Addo Elephant National Park meeting jumbo accommodation challenge
Since the establishment of Addo Elephant National Park in 1931 for the protection of the remaining 11 elephants in the area, the population has done extremely well.
So much so that it led to a steady enlargement of what is known as the Addo main camp section from 1955 to 2015 to ensure other biological components are not affected by the elephants.
The park is now home to more than 800 elephants in various sections and biomes.
The largest single expansion included the addition of the Colchester section towards the south of the park in 2010, with the dropping of fences between the sections.
The combined main camp/Colchester section is now about 268km² in size (Lombard et al. 2001) and contains several boreholes and earthen dams due to the lack of natural rivers in this section of the park.
Addo expanded substantially over time and by 2022 it had seven areas separated by fences, interspersed with private land in some cases.
This provided opportunities for elephant range expansion, with the main camp serving as the source for other sections of Addo and externally.
For instance, authorities translocated four juveniles from Addo to the Pilanesberg National Park in 1979 (Hancock, 1984) and a further 11 bulls to various private game reserves across SA in 2005.
In 2003, 61 elephants were moved from the main camp to the Nyathi section, while four bulls were introduced from Kruger National Park.
The Darlington section received 28 elephants from the main camp/Colchester section in 2018.
Fencing of the park in 1954 confined the elephants to an area which led to most of the main camp being used by elephants and subsequently resulted in impacts on vegetation structure and sensitive species (Lombard et al. 2001; Kerley & Landman, 2006).
To alleviate these impacts, the main camp was expanded into the Colchester section where water provision was limited.
However, the main camp/Colchester section was not big enough to significantly change elephant space use and therefore other management interventions to limit population growth, such as elephant contraception and water availability gradient, had to be implemented.
Recent studies have shown that historical management approaches have generally not been able to impose spatial and temporal limitations on elephant space use in the main camp/Colchester section (Guldemond et al. 2022).
This in turn could lead to impacts on other biodiversity components if management interventions are not continued and by expanding land availability through the consolidation of current sections and the addition of new land to Addo.
It is for this reason that the relocation of 42 elephants from the main camp to the Kabouga section (towards the north of Addo), last month was undertaken.
From observations of the various family groups since through nine tracking collars, it appears they are exploring and settling well into their new home.
As recently as June 3, Addo Elephant National Park biotechnician Joshua Roberts was in the area servicing cameras when he came across the youngest of the lot, aptly named Kabouga, and his herd — all looking healthy and happy.
The consolidation of the neighbouring Kabouga and Darlington sections is planned, which will provide the two populations with an even greater area to roam. Charlene Bisset — SANParks regional ecologist
The Herald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
9 hours ago
- The Herald
Improving literacy among foundation pupils must be a national priority
Addressing SA's literacy challenge from the early years is fundamental to improving quality and efficiency throughout the education system. Our country's constitutional promise is that all South Africans should achieve their potential — and the ability to read for meaning is the primary capability which propels learning as a means of achieving that potential. In our constitutional democracy based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights, creating access to the conditions necessary to achieve literacy is the responsibility of the state — through the basic education system — and supported by families. All of the data available on achieving foundational literacy shows not only that our children are not achieving the levels of reading performance our curriculum requires in order for pupils to succeed in primary school, but that pervasive inequalities in the conditions under which children are learning to read continue to reinforce inequality in reading achievement, and shape subsequent unequal trajectories in learning and consequent life-opportunities. Learning to read requires the realisation that symbols in text — squiggles on pages — can represent the meaning of the spoken word. This realisation comes from environments in which text is used for sharing information, for pleasure, for communal activities. What follows is the acquisition of the correspondence of elements of the written text to its corresponding sound and propelled by meaning-making. Reading to children, sharing pleasure in making sense of words on a page in storytelling, abundant opportunities to read accessible text in the first language of the child with supportive guidance where necessary are all essential for the early development of literacy ang give wings to a lifelong engagement with text for multiple purposes. But these conditions are not equally available to all children at home and at school. Recognising the material inequalities which perpetuate inequalities in learning achievement and taking the necessary steps to correct systemic deficiencies — particularly in schools — is an essential first step and investment in addressing injustices of access to learning. Children who cannot read for meaning by grade 4 fall further and further behind as the curriculum increasingly depends on the independent reading of text across all subjects. It must be a national priority to target the improvement of literacy (and numeracy) from the foundation phase of schooling as a powerful disrupter of inequality. The steps which are necessary must include attention to the pupils most at risk of falling behind in foundational literacy and making the achievement of the conditions necessary for success non-negotiable. Is SA, succeeding in achieving the conditions necessary for early reading achievement? In 2024, the department of basic education released the results of the SA Systemic Evaluation (SASE) which was conducted in 2022 in schools across all provinces. This is a sample-based assessment. It does not assess all children as was the case with the Annual National Assessments, but gives a dipstick sense of trends. The results are unequivocal and confirm two key findings of international comparative studies in which SA participates: by grade 3 our pupils are not reading at the required level; and the patterns of poorer reading follow the contours of under-resourcing at home and school. T he department's SASE established a baseline that in 2022 only 20% of grade 3 pupils level demonstrate the understanding and skills required for reading in grade 3. These results are further disaggregated across and within provinces by socioeconomic quintile The evidence is clear that reading achievement is lower in schools serving poorer communities. If we are to disrupt cycles of poverty, we must start with empowering children from our poorest communities to read confidently from the foundation phase. Pervasive deficiencies in the learning and teaching environments in which children should be taking their first steps towards reading with confidence must be addressed. This requires foundation-phase classrooms in which all pupils have access to attractive books appropriate to the child's reading development in their home/first language, in which the number of children in the class conforms with national norms so that the teacher can be in touch with and respond to the reading needs of each child, and in which all teachers are professionally supported to improve their practice. This is not the case in schools serving the poorest children. While the department aims for a limit of 45 pupils in a class, its 2017/18 School Monitoring Survey showed that for grade 3, 48% of classes in the poorest schools across the country had more than 40 pupils, and 23% had more than 50 pupils. In the Free State and Limpopo, there were more than 60 in a class. In Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape more that 20% of grade 3 teachers reported having classes larger than 70. The survey also showed that only 46% of grade 3 children had language 'textbooks We do not have enough data about the availability of reading material in classrooms, or for pupils to take home to read for pleasure. Children need access to reading material to learn to read. Investment in improving literacy in the foundation years must be a national priority. This must go beyond broad declarations of intent and must be visible in evidence-based planning which is aligned to realistic assessments of the resources required, and the resources available accompanied by a determination to address the resource gaps. This must be informed by the rigour of learning from research — and from evaluations of what is working in interventions in which the government and the private sector are collaborating. Mary Metcalfe is a professor of practice at the University of Johannesburg's school of public management, governance & public policy, and is a national planning commissioner.
The Herald
10 hours ago
- The Herald
Empowering the next generation to thrive
Preparing your child for the unpredictable journey ahead is a marathon, not a sprint. The world is shifting – fast. Trade battles, soaring prices, job disruptions and game-changing technology are reshaping the world and the future of work right before our eyes. It's no wonder so many parents are asking: Will my child be ready? Will they thrive in this new economy? How do I prepare them for a future that feels so unpredictable? What skills will open doors – and where can they gain real-world experience to stand out? Most importantly, how do we help them build the resilience, confidence and grit to tackle whatever comes their way? This year's edition of the, The South African Schools Collection Including Tertiary Institutions, dives into these big questions and brings you expert-driven answers. We look at why strong foundations matter more than ever. Research shows that the first five years of learning – through play and exploration – unlock early literacy, numeracy and a lifelong love of learning. We unpack why play-based learning is critical for nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability – skills essential for the future. If you're choosing a primary or high school, we share expert advice to help you make the right decision for your child's academic and social development. We also highlight the remarkable impact of parental involvement in education. Members of school governing bodies share why strong partnerships between parents, teachers and students lead to extraordinary achievements – and how you can get involved. As the world becomes more technology-driven, we explore the rise of specialist schools that focus on nurturing individual strengths. Discover why an education entrepreneur launched a school built around in-demand skills, such as data analytics, entrepreneurship, coding and cybersecurity, giving students the tools to future-proof their careers. Finally, with economic uncertainty reshaping education choices, we look at the growing appeal of technical and vocational education and training schools. These institutions equip students with hands-on, job-ready skills, opening doors to employment or entrepreneurship. There is more. As you turn these pages, I hope you'll find not just answers, but also inspiration. Preparing your child for the future is a marathon, not a sprint — filled with highs and lows. However, armed with the right knowledge and support, you and your child will not only reach the finish line; you'll thrive every step of the way. Vukani Magubane, Editor
The Herald
14 hours ago
- The Herald
Addo Elephant National Park meeting jumbo accommodation challenge
Since the establishment of Addo Elephant National Park in 1931 for the protection of the remaining 11 elephants in the area, the population has done extremely well. So much so that it led to a steady enlargement of what is known as the Addo main camp section from 1955 to 2015 to ensure other biological components are not affected by the elephants. The park is now home to more than 800 elephants in various sections and biomes. The largest single expansion included the addition of the Colchester section towards the south of the park in 2010, with the dropping of fences between the sections. The combined main camp/Colchester section is now about 268km² in size (Lombard et al. 2001) and contains several boreholes and earthen dams due to the lack of natural rivers in this section of the park. Addo expanded substantially over time and by 2022 it had seven areas separated by fences, interspersed with private land in some cases. This provided opportunities for elephant range expansion, with the main camp serving as the source for other sections of Addo and externally. For instance, authorities translocated four juveniles from Addo to the Pilanesberg National Park in 1979 (Hancock, 1984) and a further 11 bulls to various private game reserves across SA in 2005. In 2003, 61 elephants were moved from the main camp to the Nyathi section, while four bulls were introduced from Kruger National Park. The Darlington section received 28 elephants from the main camp/Colchester section in 2018. Fencing of the park in 1954 confined the elephants to an area which led to most of the main camp being used by elephants and subsequently resulted in impacts on vegetation structure and sensitive species (Lombard et al. 2001; Kerley & Landman, 2006). To alleviate these impacts, the main camp was expanded into the Colchester section where water provision was limited. However, the main camp/Colchester section was not big enough to significantly change elephant space use and therefore other management interventions to limit population growth, such as elephant contraception and water availability gradient, had to be implemented. Recent studies have shown that historical management approaches have generally not been able to impose spatial and temporal limitations on elephant space use in the main camp/Colchester section (Guldemond et al. 2022). This in turn could lead to impacts on other biodiversity components if management interventions are not continued and by expanding land availability through the consolidation of current sections and the addition of new land to Addo. It is for this reason that the relocation of 42 elephants from the main camp to the Kabouga section (towards the north of Addo), last month was undertaken. From observations of the various family groups since through nine tracking collars, it appears they are exploring and settling well into their new home. As recently as June 3, Addo Elephant National Park biotechnician Joshua Roberts was in the area servicing cameras when he came across the youngest of the lot, aptly named Kabouga, and his herd — all looking healthy and happy. The consolidation of the neighbouring Kabouga and Darlington sections is planned, which will provide the two populations with an even greater area to roam. Charlene Bisset — SANParks regional ecologist The Herald
