed her to where she grew up. Nala knew that while it was tough surviving in the wild as a result of the prevailing drought, at the rehab centre she will receive the help she needed to ensure the survival of her small calf. She remained at the fence of the holding enclosure where she was raised from a small calf. Eventually we decided to let her back in along with the calf and wild bull to where they could receive adequate supplement feeding to survive. Sadly the young calf ran into the fence almost 2 weeks after letting them back in and needed urgent surgery to repair a torn mouth. Dr. Gerrit Scheepers performed the operation and students on the rehab course had a great opportunity to observe the surgery at the rehab centre. The young calf was reunited with his mother soon after the operation and the stitches were removed successfully on the 16th September 2008. He made a full recovery.
Nala’s calf receiving surgery to repair bottom lip that had torn away from lower jaw.
SOME NEW ARRIVALS A number of animals have arrived at the rehab centre for hand raising, treatment or veterinary procedures and we would like to share photographs of some of them with you.
Impala ram rescued from poacher’s snare on a nearby farm. This young genet
arrived at the centre after a call out to a bush fire in
Tzaneen. Fortunately she only inhaled a lot of smoke and burnt
the bottom
During the
inhalation of smoke or very hot air animals can and do damage
their lungs – this internal injury is not easily diagnosed and
in many cases will lead to the animal’s untimely death. This
genet was extremely lucky! The banded mongoose was brought to SanWild quite a while ago. All attempts to integrate him with the existing breeding troops failed and a young female will now be removed from the existing groups and will be introduced to this young male. Sadly because he was hand raised and handled intensively, he simply does not know how to behave like a mongoose and therefore have been rejected by the other adult males and females. Joining him up with a young female is his only hope of learning how it works in a mongoose society.
Giraffe calf born in reserve This beautiful little giraffe calf was born at SanWild recently. She has been observed with her mother and some other wild giraffes on a number of occasions. Two more adult cows will give birth to their calves soon and when this happens it is highly likely that all the cows and calves will join up. This is going to make for some excellent photography opportunities. Seeing young giraffe calves playing together is a very special treat indeed.
5m long African Rock Python This African rocky python was collected almost 250km from SanWild after she was captured as a so-called problem animal and injured during the capture. Fortunately she could be treated and released into the reserve immediately. SanWild is home to a large number of African rock pythons, many of them measured between 3 – 5 meters in length. They are highly endangered and deserve all the protection they can get. Totally harmless as farm as poison goes, but equipped with a mean set of very sharp teeth. Pythons kill by means of strangulation.
LARGE PREDATOR RELEASE PROJECT The project to release some of our wild dogs and 3 rescued cheetahs is going well, although not as fast as we had hoped. Due to some setbacks we have had to move the release dates of the wild dog and cheetah. We are confident to still be able to release the wild dogs before the end of 2008. The cheetahs release will be moved forward to early in 2009. A full management plan and release protocol has been prepared and handed to the conservation authorities by Dr. Buks Henning, an ecologist contracted by SanWild. Dr. Henning also prepared SanWild’s management plan for the introduction of the Thukela elephants. Once the permits for the introduction of the wild dogs and cheetahs have been approved by the conservation departments, the 3 rescued cheetahs will be moved to SanWild in preparation for their release early in 2009. On the original SanWild property the fencing upgrades have just about been completed and with the aid and financial help of the Humane Society International in Australia it will be completed before the end of October 2008. A temporary holding camp and release boma will also be constructed for the 3 cheetahs during this period. Further funding appeals will be put forward to our regular donors and friends to secure the total amount still needed for the upgrades on the new land.
Wild dog pups awaiting their release to the wild
FBB LION SANCTUARY AT SANWILD SanWild’s lions received a substantial donation from the Foundation Brigitte Bardot in France this year for their monthly feeding. SanWild has therefore renamed our predator holding facility the FBB Lion Sanctuary at SanWild in recognition of their financial support. Thanks very much to this very special organisation. Your help and continued support is greatly appreciated. WILDLIFE PROTECTION UNITS Poaching in our
immediate area has gone mostly unchallenged and poachers have
increasingly become extremely arrogant and confident. SanWild’s
small group of anti-poaching rangers have done what they can to
prevent our animals being killed and we are proud of our most
recent achievements. Recent media reports and television programs have highlighted the increasing poaching of many game species and rhinos on private land in South Africa. As a result of the dwindling rhino numbers in Zimbabwe and the increasing trade in illegally obtained rhino horn in South Africa it was only a matter of time before the tide started turning against private land owners and wildlife sanctuaries.
To help both our
wild animals and local tribal communities, SanWild has embarked
on yet another ambitious project that will see both man and
animals benefit. His knowledge of
the bush exceeds that of many people, the quality of his
training, the method in which he presents is always of the
highest quality and he always manages to obtain the best of the
students.
This brought him in contact with Nature Conservation officers with whom he had to work closely in the Blue Duiker project in Durban and in anti-poaching activities in Duku-Duku, Hells gate and St Lucia areas. In 1997 he was transferred to 5 Special Forces Regiment, as Regiment Sergeant Major. Maddies was always a loyal and trusted RSM and he ran the Regiment well. Discipline and training was in top shape and his responsibilities towards nature conservation were treated as a high priority. Apart from the training areas at Schiettoct and Shiela training areas, he also had conservation and antipoaching responsibilities in the Madimbo corridor, where training was often done. Many a poacher (from both outside and inside the base areas) came horribly short with Maddies in attendance. He also coordinated the general game conservation and winter-feeding programmes.
At the end of 2000
he was transferred and promoted to Group 10 in Mmbatho as a
Group Sergeant Major where he served until his retirement from
the SANDF (South African National Defence Force). SanWild will setup
a formal employment agency for the trained rangers and secure
private employment contracts for them on completion of their 4
month training and deployment.
Recruitment takes place from 30 September until the 10th October 2008 and the 4 month training and implementation will commence on the 10th November 2008.
Successful recruits will need to sign an employment contract with SanWild for a period of 12 months. After the initial volunteering period of 12 months, you may apply for a permanent placement in the wildlife protection units. There are a limited number of opportunities available to international recruits (volunteers) so please hurry and email us for more details ASAP. ASSISTANCE IN THE REST OF AFRICA From time to time SanWild does receive telephone calls or emails requesting advice and assistance with wild animals that have become injured or orphaned somewhere in Africa. This month we would like to introduce you to 3 such animals that are all doing well.
SANWILD WISH LIST As a non-profit registered animal welfare trust we are totally reliant on donor funding to do our work. In South Africa we receive no government support and most of our donations are received from international donors. However there are certain items we need urgently and we would be delighted to receive donations of the items on our wish list.
If you can help with any of the above, kindly please email us ASAP at louise@sanwild.org BUSH BUDDY SPECIAL Sadly this year it has been particularly bad for animals in the 6000 hectare SanWild Wildlife reserve as a result of the prolonged drought. Despite numerous donations we still urgently needs to raise funds to continue to purchase food to keep the animals going until the first rains will hopefully fall at the end of October or early November this year. The last time SanWild had any rain was in December 2007 and conditions are pretty tough for the animals. We have been putting out supplement feeding to minimise the animals struggle to survive. You too can now join the SanWild team to make a real difference and help save animals’ lives by booking your stay with SanWild to experience this unique animal welfare project first hand.
Named after a
rescued leopard that is regularly spotted at the waterhole just
below the camp, the Savannah Camp offers stylish accommodation
in private chalets under thatch each with its own bathroom. A
resident chef (she is a human) prepares all your meals while you
can relax on the veranda viewing animals that visit the
waterhole. To view the camp, please visit our website at
www.sanwild.org Main Page Savannah
Bush Camp. Do take advantage of the special discounted Bush Buddy Special to book and pay your stay at SanWild before the end of September 2008. This special offer applies to all reservations make for the period September 2008 – September 2009. (Subject to availability) For more information please email reservations@sanwild.org or phone Lizel Kachelhoffer for more information on +27(21)9871493
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CONTACT DETAILS: Websites:
www.sanwild.org and
www.sanwild.com
Tel/Fax: +27 (0) 15-3187900/1
Mobile: +27 (0) 313103882 Non-profit registration number 011-266 Trust Registration number: IT 8147/00 PBO (Public Benefit Org) No 930013787
If you would like to support our work and would like to make a
donation,
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We
also need to thank Ignus Bruins and Unifruitti for their regular
delivery of oranges. Unifruitti is one of the major export
citrus growers in the Hoedspruit area about 80km from SanWild.
Had it not been for the generosity of this company many more
animals would have perished.
Boytjie,
the young white rhino received from the Pilansberg National Park
in December 2007after he was attacked by a pack of spotted
hyenas has also grown substantially. We have started weaning the
18 month old calf. Presently he shares his day with the hand
raised bush pig, Bushy, with whom he has become best of mates.
Initially when we put them together in the same enclosure they
were petrified of 
of
her feet. No permanent damage was done and miraculously she
survived. 
A
Bush Buddy Special has been launched in which you can make a
reservation in SanWild’s private bush camp for yourself and a
partner. You pay full price and your partner or a friend
receives a 50% discount on the total. Normal rates are set at
R1300.00 per person per day fully inclusive of accommodation,
meals, fruit juices, game drives, ranger trails and airport
collections and drop-offs. 
