SomkhandaCommunityGameReservewelcomesanewherdofElephant
SomkhandaCommunityGameReserve,ownedbytheEmvokweniCommunityTrust(ECT)andcomanagedwiththeWildlandsConservationTrust,hasachievedanothermajormilestone.Establishedin
2005andformerlydeclaredaprotectedareain2011,Somkhandawelcomedaherdof11elephantsthis
week.TheelephantsweredonatedbyNambitiGameReserve,anotherKZNcommunityownedgame
reserve.Thisisthefirsttimethat2ruralcommunitieshaveworkedtogethertoextendelephantrange.
WildlandsandtheECTworkedwiththeElephantRhinoandPeopleProject(ERP)overthepastyearto
identifyasuitableherdforSomkhanda.Theirsupporthasbeenphenomenal.ERP,fundedbyGroup
Elephant.com,activelyidentifyelephantherdsthatareunderthreatandfindthemnewhomes.They
haveinvestedoverR250000inthecaptureandtranslocationofthisherdtoSomkhanda.
Theintroductionoftheelephantswillunderwritethefinancialandecologicalsustainabilityof
Somkhanda.ItrepresentsakeysteptowardsestablishingthereserveasaBig5reserve,essentialfrom
aneco-tourisminvestmentanddevelopmentperspective,whilstre-establishingtheecologicalprocesses
thataresoimportantinsavannahsystems,allowingthemtobehealthyandfunctionalsystems.
Undersuitableconditions,elephantcanbreedveryrapidly,withpopulationsinfencedreservesoften
becominglargerthanisecologicallysustainable.SuchwasthecaseatNambiti,whorecognisedtheneed
toreducetheirpopulationsize.ThisbecameanopportunityforWildlandsandERPtoassistinthe
translocationofasmallherdfromNambititoSomkhanda.
Theprocessofobtainingtheelephanthasbeenonethathasbeencarefullyconsideredandplannedby
theEmvokweniCommunityTrust,theWildlandsteamanditspartners,ensuringthatallnecessary
infrastructureandapprovalswereinplace.WildlandshasworkedcloselywithEzemveloKZNWildlifeto
finalisetheSomkhandaElephantManagementPlan,secureanAdequateEnclosureCertificateand
securethepermitsforthecaptureandrelocation.Whenintroducingelephants,itisimportantto
introduceanentirebreedingherd,astheyhaveaverystrongsocialandfamilystructure,thatneedsto
bemaintainedatalltimes.ElephantManagementPlanshadtobedraftedandapprovedbyEzemvelo
KZNWildlifeforbothproperties,toallowthetranslocationtohappen.ConservationSolutions,
recognisedgloballyfortheirexpertiseinelephantcaptureandtranslocation,werecontractedto
managethecaptureandrelocationprocess.Theyhavejustcompletedtherelocationof300elephantin
Malawi,partofglobalmovementaimedatfindingAfrica’selephantsafespace,giventhepressureon
theirrangeandthedemandfortheirivory.
“TheintroductionoftheseelephantrepresentsakeymilestonefortheEmvokweniCommunityTrust,
underwritingtheirabilitytoharnessandbenefitfromSouthAfrica’sflourishingwildlifeandeco-tourism
economies,”commentedWildlands’CEODrAndrewVenter.“Fromapersonalperspective,thecapture
andintroductionprocesshasbeenoneofthemosthumblingandemotionalexperiencesofmylife.
Africa’selephantsareunderthreat,withover100beingpoachedeveryday.Acrossthecontinent,
communitiesandconservationorganisationsarefightingtostopthispoachingandsavethisiconic
speciesfromextinction.TheSomkhandaintroductionrepresentsasmall,butincrediblyimportantstep
inthisfight.Thisprocessisdangerousforboththeelephantsandtheincrediblybraveanddedicated
captureteamalike.Wearealldeeplyrelievedthattheherdhavesettledwellandlookforwardtoseeing
themflourishintheirnewsafehaven.”
“WeatNambitiareverypositiveaboutthemoveofsomeofourelephanttoSomkhandaandtheir
futurethere,”saidClarkeSmithofNambiti.
“ERParethrilledtohavebeenabletopartnerwiththeEmvokweniCommunityTrustandWildlands
ConservationTrust,insecuringthelivesofthe11Elephant,”saidDereckMilburn,DirectoratERP.“We
wishSomkhandaGameReservetheverybestforthefutureandwelookforwardtovisitingthe
elephantsatthereserveandpartneringwithWildlandsinfutureprojects.”
“AbigthankyoutoERP,Different.organdNambitiPrivateGameReservefortheirsupportinenabling
thisproject.ThankstotheGumbiCommunityforsupportingtheintroductionoftheelephantand
acknowledgingthisasakeydevelopmentfortheirgamereserve,”concludedDrVenter.
/ends/
Formoreinformationvisitwww.wildlands.co.zaoremailLaurenvn@wildlands.co.za