Latest News - March 2020
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Greetings from South Africa! We hope that you will enjoy this 5th edition of our newsletter, which is published at the beginning of each month. If you do, please tell your friends about it, and encourage them to subscribe as well. The more the merrier!
World headlines are currently being dominated by the Coronavirus epidemic (now officially designated as COVID-19). As at the time of writing, more than 86,000 people have been infected, and nearly 3,000 have died. The Chinese government has done a sterling job to restrict the outbreak mostly to within China itself, but the ease of travel in today’s world means that there has been some spread to other countries, with the worst hit being South Korea and Italy. Business meetings, conferences and even sporting events have been cancelled, postponed or moved, and the panic has resulted in wildly fluctuating stock and oil prices across the globe. |
Without downplaying the seriousness of the Coronavirus, worldwide pandemics are nothing new, and there have been a number of instances in history that have had hugely devastating consequences. The worst of these was the Black Death (Bubonic Plague), which occurred between 1346 and 1353. It ravaged Europe, Africa and Asia, and resulted in a death toll of between 75 and 200 million people. The flu pandemic of 1918 (“Spanish Flu”) infected over a third of world’s population, and ended the lives of between 20 and 50 million persons. In more modern times, it is HIV/AIDS that has been the worst culprit; about 36 million people have died from the disease, and this number still continues to rise to the present day.
There have been no recorded instances of COVID-19 in South Africa to date, but that does not mean that it will have no effect. China is one of South Africa’s major trading partners, and there are also significant numbers of Chinese tourists which usually visit the country each year – up to 500,000 of them. Add to this the effect that the pandemic has had on global stock markets, and the result is likely to be the loss of billions of Rands in potential income and the accompanying loss of jobs, something which South Africa can ill afford at the moment.
On a more positive note, the rhino poaching figures in South Africa for 2019 were released during February. A total of 594 rhinos were lost, down from 769 in 2018, and the lowest yearly total since 2011. Although the decline is significant, there is still much cause for concern. More than 8,500 rhinos were killed between 2007 and 2019, about 30% of the total population. Close Encounters strongly encourages all of our readers to do whatever they can to help and support all of the organizations that are actively engaged in fighting this scourge. Click on the various links provided on our website to see how you can make a difference, and/or support the fundraising events organized by ourselves which will be scheduled for later this year. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for the details.
There have been no recorded instances of COVID-19 in South Africa to date, but that does not mean that it will have no effect. China is one of South Africa’s major trading partners, and there are also significant numbers of Chinese tourists which usually visit the country each year – up to 500,000 of them. Add to this the effect that the pandemic has had on global stock markets, and the result is likely to be the loss of billions of Rands in potential income and the accompanying loss of jobs, something which South Africa can ill afford at the moment.
On a more positive note, the rhino poaching figures in South Africa for 2019 were released during February. A total of 594 rhinos were lost, down from 769 in 2018, and the lowest yearly total since 2011. Although the decline is significant, there is still much cause for concern. More than 8,500 rhinos were killed between 2007 and 2019, about 30% of the total population. Close Encounters strongly encourages all of our readers to do whatever they can to help and support all of the organizations that are actively engaged in fighting this scourge. Click on the various links provided on our website to see how you can make a difference, and/or support the fundraising events organized by ourselves which will be scheduled for later this year. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for the details.
Upcoming tours
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South African Spirit
September 11 - 25, 2020 Only 4 spots open! The trip starts off with a tour to Soweto, then moves on to the incredible Walkers River Camp in the Timbavati, where the group will spend 5 nights at this game viewing paradise. This is followed by 3 days of fun and adventure on the Panorama Route, then 4 more days in the magnificent city of Cape Town. Grab this opportunity to get one of the spots before they are all taken. You will not be disappointed! Click here to see the detailed itinerary. |
Focus on conservation
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Rhino poaching in South Africa declines for a 5th consecutive year
The number of rhinos killed for their horns in South Africa has been reduced for a fifth consecutive year. A total of 594 rhinos were killed across South Africa in 2019 compared to 769 in 2018, bringing the number down by 175, Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said in a statement. “A decline in poaching for five consecutive years is a reflection of the diligent work of the men and women who put their lives on the line daily to combat rhino poaching, often coming into direct contact with ruthless poachers,” Creecy said. She added that the decline can be attributed to several strategies implemented by the government, including the use of technology that helps in information collection and sharing among law enforcement authorities regarding activities of poachers. |
Creecy also said improved capabilities to react to poaching incidents such as better situational awareness, the involvement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donors and good regional cooperation has helped curb poaching incidents.
African rhinos are killed daily for their horns in South Africa. Rhino horns are in high demand in some Asian countries, where they are used for traditional medicines and as a status symbol for the wealthy.
Currently, there are less than 30,000 African rhinos remaining, with the biggest population in South Africa's Kruger National Park, where the highest incidents of poaching occur. In 2019, a total of 327 rhinos were killed by poachers in this game reserve alone.
The ministry also said a number of arrests and prosecutions were conducted in 2019 with links to rhino poaching and illicit rhino trade.
“From January to December 2019, 178 alleged poachers were arrested in Kruger National Park. At a national level, 332 arrests were effected in respect of both rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking. A total of 85 firearms were recovered during the year.” the statement said.
African rhinos are killed daily for their horns in South Africa. Rhino horns are in high demand in some Asian countries, where they are used for traditional medicines and as a status symbol for the wealthy.
Currently, there are less than 30,000 African rhinos remaining, with the biggest population in South Africa's Kruger National Park, where the highest incidents of poaching occur. In 2019, a total of 327 rhinos were killed by poachers in this game reserve alone.
The ministry also said a number of arrests and prosecutions were conducted in 2019 with links to rhino poaching and illicit rhino trade.
“From January to December 2019, 178 alleged poachers were arrested in Kruger National Park. At a national level, 332 arrests were effected in respect of both rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking. A total of 85 firearms were recovered during the year.” the statement said.
Significant historical events
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The 1976 Soweto Riots
The apartheid years were a very dark time in the history of South Africa, and both passive and active resistance by the black communities had been building up over a number of years. On the 16th of June 1976, students from numerous schools began a protest in the streets of Soweto in response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction. It is estimated that 20,000 students took part in the uprising, and they were met with fierce police brutality. The number of protesters killed by the security forces is usually given as 176, but other estimates range as high as 700. This famous picture of Mbuyisa Makhubu carrying a fatally wounded Hector Pieterson (the photograph was taken by Sam Nzima) focused both local and worldwide attention on the event, and resulted in more protests, strikes and riots. It also became one of the triggers which would eventually lead to the demise of the apartheid era in 1992. |
Folklore & legends
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The wreck of the Grosvenor
Stories of fabulous treasure shipwrecks abound from around the world, and South Africa is no exception. Thousands of ships have been wrecked along the treacherous coastline, dating right back to the 16th century. One of the most famous of these is the Grosvenor, a sailing ship which ran aground on the Wild Coast on August 4, 1782. Of the 150 passengers and crew on board, 125 of them managed to get safely to the shore. The survivors decided to embark on a trek to Cape Town, a journey which they had optimistically estimated would take two weeks. This proved to be a gross miscalculation, however, and with virtually no provisions to survive the 1200-mile walk, the journey became one of the Wild Coast’s grimmest tales. After more than three months of walking, only a handful of survivors reached their final destination. But the legend of the Grosvenor rests on a belief that the ship was laden with a king’s ransom in diamonds, rubies, silver, and gold. It is also recorded that the priceless gem-studded golden “Peacock Throne” of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (builder of the Taj Mahal) was on board the vessel during her last fateful voyage. |
Over the years, attempts to retrieve these fabulous treasures from the sunken ship have ranged from the bizarre to the ridiculous. The first person to attempt a salvage of the Grosvenor was Sidney Turner, a trader from Port St. Johns. In the 1880’s, he blasted the reef with dynamite and recovered some 800 coins, although this was not nearly the reward that he had hoped for.
In 1921, the Grosvenor Bullion Syndicate began another attempt to retrieve the alleged treasure, which they estimated to be worth millions of pounds. They set about digging an undersea tunnel from the rocky shore (see picture) to where the wreck was supposed to lie. Once under the wreck, the idea was to breach the tunnel, allowing what was left of the ship to collapse into the diggings, from where the artifacts could be winched out. The tunnel flooded long before it even reached the wreck site, and the effort was abandoned.
Subsequent salvage attempts included the use of steam-driven cranes, heavy-duty chains to comb the seabed, another tunnel, and numerous dive expeditions. Someone even came up with an overly-ambitious plan to enclose the entire bay with a 450-yard breakwater in order to drain it. None of these attempts or ideas have ever yielded any significant finds, and the Grosvenor continues to guard her secrets until the present day.
In 1921, the Grosvenor Bullion Syndicate began another attempt to retrieve the alleged treasure, which they estimated to be worth millions of pounds. They set about digging an undersea tunnel from the rocky shore (see picture) to where the wreck was supposed to lie. Once under the wreck, the idea was to breach the tunnel, allowing what was left of the ship to collapse into the diggings, from where the artifacts could be winched out. The tunnel flooded long before it even reached the wreck site, and the effort was abandoned.
Subsequent salvage attempts included the use of steam-driven cranes, heavy-duty chains to comb the seabed, another tunnel, and numerous dive expeditions. Someone even came up with an overly-ambitious plan to enclose the entire bay with a 450-yard breakwater in order to drain it. None of these attempts or ideas have ever yielded any significant finds, and the Grosvenor continues to guard her secrets until the present day.
Creature Corner
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The proper name for this animal is the Lesser Galago, but in South Africa it is more commonly known as the Lesser Bushbaby. They are probably the most numerous primates in Africa, and can be found in every large forest on the continent, and even in some of the towns and cities. They are capable of leaping great distances, using flattened disks on their feet and hands as a way of grasping branches. They are almost exclusively nocturnal.
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Feather Feature
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Common Name: Black Heron (also known as the Black Egret)
Binomial Name: Egretta ardesiaca Status: Resident, rare to locally common Red List Status: Least Concern The Black Heron stands out for its ingenious hunting method. This crafty bird wades into the water and creates shade using its wings like an umbrella. The fish go into the shade to cool down, and as they move in, the heron scoops down and gulps them up. It’s a fascinating sight, as you can see in this picture. |
Did you know?
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The largest fish in the ocean (by far) is the Whale Shark (true whales are marine mammals, not fish). They can reach a length of about 18 metres (60 feet), and estimates from field data suggest that they may live as long as 130 years. Whale sharks have very large mouths and are filter feeders, which is a feeding mode that occurs in only two other sharks, the Megamouth Shark and the Basking Shark. They feed almost exclusively on plankton and small fishes, and pose no threat to humans. They are commonly seen off the eastern coast of southern Africa.
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Words of wisdom
“Africa – you can see a sunset and believe that you have witnessed the Hand of God. You watch the lope of a lioness and forget to breathe. You marvel at the tripod of a giraffe bent to water. In Africa, there are iridescent blues on the wings of birds that you do not see anywhere else in nature. In Africa, in the midday heat, you can see blisters in the atmosphere. When you are in Africa, you feel primordial, rocked in the cradle of the world.”
Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult