African Wildlife & Environment Issue 85

& ENVIRONMENT

ISSUE 85 (2024)

MANAGING OUR PRECIOUS WATER RESOURCES

Northern Areas Region Combats QUEEN OFTHE NIGHT

The mixed fortunes of a VERY LARGE LION PRIDE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE WILDLIFE AND ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA

CONTENTS

The content below is hyperlinked to the article Just click and read

1 Editorial 2 Good Reads WESSA NEWS 13 From our CEO 15 WESSA appoints new Chairman

Moepel: a forager's dream fruit

16 Morgan Griffiths assumes membership portfolio 17 Northern Areas Region combats Queen of the Night FWF Newsletter 23 Ford Wildlife Foundation Newsletter 6 (2024) Conservation 27 Missing: South Africa's ability to manage its reservoir lakes Wildlife Chronicles 33 The mixed fortunes of a very large lion pride Fauna, Flora & Wildlife 37 Tree identification: #1 Overview 42 Moepel: a forager's dream fruit 45 Conserving carnivores on community land in Namibia Gardening for Biodiversity 49 Tecomaria's tremendous wildlife treats 54 2023 Awards by the Botanical Education Trust Birding 57 Violet-backed Starling Kids Corner 63 Rivers and streams

Tremendous Tecomaria

Violet-backed starling

Subscriptions / General 74 WESSA membership 75 Leaving a legacy 76 Region, area office, branch & centre contacts 77 Publication details

Become a WESSA member

Copyright © African Wildlife & Environment. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by and means, electronic or mechanical without the prior written permission of the publisher. African Wildlife & Environment retains the right to make alterations to any material submitted. The publisher, while exercising due care, cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to material submitted. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of WESSA. Copyright on all content belongs to WESSA and the individual contributors.

Cover photograph: John Wesson Oribi Gorge

EDITORIAL

This issue of your magazine contains many brilliant articles for your reading pleasure, and lots of colourful images of our wondrous biodiversity in plant and animal form. But to single out one article that should be taken very seriously, it is the one about our water storage reservoirs by Dr Bill Harding on page 25. Without water, life becomes difficult, intolerable or impossible, depending on the degree of water deprivation. And many parts of South Africa depend on electricity to move water to where it is needed. Where I live in Johannesburg, water has to be pumped up from the Vaal River basin to the high-lying ground of the Witwatersrand range. Indeed, this water is lifted higher than is the case in most parts of the world. So water and energy are intimately conjoined, and we know that South Africa’s electricity situation is precarious, because of the mismanagement of our state electricity producer, Eskom. A large proportion of our population depends on fresh water stored in ‘reservoir lakes’, and the viability of these vital resources depends on effective management by suitably trained and experienced people. Dr Harding writes: “South Africa lacks human resources skilled in reservoir limnology. The experienced few of us who are left remain disillusioned and can only despair at the mind-boggling recalcitrance to redress this lack of an essential skillset. The failure by the state to recognise and prioritise the environmental health of its man-made lakes has created the scenario in which no training or career opportunities exist for an urgently needed cohort of reservoir limnologists.” Many young South Africans have finished school and cannot find employment. Lots of them dream about going to university to find careers in medicine, law, commerce, the mysterious ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ and other glamorous pursuits. But we desperately need experts in limnology and related fields of water management. With elections on our doorstep, I don’t hear our aspirant politicians talking much about water, and I doubt many of them know what ‘limnology’ means. It’s time to wake up, people! During 2023, 499 rhinos were poached across South Africa, 406 were killed on state properties and 93 on privately owned parks/reserves/farms. This was an increase (of 51) in comparison to 448 rhinos poached in 2022.

EDITORIAL

Dr John Ledger

"The pressure again has been felt in the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) province with Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park facing the brunt of poaching cases losing 307 of the total national poaching loss. This is the highest poaching loss within this province. While KZN recorded 49 arrests and 13 firearms seized, multi disciplinary teams continue to work tirelessly in an attempt to slow this relentless pressure," said Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy in a Media Release dated 27 February 2024. Readers can find the full text of the Media Release here . Ah yes, that KZN Province, once the shining example to the whole world of a highly successful conservation agency, the place where the White Rhino was brought back from the brink of extinction. Today it is the province with a broken conservation agency (but indisputably an arm of government), and a less than dedicated police force, the province where organised crime and corruption are endemic, where a regional court magistrate with an alleged gambling addiction allegedly took big bribes to let arrested rhino poachers off the hook. And the province where killers for hire seem plentiful and skilled, available to travel anywhere in the country to assassinate anyone, if the price is right.Who dares to speak out in this province where bullets fly like angry bees? The Minister lists some sparse success stories of rhino poaching arrests and jail sentences, but the big picture is one of abject failure to stem the inexorable destruction of our rhino populations. Millions of Rand are being made by trade in rhino horn, yet our government refuses to reconsider the utterly ineffective CITES prohibition of a legal trade in a valuable and renewable product that is clearly in great demand. Those animal rights activists who likewise vehemently oppose the very thought of a legal, managed trade in rhino horn have the blood of another 500 rhinos on their hands. And an organisation with ‘humane’ in its name supports a prohibition policy that resulted in unspeakable cruelty to those poor innocent 500 creatures, yet raises millions of public dollars to ‘fight this cruel trade’. Shame on all of you…

Dr John Ledger Consulting Editor john.ledger@wol.co.za 083 650 1768

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Book reviews by Dr John Ledger GOOD READS

Everything Leaves aTrace

Liebenberg, Louis (2023). Pocket Guide. Tracks & Tracking in Southern Africa . Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. Soft cover, 11 x 18 cm, 144 pp, illustrated in colour throughout with photographs, artwork and maps. ISBN 978 1-77584-872-1. RRP: R230. Louis Liebenberg was fascinated by the concept of ‘tracking’ his little friends’

sun until the animal collapsed and could easily be speared by the indefatigable runners/hunters/ gatherers. In 1990 he published The Art of Tracking: The Origin of Science (David Philip), that brought international acclaim to the university drop out who is now an Associate in the Department of Human Evolution and Biology at Harvard University.Those who enjoy the crime thrillers by Deon Meyer will know that he quotes extensively from Liebenberg’s book in his gripping 2011 novel called Trackers . Louis realised that trackers and their unique art were headed for extinction, but he changed the course of history with the invention of his Cyber Tracker, a modern hand-held device like a smartphone with interactive animal icons on the screen, and an integrated GPS that records the time and location of the field observations. The illiterate bushmen quickly learned to use the device, which is now used for research projects internationally and earned Louis a Rolex Laureate Award for Enterprise in 1998. You can find more at www.cybertracker.org. Oh…the book? A compact (pocket!) volume packed with photos, maps and Liebenberg’s own drawings of the tracks and signs of more than 125 South African creatures, mainly mammals, but also reptiles, frogs, birds and insects. The photographs are excellent. The detailed introduction provides basic guidelines for the reader to learn the art of tracking. This very useful little book will be an asset to all our readers who walk in nature areas and encounter those intriguing signs left in the dust and the mud by passing critters. My own ramblings in the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve have always held the hope of finding evidence of otters along the banks of the Bloubosspruit, but so far I have only found tracks of the Water Mongoose in the mud, clearly identifiable by the sketches of its unmistakeable footprints in this excellent publication.When I do find the spoor of that elusive otter one day, this book will confirm its identity. Highly recommended!

footprints in the sand while playing ‘hide and seek’ as a small child by the seaside. He enrolled at the University of Cape Town but gave up his courses in Physics and Maths to fix up an old Land Cruiser, head for the Kalahari and to live with the Bushmen, from whom he learned the art of tracking. He participated in their various hunts, which included running down a Kudu bull to exhaustion over many hours in the hot Kalahari

Kudu bull (Photograph: John Wesson)

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Fabulous Fynbos Dorse, Cliff & Suretha (2023). Field Guide to Fynbos Fauna Soft cover, 15 x 21 cm, 292 pp, illustrated in colour throughout with photographs and maps. ISBN 978-1-77584-739 -7. Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. RRP R350. The authors are professional conservationists who work for the City of Cape Town’s Environmental Management Department. They have a passion for the Fynbos Biome and its

and cover several topics like vegetation complexes, functional ecology, fynbos and fire, threats, conservation and ‘how to use this book’. Understandably, the authors have excluded invertebrates from their account of the fynbos fauna – the insects of the biome would require their own field guide and more! They stick to four groups of vertebrates, namely frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. For each of these groups there are short descriptions and a species distribution map on the left hand page of the open book, with numbered, high-quality photographs of the various species on the right hand page. Frogs The Fynbos Biome has 54 frog species, over half of them found nowhere else; a level of endemism comparable to the flora of the biome. Of all the faunal groups discussed, the frogs are the most sensitive to threats like habitat loss and invasive alien vegetation because of their small distribution ranges and specific habitat requirements. Sixteen species are of ‘conservation concern’. Reptiles There are 34 species of snakes, 73 lizards, five tortoises and one terrapin, making up a total of 113 species. One snake and 23 lizards are endemic, most of them confined to mountainous areas. The lowlands have been highly transformed by agriculture, and here are found the highly threatened Geometric Tortoise and Southern Adder. Birds Some 162 species are truly associated with fynbos habitats and eight of these are endemic. Several species that were once widespread in the biome are now locally extinct, and 16 species, most of them raptors, are of ‘conservation concern’. The Cape Vulture and the Black Harrier are vulnerable to the new curse of the Fynbos Biome, the wind turbine.

conservation, and have compiled a wonderful book to educate and inspire more people to appreciate and conserve this unique part of the planet. They are both highly competent photographers and maintain a website devoted to biodiversity images at https:// biodiversityfocused.co.za. This book is a concise, all-in-one guide to the mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs of the Fynbos Biome, featuring over 400 species. ‘Fynbos’ is an evergreen, hard-leaved, fire prone shrubland, generally characterised by the presence of restios, ericoid and proteoid shrubs. The term is derived from the Dutch ‘fijn-bosch’ which means fine or narrow leaved bush. The biome, which spans South Africa’s Western and Eastern Cape Provinces, forms part of one of the richest floras in the world. The Fynbos falls into the Cape Floristic Kingdom, a ‘Global Biodiversity Hotspot’ that contains more than 11,000 plant species, close to 78% of which are endemic. It is also notable for high levels of endemism among reptiles, amphibians, insects and freshwater fish. This book is another outstanding Field Guide from the Struik Nature publishing house. The authors pay tribute to the fact that “ South and southern Africa have the most amazing assortment of field guides - perhaps the best available for any region of the world…The professional team… (at Struik Nature) …have mastered the production of the field guide…” Indeed they have! The first 21 pages are a comprehensive Introduction to the book,

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Cape Vulture (Photograph: John Wesson)

Mammals Most of the 91 species found in the fynbos are small, nocturnal, secretive and seldom seen. There are 27 rodents, 18 carnivores, 13 bats and the same number of hoofed mammal species. Close to 20% of the mammal species are of ‘conservation concern’. Several large mammals were historically eradicated from the region in the face of agriculture, although some of them have been reintroduced. This excellent field guide is the ideal book for the visitor to the Fynbos Biome to carry in order to identify the main faunal species that occur there, without having to buy specialist handbooks on the frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals of the region. A very good publication, a great credit to its authors, photographers and publishers, and another wonderful addition to the admirable collection of field guides for the southern part of the continent.

Fleet Felines

Mills, Gus and Margie (2022). Fast Cats on Red Sands . Soft cover, 15 x 23 cm 376 pp, illustrated with colour photographs throughout ISBN 978 0-62099- 707-2. Crocuta Publishers, Sonpark, South Africa. RRP: R300 . For orders and delivery costs contact: margsmills@gmail.com The subtitle reads “The lives of Kalahari Cheetahs and their researchers”,

the latter being Dr MGL (Gus) Mills and his wife and soulmate of 50 years, Margie. Gus is one of the world’s leading experts on carnivores and it has been my privilege to have been associated with him for many years through the Endangered Wildlife Trust. In 1972 he took his newly-wed bride to live in the Kalahari to study Brown Hyaenas. Gus is one of those fortunate biologists who found a partner who was willing to share the trials, tribulations and hardships of living in remote

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Cheetah (Photograph: John Wesson)

Then a bombshell fell upon the Mills family when SANParks unilaterally decided to retire staff members at 60 instead of 65! To their huge credit the Trustees of the Lewis Foundation agreed to cover Gus’s salary for five years, and the dream became a reality! The book is an absorbing and fascinating story of how Cheetahs survive and indeed thrive in the seemingly inhospitable environment of the Kalahari. Gus and Margie share the narrative, with Margie’s text on a sand-tinted background. There are numerous excellent photographs, virtually on every page, that illustrate the varied aspects of the lives of the Kalahari cats. To get such exceptional photographs and accurate observations meant that Gus and Margie virtually had to live like Cheetahs themselves, spending their days and nights out in the dunes, following the animals and documenting the intimate details of their lives. The book is divided into five parts: 1. Background and Introduction; 2. What’s for Dinner?; 3 Social Affairs; 4. Other Adventures and Experiences and 5. Practical Questions. Cheetahs are iconic and charismatic carnivores, and have fascinated humans for centuries. Long regarded as an endangered species, the Cheetah spoor was adopted as the logo of the Endangered Wildlife Trust by Clive Walker when he, James Clarke and Neville Anderson founded the EWT 50 years ago in 1973. Today the species seems

areas to do research on wild animals through thick and thin, heat and cold and often seemingly insurmountable challenges. I know several biologists whose marriages have foundered on the incompatibility of such career decisions. The 50 years that Gus and Margie have spent together are briefly described in the introductory chapters of this book, while the content is about the five years they spent studying the Cheetahs in the Kalahari. They had previously worked on hyaenas in this national park many years before. Fast Cats is a popular account of their research. The hard science is the subject of a scholarly 224 page publication from the Oxford University Press, called Kalahari Cheetahs. Adaptations to an arid region which has received wide acclaim from the academic community and carnivore specialists. After a long career with South African National Parks, and with five years to go before his compulsory retirement at age 65, Gus persuaded Margie to spend those years with him studying the Cheetahs of the Kalahari, which had not really been deeply researched, for reasons that became apparent before long. Gus then managed to persuade his employers to agree to his transfer to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park for his last five years before retirement, and he received financial support from Howard Buffet and the Lewis Foundation for running costs and for building a house at Twee Rivieren in the KTP.

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”a series of evasive excuses, deceptions, delays, etc.” and by the Oxford dictionary: “to treat somebody badly by not telling them the truth, or by not giving them the help or the information they need, and sending them somewhere else.” South African-born (in Pietersburg) Ray visited the Kruger National Park as a youngster and became a wildlife enthusiast while pursuing a successful career as an IT specialist until he and his family emigrated to Australia in 1987. Rhino poaching and the cruel, relentless killing of these iconic animals for their horns made world headlines, and greatly disturbed Ray. In 2013 he received a message from a former client at IBM in South Africa who was likewise concerned about the plight of rhinos. Knowing Ray to be a ‘mover and shaker’ he suggested that Dearlove should set up a breeding herd in Australia – so with the support of his family he decided to ‘give it a go’! The Australian Rhino Project (TARP) was born on 1 June 2013. His years in business had taught Ray the value of personal contacts, and he set about establishing communications and friendships with any and all people he thought might be sympathetic to the cause of a safe haven for African rhinos in Australia. The book is like a Who’s Who of scientists, politicians, businessmen, veterinarians, landowners, sportsmen, media personalities, millionaires and other people of influence and fame in Australia. He even got George Gregan (former Wallabies rugby captain) and Dame Jane Goodall to write a joint Foreword to the book. Ray was unashamedly bold in approaching anyone in the world for support, and although he never received responses to his letters to the Presidents of the USA and China, he did get friendly replies from the Princes Charles and William, Sir David Attenborough, former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Sir Richard Branson. But despite his heroic efforts, and the backing of numerous people who supported him, including those who were prepared to donate significant amounts of money, free air transport for rhinos, and free tracts of land in Australia, Ray was thwarted by bureaucrats, media megalomaniacs, academics, red tape, sceptics and ultimately by the members of his own Board of TARP. Australia is well known for its very strict rules about importing any plants or animals into

much less threatened, but in their final chapter Gus and Margie discuss the various challenges facing Cheetahs in the modern world, opening with the following stanza: Species extirpation, habitat degradation Global warming, climate change We really find it very strange That people haven’t contemplated The reason is we’ve over-mated Human population growth is the real ‘Inconvenient Truth’ This is a book that everyone interested in wildlife will want to read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. All South Africans should be extremely proud of this outstanding couple, who have devoted so much time and effort to their research in the field, often under very difficult and trying conditions. They have made their work accessible to the world, not only to academics and scientists, but to ordinary people who are interested in natural history and the secrets of the diverse animals that share our beleaguered planet. In between all the research and writing and other activities, they have reared two children and now have three grandchildren. Thank you, Gus and Margie – you have made our world a better place! Rhino Runaround

Dearlove, Ray (2020). The Crash of Rhinos. Soft cover, 15 x 23 cm, 354 pp, illustrated with black and white photographs and maps. ISBN 978-0-648725- 780-1. Published by www. rhinoray.com.au. For South African orders visit this website RRP: R221.25.

All proceeds from sales will be donated to the South African all-female anti-poaching group,The Black Mambas. After reading this epic story of Ray Dearlove’s strenuous efforts to establish a breeding group of African rhinos in Australia, I reached the conclusion that he was the victim of a big ‘runaround’, defined by the Collins dictionary as

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facilities in South Africa. A completely false story about rhinos imported to the San Diego Zoo testing positive for TB rattled the bureaucrats at AUSDAFF; some TARP Board members got cold feet and wanted to shut down the project. Ray was finally pushed out after leading the project for four years. You have to read this book yourself to get an insight into the complexity of the saga, and

the country that could become alien invaders, or bring with them parasites or pathogens that could pose a threat to their indigenous biodiversity. But rhinos had previously been brought to zoos in Australia with the necessary permits and veterinary health clearances. Ray made friends and developed very good relations with several zoo administrators who supported his ideas, and was himself supportive of increasing the numbers

of rhinos in Australian zoos, but was determined that TARP would set up a free-living breeding herd as an insurance against the extinction of the animals in their African homelands. Some of the biggest issues and stumbling blocks arose around the requirements for biosafety and quarantine required by AUSDAFF the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. In April 2014, Ray wrote to Dr Andrew Cupit at AUSDAFF giving full details of the project and asking for help and advice in obtaining the necessary permissions. He was told that the rhinos would have to be

White Rhinos (Photograph: John Wesson)

the passion and energy that Ray put into this project. For example, there was competition between the two leading Australian TV networks, Channel Seven and Channel Nine, both of which wanted exclusivity for covering the TARP story. Ray found himself caught in the fierce rivalry between these media houses and suffered deeply from the damaged personal relationships that resulted. Something similar happened in the competitiveness between the Taronga Zoo in Sydney and the Monarto Safari Park near Adelaide. There are chapters on the plight of rhinos and numerous aspects of their conservation, including the endemic African affliction of corruption, the crime syndicates and organised poaching in national parks and private reserves, and much more. Ray travelled between Australia and South

held in quarantine for 12 months in an approved, licenced or registered zoo or animal park in the exporting country. Great efforts were made for such a site to be identified in South Africa. Eight months later Ray was told that there was ‘in principle’ agreement from AUSDAFF and other relevant government departments that the importation of rhinos from SA could go ahead. But the wheels started coming off with changes in personnel at AUDAFF and the appointment of a replacement for Andrew Cupit, who was completely risk-averse and apparently paranoid about the possibility of TB being introduced to Australia. Levels of bureaucracy increased, the one-year quarantine period was extended to two years, and very demanding details were required about the quarantine

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Atlantic Odysseys Norman, Nick (2023). Woodpecker Mystery . The Inevitability of the Impossible. Soft cover, 18 x 24 cm, 232 pp, illustrated with colour and black and white photographs, diagrams and maps. ISBN 978-0-6397- 476-1. The Franschhoek Press, distributed by Protea Distributors, Cape Town. RRP: R295. The subtitle refers to an aphorism ascribed to Sherlock The

Africa a number of times to meet with numerous individuals and organisations that he believed could add value to his project. Again, the list of people he met is another veritable Who’s Who, including his hero and mentor, Dr Ian Player, John Hume (owner of the biggest herd of rhinos in the world), Major General Johan Jooste (head of anti-poaching at SANParks), TK Khama in Botswana, numerous park managers, veterinarians and wildlife capture specialists… the list goes on and on. This book is an absorbing story of human aspirations and expectations, of

good, bad and surprising outcomes. A ‘crash’ is the collective noun for a group of rhinos, and wild rhino populations in Africa are in grave danger of crashing. Regrettably Ray Dearlove’s Australian dream also crashed and burned. He certainly did not deserve the runaround he was given.

Holmes: “ When you have eliminated all that is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” This book is the story of Nick Norman’s personal search for the truth of how some plants and birds found in both Africa and South America, separated by the seemingly vast and inhospitable Atlantic Ocean, are close relatives of one another.

THE WONDERS OF DESERT LIFE: A COMPELLING, IN-DEPTH READ THE LIVING DESERTS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA Barry Lovegrove

A DEFINITIVE NEW EDITION OF A CLASSIC AVAILABLE AT LEADING BOOKSTORES NATIONWIDE & ONLINE

Join the Struik Nature Club for online talks and events, special offers, prizes and upcoming natural history publications: www.struiknatureclub.co.za

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South America as a geologist revealed other closely related and very similar looking species of giant kingfishers, oystercatchers, jacanas and other families of birds, as well as quintessentially ‘African’ trees on both sides side of the Atlantic. ‘Ah, Continental Drift’, thought he. Wrong, although not completely wrong in the case of various ancient trees, but certainly wrong in the case of modern birds.…and so he set off on a painstaking, Holmesian journey to unravel the mystery. The result is a book that is imminently readable and exceptionally educational, a history of several branches of science and famous scientists, and a very good layman’s guide to biogeography. In its pages you will meet and learn about the geologists and biologists who were pioneers in geology, the concept of ‘continental drift’ and the theory and evidence of evolution. There are fascinating vignettes about Wallace, Darwin, Mendel and many more besides. In 1912 the German Alfred Wegener, with a background in astronomy, meteorology, polar exploration and later geophysics, published (in German) his book on The Origin of Continents, in which he introduced the first ideas about, 'continental drift'. Now meet the father of South African geology, born in 1878 in the shadow of Table Mountain, emerging from the University of Cape Town with an Honours degree in Geology and acceptance at the Royal Technical College in Glasgow. Alex du Toit graduated in Mining Engineering, then spent two years in London before returning to Glasgow to teach Geology, Mining and Surveying. In 1903 he went home to Cape Town, joined the Geological Commission and started mapping the geology of the Cape Colony. From then until 1920 he contributed an impressive foundation of scientific knowledge, establishing the geological framework of South Africa by mapping an area of some 80,000 square kilometetres! He wrote a geography textbook and published numerous papers and maps. In 1921 he wrote a paper about the Karoo Supergroup, which attracted the attention of the international geological ‘establishment'. Du Toit was subsequently sponsored to do a geological assessment of South America and in 1927 he published the results of his work. Du Toit’s hypotheses about continental drift were

Nick is a geologist by training, and has written several excellent books that make the stonily boring subject of geology interesting and accessible to ordinary folks. These include Geological Journeys (2006) which captivated the public and became a best-seller as the first book to bring the geology of South Africa ‘to the people’. This was followed by The Extraordinary World of Diamonds (2008), Geology off the Beaten Track , (2013) and the autobiographical Going to Ground , about his geologist adventures in Africa and South America. He also produced a large format, well-illustrated book for eight to 12-year olds called Box of Rocks, to introduce children to the wonders of geology.

Cardinal Woodpecker (Photograph: Albert Froneman)

In cogitating about his next literary topic, Nick recalled his astonishment at seeing a woodpecker in Brazil that looked exactly like the familiar Cardinal Woodpecker from his birdwatching experience in South Africa. His various trips to

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trip of 10,000 km each way every year.We know that sleek terns, swallows and falcons make very long migratory trips from the northern to the southern hemisphere and back, but who would believe a dumpy little thrush could achieve such fantastic flights? Ornithologists were also astonished to learn that Cattle Egrets had

rubbished by most northern hemisphere academic geologists, which this exceptionally hard-working and dedicated scientist found personally hurtful. In 1937 he launched Our Wandering Continents , a 390 page book which he dedicated to Alfred

managed to cross the Atlantic from Europe to colonise North America fairly recently. The key to the hardly believable trans-Atlantic journeys of Nick’s woodpeckers and the other birds of modest flying abilities is ascribed to the marine ‘floating islands’ of plant debris that are forcefully ejected from the mouth

Cattle Egrets (Photograph: John Wesson)

Wegener, who sadly had died during an expedition to Greenland before its publication Nick Norman writes: “ There has not, before or since, been a more comprehensive account written of the evidence supporting the theory of continental drift. Simply put, the book is a masterpiece.” Du Toit’s work subsequently received worldwide acknowledgement, his conclusions have stood the test of time, and his legacy lives on under the modern term of ‘plate tectonics’. He died in 1948 at the rather young age of 69. Ocean currents and prevailing winds can be invoked as the driving forces by which floating trees could cross the Atlantic from east to west. In a chapter subtitled “Where there’s a wing there’s a way”, Nick cites the amazing migration of the rather drab and unimposing Grey-cheeked Thrush that spends summer in South America after breeding in Siberia, Alaska and Canada, meaning a

of the copious, fast-flowing Congo River with such impetus that they travel about 800 km into the Atlantic, from where wind and currents seem to do the rest. We are reminded too that over a million years, a one-in-a-million chance is not impossible, and therefore it is more than likely probable! One has to think in geological time scales about these things… This book is an excellent, educational read, very well executed and illustrated, and highly recommended to students, teachers, WESSA members and all who are awe-struck by trees, birds, rocks and the never-ending revelations of our Wonderful World!

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An Energetic Englishman Stewart, Roger & Marion Whitehead (2022). Burchell’s African Odyssey. Revealing the return journey 1812 1815 . Hard cover, 18 x 24 cm, 248 pp, illustrated in colour and black and white with photographs, artwork and maps. ISBN 978-1-77584-815 -8. Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. RRP: R450.

William John Burchell (1781 1863) disembarked from his ship in Cape Town in November 1810. Horticulture and botanic gardens were in his genes. His paternal grand uncle, William Burchell (c1725-c1800) had acquired the Fulham Nursery and Botanical Gardens in 1764. It was located about 5 km west of London on the north bank of the Thames River. This grand-uncle had himself been an apprentice gardener, then a professional gardener, and on his

Burchell's Coucal(Photograph: John Wesson)

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GOOD READS

death the Fulham property was bequeathed to his nephew Matthew Burchell, who was William John’s father.The 17th and 18th centuries witnessed the emergence of profitable botanical nurseries, and by 1760 there were more than 100 nursery firms in England, with 40 in London alone.This ‘nation of shopkeepers’ was also a nation of gardeners! Young Burchell was sent to a very good private school where he received an excellent multi disciplinary education, which included writing and drawing skills. After school he worked at both the family nursery and at Kew, becoming an accomplished horticulturist and botanist. At the age of 22 he was elected as a fellow of the prestigious Linnaean Society of London, an extraordinary honour for one so young. He declined an offer to join the family nursery, preferring to travel instead. He got himself to St Helena island where he was first a schoolteacher and later the superintendent of the island’s new botanical garden. His descriptions and copious collections of the St Helena flora were sent back to Kew where they are kept to this day. Burchell saved his earnings carefully and these were supplemented by funds from the profitable family nursery back home. He could thus pay his own way to travel the world, and set off to explore the southern part of Africa on his own. He was now 29 years old, short of African experience but a meticulous planner who commissioned the construction of a special ox wagon for his expedition and spent four years and covered about 7,000 kilometres from the Cape to the southern Kalahari and back. He collected an astonishing assemblage of some 63,000 specimens of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and insects, lodged to this day at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew and at the Oxford Museum of Natural History. A great many of his specimens had not previously been documented for science, and some were named in his honour; think of

Burchell’s Zebra, Burchell’s Coucal, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, and many more. He also produced more than 500 paintings and illustrations and documented his experiences in his famous publication, Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa . When he returned to England he cultivated numerous seeds and bulbs he had collected in South Africa, and these were subsequently spread throughout the world as much-loved and desirable garden plants. The interesting thing is that while the outbound trek is well described in Burchell’s Travels , the challenges and discoveries made on his return journey to Cape Town, from 1812-1815 have not been described, for unknown reasons. In this fine new book, the authors embark on another daunting task - to reveal the homeward leg of Burchell's epic trek from the southern Kalahari via the Karoo and southern coastal belt back to Cape Town. Drawing on primary and secondary sources, including Burchell's letters, his handwritten records and drawings archived at Kew and the detailed map he created to record his trek, the authors have crafted a thought provoking and beautifully illustrated account that encompasses both the genius of the man and the natural history of the region that so intrigued him. This book will delight both bibliophiles and everyone with an interest in the natural history of South Africa. The hardcover, embossed dust jacket, wonderful illustrations and the excellent design, layout and typography make it a lovely thing to hold, behold and spend hours following the footsteps, trials and tribulations of a truly remarkable man who travelled rough and remote tracks and pathways in his ox-wagon where today’s fancy 4x4 vehicles would struggle to traverse. A remarkable book, highly recommended for your bookshelf, and a tribute to the authors and publishers for keeping the spirit of the printed word alive in this fleeting electronic world.

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WESSA NEWS

FROM OUR CEO

We showcased our achievements at the 41st Annual Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa’s (EEASA) conference that we successfully hosted, celebrating 20 years of implementing the international Eco-Schools Programme. A significant development in our engagements with stakeholders has been WESSA's involvement in the Environmental NGO Collaboration. WESSA's leadership role in this collaboration emphasizes our commitment to national policy development and strategic engagements with government on the implementation of the biodiversity protection commitments made at the Conference of the Parties (COP) 15 in Montreal in November 2023. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted during COP15 in 2022. The implementation of the Framework will be guided and supported through a comprehensive package of decisions also adopted at COP 15. There are four goals to be achieved by 2050 and 23 action-driven targets set for 2030. One of the 23 targets,Target 3, is informally called the 30x30 Target. This Target aims to ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, are effectively conserved and managed, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services. The Target should be achieved through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean. Any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, should be fully consistent with conservation outcomes. Prior to COP15 and in preparation for the event, the Environmental NGO Collaboration was formed in August 2022. This is a growing group of environmental NGOs, currently having

Helena Atkinson

As we say farewell to 2023 and welcome to 2024, I reflect with pride and excitement on a year filled with remarkable achievements, strategic engagements, and significant milestones. Our commitment to environmental and social justice, climate action, biodiversity protection, and pollution reduction has been unwavering. In this overview, we delve into the core of our successes, challenges, and the pivotal role that WESSA Membership plays in shaping WESSA’s future.

Nearing a century of environmental leadership WESSA's mission to educate, advocate, and act for environmental and social justice in South Africa remains the guiding force behind our endeavours. With a vision to lead citizen action, we are committed to safeguarding South

Africa's rich biodiversity through conservation, education, and advocacy. Our journey involves fostering partnerships, engaging stakeholders, and empowering active citizens to contribute to positive change. Our efforts have been directed towards implementing our strategy, making operational adjustments, and developing new partnerships. Acknowledging the importance of financial stability, WESSA has worked diligently to ensure the organization's long-term sustainability. Despite the challenges posed by our current financial circumstances, WESSA has remained resolute in pursuing its strategy.

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WESSA NEWS

relevant national and international policies. Now is also the apt time to reflect on the outcomes of the Conference of the Parties, COP28, held in Dubai in November and December 2023.With global temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels and extreme weather events affecting people worldwide, COP28 was a pivotal moment for the international community to evaluate the progress made under the 2015 Paris Agreement, a ground-breaking climate treaty. Consequently, COP28 was also a critical opportunity to recalibrate, to intensify efforts in tackling the climate crisis, and to formulate a strategic plan for substantial emission reductions and the protection of livelihoods and lives. The scientific consensus is clear: sustaining a habitable climate requires a swift reduction in the production of coal, oil and gas, coupled with a threefold increase in global renewable power capacity by 2030, encompassing wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy. Additionally, there is an urgent need for a significant boost in funding for adaptation and investments in climate resilience. While the COP regularly brings together leaders from governments, businesses, NGOs, and civil society collaboratively to devise tangible solutions, the surge in fossil fuel-linked delegates prompts questions about its potential impact. The quadrupling of these delegates’ numbers with 2,400 such delegates overshadowing those from vulnerable nations, raises concerns about transparency, their motives, and their influence on climate discussions. Controversies, such as COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber's ties to a state oil company, add complexity and cast more doubt on the credibility of climate discussions. The debate on engagement with corporates versus excluding them from these kinds of discussions brings up questions and strong responses, emphasizing the delicate balance between inclusivity and preserving the integrity of urgent climate action considerations. At WESSA we do believe that they should be involved and they should be making the commitments with governments at these events but they cannot be the strongest voice in the room.

19 members, with the aim of strategically aligning the sector’s voice and efforts to expand its impact in support of South Africa’s environment. The Collaboration was initiated as a collective strategy to advocate for the South African government’s support for the Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3: 30x30. The success of this advocacy, and the environmental NGO sector’s catalytic role as a partner with government in the development of South Africa’s implementation plan, demonstrated the power of this strategically aligned action. To address the scale of our environmental crisis, we need a collaborative approach that can match and have an impact on the crisis. With its skills and resources, the environmental NGO sector especially could play a significant role in solving this crisis. But to be significant we need a strengthened, better resourced, more representative, and strategically aligned environmental NGO sector to engage in a collective manner with stakeholders like government. Following on this success, and by working collectively as the environmental NGO sector, we can provide environmental and socio-economic benefits for South African – and African – communities through: • effective policy guidance and development planning • enhanced management effectiveness for conservation areas (including for protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs)), and • improved and coherent integration across all aspects of conservation with other stakeholders. This collaboration is an innovative approach for South Africa. Furthermore, the Environmental NGO Collaboration and its members are guided by robust evidence and a science-based approach and are aligned to the objectives and conventions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD)as well as other

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WESSA NEWS

and Membership to achieve a common goal of building an integrated ‘One WESSA’, starting with establishing a financially resilient and sustainable fit-for-purpose structure. This transformation supports and aligns with WESSA’s overarching theory of change – to Educate, Advocate, and Act in the critical thematic areas of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Habitat Conservation, and Pollution on land, water, and air. In accepting his new role, he expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to lead the WESSA Board and said, “I am honoured and excited to take on the role of Chairman of the Board. Our world faces unprecedented

WESSA has been at the forefront of leading these debates locally, of environmental advocacy, and of action for 97 years. 2023 has been characterized by strategic engagements, collaborative initiatives, and a steadfast commitment to our mission. Looking forward, WESSA Membership remains as a cornerstone in our strategy, empowering citizens to contribute to the preservation of South Africa's natural heritage. Collectively, as active members and advocates, as One WESSA, we can build a sustainable and resilient future for generations to come. If you haven’t yet done that, we invite you to join WESSA Membership and be a catalyst for positive change! WESSA APPOINTS NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD WESSA is proud to announce the appointment of Janssen Davies as the new Chairman of the Board. As the newly elected Chairman, Davies brings a wealth of conservation leadership experience to WESSA. His extensive background includes a decade-long tenure as the Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the SANParks Honorary Rangers, showcasing his dedication to environmental preservation. In addition, he serves as a founding member and Vice Chairman of the Pure Wild Fund, while also chairing the Hout Bay Rivers Catchment Forum. Beyond his impressive conservation background, Davies previously held the position of Group CEO at an international financial services group and served on the Advisory Board of the Wits Business School for two decades, showcasing a versatile skill set that aligns with WESSA's multifaceted approach to environmental issues. He envisions his role as one of support, aiming to collaborate with our Board, CEO, Exco,

environmental challenges, and I am committed to working alongside our dedicated team to drive meaningful change. Together, we will continue to advocate for policies that promote sustainability, engage communities in environmental stewardship, and lead by example in our efforts toward positive change." With Davies at the helm, we anticipate purposeful action, collaborative efforts, and the realisation of our collective commitment to environmental conservation.

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WESSA NEWS

WESSA WELCOMES MORGAN GRIFFITHS AS THE NEW MEMBERSHIP MANAGER WHILE MAINTAINING HIS STRONG ADVOCACY PORTFOLIO

We're delighted to announce that Morgan Griffiths will assume the membership portfolio at WESSA, effective January 2024.

Morgan brings with him a wealth of experience and a dedication to environmental stewardship, having been an integral part of WESSA's impactful journey for over two decades. Morgan will continue to uphold his current position as Strategic Lead for Advocacy. His diverse roles, from managing community conservation projects to advocating for effective environmental governance nationally and globally, reflect Morgan’s dedication to promoting positive change. Notably, he led WESSA's involvement in critical national policies concerning elephant and rhino conservation, representing the organisation at prestigious international conservation conferences. His recent endeavours in youth environmental service programmes and tourism initiatives have demonstrated his commitment to empowering the next generation and driving sustainable practices in the ecotourism sector. In the implementation of his new portfolio, Morgan aims to channel his expertise into stimulating and supporting WESSA members engagement in advocacy and local environmental actions. His vision includes strengthening support for affiliated Friends Groups and Conservancies, nurturing branch activities, and empowering members through training initiatives. As we look forward to celebrating WESSA's centenary of 'Caring for the Earth,' Morgan invites members to join in implementing the WESSA strategy, envisioning a future where collective efforts drive impactful change. We extend our best wishes to Morgan in this role as he continues to drive environmental initiatives and strengthen our advocacy work.

Morgan Griffiths

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