There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
It is with a very heavy heart that I report to you the demise of the Sand River Pride.
Towards the end of last week we were notified that the Sand River Pride had broken out of the Reserve and were out in the Community Area adjacent to the Reserve. The information we were given was they had crossed out at a section of fence that had been washed away by the recent heavy rains. Immediately we had a sense of déjà vu, and remember clearly the shooting of seven member of the Sand River Pride three years ago having also broken out of the Reserve under very similar circumstances.
The law states quite clearly that if animals leave the protection of the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, they then become the responsibility and jurisdiction of the Mpumalanga Park Board, who are the local Provincial Authority for the adjacent areas of the Reserve.
We fully understand that the protection of the Local Community is our utmost priority and ensuring their safety has to and will always come first, however I do not believe that these Lions were posing a direct threat, a broken fence and the smell of domestic live stock was just too much for them. In the past we have always been given a chance to intervene and utilize all resources available to us, to get the Pride back into the Reserve, and in the rare occasions that the Pride has broken out, there has never been a threat to human beings, albeit the occasional livestock has been taken, for which we have always paid substantial compensation. I am saddened to report to you that no such chance was given on this occasion, and in the same communication we received that the Lions had broken out of the Reserve, we were also informed that the entire Pride, the two adult females and their 5 sub adult offspring had been shot.
The news of this tragic event not only infuriated us beyond belief, it has left us saddened to the point of despair, as I for one, have had the privilege and joy, as have so many of you, to witness this beautiful Pride for so many years.
There is not too much more I can write, for once words have escaped me, and I have been left with a hollow feeling, as we all have, as I am sure we could have intervened and brought them home, at least we should have been given the chance to try.
We are conducting a full investigation at present, we need to ensure that something like this never happens again, but for the Sand River Pride it has become a situation of “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted”. In a heart beat we have lost an entire gene pool of a Pride that should right now, be roaming the bush along the banks of the Sand River.
Yes we have other Prides of Lions that frequent our Traversing area, but that is not the point, it is a case of not who’s right, but what’s right.
I leave you with some memories of the good times we have spent out in the bush with the “Late” Sand River Females and their offspring.
Regards from a very sad Leopard Hills Team
Willem Botha
There were not 5 young males but 2 males and 3 females. It was not 2009 but 2008. If the authorities did not shoot them, the Mapogos would have killed them. That is why the females fled out of the reserve in the first place. Mr. T was by far the biggest killer of the mapogo offspring. Thats the way of the wild. Unfortunately they lived in a controlled environment where humans had to exercise control. Yes they did take over the Sabi Sand but howmany people know that the two dominant males were poached just before they moved in. Probably why the stayed there so long before moving north east.
Duncan Rodgers
Hi Phil, there are a number of factors that culminated in the Sand River Pride being pushed to the the Western Boundary of the Reserve, primarily the coalition of the Mapogo Males. Although they sired the youngsters, the fact that they are all males has caused a certain amount of aggression from the Big Males towards them. Although they were too young yet to pose a threat to the Mapogo’s, it was eventually going to end in conflict. However, having said this, it does not take away the fact that they did break out of the Reserve and met an untimely demise. We are conducting a full investigation as to the standard and state of the fence, it looks like the area they broke out had been washed away by a flash flood in the area where the Sand River enters the Reserve. We will keep everyone posted on developments, but needless to say we are all devastated by these events.
Who's lying here? Botha says that the off-springs were 2 males and 3 females. Duncan says that all 5 were males.
I know this photo has been posted at least once, but it's very useful in this context. It seems to me that the 4 subadults are males.
*This image is copyright of its original author
gijima males are also killed in the same way. their are some problem in those fools heads. why killing is a only option. they can move them in some other reserve. but botha said he is helpless and under pressure by local population. he can resigned if he really care about those creatures not taking smiling pics with their dead carcasses .