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LOCAL CONSERVATIONIST COMES TO ROBBEN ISLAND’S RESCUE

5 May 2008 - Searl Derman owner of Aquila Private Game Reserve just outside Cape Town and trustee of ARC, Aquila Animal Rescue and Conservation Centre based at Aquila, has pledged R250 000 worth of assistance to Robben Island as a result of his recent visit and the critical situation facing the islands’ wildlife and vegetation.

       

Derman stated “It might seem like a lot of money and effort to some, as the total value of the 2 Bontebok and 20 spring buck is under R20 000, but I’d be honoured to be involved in saving the original bloodlines of these historic and endangered animals, and limit any further bloodshed, at a world heritage site of such great significance right on my doorstep

       

Upon reading in a Cape newspaper of the conservation emergency with regards to the wildlife on Robben Island, Derman realised that the situation was critical, and met the manager of the conservation unit on the island, Shaun Davis to offer assistance.

Derman who was instrumental in the capture of the elusive Rondevlei hippo a couple of years ago and so no stranger to wildlife issues hence him donating his boats, conservation expertise, game capture staff and equipment, helicopters, animal feed, vitamin blocks, veterinary services, medicines, etc.

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Derman called in his specialist staff from the Aquila Animal Rehabilitation Centre (ARC), based at Aquila Private Game Reserve and dedicated to the conservation of endangered species involved in various research projects, funded by Aquila.

By Wednesday evening, 30 April 2008, Derman of ARC and Simon Trickey arrived with approximately R10 000 worth of fresh produce and various vitamin and energy licks for the animals, donated by Aquila. Trickey has extensive experience in the capture, handling, and quarantining of wildlife. He has been involved in training the Botswana Problem Animal Control Units and has lectured as far a field as Brazil.

   

The intention was to take the food to Robben Island on Thursday morning but due to near gale force winds preventing Derman from using his own boat and Thursday also happened to be the only day of the year when the normal ferry’s were not running.

Derman arranged with the islands management to use the normal ferry to transport the produce on Friday morning at 06h00. On arrival, they assessed the situation and possible alternatives to rescue the animals. Staff reported of animals raiding houses and dustbins and eating anything they could find, including paper.

As experienced conservationists, both Derman and Trickey were shocked at the state of the devastated vegetation on the island. A distinct browse-line was visible on all trees, at a height of four feet. Rabbits were seen in abundance and it is these rabbits that have completely destroyed whatever grazing the island ever had.

The springbok that were seen were largely in stage two of starvation, whilst the fallow deer were varying between stages two and three of starvation. The only antelope that seem to be largely unaffected by the situation were the steenbok. This is due to the fact that they need only small territories, are not voluminous eaters, and are not reliant on surface water.

Several sites were chosen for placing game licks, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and highly concentrated vitamin and molasses concentrates. Immediately all the antelope downwind from the site came running - at one point, between 200 and 300 hundred fallow deer were crowding around a single feeding site.

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