SomkhandaCommunityGameReservewelcomesanewherdofElephant

SomkhandaCommunityGameReserve,ownedbytheEmvokweniCommunityTrust(ECT)andco-managedwiththeWildlandsConservationTrust,hasachievedanothermajormilestone.Establishedin2005andformerlydeclaredaprotectedareain2011,Somkhandawelcomedaherdof11elephantsthisweek.TheelephantsweredonatedbyNambitiGameReserve,anotherKZNcommunityownedgamereserve.Thisisthefirsttimethat2ruralcommunitieshaveworkedtogethertoextendelephantrange.

WildlandsandtheECTworkedwiththeElephantRhinoandPeopleProject(ERP)overthepastyeartoidentifyasuitableherdforSomkhanda.Theirsupporthasbeenphenomenal.ERP,fundedbyGroupElephant.com,activelyidentifyelephantherdsthatareunderthreatandfindthemnewhomes.TheyhaveinvestedoverR250000inthecaptureandtranslocationofthisherdtoSomkhanda.

TheintroductionoftheelephantswillunderwritethefinancialandecologicalsustainabilityofSomkhanda.ItrepresentsakeysteptowardsestablishingthereserveasaBig5reserve,essentialfromaneco-tourisminvestmentanddevelopmentperspective,whilstre-establishingtheecologicalprocessesthataresoimportantinsavannahsystems,allowingthemtobehealthyandfunctionalsystems.

Undersuitableconditions,elephantcanbreedveryrapidly,withpopulationsinfencedreservesoftenbecominglargerthanisecologicallysustainable.SuchwasthecaseatNambiti,whorecognisedtheneedtoreducetheirpopulationsize.ThisbecameanopportunityforWildlandsandERPtoassistinthetranslocationofasmallherdfromNambititoSomkhanda.

TheprocessofobtainingtheelephanthasbeenonethathasbeencarefullyconsideredandplannedbytheEmvokweniCommunityTrust,theWildlandsteamanditspartners,ensuringthatallnecessaryinfrastructureandapprovalswereinplace.WildlandshasworkedcloselywithEzemveloKZNWildlifetofinalisetheSomkhandaElephantManagementPlan,secureanAdequateEnclosureCertificateandsecurethepermitsforthecaptureandrelocation.Whenintroducingelephants,itisimportanttointroduceanentirebreedingherd,astheyhaveaverystrongsocialandfamilystructure,thatneedstobemaintainedatalltimes.ElephantManagementPlanshadtobedraftedandapprovedbyEzemveloKZNWildlifeforbothproperties,toallowthetranslocationtohappen.ConservationSolutions,recognisedgloballyfortheirexpertiseinelephantcaptureandtranslocation,werecontractedtomanagethecaptureandrelocationprocess.Theyhavejustcompletedtherelocationof300elephantinMalawi,partofglobalmovementaimedatfindingAfrica’selephantsafespace,giventhepressureontheirrangeandthedemandfortheirivory.

“TheintroductionoftheseelephantrepresentsakeymilestonefortheEmvokweniCommunityTrust,underwritingtheirabilitytoharnessandbenefitfromSouthAfrica’sflourishingwildlifeandeco-tourismeconomies,”commentedWildlands’CEODrAndrewVenter.“Fromapersonalperspective,thecaptureandintroductionprocesshasbeenoneofthemosthumblingandemotionalexperiencesofmylife.Africa’selephantsareunderthreat,withover100beingpoachedeveryday.Acrossthecontinent,communitiesandconservationorganisationsarefightingtostopthispoachingandsavethisiconicspeciesfromextinction.TheSomkhandaintroductionrepresentsasmall,butincrediblyimportantstepinthisfight.Thisprocessisdangerousforboththeelephantsandtheincrediblybraveanddedicated

captureteamalike.Wearealldeeplyrelievedthattheherdhavesettledwellandlookforwardtoseeingthemflourishintheirnewsafehaven.”

“WeatNambitiareverypositiveaboutthemoveofsomeofourelephanttoSomkhandaandtheirfuturethere,”saidClarkeSmithofNambiti.

“ERParethrilledtohavebeenabletopartnerwiththeEmvokweniCommunityTrustandWildlandsConservationTrust,insecuringthelivesofthe11Elephant,”saidDereckMilburn,DirectoratERP.“WewishSomkhandaGameReservetheverybestforthefutureandwelookforwardtovisitingtheelephantsatthereserveandpartneringwithWildlandsinfutureprojects.”

“AbigthankyoutoERP,Different.organdNambitiPrivateGameReservefortheirsupportinenablingthisproject.ThankstotheGumbiCommunityforsupportingtheintroductionoftheelephantandacknowledgingthisasakeydevelopmentfortheirgamereserve,”concludedDrVenter.

/ends/

Formoreinformationvisitwww.wildlands.co.zaoremailLaurenvn@wildlands.co.za