Tabs

I have no scientific evidence about the Sable numbers, but have spoken to several people who owned properties or lived in the Sabi Sands and Timbavati since the 50's.

They claim that there were large numbers of Sable in those areas then, while Impala numbers were nowhere near where they are today and over time they could see the Sable numbers declining and Impala numbers increasing. Most of them built waterholes to attract game to their camps or merely to lure them to a point where they could be shot easily. I am certain that the hunting did have an effect on the Sable numbers, however they all claim that the increased Impala numbers did have an effect on the habitat and hence on the Sable populations.

In the five odd years that I worked in the Sabi Sands and Timbavati (in the early 2000's) I never saw a Sable in those reserves and neither did any of my collegues.

In the Kruger, where there has been very little hunting for nearly 100 years, the Roan population is still struggling to grow significantly, even with the intervention of National Parks. I would suggest that this due to habitat change through human intervention which has caused some species to thrive at the expense of other species.

There is nothing scientific about my suggestion, but merely through my own observations, speaking to others and some reading from various sources.

Landi

The development of Kruger Park, and the Kgalagadi (previously known as the Kalahari/Gemsbok Park in Botswana) Transfrontier Park allows a certain amount of migration but the Parks athourities have found it neccessary to close off many artificial waterholes, particularly in the north of Kruger, as these were causing animals which do not normally occur there to 'migrate' to the detriment of animals which are not water-dependent including Sable and Roan antelope.

There are plans to extend the Transfrontier Park into Namibia and Zimbabwe in the relatively near future.

I am not so sure that the proliferation of Impala has affected the Sable population to a great extent - I would be interested to know where this information comes from?

Sable antelopes can be seen in the Sabi Sands and, although they are not profligate, my understanding is that the lack of them, and Roan, throughout Southern Africa is due to over-hunting rather than from competition from other ungulates?

I am not aware of any major historical migrations of animals in the Kruger area of the scale witnessed in East Africa today, although I am sure there was seasonal migration of some sort before human populations grew; artificial water sources were built; fences erected; rivers upstream of the Kruger were dammed; and humans implemented animal management programs (sometimes completely misguided).

The effect has been that habitats have changed, making conditions suitable for one species hence it flourishes, sometimes to the detriment of another species. For instance, I understand that Sable Antelope were abundant in both the Sabi Sands and Timbavati Game reserves in the 1950's (both adjoining the Kruger, but fenced off in those days), while Impala were not found in the same numbers they are today. Man's intervention created conditions which made life far more suitable for Impala, which enabled them to flourish to the detriment of Sable populations. Today, you will be extremely lucky to see a Sable in either of those reserves.

I have read that it is believed that Elephants migrated throughout Southern Africa from the Kruger area right up to the Zambezi River and beyond. Due to hunting, the elephant population in the Kruger area was miniscule when Kruger was established 100 years ago. By protecting them and eventually fencing them in, the elephant population has been allowed to flourish to the extent that culling programmes were put in place to reduce their numbers as it was felt that their numbers could irreversably damage the habitat to the detriment of other animal and plant species.

Culling, a very emmotive issue, was halted in the 90's and other methods of controlling elephant populations, such as relocation and contraception were explored, however the elephant population has continued to grow in Kruger to the extent where culling may again become a real possibility in the near future.

Landi

Have there been any downsides to the animals as a result of this just out of interest? Thanks

They will not migrate as such, although they will move between waterholes and different areas within the greater Kruger National Park in search of fresh water/food.

The only reason for animals to migrate - as seen in the Serengeti for example, is to find water and food in the dry season.

Many of the waterholes in the Sabi Sands, and in parts of Kruger, are kept supplied with water, via boreholes or directly from the lodges, in order to keep the animals in the area for eco-tourism purposes. As a result, the animals have no need to migrate.