- Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape is home to one of southern Africa's most successful conservation projects.
- It is marking its 30th anniversary this month.
- CEO Joe Cloete says it wasn't all smooth sailing.
Marking its 30th anniversary this month, Shamwari Private Game Reserve is home to one of southern Africa's most successful conservation projects.
The Shamwari project began in 1992 when a dedicated conservation team started buying land, taking down fences and reintroducing indigenous animals.
CEO Joe Cloete, who started his conservation career as a field guide and hosted the reserve's first game drive, recalled that there was a great deal of scepticism, if not outright opposition, to the project.
"The Eastern Cape just wasn't considered a safari destination. So, it wasn't just a case of marketing Shamwari but the entire region. There were also people who didn't like the idea of reintroducing predator species to the area. In those early days, we spent a lot of time convincing people not only that the project was viable, but also about the benefits of having a big-five game reserve as a neighbour."
The malaria-free Eastern Cape, where the reserve is situated, was once one of the richest wildlife areas in southern Africa but by the turn of the century, little remained. Ironically, it was because the region was free of malaria and tsetse flies that the wildlife gave way to human settlement.
It wasn't just a case of acquiring enough land and letting some animals loose. Each step had to be carefully planned to ensure that there was sufficient space, food and water for the animals to thrive and the balance between predator and prey species had to be managed.
Initially elephants, white rhinos and hippos were reintroduced. As the large herbivores began moving through what had been chicory and wheat fields, they began restoring the soil, fertilising it with their manure and dispersing seeds.
Black rhinos and buffalos followed in the early 90s, with cheetahs, lions and brown hyenas in 2000, and servals and leopards the following year.
Today, it is home to the big five.
For birding enthusiasts, the forests on the reserve are filled with the splendid colours of Knysna Turacos, Narina Trogons and Crowned Eagles.
It wasn't all smooth sailing though, because nothing of such a scale had ever been attempted in the region and lessons were being learnt and knowledge gathered as the project progressed.
Ecologist John O'Brien recalled bringing oxpeckers from the Kruger National Park and introducing them to the reserve.
Not used to having the little birds land on them and peck at ticks, Shamwari's rhinos stampeded and the birds flew off. It looked like the initiative had failed, until sometime later when junior oxpeckers were spotted on the reserve. The rhinos adapted and the birds stayed.
Cloete said this sort of trial and error and the willingness to learn and exchange knowledge and experience has contributed to Shamwari's success.
Another prime example is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre which has pioneered new ways of rehabilitating injured animals so they can be released into the wild. People staying at Shamwari can visit part of the centre under controlled conditions so that the animals do not get habituated to human presence. This first-hand, behind-the-scenes experience gives guests an insight into what goes into managing a large-scale conservation project.
Senior ranger Mino Munie said he happily left his home in KwaZulu-Natal more than 10 years ago for a job in the Eastern Cape because, at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, the entire community believes in conservation.
He said the reserve has a fully functional anti-poaching unit, ground crew, aerial support system and a dog unit.
He said:
"Our rhinos are covered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
He added that the reserve took the money it generated and pumped it back into conservation and anti-poaching initiatives.
"It is absolutely important and crucial for us to protect our animals, especially our endangered animals, from poachers. We must protect our heritage and show future generations our national assets while helping our country's economy. We must show local and international tourists how we take care of our wildlife," Munien said.
In addition, the reserve is doing its bit to reduce unemployment by employing locals.
"Our staff are local and here, everyone works to make conservation a reality," he added.
The field guides are crucial to the visitor experience.
Safari manager Andrew Kearney places significant emphasis on training.
"Finding, training and keeping the right guides is essential," he said. "We look first for people with the right personality and then provide the training they need."
Shamwari recently acquired an additional 1 338 hectares of land which will benefit existing species and allow it to reintroduce other once-indigenous species, such as the spotted hyenas and, in the future, African Wild Dog.