Module 1 Question 8

Research a representative each of 1) ordinary game; 2) protected game and 3) specially protected game, in terms of which interests should be protected before issuing a permit, e.g. economic and cultural importance

Each province have a different approach to conservation & the status of animals, grouping every animal into different categories: Protected wild animals, protected game, ordinary game & specially protected game. Only Cape Nature conservation Ordinance lists its animals as endangered wild animals & protected wild animals. Some of these lists have to be updated because most of the animals on these lists doesn’t have the same status currently then in the past years. List from the Limpopo & Eastern Cape provinces are more up to date & can reflect the current status of their animals better.

The definition of “problem animal” differs from each province & only 8 of the provinces include the category of “problem animals” or “problem species”.

Allow hunting of problem animals	Problem animals to be hunted/ poisoned.
Mpumalanga	Mpumalanga
Northern cape	Northern cape
Western cape	Western cape
Eastern cape	Eastern cape
Gauteng

The poor management of this system is the reason why the nation struggles with the overall control species population in SA. The overall conservation status & species population in South Africa is not very clear or accurate this is what causes the confusion & the illegal poaching of endangered an overall threatened species. The situation may soon change & be resolved since it states in Section 2 of the Biodiversity ACT that the minster of each province may publish a list of Threatened or protected species. DEAT (Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism) is currently compiling information on these lists from all the provinces, which will be published through the republic, providing the conservation status of all the animals in every province. This will give a much clearer picture of the conservation status of animals in SA.

Animals called “GAME ANIMALS”			Animals called “WILD ANIMALS”
ORDINARY	PROTECTED	SPECIALLY PROTECTED	PROBLEM	NOT PROTECTED	PROTECTED
Kudu	Roan	Elephant	Baboon	Warthog	Lion
Impala	Sable	Rhino	Bush pig	Porcupine	Leopard
Game birds	Giraffe		Jackal	Hyrax	Buffalo
Springbok	Most birds		Vervet monkey	Meerkat	Cheetah

What is the Red List?

The Red List was compiled to give all stakeholders, both private and governmental, a clear picture of the urgency and scale of global conservation problems. The publication will serve as a source of motivation for the global community to counteract actively the vast and unsustainable rate of species extinction occurring currently.

The IUCN 2000 Red List edition is a comprehensive inventory of the conservation status of plant and animals species on a global scale. This list is compiled according to strict scientific principles and as such is recognised as the most authoritative guide on the status of biological diversity on the planet.

The accuracy of the list is assured through an ongoing process to establish Red List Authorities for all the taxonomic groups included in the Red List. Birdlife International, for example, has been designated as the Red List Authority for birds and will liaise with bird specialist groups and Wetlands International where necessary.

Additionally taxonomic standards will be available by 2003, which will bring greater credibility and transparency to listings and allow better analyses of findings. Provision has also been made for formal challenges to the categories in which species at risk are placed, but a challenge is disallowed if it is made for political or economic reasons.

Evaluation procedures for Red Data Species follow set criteria that determine the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies that populate this planet. It is produced by the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), which is a network of some 7 000 species experts working in nearly every country on the globe.

To be relevant, these criteria have to accommodate all the different aspects of species and habitat that occur in all the regions of the world. There are eight categories in the IUCN Red List system, which are:

1. Extinct

2. Extinct in the Wild

3. Critically Endangered

4. Endangered

5. Vulnerable

6. Lower Risk

7. Data Deficient

8. Not Endangered.

· Categories 1 to 5 are determined through a set of five quantitative criteria based on biological factors related to extinction risk:

· Rate of decline

· Population size

· Area of geographic distribution Degree of population distribution Degree of population fragmentation.

· Each species listed under one of these criteria must be re-evaluated once every ten years.

Endangered mammal species in South Africa

These species include three categories: Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable. (In each case, "Endemic" means Endemic to South Africa.)

Critically Endangered

Black rhinoceros	(Diceros bicornis)
Juliana's golden mole	(Amblysomus julianae) (Endemic)
Van Zyl's golden mole	(Cryptochloris zyli) (Endemic)
Visagie's Golden Mole	(Cryptochloris visagiei) (Endemic)

Endangered

African elephant	(Loxodonta africana)
Giant golden mole	(Chrysospalax trevelyani) (Endemic)
Mountain zebra	(Equus zebra)
Riverine rabbit	(Bunolagus monticularis) (Endemic)
Rock mouse species	(Petromyscus barbouri) (Endemic)
Wild dog	(Lycaon pictus)

Vulnerable

African bush squirrel species	(Paraxerus palliatus)
African dormouse species	(Graphiurus ocularis) (Endemic)
Big-eared free-tailed bat	(Otomops martiensseni)
Cheetah	(Acinonyx jubatus)
De Winton's golden mole	(Cryptochloris wintoni) (Endemic)
Duthie's golden mole	(Clorotalpa duthiae) (Endemic)
Free-tailed bat species	(Mormopterus acetabulosus)
Grant's golden mole	(Eremitalpa granti)
Gunning's golden mole	(Amblysomus gunningi) (Endemic)
Horseshoe bat species	(Rhinolophus capensis)
Lion	(Panthera leo)
Little brown bat species	(Myotis leseuri) (Endemic)
Little brown bat species	(Myotis seabrai)
Long-eared elephant shrew	(Elephantulus edwardii) (Endemic)
Long-eared elephant shrew	(Elephantulus rupestris) (Endemic)
Long-tailed forest shrew	Myosorex longicaudatus) (Endemic)
Mouse shrew species	(Myosorex sclateri) (Endemic)
Mouse shrew species	(Myosorex tenuis)
Rough-haired golden mole	(Chrysospalax villosus) (Endemic)
Sclater's golden mole	(Chlorotalpa sclateri)
Short-eared elephant shrew	Macroscelides proboscideus)
Springhare	(Pedetes capensis)
White-tailed rat	(Mystrimys albicaudatus)
White-toothed shrew species	(Crocidura flavescens)

“Game” animals in South Africa

Ordinary game

§ Ordinary game has a very big role in South Africa. They are the most common game in the country and the numbers are the largest. They mostly come in herds or flocks so this means that they are not scarce to see. They are the animals that tourists mostly see on vacation when visiting a game farm or Park, like the Kudu, Impala or Springbok, without these game animals the bush would be empty. They are ordinary game because they are common & most wildlife keepers breed with them because there population grows very fast, there for they are known as “game animals”. These are also the animals most likely to be hunted & it is easy to get hunting permits for them. Some animals like the kudu have significant cultural importance to some cultures in Africa. Some cultures are known to use the spiral horns to make music from or to communicate with each other from long distances. This means that the Kudu plays a role in the culture of some tribes in Africa.

§ Different types of permits need different requirements to be obtained. For ordinary game all you would need is enough space and grazing and browsing potential to maintain the animal in his natural habitat. Because Ordinary game is mostly herbivores you don’t need a huge amount of meat for it to prey on if it was a carnivore.

Threatened or protected “game” (TOPS).

§ To be in possession of these animals you need TOPS permits because their numbers are very low or have drastically dropped.

§ Animals like the Roan antelope, Sable or Giraffe are listed as threatened species & therefore needs to be protected by law from over hunting & poaching too keep the numbers from dropping even lower, where the specie will then become specially protected.

§ These “game” animals are very high in demand when it comes to breeding with them to sell to other breeders or selling them to trophy hunters this is why they are known as “game” animals.

§ There are sub categories in which species are placed to know their status:



§ Vulnerable

§ Threatened

§ Endangered

§ Critically endangered

Ø

Threatened species.

· A permit must be refused for the translocation of a threatened or protected species to an extensive wildlife system which is declared as a protected area and which falls outside the natural distribution range of such a species.

· A permit may be issued for the translocation of a threatened or protected species to an extensive wildlife system which is not declared as a protected area and which falls outside the natural distribution range of such a species.

· A permit must be refused for the translocation of a threatened or protected species to an extensive wildlife system if there is a risk of spreading a disease or a risk of hybridization with other species on that extensive wildlife system.

Example: Where blue wildebeest already occur on an extensive wildlife system, and the intention is to introduce black wildebeest on the same extensive wildlife system, a permit for the translocation of the black wildebeest to the extensive wildlife system must be refused.

Specially protected game:

« Animals like the Rhino & elephant are specially protected game because they are animals which are very highly sort after for their ivory or body parts. Very few of these species are left in the wild & are no a day’s only kept as “game” on Game farms & Parks.

« This creates a big problem when it comes to keeping the population of the specie balanced.

« The black market pays large amount of money for these animals ivory & the people involved in this business will kill as many animals as it takes to fill up the hole in the market.

« Nature conservation has struggled for years to control this, but it has been futile… The black Rhino has been declared as endangered & the numbers are still declining daily!

« To own a rhino is a very big risk because of the obsessive poaching, you need a TOPS permit to be an owner of this specie.

« Transport, Import & exporting permits for ivory in SA are also very strict, only a certain amount of ivory can be exported out of the country yearly, although huge amounts are smuggled over the border each year unnoticed!

“Wild” animals in South Africa.

Problem animals.

¶ These animals are categorized as “Problems” because there is an overpopulation of them in the wild. No one breeds with or cells these animals because they are not “rare” & they are not highly sort after.

¶ They cause problems for people, the Vervet monkey & Baboon is seen as pests in rural areas, simply because there are too many of them & people are moving into & taking over their natural habitat. They get tame, go into people’s homes, trash the place & they are dangerous to people. Most Jackal species are also a pest. Mostly the “Black Backed Jackal” is over populating Game farms simply because there is no more competition from top predators & they pry on Farmer’s small live stock.

¶ You need no special permits for these animals because they roam freely where ever their habitat stretches & these for there are no control as to where they go.

Not Protected “Wild” animals.

v These animals Like the Warthog, Porcupine, Hyrax & Meercat are seen as: No threat to people, not scarce in the wild & not sort after for breeding or trophies.

v We like to see these animals as “in the middle animals”. They have no significant pros or cons for humans. They just play their roll in the eco system daily.

v You need no special permits for these animals because they roam freely between farm borders; there is no control over them.

v Although some cultures use their body parts for mooty, like the porcupine’s quills and guard hairs are used for traditional decorative clothing. For example, their guard hairs are used in the creation of the Native American "porky roach" headdress; the specie does have a big loss in population numbers.

Protected “Wild” animals.

Ø These are animals like the: Lion, Leopard, Buffalo & Cheetah.

Ø When you are in possession of Lion, buffalo or Cheetah in a park with borders stretching over a big area & the animals are enclosed inside or you are breeding with any of them you need TOPS permits as well as Breeding permits.

Ø In The case of a Leopard which can escape from a large area, simply because it can climb borders or trees you need not have a TOPS permit. A Leopard roams freely over borders when it is not in strict confinement, however when owning a Leopard & breeding with it in a confined area, without it escaping you need to own a TOPS permit & breeding permit.

Ø These species are considered as Protected because of their sort after trophies by hunters & because of the slow reproducing rate in the wild. There for some of the species has to be confined & bred with to help the reproducing speed up.

Ø Nature conservation efforts are helping species like the Cheetah & Leopard by establishing various facilities like breeding farms to breed with & re-introduce captive bred animals into the wid.

Ø Some facilities are also dedicated to do research on them to help the conservation of the specific species.

Permits	Maximum period of validity
Ordinary permits	12 months
Standing permits: · provincial & national departments and protected areas	48 months
Standing permits: § registered captive breeding operation; § registered commercial exhibition facility; § registered game farm; § registered nursery; § registered veterinarian; § registered sanctuary; § registered rehabilitation facility; § registered scientific institution; § registered wildlife trader	36 months
· Possession permits	50 years
· Game farm hunting permits · Nursery possession permits · Personal effects permits	12 months

TOPS Species

PROTECTED GAME

REPTILES AND MAMMALS

bullfrog	Pyxicephalus adspersus
hedgehog	Erinaceus frontalis
samango monkey	Cercopithecus albogularis
bush baby	Galago crassicaudatus
night ape	Galago senegalensis
pangolin	Manis temminckii
aardwolf	Proteles cristatus
brown hyaena	Hyaena brunnea
antbear	Orycteropus afer
mountain zebra	Equus zebra zebra
Hartmann's zebra	Equus zebra hartmannae
hippopotamus	Hippopotamus amphibius
giraffe	Giraffa camelopardalis
nyala	Tragelaphus angasi
eland	Taurotragus oryx
red duiker	Cephalophus natalensis
blue duiker	Cephalophus monticola
reedbuck	Redunca arundinum
mountain reedbuck	Redunca fulvorufula
waterbuck	Kobus ellipsiprymnus
sable antelope	Hippotragus niger
roan antelope	Hippotragus equinus
gemsbok	Oryx gazella Connochaetes gnou
red hartebeest	Alcelaphus buselaphus
bontebok	Damaliscus dorcas dorcas
tsessebe	Damaliscus lunatus
klipspringer	Oreotragus oreotragus
oribi	Ourebia ourebi
steenbok	Raphicerus campestris
Sharpe's grysbok	Raphicerus sharpei
suni	Neotragus moschatus
grey rhebuck	Pelea capreolus

· all species of reptiles excluding the water all species of the Class Reptilia excluding leguan, rock leguan and all species of Varanus niloticus, Varanus Albigularis

· all snakes species of the Sub Order Serpentes

SPECIALLY PROTECTED GAME

· elephant Laxodonta africana

· all species of rhinoceros all species of the Family Rhinocerotidae

ORDINARY GAME (Birds)

spur-winged goose	Plectropterus gambensis
Egyptian goose	Alopochen aegyptiacus
yellow-billed duck	Anas undulata
red-billed teal	Anas erythrorhyncha
coqui partridge	Francolinus coqui
crested partridge	Francolinus sephaena
greywing partridge	Francolinus africanus
Shelley's partridge	Franconlinus shelleyi
redwing partridge	Francolinus levaillantii
Orange River partridge	Francolinus levaillantoides
red-billed francolin	Francolinus adspersus
Natal francolin	Francolinus natalensis

PROTECTED WILD ANIMALS

wild dog	Lycaon pictus
cheetah	Acinonyx jubatus
leopard	Panthera pardus
lion	Panther leo
African Buffalo	Syncerus caffer