2005/2006 - SANParks

2006South African National ParksThe annual Kirkwood auction was held on the 25th of June 2005.Above average prices were achieved for most of the game on sale atthe annual Kirkwood Auction. The highest price achieved for Buffalowas R130 000 per animal for a lot of six animals. The total amountreceived for SANParks game was R2 521 725.The fi rst three Lion cubs were born to one of the Lionesses in the parkand successfully reared, the fi rst since the release of Lions into the parkin 2003. One Spotted Hyena cub was confi rmed, while it is suspectedbut unconfi rmed that there is at least one other cub.The Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis bicornis) population in the park isdoing well. Three calves were born during the year. One bull was killedby the dominant bull in the Darlington section of the park. A Black Rhinobull from the KNP was released into a 400ha camp after a successfulrehabilitation program was followed. It successfully joined up with thetwo existing hand-reared Rhinos in this camp.The Working for Water programme in the AENP and the Woody Capesection employed 19 teams. A total of 190 people were employed.These teams all completed their initial training and were fully operationalin the Zuurberg and Woody Cape sections.The Coast Care Programme is well underway with 13648kg’s ofwaste collected off the Woody Cape beaches alone for this period.This project also completed the upgrading of the Alexandria HikingTrail’s overnight hut.A total of 73 Cape Fur Seal pups washed up onto the Woody Capebeaches over a one week period. This was ascribed to severe swells outat sea especially in the vicinity of the Bird Island group. All the animalswere taken to the Bayworld rehabilitation centre for treatment and werereleased around Bird Island in the vicinity of Black Rocks.PEOPLE AND CONSERVATIONA total of 9,586 learners and 1,244 adults from 208 schools/organisations visited the park for educational outings. The Imbewucamps, a partnership with the Wilderness Foundation – involved201 learners from local schools in 26 wilderness camps, held in twolocations in the park, one inland and one coastal.The 34-seater bus was utilised to transport a total of 2,318 learners fromlocal disadvantaged schools to the Park for environmental educationon game drives. Nineteen learners were hosted as part of Take a girlchild to work day, experiencing the wealth of career opportunities opento them in national parks. Arbour Week, Coastal Cleanup Day, HeritageDay and National Marine Week were celebrated with local schools.Planning for an Interpretive Centre in the park commenced.SMME development was pursued as part of the World Bank andPoverty Relief projects. Some 48 SMMEs from the neighbouringcommunities are registered on the database, with 40 of these beingformal SMMEs. In total, 166 previously unemployed people areemployed in this programme and R4 565 967-20 has been awardedto these SMMEs to date.The Mayibuye Ndlovu Development programme was successfullytransformed into a fully-fl edged legal entity known as Mayibuye NdlovuDevelopment Trust and it held its fi rst formal meetings. The Trust wasapproached by certain concessionaires for partnerships, as well asenjoying a successful partnership with SANParks.The Resettlement Action Plan was rolled out and the ResettlementWorking Group met regularly to monitor progress. The ResettlementDatabase was verifi ed in terms of employment and housing for affectedfarm workers.Thetha learnerships involved six unemployed and fi ve employed peoplein the Conservation, Hospitality Reception and Tour Guiding fi elds. Oneof the unemployed members was employed by the park, while a furthertwo found employment with the Eyethu hop-on guides. A graduate wasenrolled in an internship in the environmental education fi eld.TOURISMVisitor numbers in Addo increased by 1.0%, while revenue from theconservation levy increased by 9.5%. The increase in conservationlevy is a lot lower than the previous year and can be attributed to anincrease in Wild Card sales.PUBLIC RELATIONSA highlight for the AENP was the launch of Camp Matyholweni and theSANParks partnership agreement with the Mayibuye Ndlovu DevelopmentTrust by Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk in April 2005. The Ministeralso took this opportunity to announce the proclamation of Bird andSt. Croix Islands as part of the national protected areas.The park received excellent media coverage - in both print and broadcastmedia - during the year on events including elephant translocation, theadvent of lion cubs, rehabilitation of Cape Fur Seals, developments inthe marine area of the park and the Addo Elephant Trail Runs. Episodesfor three tourism programmes were fi lmed in the park. Various freelancejournalists and media representatives visited the park.63