The internationally acclaimed film Blood Lions™ – Bred for the Bullet, has partnered with the Born Free Foundation to bring you the London premiere of the documentary.

The controversial feature will be screened on the 27th November at 19h00 at the Royal Geographical Society in London. For a small contribution of only £20 you can witness this groundbreaking film.

“Blood Lions joins other films, such as Gorillas in the Mist, Echo of the Elephants, The Cove, and Blackfish, which have truly influenced the way we interact with wild animals,” says Born Free Foundation president, Will Travers.

Lions bred for slaughter in South Africa is big business. The Blood Lions™ story is a compelling call to action to have these practices stopped. The documentary follows presenter, researcher and safari operator Ian Michler, and American hunter, Rick Swazey, on their journey to uncover the realities about the multimillion dollar predator breeding and canned lion hunting industries in South Africa.

“Being able to screen Blood Lions™ at the Royal Geographical Society with the Born Free Foundation as a partner is a great honour,” said Ian Michler. “The film and its messages continue to receive global attention, and this opportunity allows us to extend the discussion on a personal basis to include the British people and media.”

The Blood Lions™ team are implementing campaigns of awareness and action aimed at the general public, both local and international government and provincial decision-makers, the scientific and conservation community, the tourism industry, the professional hunting bodies, and the volunteer agencies. The team are also establishing two projects to feed funding into support for a Wild Lion Range Expansion Project and the NSPCA in South Africa.

“We are proud to partner with the Born Free Foundation for the UK premiere of our feature documentary in London later this month,” said Pippa Hankinson, the producer and driving force behind Blood Lions™. “The support that the film has received from across the United Kingdom has been phenomenal, and it is already playing a significant part in our campaign to create global awareness around the captive lion breeding industry in South Africa and to end the terrible exploitation of these lions.”

Andrew Venter, CEO of Wildlands and executive producer said:  “Blood Lions™ exposes the cons of lion breeding and hunting in South Africa. Over 900 lions are hunted each year, with 99% bred for the bullet. They are hand-reared by paying volunteers that believe they are saving ‘Africa’s lions’. Four days after their release from a life in captivity, they are considered wild and can then be shot by hunters looking for a guaranteed kill; or slaughtered for the lion bone trade to China. We have to stop this barbaric and fraudulent practise, and we believe that Blood Lions™ will help us do this. Creating awareness through this film across the world is an absolute honour, and Wildlands is very proud to be a part of this movement.”

Will Travers concludes by saying: “South Africa’s failure to address the canned hunting industry has emboldened those who make a living out of the death of lions bred, raised and slaughtered on a ‘no kill, no fee’ basis. The canned hunting industry is unnatural, unethical and unacceptable. It delivers compromised animal welfare and zero education. It undermines conservation and creates a moral vacuum now inhabited by the greed and grotesque self-importance of those who derive pleasure in the taking of life.Blood Lions™ lays bare the truth behind the canned hunting industry that, far from contributing to the future survival of the species, may in fact accelerate its extinction in the wild, leaving behind a trail littered with the rotting corpses of its helpless victims.”

To reserve your seats to view this groundbreaking film, please visit www.bornfree.org.uk/bloodlions. The screening at the Royal Geographical Society is located at: 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR (Exhibition Road entrance).

American hunters and SA’s Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) are meeting behind closed doors at a resort near Polokwane today to plan the future use of SA’s wildlife. The four day conference of The African Wildlife Consultative Forum, is being run jointly by DEA and Safari Club International, America’s biggest and most influential hunting fraternity .

From the agenda, African Wildlife Consultative Forum – 8 -12 Nov 2015 the gathering is clearly aimed at building an African pro-hunting lobby at the forthcoming meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) scheduled for Johannesburg next year.

There seems to be doubt, if not quiet deception, about who exactly is invited to the conference. The African Wildlife Consultative Forum is an offshoot of Safari Club International. But NGOs requesting access were emailed by DEA deputy director Mpho Tjiane saying ‘this is a Government meeting and is not open to the general public.’

Journalists requesting accreditation have been told that attendance is by invitation only and they’re not invited. There is no indication that deliberations will be made public.
‘It is of grave concern that issues of this nature and importance are discussed at closed meetings with what appears to be predominantly pro-hunting representation,’ said Karen Trendler of the NGO Working Wild. ‘Many conservation and response organisations will be affected by the various issues being discussed, as will broader South Africa, and it would be preferable to have wider representation.’

Ian Michler, who produced the film Blood Lions, questioned why a foreign a hunting club was playing such a significant role in deliberations about the sustainability of wildlife in Africa. ‘The agenda is clearly not only pro-hunting, but also seeks to raise doubts about the value of photo-tourism against hunting. It also appears to support those wishing to overturn the CITES ban on trade in rhino horn.

‘Given the non-transparent nature of the conference, it’s hard not to infer a conspiracy between hunters and governments in proposals that will be presented to CITES in the public’s name.’
The first session kicked off with an address by professional hunting associations and presentations include issues around the trade of ivory and rhino horn, the role of sport hunting, the Vietnamese demand for rhino horn, import/export permits, the breeding of colour morphs for hunting and the value of hunting as opposed to photo-tourism.
DEA moderators are being assisted in every session by George Pangeti, an official of Safari Club International who was head of administration in the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management in Zimbabwe.

His online biography makes it clear that the African Wildlife Consultative Forum was created by Safari Club International to ‘discuss issues of sustainable wildlife management, sport hunting and benefit flow’ in Africa. It was also tasked to lobby CITES ‘in support of sustainable use, especially sport hunting, and trade in wildlife products.’

Following the recent death of Cecil the lion and a huge tusker in Zimbabwe, One Of Africa’s Biggest Elephants Was Just Killed By Trophy Hunters, trophy hunting has come under considerable pressure from governments and conservation organisations. Questions have been raised about whether trophy hunters are protectors of biodiversity, as they claim, providing funds and a reason to protect wild areas, or whether they are simply killers of wild animals?

Safari Club International has a large and wealthy membership keen to counter negative publicity about trophy hunting. The agenda at the Polokwane meeting makes it clear that they aim to convince African delegates to support trophy hunting and act as a bulwark against growing distaste among members of CITES.

The South African Governments enthusiastic support for this line of thinking, despite scientific studies, Big game hunting in West Africa, What is its contribution to conservation? which show that little money from hunting goes to communities and that killing the biggest and fittest animals, Why Killing a Bull Elephant With Big Tusks Hurts the Herd is detrimental to species, is of concern to many involved in genuine conservation.

EDEN to Addo, Ian Michler, and the Blood Lions team thank the good people of Plettenberg Bay for coming out to support the screening of the docuflick Blood Lions in Plett earlier this year.

Says Eden to Addo director and eco campaigner Ian Michler: “Given the size of Plett, the turnout was one of the largest to date and we are immensely grateful for the donations that have gone towards my trips to the States. Many thanks to everyone for all the support – it is hugely appreciated.”

Since that screening, Blood Lions has been seen in over 140 countries around the world. MSNBC launched the film across the USA in early October, and Discovery Channel has been screening it on every other continent. By the end of the year, the film will have been seen in over 180 countries.

This week, Ian heads to Colombia, the European Parliament, and Finland for screenings and presentations. He is then joined by producer Pippa Hankinson and executive producer Andrew Venter, for screenings at the Royal Geographic Society in London and The Explorers Club in New York. These initiatives are all aimed at having legislation changed.

Eden to Addo is also pleased to announce two additional local screenings: at Pezula in Knysna on December 10, and at the White House in Plettenberg Bay on December 28.

Cape Town – 33 rescued lions now await the flight to South Africa after a life of brutality in the circuses of South America. The Independent UKdescribes the now playful life these rescued lions are living compared to a horrific one, we would never wish on our worst enemy.

24 lions have been rescued from Peruvian circuses, reports the Independent UK. Animal Defenders International (ADI) seized the lions with the help of local authorities. The British charity has campaigned for Peru’s national 2011 national ban.

The Independent UK reports the lions endured years of abuse under the Peruvian circus. According the paper, they animals were fed chicken feet and only left their small cages for parading for the circuses.

In November, the lions will be joined with nine other rescued lions from Colombia on a chartered plane to a South African sanctuary. This will be the largest airlift of lions in aviation history reports the Independent UK. According to ADI president Jan Creamer, many lions have had the claws extracted, undeveloped muscles and broken teeth, because of abuse. Some lions are blind.

These great cats are now enjoying things all cats do in a temporary rescue home in Lima, Peru. Compared to the domestic house cat, lions have similar taste in toys and snacks – although varying in quantity. A chew on a traffic cone or a treat from massive bag of catnip may be lived in a matter of seconds, but the lions are being nursed back to health.

 The Independent reported that the lions lack the crucial hunting skills they need to survive in the wild.

The lions will move to Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in Limpopo.

Earlier this year Emoya pledged a cry to help 33 lions in need of a magic carpet to South Africa. The lions have been rescued and are being micro chipped for tracking, reports the Independent.

A campaign around the new documentary film, Blood Lions, has gone global, threatening to bring down South Africa’s lucrative captive lion breeding industry.

London comedian Matt Lacey rocketed to fame when his Gap Yah sketch, which poked fun at posh young Brits volunteering in the developing world, received over five million YouTube views. But when Lacey embarked on his own volunteer experience at Ukutula lion-park in South Africa, he was rather more earnest. Writing in the UK’s Daily Telegraph, Lacey described Ukutula as “dedicated to conservation and research”. The lion cubs he cared for were “cute and playful” while the older lions “soon lose their tameness, enabling them to be released into the wild”. Four large males in a separate pen, “were due to be sent off to Congo to help replenish the stocks of lions there that had been devastated by war”.

Sadly and ironically, Matt Lacey was conned. Like thousands of other well-meaning volunteers, he bought the story that his efforts helped conserve lions. Yet according to leading conservation NGOs such as Wildlands, Endangered Wildlife Trust and Panthera, captive lion-breeding centres do nothing for conservation. Indeed, not a single captive-bred, hand-reared lion has been successfully released into the wild. Instead, every day in South Africa, two to three captive-bred, effectively tame, lions are killed in canned lion hunts. And helping to fuel this industry are thousands of eager volunteers who unwittingly pay +-US$1,000 per week to look after lion cubs that are bred for the bullet. The volunteers believe they are orphans, yet the cubs are deliberately removed soon after birth, forcing their mothers back into oestrus and ensuring that they become continuous breeding machines. The scale of the industry is huge, with some 4,000 lion cubs born in captive breeding facilities in South Africa each year.

In 1997, ITV’s The Cook Report exposed South Africa’s canned lion hunting industry, eliciting a wave of outrage that prompted government to ban the practice, determining that captive-bred lions must fend for themselves for 24 months before being hunted. However, in 2010 the SA Predator Breeding Association won a High Court Appeal to overturn this legislation and today canned lion hunting is legal, generating some US$10 million per year. This, coupled with exponential growth in the volunteerism sector, has created a highly lucrative industry, with lion breeding centres generating up to US$100,000 per month from volunteer fees alone.

More recently the massive growth in Asian demand for lion bones (used as a proxy for tiger bones in the making of tiger bone wine) has created yet another revenue stream – an estimated 1,000 lions are now killed annually for the burgeoning lion bone trade. With three major sources of revenue, the lion breeding industry has grown exponentially – today there are 6,000-7,000 lions in cages in South Africa, representing a quarter of all lions remaining in Africa.

Over the past few weeks however, there have been growing signs that the industry’s hey-dey may be over. The shocking new South African documentary film, Blood Lions, hit global television screens on MSNBC and Discovery Channel in early October, unleashing a storm of outrage. The social media tsunami that ensued not only crashed the Blood Lions website but triggered a domino effect that could prove to be unstoppable.

In the few weeks since Blood Lions went live on international screens:

– #BloodLionsSa has become one of South Africa’s top twitter trends, with hundreds of angry messages calling for a ban on captive lion breeding. The tweet storm included messages from Hollywood actors Ellen DeGeneres and Ian Somerhalder who sucked in millions of fans, while Facebook and twitter sites such as Volunteers in Africa Beware, #talktotheclaws, #WheresRicky, and #BredForTheBullet were bombarded.

– A petition was launched on advocacy site www.change.org, calling on RealGap, the Association of British Tour Operators and TUI to stop sending volunteers to lion breeding programmes, garnering thousands of signatures. It warned of possible legal action against RealGap and its holding company, TUI, by misled volunteers.

–  Global hotel group Marriott found itself in the middle of a tweet storm over its Protea Ranch Resort and Lion Park, one of 116 hotels acquired when Marriott bought the Protea Hospitality Group last year.

– Johannesburg’s Lion Park, one of South Africa’s top tourist attractions, announced that it would stop tourists interacting with lion cubs from 2016.

– In the USA and Europe, several tourism companies cancelled programmes or diverted groups that were destined for lion encounter programmes, while South African Tourism board member Colin Bell warned of the captive lion industry’s damaging impact on “Brand South Africa”.

– The Australian Government implemented a ban on the import of wildlife trophies, with Federal Labor Member Melissa Parke calling predator breeding and canned hunting “a moral failure on the part of the human race”.

– Fair Trade Tourism announced it would tighten its certification criteria for volunteer programmes – aiming to promote best practice, safeguard the safety of children, animals and volunteers, and eradicate false marketing.

Dr Luke Hunter, president of the global wild cat conservation organisation Panthera, this week described the captive lion breeding industry as “ethically miserable” and said: “The bottom line is the lion encounter industry does nothing to conserve wild lions.” Kelly Marnewick, head of Endangered Wildlife Trust’s carnivore conservation programme, said: “Captive breeding is not a conservation recommendation for carnivores. We are extremely concerned at the number of facilities holding predators for financial gain.” And Dr Andrew Venter, CEO of Wildlands, accused the captive lion breeding industry of doing damage on multiple fronts and added: “We will not rest until this industry has been completely transformed.”

Following the premier screening of Blood Lions at the Durban International Film Festival, Hermann Meyeridricks, president of the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa, wrote to members: “The tide of public opinion is turning strongly against this form of hunting. Even within our own ranks, respected voices are speaking out publicly against it…. I have come to believe that, as it stands, our position on lion hunting is no longer tenable.” The South African Predator Breeding Association has scrambled into action, approaching North West University to investigate the value of the captive lion industry in preparation of its defence.

The cat, so to speak, is firmly out of the bag.

 

Waterberg, South Africa  – Something moves in the thicket. Hunter Stan Burger and his tracker approach quietly, set the rifle up on a tripod to ensure its stability, and take aim.

A shot rings out. Moments later, the two South Africans emerge from the bush, carrying the carcass of a bush pig covered with coarse yellowish hair, a wound bleeding in its neck.

“A clean kill,” Burger says. “He was eating grass, and he was stone dead the moment the bullet hit him. Fortunately, the wind held for us” – coming from a direction which did not allow the prey to smell human presence.

The hunt took place in northern Limpopo province in an area measuring 2 700 hectares, one in approximately 10 000 private game ranches in South Africa, where wealthy foreigners pay thousands of dollars to hunt some of the continent’s most emblematic animals.

The trophy hunting industry run by professionals like Burger is worth more than 1 billion rand (77 million dollars) annually, according to government figures.

But after the killings of GPS-collared lion Cecil and of an unusually large elephant in neighbouring Zimbabwe sparked international outrage, and amid reports that some of the trophy hunters in South Africa target half-tame lions, the reputation of the industry has suffered.

It is “morally indefensible” to hunt animals for trophies, lion rights campaigner Linda Park said. “It is a relic from colonial days, with the great white hunter.”

Several airlines have announced that they will no longer transport big-game trophies, while Australia banned the import of lion trophies and the European Union toughened restrictions on trophy imports earlier this year.

Foreign hunters exported about 44 000 trophies from South Africa in 2013, according to the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA).

The vast majority of the hunters come from the United States, while other markets include Europe, Australia and Japan.

The prices of the animals range from $400 (about R5 304 @ R13,26/$) for an impala antelope to up to $80 000 (about R1.06 million @ R13.26/$) for a rhinoceros.

Many hunters buy a seven-day package allowing them to hunt five animals for $7 000 to $8 000, according to Burger, who will take up the presidency of PHASA in November.

Those aiming for the “big five” – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros – may pay $200 00 for 21 days.

The hunters often stay in luxury tents at game lodges from where they go out in four-wheel drive vehicles, scanning the landscape for game to stalk on foot with their guide.

When the animals the hunter wants are not available on the game ranch, the organizer may take him or her to South African provincial wildlife reserves, or to Zimbabwe or Mozambique.

The US dentist who killed Cecil only wounded him with an arrow, allowing him to flee and suffer for 40 hours before he was found and finished off.

South African trophy hunting organizers admit that some of their clients need to be trained at shooting, but say that many are experienced hunters.

“They come here for an African adventure they have long dreamed of,” Burger said.

The industry says the high fees paid by the hunters have rehabilitated natural habitats, allowing the numbers of wild animals in South Africa to increase. Game ranches now contain an estimated 16 million animals on 20 million hectares, according to PHASA.

The industry also says it gives direct employment to more than 100 000 people.

The meat of hunted animals is often donated to ranch employees or local communities, while ranch owners prevent poaching by hiring rangers and by encouraging locals to see wildlife as an economic asset, according to PHASA.

Such arguments do not convince animal rights campaigners.

Ainsley Hay from South Africa’s National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the rise in numbers of “animals confined to small unnatural camps or captive situations … is not a true reflection of an increase in biodiversity.”

Trophy hunting has not reduced poaching in South Africa, while “merely giving communities the meat and offcuts from trophies is not benefiting them in the long run,” Hay said by e-mail.

Campaigners also dispute statements by hunters that they mainly target older animals.

Trophy hunting “is unnecessary and not in the interest of the individual animals or the species as a whole,” Hay said, calling for a ban on the practice.

Such views however get no support from South Africa’s government. Trophy hunting makes a “substantial contribution” to the economy and “promotes private investment in wildlife,” said Magdel Boshoff from the Department of Environmental Affairs.

“Hunting is not just about killing,” but about the experience of being in the wild, Burger said, criticizing hunters who pose for photographs with their foot on the dead animal.

“The life of something has just been taken,” he said after shooting the bush pig. “You have to show a little respect.”

HOEDSPRUIT – International blockbuster Blood Lions roared into Hoedspruit on Tuesday night to a large and enthralled audience and will echo across the world for some time to come.

The documentary exposing the large scale commercial breeding and canned hunting industry in South Africa shocked many and confirmed the worst fears of others with an in depth investigation, revealing interviews and powerful imagery. The viewing at the Southern Cross School was attended by nearly l50 concerned residents and visitors and was followed by an enlightening discussion with the documentary makers. The panel lead consultant and wildlife activist Ian Michler: producer Pippa Hankinson, described by dailymaverick.com as consisted of ‘inspirational’; and the executive producer Andrew Venter, who is also CEO for the Wildlands Conservation Trust.

Of the estimated l0 000 lions in South Africa over 7 000 are on private Farms specifically bred to be killed. The huge volunteering industry where generally younger foreigners pay exorbitant fees to “rehabilitate orphaned lions” is exposed as one of the cruelest cons in conservation. Allegedly most “sanctuaries” that allow petting and contact or walking with lion are not rehabilitating them for the wild but for canned (confined by small enclosures or due to the lions habituation) hunting.

The discussion panel made it clear that legitimate conservationists are campaigning to increase the range and protect current habitats for wild lions.

A telling point of the film was Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom’s statement that canned killing has already damaged brand South Africa and as a nation “We need to decide if it something we are proud of’. The Environment Minister was not available for a screening in spite of multiple offers, but several of her senior departmental and ministerial staff did view the documentary some weeks ago, The Minister however continues publically to deny that canned hunting takes place.

This will set up an intense community and cabinet debate about putting a R94 Billon tourism industry at risk for the sake of a R122 million canned lion killing business.

Australia has already banned the import of hunting trophies. With several European countries making sounds in support of joining that ban to end this cruel and unnecessary trade.

Pieter Potgieter se veldervarings P en natuurlewebetrokkenheid is uniek in verskeie opsigte. Ek kan woorde gebruik om hom te beskryf soos “onverstoorbaar” en “outentiek”. Maar selfs dan – en hier sal al sy vriende en kennisse saamstem – het ek nog nie heeltemal reg laat geskied aan sy menswees en sy bydraes tot die georganiseerde jag- en wildbedryf in Suid-Afrika nie. Maar kom ek begin by die begin, en met verloop van sy storie sal ook die lesers wat hom nie ken nie, verstaan waarom ek hom so aan julle voorstel. En waarom ek hom klassifiseer as een van die lewende legendes van die jagveld.

Namibie – sy wéreld

 Pieter Potgieter (of alombekend as Pottie) is ‘n afstammeling van die Dorslandtrekkers en latere Angolaboere, wat hul in 1928 in die destydse Suidwes-Afrika gaan hervestig het. Al sal almal nie noodwendig met my saamstem nie, was dit dalk hierdie erflikheid en omgewingswerklikhede (die “argetipe”, soos Carl Jung dit beskryf het) wat die oorsprong was van die eienskappe wat ek hierbo genoem het. Hy is gebore in die Gobabisdistrik en het in 1959 in Otjiwarongo gematrikuleer. Dat hierdie hartland lewenslank deel van sy menswees sal bly, raak vir my duideliktoe ek oor ‘n soveelste koffie vir hom vra hoe gereeld hy nog daar kom. Rustig en berekend haal hy sy Namibiese identiteitsdokument uit en sé met ‘n flikker in sy oe dat hy pas twee weke gelede teruggekom het van sy derde besoek aan sy wéreld vir die afgelope jaar (en dit net ng die “installering” van ‘n pasaangeer).

As laerskoolseun het hy begin kleinwild jag: tarentale, fisante, varke, steenbokke en duikers saam met sy hond, Vanger. In die periode tussen grootword in die Gobabis-omgewing en skool klaarmaak in Otjiwarongo, was die hele bos en die sandveld sy jaggebied; hier het hy sy liefde (lees “verslawing”), kennis en respek vir die veld gevestig. Pottie vertel my van sy pa se Herero-werker, Claudeus. Pottie en sy Itimiititi1i van 30 jaar, Bun Malan, in die TOT-AS Kalahari op soek na gemsbokke (Die Herero’s het die manier gehad om sulke klassieke name te gee soos Festus, Josephine, Victoria, ens. Dit kom van die Duitsers af- hul grootste vyande, maar ook hul grootste rolmodelle.) Claudeus het hom in sy kinderjare oortuig dat sommige steenbokke getoor is: Jy kan op 25 m ‘n punt-22 se magasyn op hom leegskiet maarjy sal hom nie raak nie. Hy sal jou net met sy groot oe staan en aankyk asofjy van ‘n ander planeet af kom. Gelukkig het die eerste koedoebul (met ‘n oopvisier-30.06) en al die anderwild oor ‘n leeityd sedertdien nie hierdie jinx gehad nie.

Die “elandskool”

Die afwesigheid van die Jinx is nou behalwe vir die elande van die Omaheke. Die Omaheke is die Hererowoord vir die sandwéreld oos van Otjiwarongo en noord van Gobabis. Die habitat daar is hoofsaaklik digte vaalbos en sandgeelhout, en dit is die gunstelinggebied vir daardie wéreld se groot (en slim) elande. Hier was Pottie vir ‘n hele paar jaar in die “elandskool”, so benoem deur Eddie van Wyk, die eienaar van die plaas Panorama, wat geleé is waar die Waterberg se rug in die Kalahari-sand verdwyn.

“My ervaring met die elande van die Omaheke het oor ‘n aantal jare gestrek; soms suksesvol, ander kere onsuksesvol. Na elke onsuksesvolle jag, waarin ek myle agter die elande aangestap het sonder om hond / eland haaraf te maak, sou die boer vir my sé: ‘l-YK my oom was weer vandag in die elandskool.'”

 “Watter lesse het ek in hierdie skool geleer?

• Use enough gun! (met erkenning aan Robert Ruark). Jy skiet op 2O tot 5O m, dikwels deur digte bos waar jy net-net ‘n stukkie van die eland deur die bos en blare sien. Daarom is ‘n .375 ideaal. Moe nie met jou meerkatgeweer daar probeer eland jag nie.
• Moenie net loop en soek soos jy met rooibokke en koedoes maak nie. Jy loop jou vas in koeitroppe wat jou sien lank voor jy hulle sien. Hulle het rondomverdediging, soos ons in die infanterieskool geleer het. Soek ‘n groot bul se spoor by die water en loop daarop tot jy sy warm tekens begin kry. Dan weet jy hy is naby en met geduld kan jy ‘n skoot op hom inkry – partykeer net ‘n stukkie geelbruin vel deur die vaalbos.
• As jy eers ‘n elandbul laat wegkom het, kry jy hom nie weer nie. As jy hom verras, spring hy met ‘n vaart weg, maar gou begin hy draf en dan stap hy. Daarna draai hy van sy rigting af en gaan staan so 5O tot 100 m links of regs van sy vlugspoor onder ‘n boom en hou sy spoor dop. Jy sal hom nie kry nie. Hy wag vir jou. Ek het eenkeer meer as 1O km so agter ‘n elandbul aangestap. Die boer se kommen taar toe ek gedaan by die huis kom: ‘Les nommer een in die elandskool. As jy ‘n elandbul eenkeer ge-spook het, los hom en gaan soek vir jou ‘n ander een.’
• Op oop plase, waar wildwerende heinings nie hul bewegings aan WILD & JAG NOVEMBER 2015 bande lé nie, word elande se bewegings hoofsaaklik deur die maan bepaal: drinktye en weitye. En volmaan is vir hulle een of ander magic. Hulle trek weg – nugter weet waarheen. Een dag is daar nog 200 elande op die plaas. As dit begin volmaan raak, is hulle weg. ‘n Week later is hulle weer terug.

“Ek kan nie sé dat ek al die lesse goed geleer het nie, maar een ding is seker: Daar in die Omaheke is ‘n elandbul ‘n formidabele uitdaging. Een dag verspot maklik om te skiet, maar meesal sit hy jou ore aan.”

 In die Khomas Hochland

Op my vraag oor ander besonderse ervarings wat hy in die jagveld gehad het, vertel hy verder: “Gelukkig was ek darem nie net in die elandskool nie. ‘n Ander stuk jagervaring van my lé in die Khomas Hochland – daardie bergwéreld wes van Windhoek tot teen die Namib. Tsammams is die naam van die 11 OOO ha oop plaas van Moolman van Zyl. As jy ‘n gelyk plek in daardie wéreld wil hii, moet jy dit self maak. Koedoes, gemsbokke en Hartmann se bergsebras – en natuurlik luiperds – is daar genoeg.

“Om in daardie berge met die voet te jag, is nogal ‘n uitdaging. Kan jy jou voorstel hoe dit is om van een berghang na die ander een te skiet? Vervolg Cdr 73 ” Vervolg Ek het vier jaar agtermekaar probeer om ‘n sebrahings daar te skiet (benewens die koedoes en gemsbokke), maar ek sal volgende jaar weer moet probeer. Die een wat daar in die Khuri Kaub (‘n diep kloof wat deur die plaas loop) bly, het my nommer op.”

 Nou sal lesers begin wonder hoe dit kom dat hier nog niks geskryf is oor buffels, leeus en olifante nie: Hierdie reeks verskyn immers onder die opskrif “Lewende legendes van die jagveld” en dit bring meesal die beeld van die Groot Vyf na vore. Die rede is eintlik voor die hand liggend – daar is persone wat op ander wyses bydraes tot die jag- en wildbedryf lewer en gelewer het wat van hulle ook “legendes” in eie reg maak. Een so ‘n persoon is Pieter JJS Potgieter.

Tipies beskeie sé hy dan ook dat hy beslis nie daarop aanspraak kan maak dat hy ‘n wafferse bydrae tot die jagbedryf gemaak het nie. Hy het ook nie wonderlike Afrika-jagervarings gehad met olifante, buffels en leeus nie. Toe hy op die toneel gekom het, was daardie era al grootliks verby, met die uitsondering van professionele jagters en trofeeversamelaars (hoofsaaklik van oorsese lande). PJ Schoeman het darem sy jong kop vol jagstories gepraat en toe hy Engels kon lees, het hy Robert Ruark gelees en baie by hom geleer.

 “Ek moes tevrede wees met koedoes en gemsbokke en elande wat nou nie juis stot vir epiese jagstories oplewer nie,” sé hy rustig dog sonder apologie. “Die blywende waarde van ‘n jagervaring lé mos nie in hoe groot jou prooi was of hoeveel jy daarvoor betaal het nie, maar eerder in die uitdaging wat hy aan jou as jagter gestel het en hoe jy jou eie beperkinge moes oorkom om suksesVol te wees,” verduidelik hy filosofies.

 Bydraes tot jag- en wildbewarings bedryf

Pieter Potgieter hoef nie beskeie of apologeties te wees oor sy bydraes tot die jag- en wildbewaringsbedryf in Suid-Atrika nie. Hier volg die posisies en instellings waarbinne hy sy bydraes gelewer het en steeds lewer: .

• Stigterslid en eerste voorsitter van die Hartbees Jagtersvereniging in Potchefstroom .
• Visepresident (opleiding) van SA Jagters- en Wildbewaringsvereniging (SAJWV) .
• Adjunkpresident van SAJWV
• President van SAJWV (2007-2010)
• President van SA Roofdiertelers vereniging (2011 tot tans).

Ek kry Pottie so ver om uit te brei oor sy betrokkenheid, wat hy wel doen, maar onmiddellik sé hy dat ‘n mens moet onthou “dat dit altyd as deel van ‘n span was waarvoor ander ouens in die SAJWV eintlik die krediet moet kry”.

Debat oor etiese jag

Een besondere bydrae wat hy gelewer het, was om die debat oor etiese jag te fasiliteer terwyl hy president van die SAJWV was. Ek haal hom woordeliks aan:

“In die jagomgewing kry ‘n mens die puriste en die realiste. Vir die puriste is slegs klassieke walk and stalk-jay egte jag. As jy dit nie doen nie, is jy nie ‘n etiese jagter nie maar ‘n skieter. Die realiste daarenteen sé: Loop en bekruip is natuurlik die klassieke manier van jag, maar daar is ook ander geldige jagmetodes wat deur die terrein en die plantegroei gedikteer word.

“Ek het hierdie debat probeer fasiliteer toe ek by die SAJWV was. Mettertyd is ‘n paar eenvoudige waarhede uitgesorteer:

• Jy kan in die Kalahari of die Namib of die Karoo stap en jag, maar dan moet jy gesond en fiks wees en jy sal miskien een bok per dag huis toe bring. Bale min jagters kan dit doen en dit is meesal nie meer aanvaarbaar in die tye waarin ons tans leef nie – nie vir die wildplaaseienaar nie en ook nie vir die jagter nie.
• Die werklikheid is dat bakkiejag en voorsitjag verantwoordelik is vir ten minste 80 persent van alle jag in Suid-Afrika.
• Daar was toe nogal konsensus dat die konsep ‘etiese jag’ nie meer ‘n baie bruikbare een is in ‘n tydvak van etiese relativisme /diversiteit nie. Wie se etiek is nou eintlik die geldende een? As dit deel van my kultuur is om met honde te jag, wie is jy om vir my te sé dit is oneties?

 “Die uitkoms van die debat was dat daar besluit is om eerder te praat van ‘verantwoordelike jag’, wat veel makliker is om te definieer en toe te pas. Die jag is naamlik verantwoordelik wanneer:

• dit wettig is .
• die prooi met een goed geplaasde skoot gedood word
• die veiligheid van al die betrokke partye verseker is.”

Herstrukturering van die SAJWV

Sy betrokkenheid by die SAJWV het saamgeval met ‘n fase van uitbreiding van die organisasie. Van ‘n hoofsaaklik Pretoria-gebaseerde organisasie het dit in ‘n baie kort tyd tot ‘n organisasie met ‘n nasionale voetspoor ontwikkel. Die ledetal het eksponensieel gegroei en takke het oor die hele land tot stand gekom. Die bestaande konstitusie van die vereniging was net nie meer goed genoeg om die else en uitdagings van die nuwe situasie te hanteer nie. Die vereniging se uitvoerende komitee het toe besluit om ‘n omvattende herstrukturering te doen.

Dit was Pottie se voorreg om daardie proses te help bestuur. Die nuwe strukture is van 2005 af ingefaseer en dit het ook gepaardgegaan met die vestiging van ‘n bepaalde jagkultuur, wat ‘n sterk saambindende effek op die vereniging gehad het elemente soos ‘n jagterslied (geskryf en gekomponeer deur Ben Bierman), taklogo‘s wat die identiteit van elke tak weerspieél, en ‘n trofeesaal waarop elke lid trots kan wees. En natuurlik ‘n bestuurskultuur wat deelnemend en deursigtig is en wat lede op die grondvlak bemagtig om hul eie ding te doen. Jagtersopleiding is ontwikkel tot sekerlik die beste in die land. Die SAJWV is vandag een van die grootste en bes bestuurde nieregeringsorganisasies in die land – danksy die toegewyde span waarvan Pottie deel kon wees.

Pogings om groter eenheid in die jagbedryf teweeg te bring

Die toneel van jagorganisasies in Suid-Afrika was van die begin af gefragmenteer. Elke streek het sy eie jagorganisasie gehad. In 1981 is eenheid bewerkstellig met die stigting van Chasa (Suid-Afrikaanse Jagterskonfederasie). Die eenheid was egter maar van korte duur. In 2004 het dit die slagoffer geword van die groot-visin-die-klein-dammetjie-sindroom toe die SAJWV geskors is.

 Gedurende sy termyn as president is daar ernstig probeer om die eenheid te herstel. Die beginsels van ‘n konstitusie vir ‘n herenigde Chasa (weliswaar onder ‘n ander naam) is aanvaar, maar dit het nooit tot voltooiing gekom nie.

Agterna beskou dink Pottie dat dit goed is so. Daar was naamlik nooit ‘n dwingende rede vir strukturele eenheid tussen die verskillende jagorganisasies nie. Vandag word daar funksioneel saamgewerk in Hawasa (‘n koukus van organisasies in die wild- en jagbedryf) oor gemeenskaplike sake sonder dat die identiteit van die verskillende jagorganisasies in die gedrang kom.

Betrokkenheid by die leeubedryf

Na sy uittrede as president SAJWV in 2010 het die leeuboere, wat pas hul hofsaak teen die minister van omgewingsake gewen het, hom gevra om hulle te help om die leeubedryf op ‘n volhoubare grondslag gevestig te kry. Hoewel die leeubedryf toe al goed gereguleer was, was daar groot leemtes in wetstoepassing. Sekere operateurs het die bedryf voortdurend om die verkeerde redes in die kalklig gestel deur hul onwettige en onverantwoordelike optrede. Daarmee het hulle as’t ware die “propagandastof” op ‘n skinkbord vir die diereregte-aktiviste aangebied. Die film Blood Lions is die jongste voorbeeld daarvan. Volgens Pottie kon die provinsiale omgewingsake-owerhede dit nooit uitgeroei kry nie, veral nie in die Noordwesprovinsie nie.

Die SA Fioofdiertelersvereniging het toe besluit om self norme en standaarde vir die jag van leeus wat in gevangenskap geteel is, te ontwikkel en om sy lede sover te kry om dit vrywillig toe te pas. ‘n Stelsel van akkreditasie is ontwikkel om leeujagplase, wat volgens die reels speel, te identifiseer en hulle as leeujagbestemmings van wéreldgehalte te bemark.

Aldus Pottie: “So hoop ons om markkragte te gebruik om die skelms en die kansvatters uit die leeujagbedryf te druk. Net die tyd sal leer of ons daarin gaan slaag. Dis ‘n wedloop teen tyd.”

Ten slotte

Ek het die voorreg gehad om ‘n paar keer saam met Pottie en ander jagmaats gemsbokke en springbokke in die Koés /Aroab-omgewing te gaan jag. Dit was wonderlike ervarings, des te meer so vanweé Pottie se natuurlike leidinggewing. Sy fyn humor om die kampvuur is afgewissel met toegewyde erns wanneer ons deur die strate en oor die duine met die Cruiser gekreun het. Sy twee gunsteling-, pasgemaakte gewere is sy .25-06 en sy .300 H&H. Dit was besonders as Pottie jou toegelaat het om met die .25-06 en handgelaaide rondtes kopskoot-springbokke op lang afstande te Iaat val.

Dit dan is Pieter Potgieter- die mens wat hom as akademikus, dekaan en bestuursleier onderskei het, strategies kan dink en suksesVol mense met hom kan saamneem na ‘n gemeenskaplike visie ten opsigte van die jag- en wildbewaringsbedryf in Suid-Afrika. Ook en veral die mens-mens wat aangedaan kan raak oor die wonder van die natuur en oor hoe hy sy tienerkleinseun Aldrich, wat in Texas bly, sy eerste springbok in Leonardville se wéreld kon Iaat skiet. Maar eers nadat Aldrich daar ver moes leer fyn skiet en die geskandeerde telkaarte aan oupa moes stuur voordat hy toegelaat is om sy eerste bok te skiet. En toe kry die mannetjie dit sommer reg om nege kopskote met tien patrone te skiet!

WHITE RIVER – Lion-breeding centres and close-range hunting experiences that guarantee a successful lion hunt within two days of your arrival, are often moneymaking schemes disguised as conservation centres.

This is one of the messages delivered in Blood Lions, a documentary feature film that strips the viewer of any illusions he may have had about South Africa’s predator breeding and canned-lion hunting industries. The film was presented to Lowvelders in the Uplands College Hall on Monday evening. This screening followed one day after its first airing on DStv’s Discovery channel.

The woman whose idea it was to unveil the gut-wrenching truths of the industry, is first-time producer Pippa Hankinson. About four years ago, she visited a private lion breeding farm. What she saw there, broke her heart. “About 80 lions were clearly distressed in their small enclosures, many of them were visibly inbred.”

She contacted lan Michler, an environmental journalist who has been researching this injustice since 1999. He agreed to embark on a film-making journey with her. To tell the lions’ story, they enlisted the help of American hunter Rick Swazey, whose set-up search for an experience is followed in the film.

Rick starts out by booking one of these hunting trips online. His target of choice is a lioness and he pays $5 400, guaranteeing that he will shoot her at Benkoe farm near Vryburg at a close range in an enclosed space. Although a film crew’s presence is tolerated by the hunting farm during the preparation phases, they are chased from Benkoe tor wanting to film the close-range shooting of the lioness.

The lion is one of thousands in South Africa with a price on its head. According to the film, the commercialisation of lions has been unfairly enriching those in charge of predator-breeding farms and canned-hunting facilities.

The film shows that different facilities make millions out of 6 000 to 8 000 caged lions in various ways. According to the film, lionesses’ breeding abilities are stretched to their maximum potential, as more cubs eventually mean more income for the breeders – even if the cubs suffer as a result. They are separated from their mothers a week after their birth, ‘ causing the mother’s body to prepare itself for another cycle of breeding. Not only does this distress the lion cub, it also makes for the breeding of genetically impaired batches of cubs, as the lions’ natural cycles are disturbed by these processes.

The films shows how these lion cubs are a source of income for breeding facilities. Cub-petting sessions cost from R200 per adult and are a popular tourist attraction. Another moneymaking industry is the involving of volunteers at these centres. The film interviews three volunteers, who paid large amounts of money to serve as volunteers at various facilities where lions were bred. Although they initially thought they were doing their bit for conservation, they soon discovered that they were just pawns for endeavours that feed on helpless caged lions. One of them, Kara, was even offered the opportunity to sponsor a lion cub by paying for his food and veterinary costs. A year later, she was invited back to the breeding centre for a walk with “her” lion.

 According to Ian, the essence of the film is that we are being fooled by these breeders and facilities to believe that they are involved in the conservation of lions. In reality, they are simply breeding lions for economic exploitation. “They convey this fraudulent message to visitors and even volunteers, who pay large amounts of money to help out at these centres,” ‘ he said. “Although these places claim that they serve some purpose towards conservation) no recognised conservation or wildlife association is associated with any of them,” he said. The film also refers to the relationships between the different centres. When the cubs have grown, they are transferred from the one centre to the other and, according to Ian, eventually end up as a victim of further exploitation. “Some are used for lion-walking tours, others for hunting in enclosed spaces and then there’s the lion bone trade that’s on the increase. In 2013 about 1 200 lion-bone exports were made to Asia,” he said. “The bones of lions are in high demand in the East. Traditional Chinese medicinal recipes used to make use of tiger bone, which usage was banned in the 1990s. They are now using lion bones for these purposes.”

These brutal truths have shocked nations worldwide. Australian minister Greg Hunt supports the cause and has already banned the importation of lion trophies to Australia. Botswana’s president, Mr Seretsi Khama, is also openly against the breeding of predators and canned-lion industry. Celebrity Ellen DeGeneres has openly voiced her support of T the film and its cause on Twitter.

In terms of South African law, the industry has not been deemed illegal. “After Blood Lions’ release, the country’s proposed threatened or protected species regulations, which would have excluded lions, will now be reviewed,” Pippa said. She, Ian and their team believe that together, we can slowly change things around to save our lions. Not only from extinction, but from immoral, brutal suffering that no living creature should endure.

ENVIRONMENTAL Affairs Minister Edna Molewa is considering laws to address the practice of “driven hunting” which drew outrage from South Africans earlier this year, but she was unable to say whether she planned to regulate or ban it.

Investigative journalism programme Carte Blanche ran a feature last month on the blood sport, which was filmed at a Limpopo farm. Participants perch on raised scaffolding and shoot at game that is herded towards them by staff.

SA’s hunting industry earned R6.6bn in 2013.

Reports of a driven hunt near Alldays in Limpopo last month drew ire from nongovernmental organisations and South Africans who considered the hunting method cruel, as it rarely leads to a quick kill and often causes valuable game serious pre-death injuries.

In a noncommittal response to questions from Democratic Alliance MP Jòhni Edwards, Ms Molewa said the department did not condone driven hunts that are not conducted in a responsible manner, within the limits of legislation.

But she said the department found that a driven hunt which took place in Limpopo was sufficiently monitored.

“The Department of Environmental Affairs is in a process of initiating an assessment of the scope of this method of hunting in SA in order to obtain a proper understanding of its impact on biodiversity.

“The need for legislative review to ban, or regulate this method of hunting, either through regulations, norms and standards or any other mechanism will require thorough consideration arising from an assessment of the scope on this method as alluded to above,” Ms Molewa said.

She said the department received numerous complaints about the practice but that no complaints were received subsequent to the hunt when the department’s inspector was present.

Department spokesman Albie Modise said the minister would have a clearer mandate on whether driven hunts should be regulated or banned following meetings with Limpopo’s provincial government.

However, Environmental Affairs portfolio committee chairman Jackson Mthembu told Business Day that the department would sit before the committee on Friday to explain its stance on the controversial practice. He said the maligned hunting method was an “area of concern”.

“We have asked for information on this matter and what has been reported about the Blood Lions. We want information on record so as to put efforts in place to fight this. If it is about a gap in the law we need to know how to monitor hunting licenses,” Mr Mthembu said.

Professional Hunters Association of SA (Phasa) CEO Adri Kisthoff said the association would gladly assist with formulating legislation around the practice of driven hunting.

“Phasa is not there to regulate morals and ethics. We are there to ensure that whatever hunting takes place happens within the guidelines of legislation. If the minister is considering legislation, we will gladly work with her.”