FRONTIER NEWS

Addo Elephant park celebrates 90 years

By Fayroush Ludick

Addo’s 90th staff celebration

Addo Elephant National Park’s 90th birthday was a muted affair at the beginning of July due to the country’s Adjusted Level 4 Covid Regulations in place at the time – which saw a restriction on gatherings. However, staff hope to celebrate the occasion belatedly in September with the joint national launch of SA National Parks Week in the Park.

Addo was proclaimed in 1931. It has grown exponentially since then – from conserving the last remaining 11 elephants in the area on 4 500 hectares nine decades ago, to now being home to over 600 elephants and a diversity of other species and landscapes over 176 000 terrestrial hectares and a further 114 000 marine hectares which make up the Addo Elephant National Park Marine Protected Area.

A social media campaign under #90FactsIn90Days and #AddoTurns90 gained quite a lot of traction in the months leading up to the 90th, looking back at the Park’s rich history.

90 ADDO FACTS

1. Addo Elephant National Park was proclaimed in 1931 (Government Gazette No 243 dated 3 July 1931). 2. The sole purpose of the proclamation was to protect the Eastern Cape’s last 11 remaining elephants. 3. Former Park Manager, Graham Armstrong, invented an elephant-proof fence so effective at keeping animals within the confines of the Park in the 1950s that it is still used in sections today. 4. The Park’s mission: Addo Elephant National

Park seeks to be a key role player in providing benefits to society by being well integrated into the regional landscape, conserving and restoring the characteristic terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, as well as ecological processes and cultural, historical and scenic resources of the Algoa Bay to Karoo gradient. 5. Addo is the third largest national park in South

Africa. 6. Addo Elephant National Park stretches from

Woody Cape in the south (the area between

Bushman’s River mouth in the east and

Sundays River mouth in the west), moving northwards across the area originally known as Olifantsplaat and Vetmaakvlakte, across the original elephant enclosure, across to the

Nyathi Concession area, encompassing a large part of the Zuurberg mountain range, moving westwards, and then northwards across the

Zuurberg to the Darlington Dam area up to the R400. 7. On 4 April 2005, former Minister of

Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus

van Schalkwyk, opened the new R6.5 million

Matyholweni Rest Camp. 8. On the same day, van Schalkwyk also proclaimed the initial Addo Marine Protected

Area. 9. In terms of accommodation, the Park has a total of 79 units, 12 camp sites and 21 caravan sites available to guests. 10. Addo Elephant National Park provides a secure sanctuary for the largest population of flightless dung beetle. 11. The Alexandria dunefield comes in at 88km in length, and offers spectacular views and activity potential, an example of which is the existing Alexandria Hiking Trail. 12. The Addo Marine Protected Area encompasses the Bird Island group (Bird, Stag, Seal Island and Black Rocks) as well as the St. Croix Island group (St. Croix, Jahleel and Brenton islands). 13. Addo has one of the highest concentrations of

African elephants in the world, with over 600 of these magnificent pachyderms making their home amongst the thicket. 14. The Park’s only elephant escapee over the years was the legendary Hapoor, who was the dominant bull in the Park from 1944 to 1968.

He broke out in 1968 after being deposed from his dominant status by Lanky. 15. The first official tourist only drove through the

Park in 1978. 16. As there is no natural water in the main game area, most of the water is pumped from underground into the waterholes. 17. The Park’s water is managed in such a way as to mimic nature by regulating the water gradient into these waterholes that in turn forces animals to move around the Park in search of water. This helps to alleviate stress on the environment. 18. Jack’s Picnic Site is named after Jack the black rhino, one of the first black rhino to be brought to Addo. He was kept in an enclosure on the site where the picnic spot is now. 19. Addo’s unique biological diversity encompasses five of South Africa’s seven biomes, namely

Forest, Subtropical thicket, Grassland, Fynbos and Nama Karoo. 20. In the Park’s five biomes, 43 distinct land classes have been mapped. 29 of the 43 land classes

(67%) have been identified as experiencing a high level of threat (potential threats include grazing, agriculture, alien plant infestation, mining and human settlement disturbances). 21. Subtropical thicket is the largest biome in

Addo, covering 69% of the area. Forest covers 10%, Nama Karoo 7%, whilst Fynbos and Grassland each cover 5% of the area. The remaining area is covered by dunefield and areas of Savanna. 22. Addo is the only nationally protected area which conserves thicket. 23. Addo’s buffalo, the descendants of the 30-strong Cape buffalo herd that were enclosed with the proclamation of the Park, are probably the largest disease-free herd in

South Africa. 24. For many years, the buffalo in Addo were nocturnal. This may be the result of hunting pressure before the Park was established. Since the introduction of large predators, the habits of buffalo appear to be a natural response to the presence of lions, predators that hunt mainly at night. Buffalo would therefore prefer to come out onto the open plains to graze and to waterholes to drink when lions are less active during the day. 25. The Darlington section became a Big Five area with the translocation of 27 elephants on 31 July 2018. Elephants last roamed the area 150 years ago. 26. The Darlington section is the largest section of the Park at 45 000ha and surrounds the

Darlington Dam. 27. The Woody Cape section was incorporated into the Park in 2002 when SANParks took over the management from the Department of Forestry. 28. The Kruger tusker, Valli Moosa, died on 28 December 2017. 29. Former Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr

Edna Molewa, witnessed the loading and departure of six black rhino from Addo to

Chad on 3 May 2018. 30. Alexandria Forest can be distinguished from other forest types by the relatively low percentage of shade-loving trees in the species composition, making it distinct from forests in other regions. This results in reduced light

levels in the area beneath the canopy where species such as tree ferns are common. 31. Harvey’s loop is located on the original old

Harvey farm. 32. The Alexandria dunefield is the largest and least degraded coastal dunefield in the southern hemisphere. It has a maximum width of 3km and covers approximately 15 800ha.

The average height of dunes is 30m, while the tallest dune is 140m above mean sea level. 33. The Alexandria dunefield gets about 3mm thicker each year. The landward face of the dune (where the vegetation starts) moves further inland at 0.25m per year. 34. The Alexandria dunefield has been growing for about 6.5 million years, which was when the sea moved to its present level. 35. Strandloper (which is the common term for coastal Khoi/San) had settlements in the

Alexandria dunes. Remnants of midden sites, comprising mostly of fragments of harvested shellfish, but also pottery fragments and primitive tools, can be found in the dunes. 36. The coastal area of Addo Elephant National

Park stretches between the Sundays River

Mouth and Cannon Rocks along the Alexandria dunefield. 37. The SANParks Honorary Rangers Addo Region handed over the keys to a brand new antipoaching vessel, the JMB Malusi, to the Park’s

Marine Rangers on 23 May 2014. 38. The Langebos Huts in the Woody Cape section were officially opened to the public as overnight accommodation on 9 February 2015. 39. Bird and St Croix islands are two of the very few South African breeding localities for the

Roseate Tern and almost the entire Indian

Ocean breeding population of Antarctic Terns roost on Bird Island during the winter. 40. Black Rocks are the most easterly breeding colony for Cape fur seals along the South

African coast. 41. As a result of an artificial connection between the Sundays River via the Great Fish to the

Orange River, African sharptooth catfish have invaded the Sundays River and Darlington

Dam. There they grow to very large sizes and live for more than 25 years. 42. African fish eagles are often seen in the vicinity of Darlington Dam, flying low over the surface of the water or perching very conspicuously in trees. They are usually found in pairs. 43. Six lions from the Kalahari were translocated to Addo in 2003. Lions were chosen from the Kalahari in particular as it is believed that they are genetically most similar to the extinct

Cape black-maned lions, which would have occurred in the Addo area prior to being shot out. 44. Domkrag dam is named after a large leopard tortoise called “Domkrag” (meaning car jack in

Afrikaans). The tortoise lived in the camp and could actually lift vehicles up from the ground.

His shell is on display in the Ulwazi Interpretive

Centre. He died in 1976 from starvation after falling into an aardvark hole. 45. Addo’s subtropical thicket supports 48 species of medium to large mammals due to its rich plant variety. 46. Hippo were released into the Park section of the Sundays River in 1992, with the current population estimated at between 15 and 20. 47. The Zuurberg National Park was proclaimed in 1985 with the transfer of Zuurberg Forest

Reserve, initially proclaimed in 1869 with the intention of conserving a representative sample of the grassy Fynbos and Afro-

Montane forest patches characteristic of the

Zuurberg Mountains. Zuurberg National Park was later de-proclaimed and included into

Addo Elephant National Park in 1995. 48. Spekboom Tented Camp was opened on 13 December 2010. 49. SANParks handed over a computer laboratory to Paterson High School, valued at

R1.1 million, on 18 September 2013. 50. Thicket contains 112 different vegetation types comprising 1 558 plants species. 322 of these species (20%) are endemic and found nowhere else. For every one plant species, there are between eight and 35 organisms dependent on this species. 51. 40% of the world’s population of Cape gannets can be found in the Addo Marine

Protected Area. 52. Addo has a rich cultural history. The natural and cultural heritage of the Park has been studied

by the Albany Museum in Grahamstown, recording hundreds of sites of significance.

This was done under what was known as the

AENP cultural mapping pilot project conducted during 2002 by various researchers from the

Albany Museum. 53. Matyholweni Rest Camp is a community partnership operating within SANParks. The

Mayibuye Ndlovu Development Trust (Joint

Venture Company with the Sundays River

Citrus Company), sees the community receive a percentage of sales of the units in the camp. 54. The Park ranges in altitude from 0m to 951m. 55. The Zuurberg section is home to four cycad species, namely the endangered Alexandria cycad Encephalartos arenarius and three near-threatened species – the Grahamstown cycad Encephalartos caffer, Karoo cycad

Encephalartos lehmannii and Zuurberg cycad

Encephalartos longifolius. 56. The Park is home to 13 species of endemic herpetofauna (the reptiles and amphibians of a particular region, habitat, or geological period), five species of land tortoises and 14 species of frogs. 57. The Park’s webcam was installed on 28 April 2010. 58. The boundary fence between the Main Game

Area and the Colchester Section of the Park was taken down on 20 August 2010. 59. Black-backed jackal and caracal are the two mesopredator species (a mid-ranking predator, which typically preys on smaller animals) that occur in the Park. 60. Addo is well-placed to cater for people with disabilities. In addition to a number of wheelchair accessible accommodation units, the Park offers a number of activities and facilities as well. These include the PPC

Discovery trail, SASOL Red Bishop bird hide, waterhole viewpoint, underground hide, game area picnic site, Ulwazi Interpretive Centre, shop and restaurant. 61. There are about 120km of tourist roads between the main game viewing area and

Colchester section for self-drive wildlife viewing suitable for normal sedan vehicles. 62. Addo is the only Park to offer guests a hopon guide. This is an individual, sourced from

the communities adjacent to the Addo, who operates his own business within the Park, providing guiding services for visitors in the comfort of their own vehicles. 63. All guides on open game drive vehicles (individuals or staff members of organisations who bring guests into the Park on guided game drives) have to write an examination in order to qualify for accreditation to act as a nature/field/tourism guide. 64. Spotted hyenas were reintroduced into the

Park in 2003, fulfilling the same role as lions in restoring the natural balance to the ecosystems in the Park by controlling the numbers of herbivores. 65. At 100% capacity, the Darlington Dam covers 3 000ha. 66. Darlington Dam was originally named Lake

Mentz, in honour of Colonel Mentz, the then

Minister of Lands. It was renamed in 1995 after the settlement which was overrun when the dam was created. The dam became part of Addo in 2000. 67. In 1992, the farm Gorah was included into the Park. The elephants made a rush for the area because of the abundance of prickly pears – a favourite of theirs. Park officials had to construct a new tourist road into the area as the elephants were no longer visible to the tourists in the original section and they complained of not seeing elephants. 68. The current rhino (bicornis bicornis) were introduced to the Park in 1994 after the removal of the original (bicornis michaeli) which were the wrong species for the area. 69. Five brown hyenas were introduced into the

Darlington section in 2015. Historically, they were always found in the Karoo. 70. What is now known as the Main Entrance

Gate was officially opened on 16 March 2010. 71. Numerous visitors witnessed a fight between two elephant bulls on 22 April 2010 which resulted in the death of the Park’s biggest tusker, Skukuza. 72. There are five species of tortoises and terrapins in the Park – Leopard Tortoise, Green Parrot-

Beaked Tortoise, Angulate Tortoise, Tented

Tortoise and Marsh/Helmeted Terrapin. 73. There are 27 species of snakes in the Park.

74. The Park boasts 449 bird species according to the Bird Atlas Project. This reflects the high diversity of habitats in the Park. Four of southern Africa’s Big Five Eagles occur here – the Martial, Black, Crowned and African

Fish Eagle. 75. Flightless dung beetles are active in the day, with peaks in mid-morning and late afternoon.

Midday temperatures are too hot for these beetles and they are dependent on shade for survival. There is a dramatic increase of beetles after rain. They have an operating temperature of between 12 to 26 degrees, anything below or above means one will not see them. 76. The oldest rocks encountered in the Park occur as small islands in Algoa Bay. The Bird

Island complex comprises Black Rock, Stag,

Seal and Bird Islands and occurs about 10km south of the Woody Cape cliffs. These rocky islands are made up of quartzitic sandstone of the Peninsula Formation, formed about 500 million years ago. 77. What is known as the “Addo Main Camp” section of the Park is 13 000 hectares (1 hectare = 10 000 square metres). 78. In April 2003, 59 elephants were moved into what is known as the Nyathi section. This was a major operation and the first of its kind in the history of the Park. The R346 road between

Paterson and Addo was closed off and the railway line shut down. These elephants were driven across the road using a helicopter and game capture vehicles. 11 of the elephants could not be coerced to cross and were darted and then moved by game capture vehicles. 79. Rangers had to be evacuated from Bird Island on 5 September 2008 as high seas caused the water level to move about 15m inland. 80. Jack’s Picnic Site was opened on 22 December 2008. 81. The Bedrogfontein 4x4 route follows a pass built by Sir Harry Smith. It featured during the

Anglo Boer War when a commando under the leadership of General Smuts was involved in a skirmish with a British force that was moving up the pass. A number of British soldiers and horses died during this event which took place shortly after many in the Boer commando had

suffered severe food poisoning after eating the green fruit of cycads. Names of soldiers can be seen carved into some of the trees. There are also San Rock paintings in the area. 82. Vukani loop is named after Harold Trollope who rounded up the remaining elephant in 1931. Vukani means ‘Wake up; Wake up’, the traditional name by which he was known. He was an early riser and made sure that his team were up and about the same time that he was. 83. Bird Island is a low flat island, rising to 9m above mean sea level at its highest point, with an area of 19ha. 84. Fourteen species of sea-birds, three species of shorebirds and 33 species of terrestrial birds have been recorded at the islands in the Addo

Marine Protected Area. 85. The breeding season of Cape gannets extends from the beginning of September to the end of March. Gannets do not breed at any other

Algoa Bay island. They are highly susceptible to disturbance during the egg-laying phase.

Gulls prey on gannet eggs and chicks. 86. Bird and St Croix Islands are the only two

South African localities where Roseate

Terns breed. The South African population is approximately 500. They breed in winter, from June to September, and are extremely susceptible to disturbance. Roseate Terns are classified as endangered in the Red Data Book, which reflects their position in a southern

African context. Internationally they are not endangered. Almost the entire Indian Ocean breeding population of Antarctic Tern roosts on Bird Island during the winter. 87. On 3 December 2005, the Park celebrated the birth of its first three lion cubs – at the time estimated to have been about four months old. 88. On 16 August 2006, former Minister of

Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, officially opened the new southern access road in the Park. 89. There are 14 lizards species and six species of geckos in the Park. 90. There are three species of chameleons and nine amphibian species in the Park.

Sylvester Mountain Bike and Trail Run Events

By Fayroush Ludick

The Sylvester MTB Race Celebrates Sylvester, the Famous KNP Escapee Lion

The Sylvester MTB race was born to continue the legacy of the famous runaway lion who escaped from Karoo National Park twice – Sylvester, also known as Spook – who captured the hearts and minds of many the world over.

From his escapades, the SANParks Honorary Rangers Karoo Region saw the opportunity to give the public the chance to experience some of the terrain that Sylvester and the search parties endured during his times on the run.

This was the event’s fourth year and the third year that it was presented as a three-day event. Participants could choose between a long or short three-day race which included a prologue (time trial).

One-day participants could choose between seven different distances, making this event accessible to pros and novices and to every age group alike. The participants also had the opportunity to stay at the race village at the Grantham Environmental Education Centre in the Park, which served as the base of the entire event.

This year a total of 160 participants entered amid the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic.

An event like this does not only expose the Park and the Karoo and its beautiful surroundings to visitors, but also brings in much-needed funds for the SANParks Honorary Rangers Karoo Region in order for them to assist the Park.

OK Foods Beaufort West was again the main sponsor of the event. ER24 as a sponsor provided medical assistance over the three days. Kuzuko Lodge, the home of Sylvester, sponsored a weekend to visit Sylvester as a very special prize.

The Honorary Rangers wish to thank every sponsor, helper and SANParks for the opportunity to have made the event possible.