African Wildlife & Environment Issue 79

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

components who cannot represent themselves in this mixed-up human world we live in. The SGR is objecting to the mining claims and have engaged Bokamoso Landscape Architects & Environmental Consultants CC to represent the reserve as well as getting the inputs from various other specialists. Back at the Gravelotte meeting, it was interesting to note that, apart from the SGR landowners, there were also stakeholders present from adjoining farms and other existing mining company representatives, but nobody from the Gravelotte community or other representatives from surrounding rural communities were present. My personal opinion was that it was purely a 'tick box' exercise and very little preparation was done by the Tiara Mining environmental consultant team.The irony is that the mitigation suggested to deal with the wildlife, is to keep them in fenced camps while the mining takes place! Try containing more than a hundred elephants, wild lions, both Black and White Rhino and the like in camps! This is a wilderness area not a zoo! In the list of wildlife they referred to in their draft EIA, neither White- nor Black Rhino are

for a period of time in order to experience the conservation programs offered by the reserve, and who are then considered to be ambassadors for Selati and for the conservation work being carried out in South Africa. There are also dedicated counter-poaching teams that are placed strategically across the reserve that ensure the safety and integrity of the area. Selati hosts the company Eco-Training on the reserve which is the pre-eminent training school for field guides in South Africa. They provide training toward the various FGASA levels that are required as a qualification for guides in South Africa. There are many other relationships we have with local and international NGOs and Universities with very important long-term partnerships forged. The Selati Game Reserve has also registered a Non-Profit Company (NPC) and Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), the Selati Wilderness Foundation ( www.selatiwf. org ), through which we do a substantial amount of fundraising for our conservation and outreach work. As custodians of this incredible reserve, we have a huge responsibility to the abiotic and biotic

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