T
he medical discove r y o f t h e a n o p h e l e s m o s q u i to b e i n g
w h i c h l e d to ra d i c a l d e g ra d a t i o n a n d f ra g m e n t a t i o n of its
the vector of malar i a , i m m e d i a te l y i m p ro v e d m a n k i n d ’s
n a t u ra l h a b i t a t . I t w a s c o m m o n p ra c t i c e to s h o o t sable
sur vival rate in this e n d e m i c re g i o n . H u m a n s e t t l e m e n t
a n te l o p e f o r s t a f f ra t i o n s a n d m a n y o f t h e v e r y best
into the Valley slowly g a i n e d m o m e n t u m a n d t h e to w n s o f
b re e d i n g b u l l s s u c c u m b e d i n t h i s m a n n e r.
Tzaneen and Grave l o t te w e re e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1 9 03 a n d
T h e R o w l a n d Wa rd re c o rd s a b l e a n te l o p e ( H . n . niger)
1916 respectively. R i n d e r p e s t e ra d i c a t i o n p ro g ra m m e s
w a s h u n te d i n 1 8 9 8 i n t h e Ts h o k w a n e a re a . T h e h orns of
were also introduce d a n d o n e h u n d re d y e a r s l a te r, i n
t h i s m a g n i f i c e n t s p e c i m e n w h i c h m e a s u re d 5 5 ⅜ inches
May 2011 the Wo r l d O rg a n i s a t i o n f o r A n i m a l H e a l t h
p ro v i d e c o n c re te p ro o f o f t h e q u a l i t y o f a n i m a l s present
officially declared th e w o r l d to b e f re e f ro m r i n d e r p e s t
i n t h e l o w ve l d a t t h a t t i m e .
inf ec ti on.
A f te r t h e d e c i m a t i n g e f f e c t s o f t h e r i n d e r p e s t e p idemic,
W ith the mild sub- t ro p i c a l c l i m a te a s c a t a l y s t f o r t h e
buffalo numbers in the Kruger National Park and
establishment of m a n y c a t t l e , c i t r u s a n d f r u i t f a r m s ,
s u r ro u n d i n g a re a s m a r ke d l y re c o v e re d b e t w e e n 1920
wildlife
1940
a n d 1 9 5 0 a s m o re m i g ra te d s o u t h w a rd s i n to t h e park
onw ards as cattle fe n c e s w e re e re c te d a n d a ra b l e a re a s
f ro m n e i g h b o u r i n g M oz a m b i q u e a n d Z i m b a b w e . H owever,
put to the pl ough.
o u t s i d e t h e K r u g e r N a t i o n a l Pa r k a s w e l l a s i n t h e rest of
numbers
declined
significantly
from
A f r i c a , t h e f a te o f b u f f a l o e c h o e d t h a t o f t h e s a b le with
During the 1940’s m o re t h a n 3 6 , 0 0 0 s a b l e a n te l o p e
m a n y o f t h e v e r y b e s t b u l l s f a l l i n g p re y to t ro p h y hunting
(Hippotragus niger n i g e r ) c o u l d s t i l l b e f o u n d i n t h e
a n d a d i m i n i s h i n g h a b i t a t . T h e i m p a c t o f i n d i s c r iminate
low veld outside the b o u n d a r i e s o f t h e K r u g e r N a t i o n a l
h u n t i n g c a n b e s e e n f ro m t h e f o l l o w i n g g ra p h which
Park which was wel l - e s t a b l i s h e d b y t h a t t i m e . H o w e v e r,
d e m o n s t ra te s t h e d e c l i n e i n a v e ra g e R o w l a n d Wa rd horn
by early 1980 less t h a n 4 0 0 o f t h e s e a n i m a l s s u r v i v e d
m e a s u re m e n t s o ve r t i m e . Bu f f a l o f o l l o w e d t h e s a m e fate.
the combined onsla u g h t o f h u n t i n g a n d f a r m i n g p ra c t i c e s
13