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HOEDSPRUIT (Kruger Times)- For the last 23 years Johannes Hamman and Salmon Mohlabine have been growing and nurturing 19 Encephelartos transvernosis cycads, in Johannes’ nursery and later in an open garden. Four years ago, Johannes moved these plants from his farm to a smallholding in Kampersrus, a village at the foothills of the Mariepskop Mountains.

On Monday morning, March 23, at 03h00, Salmon was woken up by the noise that nine men, three white and six black, were making as they hacked off the cycads’ leaves before they removed the plants. They had cut the fence and were loading the trees on a white bakkie, that seemed to be a one-ton bakkie.

"The moon was up and although Salmon could see the men clearly he could not alert anyone as he had no cell phone and was afraid they might shoot him or his wife if he disturbed them", says Johannes.

According to Johannes, the Department of Nature Conservation suspects the cycads are taken to a place on Mariepskop Mountain from where a buyer takes lots to Gauteng. It is believed the 19 E. transvernosis have already changed hands.

"It seems reasonable to assume the Lowveld and Gauteng groups work together. The local group allegedly 'employ' jobless people to do once-off removal jobs in areas where they do not reside. For instance, the thieves may get unemployed people from the Tzaneen area to remove cycads in the Klaserie area, and at night, and in this way, cover their tracks", says Johannes.

He appeals to anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious on the night or in the week before to contact himself on 015 7955562 or Bert Howard, Limpopo Department of Nature Conservation, on 015 793 2471.

by Lynette Strauss, Kruger Times

Labels: hoedspruit, mariepskop

HOEDSPRUIT (Kruger Times)- After being largely ignored for many years by conservation organisations, the Taita Falcon has now become an increasingly important priority in raptor conservation circles. This small, specialised bird of prey is known to occur in only one place in South Africa– the Mariepskop escarpment in Mpumalanga/Limpopo.

The increasing awareness of this small bird in conservation circles has been in part triggered by the removal last December of a young bird from its parents in one of the three confirmed nesting areas in the escarpment. The bird subsequently died.

Following this event, a workshop was held at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at the end of January, bringing together representatives from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), Limpopo department of environmental affairs, BirdLife South Africa, various bird of prey breeders, a Taita falcon expert formerly from Zimbabwe, and various other local birding experts, including Dave Rushworth, who initially discovered the birds in the escarpment.

With less than 50 nest sites known worldwide, most of which are in the Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe, the bird merits stricter conservation measures. There are three confirmed nest sites in South Africa, and four or five more potential sites.

Andre Botha from the EWT’s bird of prey working group has said that he is surprised that the bird is not considered in South Africa’s Red Data Book on birds. Botha is positive about the results of the workshop. “Deadlines were set and tasks were allocated, and the deadlines have been met.”

Funding is now being sought to initially survey the population in the escarpment and to closely monitor the existing nest sites. Rumours of the birds being present in the Soutpansberg will also be followed up on if funding becomes available. Once more is known about the current situation, a population Habitat and Viability Assessment is planned to help focus conservation efforts.

The bird is scarce over its entire population distribution, but is being increasingly threatened in its stronghold in Zimbabwe by human actions – microlight and helicopter flights have disturbed its prime nesting sites in the Zambezi valley, the use of pesticides are thought to have reduced the population, along with illegal collection and trade of live birds and eggs.

Among the outcomes of the workshop is the development of a protocol on captive breeding, which environmental affairs will use to source organisations willing to start a captive breeding program, based on two birds currently in captivity. This will help ensure that the species remains in existence in South Africa while details of conservation plans are being ironed out.

The legislation to prevent the problem of nest robbing will also be worked on so that it can be successfully applied. Any studies undertaken will be the first to be performed in over 15 years, and the first to specialise in the Taita.

by Melissa Wray, Kruger Times

Labels: mariepskop, taita falcon

GRASKOP (Kruger Times)- Four young men have spent the past year honing their skills as mountain guides and will soon be introducing visitors to the magic of Mariepskop Mountain near Graskop in Mpumalanga.

The guides have also changed the name of their outfit from Mapulaneng Tour Guides to Mariepskop Mountain Adventure Guides.

"A year ago we knew almost nothing," says Thabelo Sekome, one of the guides.

They had just completed the basic introductory courses to tour guiding and, although they were eager to start their business, were novices in the trade.

He and his partners - Lengoloi Seoke, Hlogelo Soke and Michael Dolebo- would test each other repeatedly in the bush.

The authors of "Trees and Shrubs of Mpumalanga and the Kruger National Park", Mervyn Lotter and Warren McLeland, had donated the book to the group after being approached by Sophie Greatwood, Africa programme director for Global Vision International (GVI).

GVI organises conservation expeditions, volunteer work, training courses and national park internships around the world.

The GVI, the department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and the Integrated Nature-based Tourism and Conservation Management (Intac) project, helped train the group.

Intac forms part of the Tourism, Hospitality and Sports Sectoral Education and Training Authority (Theta) and aims to provide 6,500 people with skills to work in transfrontier conservation areas, biospheres, national parks and along tourism routes over the next three years.

Seoke's passion is palpable as he jumps from one rare, endangered, small or tall species to another.

He tells you there are 900 species of Psychotria in the world, 200 in Africa and only two of these are found in South Africa- both are found on Mariepskop Mountain.

They are Psychotria capensis (Black bird-berry) and Psychotria zombamontana, (Red bird-berry).

He says Mariepskop has everything the Cape has to offer, except for the sea.

He learnt the classification of plants and the special skill of explaining it to visitors from fellow-guide, Chris Scens, from Graskop.

"He showed us so many things, especially about fynbos and client relationships" says Sekome.

They are determined to provide a holistic guiding experience to their clients and have asked another expert, Dave Rushworth, for help with bird identification, the ecology and the history of the area.

"We have learned a lot from that old man" says Sekome.

Sekome, who has been a field officer in feasibility studies of the new Blyde National Park and other projects on the mountain, says the Mariepskop Mountain Guides plan to establish a small library for the adjacent communities.

This will be based at the DWAF offices on the mountain, from where the guides operate at present.

They believe local people need access to information about their environment, including recent reports about proposed developments that may affect them.

by Lynette Strauss, Kruger Times

Labels: mariepskop