African Wildlife & Environment Issue 80

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

their respective fields. Speaking of legends, my interaction with the section rangers in the KNP was so influential in shaping my career in conservation. I must single out Louis Olivier who also tragically passed away this year due to Covid-19 complications. One never wanted to get on the wrong side of Louis, but he had a heart of gold and was loyal to his friends to a fault. He taught me so much, not only as a student, but more so in later years as my regional ranger when I got my first section ranger posting at Woodlands in the north of the KNP. After my practical year was finished, I realized that this is where I wanted to be, without a shadow of a doubt, and needed to stay near the KNP, where I hoped I would be able to come back to. After passing the induction course at Londolozi, I spent the next seven months working with Dave and John Varty at Londolozi, as a guide. It was here that I realized that coming into conservation to get away from people, was not the way it was. As a guide you work more intimately with people and often under more pressure than most other jobs. I absolutely loved it and being able to show people what I was so passionate about, was not work. I am very grateful for the grounding I had at Londolozi and their ethos of involving the community and giving back. When I was asked by Dave Chapman, the head of wilderness trails, to apply for an upcoming position in the KNP, I was so ecstatic that I did not sleep for days. The anticipation was almost too much to bear. The interview was held in Dr Johan Kloppers office with Dave Chapman and the head ranger for the KNP, Bruce Bryden. I still cringe when I think of arriving there in dusty khaki shorts and shirt with vellies, having to race there after a morning drive in an open Land Rover, all wind-blown and wide-eyed and bushy smelling.The other candidates who had all already had their turn at being interviewed were sitting outside in the hallway, all in suits and ties with their bound CVs clutched in their hands. I had nothing, but my smile and burning desire to make this my home. I got the job! In those days, the three-month probation was strictly applied as they wanted to make 100% sure that you would be up to the responsibility, that a wilderness trails ranger had to bear having eight strangers walking through 'Big Five' country with ticks, snakes, and mosquitoes. One of the daunting tests was to shoot an elephant bull, that they pushed onto you with a

natural areas play in the future of any country and the values they add. The biggest threat that these natural areas are facing in Africa, is habitat loss. The human population explosion is necessitating more land to be consumed, not only for habitation purposes, but also for agriculture to feed this burgeoning human population, and mining. Mining of natural resources is seen as essential to build a country's economy; however, this can also have dire consequences for natural areas as was highlighted in my previous article. Even looking at this more broadly, global climate change is happening quicker than was ever thought and this is exacerbated by coal-fired power stations and other non-sustainable energy options. One of the most telling parameters that we have in recent times, of the slippery slope that the KNP is on, is the drastic reduction in rhino numbers over the last decade due to in part drought, but also unprecedented rhino poaching. In this modern day and age, surely, we as technologically advanced humans, should be able to find a sure-fire way of protecting these incredible pachyderms. Even having a 'World Rhino Day' where their plight is heightened worldwide, has not stopped the decline. It is pure greed and short-term gain that is orchestrated by the crime syndicates, that is driving the rhino to extinction. Corruption and lack of passion for protecting these animals is one of the biggest threats in the over 70% decline of the White Rhino population in the KNP. This said, there are still many dedicated and passionate field rangers, section rangers, researchers etc. that are going well beyond the call of duty daily, in trying to protect the last remnants of this once vast pool of rhino. My year as a research field assistant in the KNP was one of the highlights of my 60 years. When one has had such a passion for conservation from an early age, this was like dropping a baby into a sweet shop. I immersed myself into everything I could, and the work that I was involved in with Dr Gus Mills on the predator/prey project in the study area between Lower Sabie and Crocodile Bridge was particularly satisfying. Dr Cobus Raath the veterinarian also started the same year, and we were involved in many wildlife capture operations, in particular lions. Johan Malan (Hoepel) also was someone I worked closely with, and it has been so satisfying seeing how these legends have progressed in

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