How do you deal with animal poachers?

Answer by Rory Young:

WARNING! This contains graphic images. It is not for children!

WARNING! This contains graphic images and is not for children!

There are two types of poachers.

Meat poachers poach mainly plains game to sell the meat or to eat themselves.
They are best dealt with by “normal” methods of law-enforcement, education, poverty alleviation and even integration into the wildlife management system.

These people are for the most part hungry and this type of poaching can be brought under control to the extent of game populations and biodiversity not being threatened. However, as in the case of the DR Congo and many West African countries, the bush-meat trade can get out of control. This is in large part due to a lack of will, effort and/or ability of the governments concerned to limit and regulate the practice.

Meat poaching is also tied to the poaching of gorillas for “muti” (traditional medicine). In the case of the mountain gorillas, the problem is more akin to the elephant and rhino poaching, requiring similar strategies and tactics to combat it.

 The bodies of four mountain gorillas killed in the Virunga National Park July, 2007

Rhino and elephant poachers hunt for the rhino horn and ivory to sell on the international black market. The ivory goes to the Far East and is used for trinkets and jewellery. The rhino horn goes either to Yemen to be used to make handles for traditional daggers (relatively small quantities) or to the Far East be used in traditional medicines (large quantities).

Rhino poached and butchered in 2011 in South Africa with her calf. (http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/south-africa-poaching.html#cr)

These poachers are usually ex-guerilla fighters or the like and are well equipped with fully automatic weapons, heavy calibre hunting rifles and at times even rocket propelled grenades. The RPGs and fully automatic assault rifles are not suitable for hunting and invariably wound, maim and cause suffering long drawn-out death due to infection and blood loss. (I have just written an article for African Expedition Magazine about what it is like to have to go and put down such animals. I will post the link on my Blog as soon as it is up). 

Increasingly White South African poachers with a background in wildlife, using helicopters, have been encountered.

Eleven suspected members of a rhino-poaching ring in court in South Africa. (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/09/eleven-suspected-members-of-rhinoceros-poaching-ring-arrested-in-south-africa.html)

The purpose of fully automatic assault rifles and RPGs is of course also for use against Parks rangers and scouts, army, police or anyone else that may try to stop them.

The policy of African countries has either been to:

1. Try and arrest the poachers. This is usually impossible and results in the scouts and rangers losing morale and and avoiding confrontations. The reason is that when tracking a group of poachers the advantage is all with the poachers as they simply have to lay an ambush on their own tracks. Walking along for long periods knowing that the enemy is directly in front of you and can easily open fire at any time really frays your nerves.

The only way round this problem really is to have helicopter and other air support and to “leap-frog” with an airborne tracking team and stop group who move ahead and cross-grain at potential sites, thus narrowing down the location and eventually cornering them. The poachers of course have counter-tactics such as splitting up and each going in a different direction.

Zimbabwe Airforce Chopper and crew.

Such air support is expensive and invariably provided by the military who are usually not brought in to arrest people. 

It is no coincidence that the countries that follow this policy of only arresting poachers also have the biggest poaching problem.

2. Shoot on sight. Zimbabwe was most famous for this policy and the military has been used to provide air and ground support for anti-poaching operations. It is no coincidence that the countries that follow this policy have had the most success in curbing rhino horn and ivory poaching. There are increasing calls for other African countries to adopt such a position. See: Minister calls for shoot to kill policy in Botswana

Dead Poacher

Now here is my own two cents worth. If groups of criminals crossing into your country, armed to the teeth and with a tendency to fight rather than surrender and if that is leading to the extinction of a species and increased lawlessness then shoot them on sight.

The problem has to be treated as a priority and a threat to “homeland security” and all branches of the armed services in the affected countries must be directed to support the Parks officers. It is a war and needs to be fought as a war.

I have answered this specifically as asked, i.e. dealing with the poachers. I answered another question separately about dealing with the problem of Elephant poaching in Africa in general: https://youngrory.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/what-would-effectively-stop-elephant-poaching-in-africa/

How does one stop a charging buffalo?

English: The African buffalo, affalo, M’bogo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large African bovine. Photo taken in Tanzania (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Answer by Rory Young:

I will give the answer in terms of self defense against a charging Cape Buffalo. This assumes there is no option but to shoot as the animal is in a full charge and that you are armed with a .375 H&H or larger and there is no good tree next to you.

The Cape Buffalo kills more people in Africa than any other mammal after hippos.
It charges at approximately 56km/h.
Shooting it through the heart in a full charge will not necessarily stop it in time.
I have seen a buffalo that run 80 meters after being shot through the heart. (see Problem Buffalo Article).
Therefore the only way to stop it dead is to shoot it in the brain.
The brain is 12cm in diameter.

Because it is moving towards you at 56km/h, the brain is only 12cm in diameter and the head is moving up and down, it is best to wait until it gets very close and drops its head to gore you. This is usually 10 to 20 meters away.
The best way to visualize the correct shot placement is to imagine a line from one ear to the opposing eye and for the other eye and ear. Where these two lines cross is the brain no matter what the position of the head is.

You need to hold your nerve and shot perfectly accurately because if you miss you are dead. If you turn and run you are dead.

Unfortunately for me I had to do this twice in one day in 1993.
I was together with another ranger-guide, Jesse Zvikonyuakwa. We were investigating reports of two “problem” buffalo in one of the CAMPFIRE areas near Matusadona National Park and had been warned that they were injured and had chased a couple of people up trees.

Unfortunately for us they had moved into Jess Bush, a type of very thick thorny vegetation. It is a common tactic for injured buffalos to take refuge in dense bush and it is extremely dangerous to pursue them in such areas as they are extremely aggressive, have acute senses, are very cunning and it is almost impossible to move quietly through Jess (it often involves crawling).

However, it was our job and we had no choice but to go after them so in we went.

The first one came flying at us through the Jess and came out into a small clearing about twenty meters from me. It dropped its head to hit me at about fifteen meters at which point I shot it.

We found the second one about 5 hours later in a much bigger clearing.He was on the other side of a small valley, about 80 meters away. This is far to shoot with a heavy calibre rifle and open sites and normally would not be done because of the chance of wounding. I gave the go ahead to Jesse to shoot though because the animal was already injured (meat poachers had tried to kill both animals causing the wounds), dangerous to the local population and surrounded by Jess bush, where it would be more difficult and dangerous to find him.

Jesse fired and the bull took off for the thick bush heading diagonally away from us. I sprinted after it because I really didn’t want it going into that Jess.

The bull caught my movement and veered round to charge at me. I stopped and prepared to shoot once it got close and dropped its head.

Instead, it fell to the ground about twenty meters from me. I lowered my rifle and just then Jess fired another round to make sure it was dead. Instead it got up again and came at me a second time. By the time I raised my rifled and aimed it was only 7 or 8 meters away so when I fired, even though my shot placement was spot on, the momentum of the charge carried it several more meters and it literally ended up at my feet.

I never had to shoot a buffalo before or after that day in self defense and ever since have not followed buffalo, wounded or healthy into Jess bush.

I reckon, if I do it might be third time lucky for the buffaloes.

View Answer on Quora

Do hyenas and canines hunt in packs because of their size, the size of their prey and terrain limitations? Also, how different are the hu…

Answer by Rory Young:

This is a really good question but also difficult because of the three species of hyaenas only the Spotted Hyena is gregarious and hunts in groups. Also, Hyaenas are more closely related to cats than canines. The behaviour differs to both cats and canines. I will refer only to the Spotted Hyaena as I believe this is what the question refers to.

With Spotted Hyaenas hunting usually initiated by one animal and a few others will then join in but more likely to be successful with larger game. Hyaenas do not use coordinated teamwork to bring down prey.  In other words the group activity is more a case of opportunism on the part of the others joining the hunt than a team effort per se.

They do not hunt in groups because of their size, the size of their prey and terrain limitations and this is evident from the wide variety of the size and type of prey. They are simply opportunistic/versatile and will hunt in whatever manner is more likely to be successful and in the case of larger game this will more likely be successful for a group of hyaenas and in the case of smaller game will often be more successful hunting singly.

African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) are cursorial hunters, running down their prey in coordinated groups. They rarely hunt singly and there is much “ritual” or group “psyching up” prior to hunting, reinforcing the group bonds and “oneness”. They work as a a team and this extends to everything they do. They allow the youngest to eat first rather than the most dominant, which I believe is unique.

Wild Dogs will put all their efforts into raising one litter which is produced by the alpha male and alpha female. This includes dogs regurgitating food for the litter, mother and any other animals that have stayed behind. They also look after sick animals by regurgitating food for them and allowing them to remain at the den when the others hunt. There is a male and a female hierarchy and only the alpha male and alpha female mate with all the efforts of the entire pack going into raising the one litter.

Spotted Hyaenas are a matriarchal society and all females are dominant over all males. There is one alpha female and although there will be a dominant male among the males there is no alpha pair. The females are larger and have a pseudo-penis, mounting other females and males to assert dominance. Mating takes place through the pseudo genitalia with the male sliding under the female  ( Sexual behavior of spotted hyenas).

Spotted Hyaena clans are closely knit but nowhere near as closely as Wild Dog packs and overall the behaviour is different in a number of significant ways.

View Answer on Quora

 

How can we describe animals’ different personalities without anthropomorphizing them?

Answer by Rory Young:

I find this question intriguing because, I have to admit, after many years of watching animals, I have a habit of doing the opposite. I don't look at animals and anthropomorphise them I look at the people and zoomorphise them.  The animals must become the focus and we have to separate ourselves from our focus on people.  Spend a long time with them and out of contact with people especially and one begins to see them truly as they are.

Every time I encounter a new person I reflect on what animal they remind me of.
 
Some are the hippos, plump and gregarious.  Some are like hyaenas, opportunistic and elbowing their buddies aside for dominance. There are the old elephant cows, just like hospital matrons, always in a hurry, no nonsense from anyone and always tired. There are many like baboons, teenagers to a "t". There are occasionally leopards, watching quietly and unnoticed yet understanding everyone else better than they themselves. There are warthogs, I believe their counterparts work "in the city". There are the guineafowls, just like the afternoon ladies club… Monkeys – gangs. Honey Badgers – fighters. Rhinos – Stephen Fry (they are a lot smarter, funnier and complex than one would at first expect).

Mothers of course are all alike but I can't help but notice sometimes how some are more like one animal mother than another.

I'm afraid I could go on forever on this, so I had better not. I do it all the time and there is always an animal for everyone..

I have spent long periods with little or no contact with people and you really do go a bit (or very) wild and can have big problems (and very funny situations) when you get back to civilization, but it is really the one way to get close to nature – on your own without any contact with other people.

View Answer on Quora

ElephantVoices Gestures Database

This is the “dictionary” of elephant gestures! Absolutely and completely incredible!

ElephantVoices Gestures Database.

How do animals in the wild avoid eating anything poisonous?

Answer by Rory Young:

Animals either know instinctively what not to eat or they learn from experience by trying and learning or they are taught or all of these, depending on the animal.

Regarding instinct, let’s look at the Cape Buffalo as an example. They know instinctively that grass is edible and that it tastes good. They are unlikely to try eating leaves or anything else unless starving, in which case they will often attempt to eat plants that wouldn’t normally appeal to them and can die from attempting to eat poisonous plants.

For animals eating plants that they are not used to let’s look at Impala. They are browsers and there are many different species of plants to choose from, literally hundreds in their habitat. Impala and other antelope always nibble a tiny bit of a plant before feeding on it. As poisonous plants are usually bitter they will discover that in the first nibble and move on. This way they learn which plants are the best to eat. They also do this because many plants are known to use tannin when browsed upon  to make themselves unpalatable. One tree species that has been studied and shown to do this is the Mopani. See: http://www.resource-ecology.org/…

Lastly lets look at elephants. Because elephants only absorb as little as five percent of the nutrients of what they eat, they need a wide variety of foods (and a large quantity) to get all the nutrients they need. All elephants grow up in the herd and learn from their elders not only what can and can’t be eaten but also where to go at what time of year to find certain foods. They will even dig up minerals from the ground in order to supplement their diets. I recommend Cynthia Moss’ Elephant Memories as a great read if you want to know more about this and other behaviour of African Elephants.

View Answer on Quora

 

Do birds in the wild alert each other to the presence of predators that do not necessarily hunt them, such as lions, and if so do other a…

Answer by Rory Young:

Yes, they do. Many gregarious and other species of birds will alert each other to anything that looks even vaguely threatening or out-of-place.

Once they learn more about a new creature they encounter, they will begin to relax if they find that it is not interested in them. A good example of how adaptable and able to learn is the Oxpecker. When feeding on ticks on Cape Buffalo they will warn the buffalo of an approaching human. However, Oxpeckers feeding on ticks on cattle will not warn cows of an approaching human.

View Answer on Quora

 

Why do animals attack humans in the wild?

Answer by Rory Young:

There are five main reasons an animal will attack you, The first is fear. Cape Buffaloes are a classic example. They are really bad news. This is not because they want to eat you but because they believe you want to eat them. Why else would we be walking around on our back legs, showing our teeth and the whites of our eyes? Lions, when completely unused to people will run away when they encounter humans but of course if surprised at close range could attack out of fear to defend themselves (and then eat you as a bonus).

The second is for food. Lions are pure predators (forget Simba – think Dexter), unlike us who are half predator. They are geniuses at killing. When you see lions lounging around gazing at antelope in the distance, they are not goofing out, they are constantly updating their knowledge of their prey's habits. So, when they lose their fear of man they will begin to test you. There was a very sad case in a park where I once worked in Zimbabwe of a young British chap working for a fellow walking safari guide for his gap year. He left his tent slightly unzipped and was pulled out of it and killed by a lioness. In the lead up to this several guides/rangers including myself had had close calls with lions walking right up to check us out. Normally they would let you know you were getting too close by growling, running away or even mock charging. However, walking casually up to you was not the usual MO. These lions had become so used to being approached on foot that they lost their fear of man and began to wonder if we were easy food and eventually tried.

The third is territory. A good example of this is hippos. They are responsible for killing more people than any other wild mammal. Most of these are unexpected attacks by territorial animals in the water. They will attack out of fear such as when they are in the shallows cut off from the safer deep water by a canoe or run you down if you get between them and the water when they are surprised, but most attacks are deliberate.

The reason for this different behaviour is the habits and different environment. Hippos feed on grass inland during the day and then lie up in pods, large groups squashed next to each other. If a hippo who is not from the pod approaches they will either kill it or chase it away. They do the same with boats that's all.

The fourth reason is anger. A good example of this is when male elephants go into season. This is called "musth". They have huge amounts of testosterone pumping through them and will attack anything.

The fifth reason is to protect their young. In this case you need to back off quickly, walking backwards. Good luck.

P.S. I will post a story on my blog tomorrow, written by a friend who bumped into a leopard with her cubs. He was badly mauled but survived. You are actually better off being attacked by a leopard, especially in a group, as they will attack and maul each person, resulting in a number of mauled people, whereas a lion will stay on the first person till they are dead.
Here is the link https://youngrory.wordpress.com/
Cheers.

As promised: https://youngrory.wordpress.com/2…

I thought I would just add this. The picture is of fellow guide/ranger Roddy Smith tangling with a hippo on the Zambezi River in Zambia

View Answer on Quora

Are lions the only big cats that hunt in prides and why are other big cats solitary? (specifically the females)

Answer by Rory Young:

Yes they are the only cats that hunt in prides. Young cheetah males will sometimes congregate in bachelor groups but these just temporary get-togethers.

Let’s look at the three big African cats, the lion, leopard and cheetah. They have each evolved to fill a niche which they dominate. These niches may overlap and when they do the lion is top of the pile, followed by leopards and then cheetah.

The leopard is an ambush predator. They like to stalk their prey as close as possible and then pounce on them. They also try to sneak up on animals in trees, especially baboons and monkeys and then start up the tree by which stage the baboon can’t go anywhere. Baboons will fight back at times as a group but that is another story.

In order to ambush prey they need to be on their own. A large group of them would not be able to stalk animals as successfully.

The ideal environment for them is forested or rocky not flat and open, as that would not allow them to stalk up close to their prey.

In some ways they are more gregarious than people would imagine. Males’ and females’ territories will overlap, as will females and females. However, males’ and males’ territories will not overlap and they will chase each other out of their areas. Adult offspring will often hang out with mom from time to time for a few days if they bump into each other. These habits show that they are not solitary because they don’t “like” each other but because they are necessarily so to hunt and survive.

Leopards’ spots are also ideal camouflage for an ambush predator, allowing them to sneak up close without being seen.

Cheetah of course also have spots. Most people imagine them running down prey from distance with their incredible speed. However, they need to get as close to their prey as possible first before launching themselves after it and running it down. Thus the need for spots. They combine stealth first and then speed to succeed.

So, leopards and cheetahs do not really compete in terms of environment because as explained, leopards prefer terrain where they can hide and ambush whilst cheetah open areas, with some limited cover such as tall grass or shrubs to first stalk their prey. The extremes of these two are mountainous terrain or cliffs where you will find leopards (who are incredibly versatile and will live on the edges of urban areas living off rats if need be) and flat open grassland areas where you will find cheetahs (who are not versatile at all). Both species are medium size, allowing them to take down relatively large game or small game to survive.

And then of course there are lions. Although the will not survive in the extreme mountainous terrain where leopards are happy, they will overlap a fair amount with them in areas of fairly open, broken ground and savanna woodland. When it comes to cheetah habitat however, there is much more competition between cheetahs and lions and cheetahs will often be chased off their kills. I was fortunate to be part of the cheetah re-introduction into Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe 20 years ago. I built the boma (a boma is a pen where you keep the animals for anything from 4 to 8 weeks to acclimatize them to a new area and get them settled)  so that the 16ft fences were buried deep with rubble, very strong with steel posts and the fences were looser the higher up they went so that any thing trying to climb them would fall off. This was because we were expecting trouble and boy we got it. During the day we would shoot impalas to feed  the cheetahs and then sleep because we would be up all night chasing off lions and hyaenas (he he, yes they should be part of the question and answer but you did specify cats) with shots and Landrovers. Lions, leopards and cheetahs will kill each other if they get a chance, because of the competition for food.

Lions are “pack hunters”. They live in close-nit extended family groups. Their group behaviour allows them to take on prey that neither leopards nor cheetah could touch. They use herding and other techniques together with stalking and enormous strength to take down large prey all the way up to elephants (this is quite common in Botswana). Most importantly and most relevant to your question, they can tackle large herds of large game and this is their real niche which they dominate completely.

If they were solitary they would not be able to feed themselves consistently, as often happens with young males who are pushed out of the pride when they grow to big for their boots and start threatening the boss. These homeless males will either die of hunger, join up with other such males to hunt as a team or learn to hunt on their own, adopting methods more like leopards.

With regards to females specifically, although we males hate to admit it, females are the heart of any  group and whilst males tend to think first about sex and then food whilst females tend to think about feeding their babies and then themselves. So the males are pretty much obsessed with their… genes.

View Answer on Quora

 

What would effectively stop elephant poaching in Africa?

Answer by Rory Young:

I mulled over how to answer this for some time because there are just so many things that can and must be done, I decided to look at the broader picture because no matter the effort of the brave few on the ground, without the will of the world’s nations to put an end to ivory and other poaching it is a losing battle.

There is currently a struggle between two very polarized groups of African countries (and their corners) on how to deal with the problem.

Firstly it is important to look at the three links in the ivory supply chain. These are the poachers, the traffickers and the consumers.

Firstly with regards to the consumers.
There are two approaches to the problem.

The first approach, promoted mostly by Kenya, focuses on ending the international legal trade in ivory.This ivory is from legally culled or hunted elephants in countries with large populations. It is believed that by doing so demand will dramatically reduce or dry up altogether.Those who support the theory believe that demand will dry up and their will therefore be no more demand.

The argument against this approach is that the demand will always be there and that the supply of legal ivory should be carefully controlled and funds funneled into wildlife management.

To give some context to these different approaches we also need to look at the different situations between these groups of countries. Zimbabwe for example has over 80’000 elephants and the population increases at about 3% per annum. Zimbabwe is in favour of limited trade in legal ivory. Kenya on the other hand has around 12’000 elephants, the population is decreasing rapidly and the Kenyan government is totally against any trade.

Where both groups agree is that the countries where this illegal ivory is going are not doing enough to discourage its sale.

Next we need to look at the traffickers. These are smugglers of just the same ilk as drug or blood diamond traffickers. However, their are much fewer controls and and because many of the States these traffickers come from have a very disinterested views of wildlife conservation, they are much more easily able to collude with the authorities in the countries they are shipping to. Like any illicit product, it is relatively easy to get it out. Controls and checks are usually at ports of entry not exit and as a result the methods, systems and infrastructure are not in place to stop exports.

The big problem again is the lack of will to get tough at the countries where the ivory is going. The customs departments are just not motivated to arrest and charge traffickers.

Thirdly we need to look at the poaching itself. The approach to stopping the poaching again differs tremendously between the two groups of countries mentioned before. In Kenya an ivory poacher will likely get off with a fine. In Zimbabwe he could be shot if he doesn’t surrender immediately contact is made with him and then he will face up to 7 years in prison (typically 5).

As you can imagine the group of countries with the vast majority of elephants also has the toughest policies for dealing with poaching. Most of them also support limited trade in ivory.

Whether supporting this is right or wrong, it will be impossible for the Kenya group to convince the others to change this until Kenya itself shows that they are really doing what needs to be done to fight the poaching itself. Iain Douglas-Hamilton recently said that Kenya is all that is standing between the poachers and the large Southern African populations. If that is true then God help us because if Kenya’s way of fighting poaching is with fines then they will have no elephants left soon.

Now to answer your question. I believe that Kenya has held an idealistic policy that has also not been supported by tough action. Realistic pragmatism is needed and a will to save what is left.

There needs to be an all out war on poachers in East Africa, supported by the African Union, as it is a cross border problem with harsh penalties imposed.

There needs to be international pressure and action against the traffickers and the nations that allow them to ply their trade.

With regards the consumers, the ivory itself needs to be made untouchable, taboo, illegal or dangerous. That can only happen if the governments of those buying get serious. Whether or not the trade should be banned, there should only be allowed a tiny amount of extremely expensive legal ivory sold to these countries. Any revenue should be proven to have been channeled back into anti poaching and other conservation efforts.

It is possible to win this war. I mentioned that Zimbabwe has 80’000+ elephants. Well, in 1900 there were less than 500 left.

The white rhino was reintroduced into Zimbabwe from South Africa after being wiped out completely and the Black Rhino was reintroduced into South Africa from Zimbabwe after being wiped out.

So, this war can be won but to win it needs money will and champions. All are in
short supply. What it doesn’t need is procrastination, half-hearted effort, hesitation or denial. It is a war just like any other war, it needs action and massive support to win it.

View Answer on Quora

HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHING?

EVERY GUIDE Should Read This..

Thank you to Dick Pitman for kindly allowing me to post the following Excellent article.

 

HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHING?

 We’re pottering around – say – Mana Pools in our Land Cruiser, and someone coming the other way pulls up beside us, brandishing a hugely expensive camera. We exchange greetings. Then –

“Have you seen anything?” the driver says.I ponder for a moment. “Yes, indeed. There’s an ele mum back there with a really tiny calf. A group of absolutely superb kudu bulls. A civet, a bit earlier. Couple of impala rams sparring, really interesting to watch. Lovely light through the albidas.”My interlocutor looks a bit uncomfortable. “Yes, but have you seen…umm…something?”

Something

I’m determined to drag it out of him. “What do you mean by something?”

“Well…er…you know, lions. The Dogs”.

As a matter of fact we did see ‘something’, yesterday. I give him some inspired misdirection and off he goes, wheels virtually spinning, until he vanishes in a cloud of dust.

This happens to us all the time. Our National Parks are full of vehicles hurtling around in search of this something. To them, everything else isnothing. Well, to me, this nothing is in fact everything. The wild dogs and lions – good though it is to see them – are just one part of the richly-textured tapestry of our wild places. We have ourselves had enquiries asking for “guaranteed” predator sightings. There’s only one answer to this: if you want is to see lions and wild dogs on demand, matey, go to a zoo.

Nothing?

You have to take wilderness as it comes and, if experience in recent years is anything to go by, fewer and fewer people are happy to do that.

Why?

Is the current ‘sensational predator photography cult’ a reflection of a society that has in itself become predatory? Is it the fault of an increasingly sensationalist media? Or is it the paradigm of instant gratification, ceaseless motion and search for novelty prevalent in today’s world?

A combination of all three, maybe, but I favour the latter – and probably simplest – explanation.This is borne out by what happens when one does actually put people in front of  a pride of lions.

Excitement turns to boredom in about ten minutes flat, when, as is their wont during daytime – the lions just lie around doing nothing at all or – the worst-case scenario! – all go to sleep. It takes on average about ten  minutes before boredom – signified by an insidious outbreak of foot-shuffling andsotto voce conversation – sets in. Finally, some bold spirit pipes up – “Well. Nothing much happening, then.” And so resting lions and wild dogs also get consigned to the great vacuum of nothingness with which the Park is apparently filled.

Mana lions, doing what they like most. Let them sleep!

Well, sorry for that, everyone, but this variety of “nothing” is what most predators do, most of the time. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough for the hordes of so-called “wildlife photographers”, that have invaded Parks like Mana Pools recently. Wild dogs must be persuaded to come trotting up and shove their noses into the business end of the telephoto lens. Lions that would far rather lie around sleeping must be provoked into making mock charges instead.

While writing this post, my attention was drawn to an excellent piece by Gerry van der Walt at http://photography.wild-eye.co.za/ethics-in-wildlife-photography/. Really, he says it all, but I’ll add my 0.05cents-worth while I’m at it.

At a purely personal level I couldn’t give a damn if some lunatic macho-man (or woman) gets themselves killed by a  deliberately-provoked “mock charge” that turns nasty. Unfortunately, though, there could be other outcomes as well.

For starters, a lot more visitors with little or no bush experience who see these photos all over the web may be infected by the “zoo mentality” and try the same thing, with disastrous results. Furthermore, guides and operators may be faced with immense pressure from guests to create similarly artificial photo opportunities, and risk getting labelled as cissies or worse if they refuse.

Worst of all, intrusive behaviour can have a profound impact on wildlife. Wild dog packs may be forced to move away from denning sites by constant, close-quarters intrusion. We’ve also seen tragedies that almost certainly resulted from lion becoming over-habituated to humans. And where potentially dangerous species are involved, something’s quite likely to get shot, either by a guide or by the Parks Authority, and sadly it’s not usually the offending visitor.

Meanwhile, for many, the idea of actually sitting still beside a pan for a day, just waiting and observing what goes on, what comes to drink, listening to the chorus of birdsong, absorbing the immutable peace of wilderness – in other words just being –  has become an absurdity. It seems that wild nature must increasingly be viewed through the lens of sensationalism.

 Dick Pitman Dick’s Blog: http://zim4x4.blogspot.com/

12 DECEMBER 2012

If I got lost on an African safari and came face-to-face with a growling lion, what should I do to garner the best chance of survival?

Rory’s answer to:

Answer by Rory Young:

The first thing you do when coming across a “growling lion” is freeze and avert your eyes. You also do not point at it.

If a lion is not habituated to man it will most likely run. The danger arises with lions that are more used to people.

Look at the animal’s tail. When a lion is angry or feeling threatened it will sweep its tail from side to side. If it is hunting it will keep its tail stiff and twitch it from time to time.

It is much more serious if it is actively hunting you.

If you see stalking indications then raise your arms above your head and wave them and most importantly SHOUT YOUR HEAD OFF.

If you have something in your hand then throw it at the lion.

Even if the lion charges you do not run. Believe me this can be extremely intimidating. They charge at 65km per hour and the roaring is deafening.

If you have frozen and then lion is not approaching but not leaving either then start to back slowly away. If it starts to move then freeze immediately. If you have frozen and then lion is not approaching but not leaving either then start to back slowly away. If it starts to move then freeze immediately.

Night time encounters are another story. I was once doing problem animal control in Gache Gache in Zimbabwe, trying to bait and shoot a lion that had killed several people and the night before had almost succeeded in breaking into Chief Mangare’s hut.

It was dark but moonlit and I was lying on the ground, carefully backed into a euphorbia hedge along with two game scouts and a fellow ranger.

I heard a very faint noise behind me and the lion was crawl-stalking me and just 10 foot back! He had actually carefully crawled through the dense hedging to sneak up on us. He was too close for me to be able to turn and shoot. However, I turned on the torch in my hand and shone it in his face. He ran off.

So, if you are walking in the bush at night (it happens in safari camps especially) and come across lions, keep your beam in their eyes and back away.

One of the biggest myths is fire. Lions are not afraid of campfires and will often walk round them and see what’s happening. However, keeping a fire between you and a lion is probably better than nothing!

View Answer on Quora

What are some unusual animals eaten in Africa?

Africa

Answer by Rory Young:

In Zambia and other African countries some tribes are very keen on mice. Bon apetit!

Mopani worms ( type of caterpillar) are very popular in Central and Southern Africa.

TheArmoured ground cricket is eaten by the Goba and Soli in the Zambezi Valley  The brown (females) one are eaten but not the (green) males and have to be boiled in clean water, the water thrown out and then repeated otherwise the eater will not be able to urinate for an extended period and can end up hospitalized.

 

Locusts and grass hoppers. My son used to catch these in the garden with the maid and then she would fry them up for lunch!

 

“Flying Ants” (Termites)
When the first rains arrive in Southern and Central Africa the termites fly out of their mounds there is much excitement as people rush around in the rain with buckets trying to collect as many as possible. They are great to eat!

View Answer on Quora

 

What are some unusual animals eaten around the world?

Answer by Rory Young:

In Zambia and other African countries some tribes are very keen on mice. Bon apetit!

View Answer on Quora

Is there evidence that early humans hunted by running in packs over long distances to wear out their food?

Answer by Rory Young:

This is known as persistence hunting and I have done it. The most important evidence that humans persistence hunted in the past is the fact that we can do so today…The ability to long distance persistence hunt or even run really long distance is not a common one. The only African predators that do so (other than man) are African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus or Painted Wolves)

It is almost certain to have been used by early humans and is a theory for our having evolved the ability to run long distance.

I have hunted Impala in this manner some years ago. I noticed that when spooked they would not run far. I had also seen a tame Impala that sometimes walked with us on anti-poaching patrols had absolutely no stamina or endurance. Clearly they have evolved to quickly outrun predators and then recover.

One day I had to kill an impala for the pot and so instead of the usual bullet a game scout and I ran one down. It was not that difficult.

The San people of the Kalahari still persistence hunt to this day. They will often combine endurance running, tiring out an animal, with stalking after leaving it to settle once it is exhausted.

View Answer on Quora

 

What are some extinct species found?

Answer by Rory Young:

The Coelacanth, known only from fossils and believed to have been extinct since the end of the Cretaceous period (around 66 million years ago), was rediscovered off the East coast of South Africa in 1938.  The fish was caught by Captain Hendrick Goosen and identified Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer.

This would be the equivalent of bumping into a dinosaur while looking for deer in a park.

Here is a great link: http://www.dinofish.com/

View Answer on Quora

 

What animal(s) kills the most humans per year?

Answer by Rory Young:

The Hippopotamus kills more people than any other mammal every year. You could say that it has been unintentionally provoked as they are so touchy that they are easy to upset. They are extremely aggressive and will often attack boats and dug out canoes as well as people on land. Very often the cause of death is drowning

The most deadly animal on the planet by far and causing unprovoked deaths is the Anopheles Mosquito which carries the Malaria Plasmodium . In 2010 between 660,000 and 1.2 million people died from malaria.

View Answer on Quora

 

What is the best way to defend yourself against a large cat attack?

Answer by Rory Young:

There are many accounts of people not only surviving lion attacks but killing the lion (with something other than a gun).

One of the techniques recorded as used by the the Maasai and other African tribes hunt lions was to provoke a charge; covering themselves with their shield and wedging the butt of their spear against the ground and letting the animal impale itself.

One of the most amazing stories of bravery I have ever  read was recorded by the explorer Frederick Courtney Selous.

Two Matabele (Ndebele) boys who had a cow in their care killed by a lion. Determined to redeem their honour and the cow, they set off with one shield and one Assegai. They provoked the lion to charge by approaching it while it was feeding.

The intention was for one of them to let the lion attack, while protecting himself with the shield. This would distract the lion, allowing the second chap to spear it. This is clever and shows they understood lion behaviour. A lion that attacks more than one person will usually stay on that one individual.

The first boy did hold the shield and let the lion attack him whilst covering himself with the shield and the second did spear the lion and kill it.

Unfortunately the boy who held the shield was killed by the lion and the second boy was mauled but survived. The cow was retrieved.

              Matabele Warrior

Then there is the amazing story of game ranger Harry  Wolhuter who was attacked by two lions while riding a horse in the Kruger Park in 1904.

One of the lions grabbed him in its mouth by his shoulder and dragged him off to eat him.

Somehow he managed to draw his sheath knife knife and stab the lion, mortally wounding it.

Harry Wolhuter

View Answer on Quora

 

Why do zebras have stripes? It’s not as if they are even camouflage colors!

There are two reasons for Zebras to have evolved stripes.

The first is concealment from and avoidance of predators. Zebras stripes do this in two ways.

Disruptment Camouflage. Normal camouflage works by blending in with or copying the colours and patterns of the surrounds. Obviously the stripes don’t copy the surroundings. Disruptment camouflage works by breaking up the outline of something making it harder to distinguish and therefore identify clearly. See:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam…

Personally I found Zebras one of the more difficult animals to learn to distinguish at very long distance when I first began to work in the bush. From very far they can even look like lions with the naked eye. It can also be hard to distinguish one from another when they are in a herd and running.

They other way they work to confound predators is by the use of Motion Dazzle. This works by distorting predator’s ability to effectively judge the animal’s movements and speeds and therefore making it more difficult to catch. See:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam…

The second reason that Zebras have evolved stripes is to protect themselves from Parasitic Flies, especially the Tsetse Fly. The biting  tsetse fly carries trypanosomes which cause  animal trypanosomiasis.

Although there has been much hype recently studies showing that flies might struggle to see Zebra stripes, it was actually well clearly established by the Zimbabwe Veterinary Department decades ago in the work of a man called Ted Davidson.

This is how they discovered it. They were trying to discover what colours would work best for tsetse fly traps  (see here tsetse) and tried all sorts of things eventually finding out that the best colour to attract them was electric blue whilst the best colour for them to land on was black. They also tried different patterns and colour combinations and found that weren’t attracted to and didn’t land on Zebra stripes!

View Answer on Quora

 

Do wild animals, once captive, retain their wild habits?

Answer by Rory Young:

If you do as you have described a lion will still know how to hunt but may have some difficulty at first and I will explain why.

Firstly. They have a hunting instinct. They are pure killer. They have evolved to kill. They enjoy it. It is fun for them and they get excited by it. I can’t bear the Hollywood bs of lions only killing just what they need. It is so untrue. They are well known to kill more than one animal and even go on killing sprees as do other cats and hyaenas.

Secondly. When a lion gets hungry it gets nasty.You may have heard the saying “a hungry man is an angry man”. Lions are the same.  When they get hungry they don’t just want to eat they want to KILL!

This strong urge to kill, just as powerful as their hunger, does not go until their belly is full. This is why killing sprees happen. They may kill one animal and then, before eating properly and satiating themselves, come across another opportunity and then kill again.

This is common with other cats too. There are numerous accounts of leopards getting into livestock and killing one animal after another. I remember an description from the book Smithers and Skinners Mammals of the Southern African Sub Continent of one leopard that killed 39 lambs in one attack. There is no way it was going to eat 39 lambs. Maybe two or even three but not 39! Simba would be horrified!!

Thirdly. There are also learned hunting and kills that they gain from experience and those do not go away. If your lion had never been in the wild these skills would not have been well developed and the released lion would then have problems feeding itself.

Lastly. Fitness! Just like one of us they can get fat and lazy getting too much food and not enough exercise. This is why I said they may have some difficulty at first. Not too much though! The instinct will still take over..

I love lions they are truly awe-inspiring animals! Seeing them hunt is one of the most incredible things you can ever see.

View Answer on Quora

 

Hypothetical Questions: If I wanted to approach dangerous wild animals on foot, could I do it safely and how would I go about it?

Answer by Rory Young:

This picture (courtesy J. Levenderis) shows the legendary Zimbabwean game ranger, the late “Oom Willie De Beer” tangling with a wild elephant bull. His rifle can clearly be seen hanging of his arm and not pointed at the bull and he actually has his hands on the elephant’s tusks. This incredible man had an uncanny understanding of animal behaviour. You can also see the bull’s head is down but his ears are forward and his head is down. He is also leaning towards Oom Willie. He is having a tussle not trying to kill. If he were intending to kill his ears would be back and he would be flailing with his trunk, goring with his tusks and trampling with his feet. By the way, Oom Willie was in his seventies when this picture was taken!

There are two ways to approach any dangerous animal on foot.

I will use Elephants as examples in this reply but there are important differences between different animals and their behaviour that affects how you approach them; if you do so at all. Every species and every individual is different
I will also answer as a guide/ranger.

Before you decide to approach, you assess the animal or animals. You take into account the gender, the condition, the demeanor, the age and anything else that could affect it’s behaviour.

The first way of approaching wild animals is known as a “guiding approach” or “open approach”. You approach the animal openly, letting it know you.are there.
For dangerous game that is not shy, this is usually the best option because it allows you to gauge the animal’s response to you. For example, elephants use just as much body language as we do, if not more as they have a trunk and huge movable ears to throw into the mix.

The approach is nearly always best done diagonally, at an angle. Imagine a big dog that you didn’t know just walked straight up to you. That would feel intimidating wouldn’t it? That is how wild animals feel too about other Species approaching them. Bear in mind that we walk on our hind legs and we show more of the whites of our eyes than any other animal. Showing the whites of your eyes to most species means fear or aggression. We also smile, showing our teeth. Nearly all animals, except some apes (and my dumb but beloved dogs), see showing your teeth as a threat display (and damn rude). Don’t smile at wild animals!

Often, as you approach – which is best done diagonally to the animal and not directly –  you will deliberately make some sort of subtle noise to let them know you are there, such as tapping your rifle stock quietly.

Once the animal knows you are approaching they will let you know how they feel about that. They may just carry on munching their food and gaze at you, which of course is a pretty good sign.

Let’s look at an older bull elephant first. Let’s say he is healthy, having a good day and is roughly 30 years old. The first sign that he elephant is aware of you is that he raises his ears upwards.This would be the equivalent of you tensing up when someone who really makes you nervous walks into the room.You might tense your  shoulders, clench your fists or purse your lips (sorry here I think I’m a bit better with elephants than people).

Then he will turn and face you. They put their trunk into the air to catch your scent and put their ears forward to listen. Usually if he catches your scent he will shake his head and snort, with the ears making a slapping noise. This is basically telling you that you stink and should piss off.

At this stage I like to just wait. The elephant usually does the same and will often twirl a clump of grass(just like a person twirling a lock of their hair whilst thinking) and look  a bit dumb. He may also raise his head and put forward his ears. Putting his head up is a sign of dominance and putting his ears forward is meant to intimidate and let you know how big he is as if somehow he wasn’t big enough. Bear in mind their language is that spoken between elephants so he will “speak” as one elephant does to another.

It is important at this stage to make clear that you are willing to move off but also that you won’t take any nonsense.  Ideally you both walk off at an angle to each other. However, you could get a “mock charge”.

A mock charge is when a bull charges with the intention of scaring you. He will do so with his head up and ears forward and trumpet. If you don’t run and wait for just the right moment to shout, lift your hands or rifle in the air and even throw something at him, he will stop and reconsider (mock charges can develop into “full charges). He will very likely throw dust or sticks from the ground at you and kick dust at you.

With experience the behaviour and body language of elephants can be very well understood and professional guides and rangers even “tangle with them”, having a battle of wills for dominance where everything except touching is “allowed”.
The second way of approaching wild animals is known as a “hunting approach” or “concealed approach” whereby you stalk the animal as you would to hunt it, i.e. not letting it know that you are there. This can be very non-intrusive but also potentially dangerous. You have not had the benefit of the animals responses to an open approach and therefore don’t know how it is going to react if it suddenly notices you are there.

Now, that was an example of a laid back bull elephant. As mentioned, you first assess gender and other points. If it was a female, I would only look from a distance and wouldn’t let her know I was there.

With regards to condition, if the bull was in Musth, for example, I wouldn’t go anywhere near it. I would also make sure he had no idea I was anywhere near. If he did there would be a big chance of a “full charge”.

A full charge is when an elephant puts his ears bag it’s head down and charges full speed at you. Bear in mind that an elephant has no idea who you are but will instinctively know from hundreds of thousands of years of evolving in the same environment and geographical location as us, that we are really bad news. Therefore a full charge for an elephant is the equivalent of a Kamikaze pilot taking the final suicide dive. It means the elephant has totally committed to a fight to the death and as a guide/ranger you have only one option left and that is to shoot.

This is why I am dead against walking guides/rangers going to close too often on foot. Eventually there will be a full charge and the elephant or the ranger or those accompanying him will end will end up dead. In Zimbabwe it will mean the elephant is dead as the guides are extremely well trained. In most other countries it will mean the guide and clients are dead.

With regards to age, older animals will tend to be less “spunky” and more inclined to a full charge when they do finally get annoyed. Young elephants are usually the opposite, just like human teenagers, full  nonsense , lots of noise but run to Mommy as soon as the going gets tough! I openly admit to playing games with these types from time to time (the elephants that is not the teenagers).

As mentioned, females are dangerous. They are just like most working mothers; stressed, tired, in a hurry. You don’t want to mess with them and especially not with their kids!

Playing with dangerous game is a dangerous game! Respect them!

View Answer on Quora

 

How do you approach dangerous wild animals on foot?

There are two ways to approach any dangerous animal on foot.

I will use elephants as examples in this reply but there are important differences between different animals and their behaviour that affects how you approach them; if you do so at all. Every species and every individual is different

I will also answer as a guide/ranger.

Before you decide to approach, you assess the animal or animals. You take into account the gender, the condition, the demeanor, the age and anything else that could affect it’s behaviour.

The first way of approaching wild animals is known as a “guiding approach” or “open approach”. You approach the animal openly, letting it know you.are there.

For dangerous game that is not shy, this is usually the best option because it allows you to gauge the animal’s response to you. For example, elephants use just as much body language as we do, if not more as they have a trunk and huge movable ears to throw into the mix.

The approach is nearly always best done diagonally, at an angle. Imagine a big dog that you didn’t know just walked straight up to you. That would feel intimidating wouldn’t it? That is how wild animals feel too about other species approaching them. Bear in mind that we walk on our hind legs and we show more of the whites of our eyes than any other animal. Showing the whites of your eyes to most species means fear or aggression. We also smile, showing our teeth. Nearly all animals, except some apes (and my dumb but beloved dogs), see showing your teeth as a threat display (and damn rude). Don’t smile at wild animals!

Often, as you approach – which is best done diagonally to the animal and not directly –  you will deliberately make some sort of subtle noise to let them know you are there, such as tapping your rifle stock quietly.

Once the animal knows you are approaching they will let you know how they feel about that. They may just carry on munching their food and gaze at you, which of course is a pretty good sign.

Let’s look at an older bull elephant first. Let’s say he is healthy, having a good day and is roughly 30 years old. The first sign that he elephant is aware of you is that he raises his ears upwards.This would be the equivalent of you tensing up when someone who really makes you nervous walks into the room.You might tense your  shoulders, clench your fists or purse your lips (sorry here I think I’m a bit better with elephants than people).

Then he will turn and face you. They put their trunk into the air to catch your scent and put their ears forward to listen. Usually if he catches your scent he will shake his head and snort, with the ears making a slapping noise. This is basically telling you that you stink and should piss off.

At this stage I like to just wait. The elephant usually does the same and will often twirl a clump of grass(just like a person twirling a lock of their hair whilst thinking) and look  a bit dumb. He may also raise his head and put forward his ears. Putting his head up is a sign of dominance and putting his ears forward is meant to intimidate and let you know how big he is as if somehow he wasn’t big enough. Bear in mind their language is that spoken between elephants so he will “speak” as one elephant does to another.

It is important at this stage to make clear that you are willing to move off but also that you won’t take any nonsense.  Ideally you both walk off at an angle to each other. However, you could get a “mock charge”.

A mock charge is when a bull charges with the intention of scaring you. He will do so with his head up and ears forward and trumpet. If you don’t run and wait for just the right moment to shout, lift your hands or rifle in the air and even throw something at him, he will stop and reconsider (mock charges can develop into “full charges). He will very likely throw dust or sticks from the ground at you and kick dust at you.

With experience the behaviour and body language of elephants can be very well understood and professional guides and rangers even “tangle with them”, having a battle of wills for dominance where everything except touching is “allowed”.

The second way of approaching wild animals is known as a “hunting approach” or “concealed approach” whereby you stalk the animal as you would to hunt it, i.e. not letting it know that you are there. This can be very non-intrusive but also potentially dangerous. You have not had the benefit of the animals responses to an open approach and therefore don’t know how it is going to react if it suddenly notices you are there.

If anyone would like then I will post some pictures of rangers/guides doing all of this to my blog Anomie’s Child Some of these are quite spectacular.

Now, that was an example of a laid back bull elephant. As mentioned, you first assess gender and other points. If it was a female, I would only look from a distance and wouldn’t let her know I was there.

With regards to condition, if the bull was in Musth, for example, I wouldn’t go anywhere near it. I would also make sure he had no idea I was anywhere near. If he did there would be a big chance of a “full charge”.

A full charge is when an elephant puts his ears bag it’s head down and charges full speed at you. Bear in mind that an elephant has no idea who you are but will instinctively know from hundreds of thousands of years of evolving in the same environment and geographical location as us, that we are really bad news. Therefore a full charge for an elephant is the equivalent of a Kamikaze pilot taking the final suicide dive. It means the elephant has totally committed to a fight to the death and as a guide/ranger you have only one option left and that is to shoot.

This is why I am dead against walking guides/rangers going to close too often on foot. Eventually there will be a full charge and the elephant or the ranger or those accompanying him will end will end up dead. In Zimbabwe it will mean the elephant is dead as the guides are extremely well trained. In most other countries it will mean the guide and clients are dead.

With regards to age, older animals will tend to be less “spunky” and more inclined to a full charge when they do finally get annoyed. Young elephants are usually the opposite, just like human teenagers, full  nonsense , lots of noise but run to Mommy as soon as the going gets tough! I openly admit to playing games with these types from time to time.

As mentioned, females are dangerous. They are just like most working mothers; stressed, tired, in a hurry. You don’t want to mess with them and especially not with their kids!

Playing with dangerous game is a dangerous game!

What are Conservation Drones?

Fantastic. This could potentially become a thorn in every poachers side. Please support these guys..

Conservation Drones are inexpensive, autonomous and operator-friendly unmanned aerial vehicles for surveying and mapping forests and biodiversity. Non-technical operators can program each mission by defining waypoints along a flight path using an open-source software.

Our Conservation Drones are able to fly pre-programmed missions autonomously for a total flight time of up to ~50 minutes and over a distance of ~25 km. Depending on the camera system installed, these drones can record videos at up to 1080 pixel resolution, and acquire aerial photographs of <10 cm pixel resolution. Aerial photographs can be stitched together to produce near real-time geo-referenced land use/cover maps of surveyed areas.

We believe that Conservation Drones have great potential for environmental and conservation applications, which include near real-time mapping of local land cover, monitoring of illegal forest activities, and surveying of large animal species.

Disclaimer: The Conservation Drones team (Lian Pin Koh…

View original post 59 more words

MAULED BY LEOPARD

MAULED  BY  LEOPARD

Sengwa Research Area

October 2008.

Jim Levenderis

 I was due to hunt with Jerry again, we had hunted together before, further down on the Sengwa river mouth at lakeKariba in the Binga district and

We had developed a close friendship in the bush. He is an avid hunter and spends a lot of time and money hunting various parts of the world, but in Zimbabwe hunts solely with me as his PH. We have had had numerous good hunts and good times in the bush and, while hunting his Elephant and Buffalo, had certainly experienced some ‘testing’ moments together. These are the times that forge strong, lasting friendships and trusting bonds that, I feel confident in saying, only soldiers and hunters can experience. Some radical and extreme outward bound programmes can possibly be the closest to securing friendships like hunting does, followed closely by Rugby and other sports.

Jerry is, like myself, a competitive shottist which gives us both plenty to talk about in the long hours in the car and walking while cutting spoor and, he certainly knows is way around a rifle, which helps a lot when up against dangerous game.

Jerry had indicated early in the year that he would hunt with me again in 2008, but we had a long wait to confirm the dates he wanted from the safari operator who had the Sengwa research area concession. The dates he gave as desirable to him were September 26 through to October 16.

Earlier, before the dates were confirmed I had committed myself to accompanying the Hellenic grade 7’s to the Rifa educational camp in the Zambezi Valley, feeling sure they would not clash.

Jerry’s dates were confirmed and our hunt was on for Elephant and Buffalo.  Unfortunately, they did clash with the Rifa camp and I had to decline Hellenic’s invitation which left me feeling very sad due to a couple of special kids in the class that were going on the trip who had personally pleaded with me to accompany them. Unable to look them directly in the eye I told them my hunt had been confirmed and I would not be able to go with them.  If things were at all different I would have gone with the grade 7’s in a heartbeat, but they weren’t and I had work to do, which I needed badly, plus I had my commitments to a friend and client to uphold.

It’s clear now that had I gone to Rifa, I wouldn’t have been mauled and my face would have been spared the extra scars, not that I was by any means a pretty face before. A lot of trauma, blood and pain that could have been avoided though.  Sometimes, I think, things are just meant to be.

In this, I apologise to Hellenics grade 7’s of 2008 for not being with them at Rifa.  The previous trips with Hellenic school to Rifa had been very enjoyable and refreshing to be with such young enthusiasm and interest. The innocently unaware questions asked by these youngsters, the seemingly ridiculous assumptions and interpretations of Mother nature, are actually far from ridiculous and reminds one what the older generation takes for granted. The war stories from the boys and the wide eyed expressions on their faces from new discoveries and learning’s are, to say the least, a treasure to be experienced.

Jerry had brought with him a brand new Winchester model 70 .458 Winchester Magnum rifle, to replace my beloved Eddystone which blew up due to an incorrectly loaded cartridge in January before. This was NOT, I haste to add, a result of MY reloading. I was given some .458 Winchester Magnum ammunition by a previous client, one round of which was incorrectly charged.

I was deeply saddened to lose my Eddystone with which I had hunted and guided for over eighteen years. In this time my Eddystone became a part of me, physically and sentimentally having hunted, cropped and culled over 120 Elephant. We were a good team together and it was a rifle I maintained in pristine condition and trusted. It had got me out of trouble with just about everything from Lion to Elephant to Buffalo and even Hippo. In short, it was my first and foremost heavy calibre rifle which I could handle well, as one would expect with that time spent with any equipment.  It was so familiar that I can still feel it in my hands to this day.  The memories are sweet, but I digress.

The thought of receiving as a gift a brand new Winchester model 70 .458 rifle, was better than a teenager receiving a sports car for a birthday. And it wasn’t even my birthday.  I was excited to see it. This is a feeling only Gun Nuts like myself can understand. Others get the feeling with going on an overseas holiday maybe, or buying a car, or ladies may get it with new shoes, make up or clothes. We get it from new guns. The bigger the gun the better. It’s a gun crazy guy thing.

October 01, 2008. 20.00hrs

I had all the papers ready from Central Firearms Registry for the importation of my new rifle and a bundle of cash for the duty. I waited at the airport for Jerry to arrive when my wife phoned me telling me that Jerry had been delayed in Joburg and would be on the next flight in the morning.

At 06.00hrs I was at the airport but again Jerry was delayed by confusions, so it was to be later that day he would arrive.  All things that have a bad start end up good, or so I consoled myself. We had already missed one days hunting with these delays.

Jerry arrived that day at 12.30hrs and when I walked through immigration to receive him, (PH’s can do this when due to hunt a protected species as we have to hand a copy of the CITES tag to immigration to stamp.) With a look of concern on his face he told me his rifle was missing, together with mine.  This was real cause for concern but after asking officials and a short search, we found them.  Customs told us that Jerry’s GOLF BAG was in the receiving room.

I will remember as long as I live, the lost luggage official’s face went from pale grey to ash white when Jerry unlocked his ‘GOLF BAG’ to reveal not one, but two heavy calibre hunting rifles within, with ammunition to boot.

We said “Thank you very much for looking after our GOLF CLUBS, cheerio old chap” and proceeded to customs to clear my new rifle.  While Jerry was scratching around in his briefcase looking for the rifles papers to leave the US I was like a kid with a new toy. I was fondling my new rifle, taking aim at the luggage on the travellator, following suitcases as one would a moving target.

Eventually I had to contain myself as the chief customs official came to me and reminded me that I was in the Zimbabwe International Airport and this sort of thing is ‘Prorheebeeteed’.

He was not at all offensive so I humoured him by showing him my new rifle and told him what it was. He was grateful for the experience but reminded me still I was in a restricted area and please to stop aiming at people’s luggage, they were getting concerned.

I had no option but to obey, or face dire consequences. I chose to record the serial number of my rifle and pack it away obediently, back into Jerry’s ‘GOLF BAG’.

This whole time the lost luggage official was looking on at what he had been keeping in the open, unlocked and unsecured.

Jeff was also, to say the least, flabbergasted at our airports slack security.  None the less, a potentially disastrous situation turned out more than fine, and gave us our first of many laughs.

Naturally when we got home I examined my present. There it was, a brand spanking new Winchester .458 model 70 in Winchesters very own designed magnum cartridge, with an American Walnut stock, controlled feed conical breech action with hammer forged barrel and short draw bolt. And for the cherry on top – it is a SAFARI EXPRESS – Winchester have their SUPER EXPRESS model and the SAFARI EXPRESS model. The Safari Express is the Delux model with a number and engraving, their short draw bolt and silver tipped foresight.  I was speechless. I could not find words with which to thank Jerry.  It was, it is, a beautiful rifle.

October 03, 2008. 06.50hrs

With the car already packed, we had breakfast and left by 07.00hrs the following day. This was really meant to be the first day of hunting but with Jeff’s flight delays we were only starting the 6 1/2 hour journey to Sengwa.

Jerry had opted to drive in with me to experience Zimbabwe first hand. The drive through previously commercial farm lands, now repossessed and full of their magnificent crop of weeds, the decay and rot, the destruction and evident looting was, on it’s own, as much as Jerry could digest. Then followed Gokwe communal lands, Chief Mazivazvido, Chief Nenynunka tribal areas and the start of the Tundazi area, with all their poverty and barrenness, was overwhelming for Jerry who sat through most of the journey in silent disbelief.

I think I can imagine what it was like for him. There is nothing at all even remotely similar to experience where he comes from.

Jerry is a successful attorney, dealing with conveyance and very selected divorce cases, he is an educated, refined, wealthy and worldly gentleman. Having a touch of spoiled brat to his character with his business aggression, he makes for interesting company. He is never short of conversation, being able to talk on any given topic he reveals his experience and education in travel remarkably. His law profession links him to top American politicians and he exudes confidence through his status of wealth, knowledge and ability.

He is also a very keen shottist. Owning some 120 firearms, he competes in rifle shoots through out the US which makes him very proficient with his firearm and a pleasure to converse with for anyone similarly linked to or passionate with arms and ammunition.

Added to this, he was a professional cyclist and having a wiry frame of medium height, he can keep up with the pace on Elephant and Buffalo hunts. We seldom have to stop and rest for Jerry as we do other clients not in similar physical condition. His water discipline is good also as a result of his cycling which again makes for smooth hunting and good time on tracks. To the end part, he is also a fine sportsman, he wants to walk for his kill and he wants it fair. He will not shoot for the sake of shooting if time is short or if game is scarce. He will say to me “If I don’t get it Jim, I return, then we hunt again. It’s not the kill, it’s the thrill of the hunt”.

I like hunting with Jerry, and I like him.

The poverty, barrenness and desolation of Gokwe passed into rich, healthy and untouched wilderness and soon we were in Parks estates. Not much longer and the stretches of the Sengwa rivers dry sandy bed could be seen.  Fresh Elephant dung soon scented the air, old and new Buffalo pats lay on the road, 6 foot tall Hyperenia grass lay at an angle giving away an Elephants direction of travel, Sand Grouse frantically took to flight out of the path of the car. The ZambeziValleys oppressive October heat penetrated the car and sat with us for the remainder of the drive while Red-billed Hornbills watched us go past, clucking like chickens as we passed. Everything indicated we were entering big game territory. The bush was looking very healthy indeed.

We arrived at Sengwa camp at about 14.00hrs and spent the day sorting out kit, rifles and of course, I went to the camp shooting range and fired my new rifle for the first time. I had loaded a combination of hand loads for it and was eager to see their results. My loads of 70grains S335 propellant with Hornady’s 500 grain full metal jacket bullet produced pleasing groups of 3 ¼ inches at 60 yards. I opted to use these for Jeff’s Buffalo and Elephant. Jerry was using a CZ .458 model 550 Winchester magnum, also a very nice strong and reliable rifle. It had the bulged magazine allowing two more rounds than the usual 3 to be loaded into the magazine.

The evening sundown, typically around the campfire with drinks and snacks was spent with another PH and his client who had finished their hunt and were due to depart the following day. They had scored a fine Bushbuck the day before, which was being served as the snacks in kebab form with a spicy Bar b’que sauce. Cheese and wine, potato crisps and peanuts accompanied.

After a dinner of Buffalo fillet cutlets with vege’s, Jerry and I retired to our rooms by 22.00hrs.

October 04, 2008.

We had to sign in at the park office which opened at 07.00hrs, leaving us time for a leisurely shower and breakfast first. On arrival at the Sengwa research station park office, I had a heavy heart and was depressed to see the state of what was once the core pride of National Parks Research and Capture Unit, with which I worked briefly. Sengwa was a furious hive of activity in the 1980’s, with highly qualified and well trained vets and capture personnel, all totally dedicated to their job and rightly proud of their achievement in the capture of Rhino and other species. Proud men, officers, rangers and cadet recruits alike all smartly turned out in their green and beige uniforms with green berets, a well serviced and well presented fleet of vehicles, neatly piled and arranged stock of Elephant collars, Rhino blinds, dart guns etc etc.

Now, all that remained was a shabby building with scuffed floors, broken furniture and no Elephant collars to speak of, apart from one piece which was being used to strap a broken chair together. Tracking equipment has disappeared, transmitters and receivers that we strapped onto drugged Elephant and Rhino were in pieces, most of them missing.  Water pumps lost and broken, the 20,000 litre tank, once on 10 metre stilts, was now on it’s side on the ground dented and rusting with water being provided in common plastic buckets brought in by foot to the offices was now the way. The shimmering white sand of the twisting Sengwa river, once a feature on the horizon over a valley of Combretum and Mopane trees, could now not be seen through the remnants of grease and dirt stained windows.  Clem Coetzee, dear old Clem, a pioneering soldier in wildlife capture and relocation, operation Noah veteran, would turn in his grave should he see this.  Senior Warden Anthony Hall-Martin would simply die on the spot.  I silently wept at the degradation and couldn’t wait to get out of there. I once was proud to be there, to be part of these elite, dedicated men and learn from them, to have been a part of their life and their world was like a dream come true for me that I had since boyhood.  Now, only dirt and splinters, broken window panes, damaged floors, offices missing their doors, words echoing in empty rooms.  I choked on my tears and excused myself to stand outside on the pretext I wanted a smoke. It was once my home that I willingly left my friends and family for, now I don’t want to return.

I was called in to produce the pre hunt form and my hunters licence and ID. We had also been allocated ‘Lucky’ as our parks scout.  In all fairness I cannot complain about Lucky. He was of the old school and was a courteous, honest and friendly individual who I started to like and respect. He had been with Parks and wildlife for over twenty years and was still only a senior ranger, one of the lower ranks in parks. He had been posted to various stations in the country and Sengwa was new to him, so he was asking me a lot of questions also as to what past times were like.  He hung his head in genuine shame several times listening to my recounts of previous years, so much so that I eventually felt sorry for him and his embarrassment.

Once the paper work was completed Jeff, Lucky, my trackers Namu, Simba and I beat a hasty exit and commenced our hunting. Steven, my driver come batman come security guard was also with us.

The dry Sengwa river and flood plain from the top of a high hill, Kandariander.

It was already late in the morning and I knew the Buffalo would have gone to ground at least an hour ago. It was after 10.30hrs and there was no movement, more concerningly, I had seen no spoor from movement the previous night.  Jerry and I were conversing on anti poaching when Namu tapped urgently on my door – there were three Dagga Boys resting in the shade. I could not see them from my seat which was lower, so I stopped and climbed the car.  The old bulls were all magnificent, and best of all, they had not heard or seen us yet. I indicated to Jerry to hurry, as I felt sure we would be rumbled soon. Hunting mode clicked in, alertness rises and senses sharpen. Exhilarating stuff and it all happened too quick, so quick infact that I had to start my approach without my  gun belt and spare ammo. The terrain was open Mopane woodlands with little cover necessitating a slow stalk, hugging the ground till we reached an erosion gulley. Once in the gulley which was about a foot and a half deep, we lay in it looking for an alternative solution. The Bulls were spread out over 40 metres, about 50 yards away, partly obscured by Mopane scrub.

A big Mopane tree offered a direct approach to the centre Buffalo but was 12 yards to our left in the open, which I decided to take. Doubled over, with Jerry behind me, we inched over to it and began our stalk, inch by inch literally. After what seemed an age we reached the cover of the tree and stood up behind it to examine the bulls. All three were excellent, but the left hand one caught my eye so I waited for a chance to examine him further.

They must have sensed something because completely unexpectedly they stood up and looked in our direction. I was confident they could not see us, but they were curious and advanced in our direction. I had to make a call urgently now as for sure they would rumble us and a great opportunity would slip us by.

The Bull on the left broke into the open, walking directly towards us, nose in the air, looking malevolent and strong.

Jerry was still directly behind me waiting for my call. I took in the Buffalo’s trophy and uttered a muffled “Jeez man, he’s huge”

I pulled Jerry into position next to me and told him to take him.

“Hit him Jerry, he’s absolutely wonderful”

Jerry stepped to the left of me and took aim free hand. His rifle barked it’s first shot and as the Bull recoiled Jerry had hit him again. The Buffalo was even larger than expected seeing it in the open, now only a mere 12 metres from us.  Jerry fired again and I backed him up. The bull slowed, staggered and fell. It was done and Jerry had his trophy, within three hours on the first day. It was really too good to be true, but there it was. Jerry had a wonderful Dagga Boy trophy, measuring 39 inches in spread with a 13 ¼ inch boss. It was rippled and rugged, slightly worn tips with a grey mud splattering. A true Dagga Boy. The patience for flight delays and missing luggage stress had been rewarded in a grand way.

The next couple of days was spent looking for Jerry’s Elephant, still with the euphoria of scoring his Buffalo on the first day. After seven days of looking at herds and locating a good Elephant, we found one for Jerry.  As usual, the hunting was a constant adrenalin charge, walking with Elephant herds merely ten to twelve paces away from them sometimes, listening to them rumbling and growling gently to each other in something I cannot quite attempt to describe for reason that I will fail to adequately describe the feeling and experience.

Their quick and silent movement, their rumbles echoing through the dense Jess, vibrating in your chest, the smell, their enormous grey bulk absorbing your human insignificance, their sheer strength and power entwined with delicate and precise gentleness, their trunks, comic in look and appearance but ever so effective and of course, their ivory. Some stained and dirty, some broken, some without and others with long, thin ivory or short and stubby. Some shining white and some twisted and irregular and uneven in length. I could continue but still I would fail to find sufficiently expressive descriptions of how I see these stunningly amazing animals.

God in Heaven alone knows how I never want to destroy another Elephant as long as I live. I have to through my job, but I honestly don’t want to. I find all their deaths tragic. Very, very unfortunately necessary in controlled numbers for the benefit of all wildlife, but none the less tragic.

Jerry with author and a very fine Buffalo Bull.

Jerry with the author and his Elephant. 

October 11, 2008. 13.00hrs

Jerry now had a very enviable Buffalo trophy, his Elephant was down and we were left with his second Elephant and I had convinced him to take a Hyena as they were plentiful in the area to the extent they were pressurising the Lion population. There was still Hyena on licence so he agreed to take one.

We had seen a drag mark from a Hyena the previous day and followed it to a cave where we found the remains of an impala it had killed (or stolen), so it was obvious we should try for it. We set up the blind in the heat of the day so as not to leave too much human scent on the ground. Hot conditions dissipate scent quicker than cool, setting up a bait and blind requires several people to be present on the job.  Cutting tree branches that may obscure ones view or a clean shot, sighting the bait so as to make it look natural, securing the bait to something to prevent it being dragged off somewhere, setting up the blind with the clients shooting rest. Chairs, blankets, water and ‘Pee’ bottles brought in, clearing a path for the approach to the blind, cover from above and finally the drag of offal and intestines to ‘direct’ the animal to the bait.

The sooner all the scent from this activity can dissipate the better, thus it is done in the heat of the day. Plus of course, there is far less chance the animal will be active then and will be lying up in shade.

The bait sighted and secured, the blind done with chairs and water ready for the next day, we retired early to camp at 16.20hrs for an early dinner and early night.

October 12, 2008. 03.00hrs

The wake up call came too soon for both of us. We were lethargic and fatigue from the Elephant hunt was catching up.  The long distances walked on tracks, the waterless hours on spoor, the heat and the adrenalin from walking inside Elephant herds was telling. We were both tired.

I decided to shower to wake up properly. I needed to be wide awake to listen and identify noises in the dark whilst in the blind.

We left camp at 03.35 and within 25 minutes we were in the blind, waiting for the Hyena. We waited and waited, and waited but it never came. At 06h00hrs the sun was up and any chance of a Hyena coming had gone. I called Namu by radio to come with the car, and we packed up the blind. There would be no more opportunity now so late in the hunt. Tomorrow would be the last day and then we departed.

We drove to the Sengwa river to look for Elephant spoor with the intention of getting Jerry’s second Elephant. At the Sengwa we came upon spoor from a large group of Elephant that had drank there during the night. There were tracks all over, in all directions, leading to and from little pools and puddles dug by the Elephant in the dry river bed to enable them to drink water.

I decided to follow the herd and not any particular tracks as they would all converge later anyway, we headed inland with Namu and Simba in the lead. I was paying attention to the horizon and sounds of the early morning.

Within 70 yards I and Namu together saw two little black blobs in the middle of a clearing of some 140 square metres, with no trees or bush around except two tree stumps with Combretum Mozambicense entangled around them in typical Bougainvillea style. Apart from these two stumps and bushes there was nothing in the clearing of sand and soil for a good 50 metre to 60 metre radius. I immediately identified them as Leopard Cubs, no more than two and a half to three months old. Jerry was hopping with the excitement of seeing live Leopard cubs for the first time in real life, in the wild.  It was certainly a special occasion. The cubs, having the sun directly in their eyes from over our shoulders were unable to properly identify us as human, were still unperturbed at our presence and quite relaxed, sitting in the centre of the stumps, until we moved. They immediately adopted typical cat like stealth and crept towards the left stump, and disappeared. I half expected them to appear briefly again once past the bush, but they didn’t and I marvelled at the ability of wildlife to totally disappear like that.

As the Elephant spoor was talking us right there, I continued slowly, now with a new worry of the whereabouts of the mother Leopard. I stopped Namu and said “Watch out for the mother, she has to be here somewhere, be very careful”  Namu is well adapted to the bush and my reminder was not needed, but I made it clear I was uneasy with the situation.

We got to the point where the cubs vanished and I looked into the tangle of leaves of the Combretum but there was nothing. I looked up into the branches and there was nothing. “Just how is this possible?” I mused to Jerry when Namu beckoned to me. “Look here Sir” he was pointing to a burrow in the ground on the other side of a slight mound, hence the entrance was not visible to us.

I walked over, with my rifle butt in my hip, thumb on the safety catch and finger on the trigger.

Greeting me on the other side was a sight I will remember forever. The two Leopard cubs were in the hole looking up at us, without a care in the world, wide eyed and interested in what they saw, they sat there quite calmly looking at us looking at them. Soft black, yellow-gold and white fur engulfing little blue-grey watery eyes, long white forward curled whiskers and little pear shaped wet black noses on chubby little bodies with stubby legs and pigeon toes. Two, side by side huddled next to each other. It was just too gorgeous for words. Very, very cute indeed.

My skin ran cold. Fuck me man, we were right at the fucking door of a Leopard burrow sticking our stupid heads in at two baby Leopard. How bloody out of line and totally ridiculous was this?  I reeled back and did a 360 degree search for Mom. “Namu, find the spoor of the mother!” I instructed.

Jerry was still hopping with excitement at this exceptionally rare spectacle, I admit, I took it all in but was very jittery standing there.  Namu was confident there was no adult spoor causing me to think that she had gone hunting to get something and bring it back to her cubs. This I felt was a strong possibility as she was definitely nowhere to be seen. Due to the time of the day, I was sure that would be the most logical answer for her absence, so we took a quick glance at the cubs again and left to return to our Elephant spoor which we left a mere 11 metres away.  I relaxed slightly with leaving the burrow.

The Cubs, it turned out, were in a tunnel of some eight metres in length in the ground, at one entrance. The Mother, possibly too big for that entrance, was watching us unseen and unbeknown to us at the other entrance, which we were walking towards.

I stepped next to the indiscriminate looking hole when the ground erupted under me. The female Leopard was right at my left foot, I had no chance to do anything when she was on me. I barely realised what was happening at all when she had already clawed my face and my left leg. With a deep throated growl from the pit of her stomach she flew up at me, catching my leg, arm and the left side of my face. I heard my skin tear and her paw impacted again and again. Her teeth were clacking open and closed looking for a part of me to clamp on when I came to my senses. I looked to my left and she was standing on her hind feet growling and snarling at me with fur, teeth and claws flashing in front of me trying to climb up me. As I looked round, her paw found my face again and I heard more skin tearing open, I caught glimpse of her standing over me, mouth open, teeth bared and growling when my world went red. Blood spurted from the wound just below my left eye and blinded me. Instinctively I fed her my rifle and she clamped her teeth onto my rifle with part of my wrist in her mouth, I felt bone crunching and cracking. I swung my head in protection of my face and more blood spurted into my right eye, I was now totally blinded by warm, sticky, salty blood and could do nothing. I could not see her but she was still biting my rifle and wrist, which, because the rifle was preventing her from closing her mouth completely, was not broken.  I swung my open left palm at her and caught her in the side of her jaw knocking her back slightly. I sensed she was still standing up, and could feel her back claws in my left leg and lashed out with my right, kicking as hard as I possibly could and I connected her in her lower stomach swinging her back legs upwards causing her to release her grip on my arm and tumble head over heels backwards.

In a split second I was able to wipe me left eye on my shirt, the pain was excruciating, but I cleared the blood sufficiently to see her tumbling over backwards and thought to myself “Now I’m done, now I’ve really pissed her off”

Having both my hands free now, I took hold of my rifle like a cricket bat and readied it to swing at her when fresh blood spurted into both my eyes blinding me once more, with force this time. By wiping my eye on my sleeve I had opened up the wound even more.  There is always a lot of blood from a facial wound, but the  amount that came from my face was truly horrific.

Blood was now all over me, my hands were slippery with it, I felt the warm sticky trickle of blood down my arm, down my chest and my legs, the sickly sweet smell unmistakeable. I wondered in just how many places I had been torn open.  Namu’s voice was in the background, Lucky was screaming, something, what he was screaming I have no idea, Jerry, Steven and Simba? Where were they?  I was hoping they would retreat to safety and not get themselves caught up in this mess.

I heard the Leopard growl again at me as she ‘plopped’ to the ground in front of me.  I braced myself for the next attack, holding my rifle at the ready to use as a bat or a barricade, I waited, blood pouring down my face, into my eyes, down my arms, my shirt was sodden like I had come in from a thunder storm of red rain, my hair dripped with blood.  Then the pain set in.  I had only just come to terms with the fact that I was doing had to hand combat with a Leopard when I went dizzy with pain. I thought “No, not now, don’t pass out now, she’s coming again, you have to stay on your feet!”

I felt a grab at my rifle and instinctively swung it round but it was not the Leopard attacking again, she had decided to retreat. It was Jeff grabbing my rifle and giving chase, shouting at her.  I heard this and wiped my eye.  JEEEZUS CHRIST the pain, a wave of dizziness overcame me but I felt compelled to fight it. How I managed I will never know, but I cleaned my eyes to see Jerry in full sprint after the leopard, who was loping away, already at a distance of some 35 yards.

How in the hell did she get there so quickly I thought, and once more I was struck back to my situation with a blinding punch of pain from my face, more blood now blinding me for the third time and I went weak and shivered at the thought that I had lost my left eye.

“JERRY”, I yelled at him.  “STOOOO – PPPP  JERRY!”  “GET BACK HERE BEFORE SHE GIVES YOU A GOING OVER ALSO!”

“I’m going to get that cat Jim” was is reply.

“JERRYYY–YYY, STOP MAN, DON’T SHOOT HER” my voice anxious with a tone of urgency.

Did I say this? Did I just tell Jerry not to shoot her?  I should be saying “kill the bloody animal, wound her, make her hurt”, but I wasn’t.  I realised that she was doing what was instinctive to her, she was protecting her cubs. Any mother would do that. Can you imagine if it was a WOUNDED Leopard?  Were we not lucky it had not happened with the Elephant, God knows we were close enough for long enough for something to happen with the Elephant!  Buffalo too, just think what could have happened with a Buffalo attack out of the blue like that. The Leopard was a Mother, the cubs were still there, they had retreated deep into the tunnel by now but they were still there and were too young to be orphaned. They would die for sure.

I barely came to terms with my thoughts, wondering if in fact she should be destroyed but my eye was now my priority. Everything and everyone else could take second place. I was still responsible for my client and staff, but now I was a casualty.

I was gently feeling around my eye, and although the pain was intense, it felt like everything was still in place.  Everyone quickly came to me to help me, Jerry and Namu took my right arm and led me back to my car and started with the field dressings in my first aid.  Jerry demanded my attention which made me go weak, I was sure he was going to tell me my eye had been popped open, or was hanging out, something. Something bad had to make him sit me down and demand my attention.

“Jim, your eye is fine, it is still there and untouched, however, your cheek has been opened up to the bone, I can see your cheek bone as we speak. This can be stitched but you will remain scarred. Your leg is lacerated so is your back and shoulder. Your left cheek has been punctured and your neck has a gaping hole in it. Your arm is bad and will need urgent attention, bone is protruding and looks splintered from where she bit you. All this can be stitched closed and repaired. You are one extremely lucky guy I will have you know!”

He continued once I digested what he had told me. “You are lucky you’re strong and weren’t knocked down, if she was on top of you it would have been worse. You got her square in the groin with your kick and sent her flying, why she gave up I don’t know but she took off after that.  You are one lucky, brave Son of a Bitch Jim, you really are!” That was a sterling fight you gave her and it was something else to witness.

Jerry, during all this, was at my right side some 3 to 4 metres away.  I still don’t know what he did and I will not ask him either. But I know when the Leopard was finally off me he did take my rifle and gave chase.  For this I admire him as it took courage and dedication. He took my rifle as I was basically helpless and it was cluttering my hands.

The whole experience, from my side, happened in the blink of an eye, pun not at all intended! The speed at which she attacked me is indescribable.  It would do me no justice to try to describe the speed at which she swatted me three times, bit me, spun me around and swatted me another twice. In a flash and a blur it started and was over. At my last sight of her she was already some 35 to 40 yards away from me. Her speed, her deep belly growl, the strength in her paws and the ease at which her claws opened me up are just awesome. She shredded me in a milli second.

Another colleague of mine was attacked by a Leopard some time ago. He said to me since, “If you haven’t experienced it, or witnessed it, don’t try to describe the speed of a Leopard attack because you can’t!”

October 12, 2008. 07.25hrs

I was wrapped in field dressings and driven by Namu to Sengwa clinic some 35 klms away.  This was not at all comfortable as I was holding a flap of flesh closed on my left cheek, trying to stem the blood flow and the bumps in the road were jolting my hand causing the loose piece of flesh to rub in the wound, and I could feel the cool morning air on the naked bone in my cheek. Sitting in the passenger seat of my own vehicle, Namu driving and Jerry with Simba, Steven and Lucky at the back on the hunting seat, we arrived an hour later at Sengwa clinic. They had nothing. No sutures, no dressing, no injections, nothing. They cleaned my wound as best they could and told me to go to Gokwe, giving me a note for the duty Doctor there.

Gokwe was 145 Klms away, over two and a half hours on dirt road. The drive was agonising with my face wound being opened at every bump, flapping about and raw flesh rubbing against raw flesh, I was very uncomfortable but decided that after all, I was lucky and still have my eye, so I decided to shut up, and stopped yelling at Namu, poor guy, for every bump he hit in the road.  In time the pain eased and my face went numb which helped.

After the attack.

The duty Doctor at Gokwe did a sterling job. While stitching me up we talked, she had never attended to an injury sustained by a wild animal before and was asking lots of questions. I was calling her Sister, as she was not in uniform and I was unsure of her exact status. Embarrassed, I apologised when she told me she was a Doctor. She saw humour in it and giggled at my mistake. I tried but my face stung me into silence.

She was well spoken and tended to me very professionally.  I do admit to wincing once or twice when she poked a needle directly into the wound to administer a Lignicane injection, but I was now quite drained from pain and was feeling sensitive.

It wasn’t long at all before I was patched, repaired and stitched. Jerry had been with me all the time, with visible concern on his face about my predicament. I apologised to him also for the loss of time on his hunt and suggested we return to hunting.

“Absolutely no bloody way am I letting you hunt today. You are going to stay in camp today” he retorted.

The ride back to camp took forever.  The pain had gone but my face was swollen and puffy. Bandages over my eye prevented me seeing properly and I was tired. We had, after all, been up since three in the morning. If all had been well, Jerry and I would be resting in the shade somewhere by now anyway. I slept on and off for the rest of the 3 hour journey.

 I was all prepared to hunt the next day, being our last hunting day But Jerry wouldn’t have it. We stayed at camp to pack our things and clean rifles at leisure. Only at this time did I see that my brand new rifle is carrying scars from the attack also. Bite and claw marks scar the American Walnut stock, top and bottom which made me really mad. Everyone says it has character now, but I didn’t want it spoiled so soon. At this rate I thought my new rifle will only last another four safaris. We then went to the Sengwa offices again to check out. Lucky was sorry to see us go, and I was sorry to be leaving him behind. He was a good man, suffering the injustice of the present Government by not supporting them or their cause, he’s overlooked for promotion time and again, irrespective of his good command of English, his knowledge, public relations experience and devotion, he was still a junior ranking office after some 20 years with the department.

Jim, Jerry and fellow Hunting Client in Sengwa Camp

prior to departure on last day.

The drive home, apart from the hot air on my face causing the wound to dry and crack was uneventful and good time was made returning home.

Keeping in touch with family by cell phone, we arrived at home just before dusk and my family were there to greet us at the gate. Di, my wife, opened the gate and let me drive in, once inside the gate I got out the car to greet her when she saw my face.

“What happened to you?” she asked

“I got on the wrong side of a Leopard!” was all I managed without too much emphasis on the issue.

“Oh like Hell you did” was her quick, disbelieving reply.

I smiled at Jerry in the passenger seat and he winked at me.

We knew another chapter in our hunting journal was closing. Another experience, another binding link in our friendship formed. It didn’t matter who believed and who didn’t. Did it?

Jim Levenderis

 

In attacks on man, why do leopards attack every member of a group, whilst lions focus on one individual?

Answer by Rory Young:

Okay, my answer is purely my own opinion and not backed up by any behavioural study or the like.

Leopards are solitary animals and as such are used to dealing with situations on their own. Lions are gregarious animals used to being supported by others. Therefore a leopard if attacking a group of people out of a defense mechanism will attempt to do the job entirely on its own. A lion on the other hand is more likely to rely on support from the other members of its pride.

View Answer on Quora

Why do animals attack humans in the wild?

Answer by Rory Young:

There are five main reasons an animal will attack you, The first is fear. Cape Buffaloes are a classic example. They are really bad news. This is not because they want to eat you but because they believe you want to eat them. Why else would we be walking around on our back legs, showing our teeth and the whites of our eyes? Lions, when completely unused to people will run away when they encounter humans but of course if surprised at close range could attack out of fear to defend themselves (and then eat you as a bonus).
The second is for food. Lions are pure predators (forget Simba – think Dexter), unlike us who are half predator. They are geniuses at killing. When you see lions lounging around gazing at antelope in the distance, they are not goofing out, they are constantly updating their knowledge of their prey's habits. So, when they lose their fear of man they will begin to test you. There was a very sad case in a park where I once worked in Zimbabwe of a young British chap working for a fellow walking safari guide for his gap year. He left his tent slightly unzipped and was pulled out of it and killed by a lioness. In the lead up to this several guides/rangers including myself had had close calls with lions walking right up to check us out. Normally they would let you know you were getting too close by growling, running away or even mock charging. However, walking casually up to you was not the usual MO. These lions had become so used to being approached on foot that they lost their fear of man and began to wonder if we were easy food and eventually tried.
The third is territory. A good example of this is hippos. They are responsible for killing more people than any other wild mammal. Most of these are unexpected attacks by territorial animals in the water. They will attack out of fear such as when they are in the shallows cut off from the safer deep water by a canoe or run you down if you get between them and the water when they are surprised, but most attacks are deliberate.
The reason for this different behaviour is the habits and different environment. Hippos feed on grass inland during the day and then lie up in pods, large groups squashed next to each other. If a hippo who is not from the pod approaches they will either kill it or chase it away. They do the same with boats that's all.
The fourth reason is anger. A good example of this is when male elephants go into season. This is called "musth". They have huge amounts of testosterone pumping through them and will attack anything.
The fifth reason is to protect their young. In this case you need to back off quickly, walking backwards. Good luck.
P.S. I will post a story on my blog tomorrow, written by a friend who bumped into a leopard with her cubs. He was badly mauled but survived. You are actually better off being attacked by a leopard, especially in a group, as they will attack and maul each person, resulting in a number of mauled people, whereas a lion will stay on the first person till they are dead.
Here is the link https://youngrory.wordpress.com/
Cheers.

View Answer on Quora

Poisonous Rhino Horns: The Answer to a Difficult Question?

The answer to a desperate situation perhaps…

Penny Thoughts

This year over 200 rhinos have been illegally slaughtered to feed the incessant demand for rhino horn coming from the East. The huge majority of this demand is coming from China where the horn is used for traditional medicine and the ivory for numerous products including artworks and weapon handles.

One kilogram of rhino horn can fetch up to $68 000 on the black market making it worth more than its weight in gold. This clearly lucrative business attracts a lot of people and devalues the potentials costs associated with being part of an illegal industry.

There have been endless attempts to try to control this illegal poaching but with very little success. The number of rhinos being poached is rising each year and the future is looking ever darker for rhinos around the world. A ban has existed since the 1970s but is providing little protection to these heavily…

View original post 839 more words

Poachers vs. Drones

Absolutely! Combine modern technology – drones- with ancient skills – tracking!

 

The Psyber Fox

South Africa should’ve been using this LONG ago! India said yesterday it is deploying drones over a reserve to safeguard the rare one-horned rhino from poachers, the first time the country has employed aerial technology to protect wildlife. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) gives patrols a new strategic advantage with an eye in the sky, allowing access into previously unreachable areas and a safe view of illegal activities on the ground.

“This is the first time in India that the UAV technology is being used for protecting the wildlife,” Assam forest minister Rockybul Hussain told reporters in the state’s main city of Guwahati. “The presence of the UAVs will also serve as a deterrent to poachers since they now know the parks are being monitored both on the ground and from above.”

The drones are being flown over the Kaziranga National Park, some 200 kilometres from Guwahati, in the northeast…

View original post 335 more words

Ethical Conduct Considerations for Hunters

 

Here is an article on ethics I wrote recently for African Hunter Magazine:

Ethical Conduct Considerations for Hunters
By Rory Young

There is much misconception about what ethics is and how it can benefit us. Many Hunters view it with suspicion and imagine it will just add to their long list of things to worry about.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. The question of right and wrong is a part of everything we think, say and do throughout the day and cannot be avoided. It is a simple fact that every human knows that there is a right way and a wrong way to do anything. Understanding ethics makes identifying the right from the wrong easier and having a code of ethics, either as an individual or an organization, makes the decision a simple process.

So what exactly are ethics?
The term comes from the Greek word Ethos, which means “character”.
Ethics are what an individual or organization determines to be right or wrong for that individual or organization and reflect their values and standards. They are the principles, values, standards and rules of behaviour that guide our decisions and behaviour in our work.

What is a code of ethics?

Ethical codes are adopted by organizations to assist members in understanding the difference between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and in applying that understanding to their decisions. Any individual can also at any time adopt his own ethical code.
An ethical code generally implies codes of business ethics, codes of conduct for employees, and codes of professional practice.

Lawyers, Doctors, Engineers and every other profession on the planet have codes of conduct governing what is considered to be ethically sound behaviour. This is usually known as a Code of Professional Practice.

Even pirates had codes of conduct known either Codes of Brethren or Articles.
The reason all these professions, from Lawyers to Pirates (hehehe) have codes of ethics is because there is a need within any society to have common standards and values which the group as a whole and the individuals that make up that group practice, promote and defend.

It is wrong for people to assume that ethics equates to idealism and high mindedness. That is not the case at all; take the pirate codes for example. No one would describe pirates as idealists! Yet nearly every pirate crew had a code of conduct. The reason is that a group needs to understand what the entirety of its values is in order to work towards a common goal. What is right and wrong for a group can even be extremely self-serving. There is nothing wrong with that, assuming we have other rules and standards for the other aspects of our lives.

When you say you are a hunter you immediately identify yourself as part of that whole group who call themselves Hunters. Many countries have very good laws in place to govern hunting. Still, that does not mean that there are not still many questions of right and wrong left to decide for ourselves. These fall in to the category of ethics.

As hunters how do we determine what is right and wrong behaviour?
Right and wrong behaviour for the people of a state as a whole is determined by the constitution and laws enacted by parliament and enforced by the officers of the law.
On the other hand religion is the realm of the soul and its precepts and commandments deal with good and evil.

In the case of hunting good ethics can be determined by whatever is good or bad for hunting and hunters, as well as the country and all those affected by hunting. By extension it includes those areas that directly or indirectly benefit or hinder hunting and hunters and all those who are affected in any way by the activity.

From a purely egoistic viewpoint it boils down to that behaviour that benefits hunters and hunting is good and behaviour that hinders hunters and hunting is bad. However, when you think of it, upsetting or benefiting the State and all those who are affected by hunting and hunters will impact hunting and hunters positively or negatively. Therefore even from the most selfish viewpoint it is necessary to have and adhere to good ethics.

A code of ethics should also contribute to the welfare of its key stakeholders and also respect the rights of all those affected by its operations. Even from an egoistic viewpoint this makes sense because we don’t operate-in a vacuum; our behaviour is noted by others who are affected by it and by those who feel it is important. All of those people can and do work with or r against our interests. Whether they work for or against our interests depends on how we portray ourselves and our profession to them. So, perceptions are important.
So how does a code of ethics benefit us?
Codes of ethics benefit us in many ways, chiefly:
By defining acceptable behaviours.
By helping to avoid conflicts of interest.
By providing a yardstick against which we can judge our own ethics and the ethics of others.
By promoting high standards of practice and professionalism.
By codifying, enhancing and promoting group identity.
Most importantly they protect and promote our image via transparent standards and values.

So what would be worth including in a code of ethics?
It should cover all aspects of hunting and fields affected by the activity.
It should oppose all prejudice with respect to sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sexual preference, colour, or physical or mental disability;
If should promote peaceful resolution of conflict.

Furthermore it should promote a positive image to outsiders and in this regard it is important to bear in mind is that the future of hunting is always in the hands of the non-hunting majority. That non-hunting majority is for the most part meat-eaters yet unbelievably they are for the most part against hunting.  This strange contradiction didn’t happen by chance. It is a direct result of the bad attitude and resulting bad behaviour of hunters without ethics. The biggest threat to the continuation of hunting as a legal pursuit worldwide is the bad behaviour of unethical hunters.

The negative perception can be broken down into three areas. Those are waste, suffering and conservation. These three issues dovetail with other areas directly affecting hunting. From these and the other issues previously mentioned it is possible to build a code of ethics.

Here is an example I have created and try to adhere to myself. . Any hunter or hunting organisation can create a code of ethics to follow as a guideline or as an established code of conduct:

Breaking the law is the first, most obvious negative. If someone breaks the law, not only do they become criminals but they also cast all hunters in a bad light. Hunters must always uphold and defend the law, especially law relating to hunting, firearms and conservation.

Because hunting is dependent on the environment, not caring for our environment is unacceptable. We have an ethical obligation to ourselves, our fellow hunters and to all future generations of hunters to conserve, protect and nurture the natural environment in which we liveline, work and play.
We should never waste anything. We should honour an animal hunted by utilizing as much of it as possible.

A hunter should never deliberately wound an animal or allow an animal to be deliberately wounded. We are hunters, not torturers. Anyone who takes pleasure in causing suffering belongs in an institution.

Hunting is a dangerous activity. We should endeavour to make if as safe as possible through adherence to firearms and other safety procedures and golden rules. We should never attempt or do anything that could conceivably result in injury or death of anyone on anything other than the quarry. Furthermore, a hunter should always respect public and private property. He should never hunt on any property without the knowledge and approval of the appropriate authority even if not required by law. If someone knows you are shooting in an area they can take any necessary precautions.

Because the future of hunting depends on its acceptance by the public, it is only right that we protect it and defend and promote its reputation whenever and wherever necessary. The slandering of other hunters and hunting itself is unacceptable. In fact we should defend ethical hunting whenever and wherever necessary.

When under the guidance of a professional a hunter should treat them with the respect they deserve. They are not servants and are there not only to ensure you get your trophy, but that you do so without loss of life or limb. They may be called upon to save your life or vice-versa. The same applies to trackers, skinners and all other staff. They are professionals. Treat them as such.
We must treat the communities we encounter with the same respect and courtesy that we would expect to be treated ourselves.

One could go into much more detail of course. However, a code of ethics is probably better as a broad set of guideliness gridlines nattier that than a narrow set of rules. In the end it is the hunter himself who will follow these standards and judge himself by them..

My intention here is to plant seeds that hopefully will someday grow and bear fruit.

It is a subject that sorely needs discussing and I sincerely hope that this short article stimulates discussion. If it results in just even one person changing one bad habits thenm I will consider having written it time well spent.

This is how I believe we should view ethics. It is an attempt to do the right thing and better ourselves and better our image in the eyes of the world.. Even if it only results in a small improvement over a long period it is still worth it. At the very least we will all sleep better and be able to look at our children and say, “I tried to do the RIGHT thing even when I didn’t have to”.

Rory J. A. Young
14th March 2013

View Answer on Quora

Is it unethical to eat animals if you aren’t willing to kill them yourself?

Answer by Rory Young:

Good question. Here is a little story I wrote about issue from past experience:

Ying and Yang

I lay there, immobilized with fear, as the dentist approached me, instruments of pain and suffering in her hands and a look of the utmost contempt on her face. I tried to speak and failed horribly. The clamps, pads and other foreign objects stuffed into my mouth prevented anything but an incoherent gurgle.

Desperately, I tried to gesture to wait and ended up banging the tray of instruments that hovered over me, earning a sharp rebuke from the enormous Zimbabwean nurse, together with a vice-like grip on my wrist. I was close to panic, I could only imagine what this gargantuan helper would do to me if she felt she needed to or in fact she wanted to. Then I noticed the voice in the background. It was ACDC’s Brian Johnson singing “highway to hell”. No doubt about it now, I was in a living nightmare. My shoulders slumped as I realized the terrifying reality of my horrifying situation. There was only one option left. I began to scream shamelessly

A short time earlier, my pretty little dentist had been smiling, Cliff Richard had been singing “Summer Holiday” in the background and the nurse had been half the size. It had been like a little sanctuary of peace in a timeless paradise.
Then, the stunning reason for my wanting my teeth checked out said, with her sexy Polish accent, “you not from here, why you in town: special to see me?” (The last said with a look that could drive men mad).
“Sort of“, I replied innocently giving her my best smile in return. I had been brushing my teeth 12 times a day to prepare for this. ”I have been in the bush for so long and unable to get back to see you; but I had to pass through town so thought I’d seize the opportunity”.

Then I made my fatal mistake. “I have to shoot a buffalo not too far from here tomorrow” I said, naively wondering to myself when I should ask her out for dinner.

She passed out of sight and I assumed the silence was due to concentration as she picked up the mouth thingies.

As her gorgeous face reappeared over me and she began to insert the hardware into my mouth, I began to notice that her previously sweet, sparkling eyes had changed from those of an angel to those of a hound from hell. Then a now demonic-sounding Slavic voice emanated from her, saying, “you kill nice animals. I not like people who kill nice animals”.

I wanted to tell her that it was a wounded animal that was suffering and needed to be put out of its misery and how ethical hunting was a natural thing to do that help support the Parks, and so on and so forth, but it was too late!
Then I heard a clunk as the hypodermic containing the anaesthetic I was pinning my fading hopes on was dropped into the bin. I was doomed, doomed, doomed. . .

Seriously now; this may come as a surprise but I have a great respect for vegetarians. I’m a bit nervous of militant former Soviet-bloc vegans, but all in all I appreciate the fact that vegetarians are people who practise what they preach.
To be frank, what I really find intriguing is the position of people who do eat meat… and are against hunting.

When asked what they feel about hunting most people in the Western world will come out in opposition to it. Yet, strangely the vast majority of these same people will happily sit down and eat a steak. Pretty weird some would day, or even hypocritical…

It is quite obvious that the vegetarians would be against it, but meat-eaters?
Is it really hypocrisy? Could it be ignorance maybe? Or even something else entirely, such as hunters behaving badly? How about a combination these?
Well it’s easy enough to find out. Next time you are sitting with a group of non-hunters, ask them. I do it all the time and invariably receive the very similar answers.

The first thing point to come up will usually be the perception that hunting is destructive to the environment and in particular certain species, especially endangered ones. This sometimes comes as a shock to responsible hunters.
However, perhaps they are just ignorant rather than deliberately hypocritical, so let’s be open-minded. Put yourself in the shoes of these non-hunters for a second. Assuming, that you are just an average person who lives in an urban area and doesn’t actively seek out very controversial subjects. what would you pick up in the media to lead you to form such an opinion?

Picture this scene. A television journalist, shaking with outrage, tears streaming down her cheeks, points to piles of migratory birds of prey littering the ground on the small Mediterranean island she is investigating. Next a series of loud reports interrupts her choked words and the camera turns to a small cinder block bunker-like construction from which shotgun barrels protrude. Then, more shots are heard. This time, accompanying recoils and fumes from the shotguns are clearly seen.

We jump forward in time. Now our heroine is bravely confronting the “hunters”. She is insulted, threatened and the camera-man is assaulted. It all ends with the accused racing off in a battered sedan, rude gestures showing clearly out the windows and leaving their kills to rot. Mostly endangered or threatened species of course…

Never mind the average non-hunting, European town-dweller; I too was outraged by this barbarity. In fact I was shaking with anger and ranting and raving about how these maniacs should be hunted down themselves. They weren’t hunters of course. They were poachers, the lowest of the low as far as I am concerned.
Sadly the same behaviour continues in many countries quite legally, thereby making them not poachers but legal “hunters”. Quite obviously what these morons were doing is bad for the environment and that is unethical and therefore unacceptable. Personally, I believe that only ethical hunters should be called hunters, full stop. The rest should be referred to as poachers, regardless of whether what they are doing is legal or not. Poaching should refer to both illegal AND unethical hunting.

Let’s get back to our non-hunter question and answer sessions.
The second thing that usually comes up is cruelty or suffering caused to animals hunted.

Now the deliberate wounding of or cruelty to animals is usually covered by the law. Well it is in civilized countries anyway. I think any hunter with a normal upbringing, living in a normal community and not currently institutionalized will agree that anyone who is deliberately cruel to animals should get help before they move on to mass murder or serial killing. However, the non-hunters see hunting as often cruel and the cause of suffering.

On this point, aside from the bad behaviour of medical hunters, I believe the television and film industries are partly responsible for perpetuating the myth that wild animals in the wild live an idyllic existence without any pain or suffering. Obviously that’s nonsense and only the ignorant and out of touch with reality wander around believing that. Unfortunately though, there are plenty of people who really are that ignorant and out of touch with reality wandering around!
At this stage I usually ask the non-hunters if they prefer “free-range” meat or battery-farmed” meat. Of course the answer is always “free-range” (even if they secretly buy the cheaper stuff). Why? Because it’s a nicer more natural environment for the animals to live in and invariably the meat will be healthier to eat too.

For some reason our non-hunters don’t usually notice the obvious; that wild animals are the most “free-range” animals under the sun. This point usually makes a big impression when pointed and is often accompanied by remarks such as “‘I never thought of it that way” and “wow” (accompanied by distant look).

After a while they will usually return to the point about suffering in this vein, “but farm animals die a more peaceful death than animals that are hunted.”
After explaining that an animal that is shot correctly by hunter using the correct calibre endures a lot less suffering than one that endures the small and sounds of an abattoir or one that dies a more natural death by predator, disease or old age.

That also makes an impact but very often the response is only too true, “that’s all very well as long as the hunters do actually use the right weapon for the quarry and kill  cleanly”.

Yes, back to ethics. Again we are embarrassed by those fools who can’t behave or who don’t educate themselves. Someone who is not competent simply shouldn’t go near game or firearms.

Let’s move on to the third point that comes up. The story of those fools slaughtering migratory birds over the Med also falls into this category: Waste.
Many people feel hunters are only interested in hunting only so that they can mount a trophy on the wall. Well it’s true in some cases in many places and in many cases in some places. Furthermore, although some countries have laws that require a hunter to remove the entire carcass from the hunting area, I have yet to come across a law that says that nothing if possible, should be wasted.
It may not be a law but it should certainly be standard good conduct for all hunters anyway. Surely the animal deserves to be honoured and respected by all hunters?

The last point that usually arises is image, or the perceived psychology of the hunter may be a better way of putting it.

People who have never hunted often view the killing of an animal as a necessary evil and therefore the thought of enjoying it is somehow very wrong. I believe most Europeans fall into this category. This I believe is a result of a total disconnecting with their natural environment whereby they do not have any experience of the entirely natural thrill of hunting that is a built-in part of us.
I am sure you will agree that the combination of challenge, outdoors, thrill, danger , objective and more is impossible to describe to someone who has absolutely no experience of anything like it.

This is the toughest of all to change. How does one convince someone that a hunter has more right to hunt than a non-hunter has to eat meat? How do you explain to them that they have lost the innate understanding that all men once had; that life is about struggle and death as much as it is about beauty and peace – Ying and Yang?

I guess the conclusion to these musings is that hunters need to think about what they do and how they do it and make sure they do what is right. At the same time non-hunters need to be educated and a few, who really are hypocrites, like the bad hunters, should be exposed for what they are. I do however strongly feel that these dishonest people are, for the most part, a minority. The real problem is ignorance.

As for me, I need to brush my teeth at least twice a day and keep my mouth firmly shut around vegetarians.

Rory J. A Young
22nd March 2013

View Answer on Quora

Would an unprovoked wild elephant attack a human?

Answer by Rory Young:

Every animal has a “fight or flight” zone. For example if you approach a rat from a distance it will run away but corner it in a hole and put your finger in there and it will bite you!

Elephants are the same, get too close and they could either give you a “mock charge” (i.e. intimidation zone) or a “full charge” (attack zone). How close this distance is depends on the elephant and the situation.

Females tend to be more aggressive  Females with young will be even more aggressive than females without young and the most aggressive of all are tusk-less females. Tusk-less females are most likely so easily upset because of a feeling of insecurity acquired from not having tusks to defend themselves and therefore compensate for this perceived or real weakness by becoming more aggressive.

Males, although generally more laid back, turn into complete lunatics when in “musth”. Here is a quote from Wikipedia on musth:

“Musth or must (pron.: /ˈmʌst/) is a periodic condition in bull (male) elephants, characterized by highly aggressive behavior and accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones –testosterone levels in an elephant in musth can be as much as 60 times greater than in the same elephant at other times.”

Basically it is linked to rut and one could write a whole book on the subject. They become completely mad and will go out of their way to charge and attack anyone and anything, including other males, other animals, trees, bushes, people, cars and have even killed their keepers and trainers. Here is a newspaper report about the death of a keeper in Livingstone in Zambia. I knew the man who died:
Elephant Kills Zookeeper in Livingstone

Here is a picture of a bull in musth chasing a giraffe:
File:Two bulls matching testosterone levels..jpg

I have personally come across bulls in musth on many occasions and usually get the hell out of their way as soon as I see the usual combination of seeping temporal gland, wet and extended penis and aggressive posture and gait. On one occasion when in a vehicle I had such a bull go out of his way for over half a kilometer after hearing the vehicle (he wouldn’t have been able to see it at that distance) and then chase me for some distance. Once I had accelerated out of range he plowed his tusks into the ground in a display of frustration and anger> The only thing that seems to calm them down is a female in season and such females will often attach themselves to a bull in musth to avoid being harassed by lots of males.

Bulls can also be dangerous even when not in musth. Here is a report, also from Livingstone in Zambia about a man killed by two elephants (both males as indicated by the fact that there were only two and therefore also not in musth as bulls in musth are always on their own or around a herd of females).

Elephant kills Livingstone resident

So, in a nutshell; yes unprovoked elephants can and do attack and kill humans.

Beware!

View Answer on Quora

How do you track a leopard, or any other wild animal?

Answer by Rory Young:

I’ll focus on leopard specifically..
All cats have three “lobes” on the base of the “Pad”.
Four toes show in the tracks of the front and back feet.
Aside from Cheetah, all cats keep their claws sheathed when walking.
So, three lobes on pad + no claw marks = cat.
Next, the size of an animal’s footprint is proportional to the size of the animal. Big track=big animal and of course big cat track = big cat.
What big cats are there aside from leopards sharing the same habitats?
Well, in Sub-Saharan Africa where the largest populations exist, lions are also found.
We have already established that big cat track = big cat so how big are leopards compared to lions?
Lions are a lot bigger! The average leopard in the Cape area of South Africa is only (male) 28kgs and 58kg in the Hwange National Park area of South Africa. The average male lion on the other hand ways around 200kg, depending on the area.
An average large male leopard of around 50kg will have a track length (the track being the paw impression not the stride length!) of around 90mm whilst a a lion of around 225kg will have a track length of around 180mm.
The fact that the tracks are so different different doesn’t mean the two species can’t be confused. For example a lion cub track can be the same size as a leopard track. The difference is that front lion tracks especially are “messy” and more elongated; not neatly rounded in shape and symmetric as in the case of leopards.
To tell the whether it is a male or female leopard look at the straddle. The straddle is how widely or narrowly a human or animal places their feet when walking. This is usually measured by drawing a line from the heel of the right fore foot track to the heel of the right rear foot track and doing the same with the  left feet. The distance between the two lines is the straddle.
A male leopard has a wider straddle than a female leopard. Imagine a fashion model walking down the ramp placing her feet in front of each other and compare that to a big guy walking along with his thighs and crotch area getting in the way…
Now look down at your own feet. Notice how your toes are pointing in the same direction that you are pointing? Well the same applies to leopards. The pad points to the rear and the toes point to the front, so, unless the animal is walking, backwards moves in the direction its toes are pointing.

You can also tell whether a leopard is walking forwards, backwards or sideways, the height and weight, condition, speed, how long ago it was there and many other details.

I won’t go into that now. I am busy writing a book on the subject of tracking men and animals and how to determine or estimate all these different facts with real accuracy.

View Answer on Quora

What is some of the most interesting animal poop?

Answer by Rory Young:

If you are tracking animals then all poops are interesting but some are more interesting than others!

I will use the example of elephant poop. Here are just a few things that can be told looking at elephant boli:

1. The age of the animal.. Elephants never stop growing. There is a direct correlation between bolus diameter or circumference and the age of the elephant. The greater the diameter the older the elephant.

2. The size of the animal.  Again diameter or circumference can be used to determine height at the shoulder.

3. Gender. There are several ways to use dung to determine gender from droppings in elephants. One is the composition of the contents. Males and females browse differently. Because females alive in herds and are smaller in stature and males are solitary it means they have different dietary requirements and feeding habits. Another is the shape of the bolus, which tends to be “tidier” in females than males. Also frequency of defecation is greater in females than in males.

4. Diet. Elephants digest as little as 5% of what they eat meaning the droppings contain cclear evidence of what has been eaten.

5. Populations. Counting boli is a tried and tested means of determining populations, especially in areas where it is difficult to observe the elephants directly such as tropical rain forests.

6. When the elephant was there. The rate deterioration of mounds of droppings has been established and also the cooling rate from 38C elephant body temperature down or up to ambient temperature.

7. The condition of the animal. The health and condition can be determined by frequency, content and appearance.

Much more can be estimated or determined and with a remarkable degree of accuracy not only from elephant droppings but from the droppings of all animals.
I am not sharing details just yet of exactly how to determine all of the above as I have just written a magazine article on this subject which goes into all the details, including formulas, accuracy ranges, references scientific papers for further study for the analysis of elephant tracks, droppings and aerial spoor and what can seriously be determined. I’ll post a link as soon as a digital version of the article has been published.

I leave you with this splendid example of elephant poop.

View Answer on Quora

If I were to get lost on an African safari and come face to face with a growling lion, what should I do to garner the best chance of surv…

Post by Rory Young:

The first thing you do when coming across a “growling lion” is freeze and avert your eyes. You also do not point at it.

If a lion is not habituated to man it will most likely run. The danger arises with lions that are more used to people.

Look at the animal’s tail. When a lion is angry or feeling threatened it will sweep its tail from side to side. If it is hunting it will keep its tail stiff and twitch it from time to time. It is much more serious if it is actively hunting you. If you see stalking indications then raise your arms above your head and wave them and most importantly SHOUT YOUR HEAD OFF. If you have something in your hand then throw it at the lion. Even if the lion charges you do not run. Believe me this can be extremely intimidating. They charge at 65km per hour and the roaring is deafening. If you have frozen and then lion is not approaching but not leaving either then start to back slowly away. If it starts to move then freeze immediately. If you have frozen and then lion is not approaching but not leaving either then start to back slowly away. If it starts to move then freeze immediately.

Night time encounters are another story. I was once doing problem animal control in Gache Gache in Zimbabwe, trying to bait and shoot a lion that had killed several people and the night before had almost succeeded in breaking into Chief Mangare’s hut. It was dark but moonlit and I was lying on the ground, carefully backed into a euphorbia hedge along with two game scouts and a fellow ranger. I heard a very faint noise behind me and the lion was crawl-stalking me and just 10 foot back! He had actually carefully crawled through the dense hedging to sneak up on us. He was too close for me to be able to turn and shoot. However, I turned on the torch in my hand and shone it in his face. He ran off. So, if you are walking in the bush at night (it happens in safari camps especially) and come across lions, keep your beam in their eyes and back away.

One of the biggest myths is fire. Lions are not afraid of campfires and will often walk round them and see what’s happening. However, keeping a fire between you and a lion is probably better than nothing!

View Post on Quora

PH-Guide-Ranger Training in the Bad Old Days

http://www.africanxmag.com/hunting_buffalo_and_pulling_teeth.htm

Is hunting moral?

Answer by Rory Young:

Good question. Here is a little story I wrote about issue from past experience:

Ying and Yang

I lay there, immobilized with fear, as the dentist approached me, instruments of pain and suffering in her hands and a look of the utmost contempt on her face. I tried to speak and failed horribly. The clamps, pads and other foreign objects stuffed into my mouth prevented anything but an incoherent gurgle.

Desperately, I tried to gesture to wait and ended up banging the tray of instruments that hovered over me, earning a sharp rebuke from the enormous Zimbabwean nurse, together with a vice-like grip on my wrist. I was close to panic, I could only imagine what this gargantuan helper would do to me if she felt she needed to or in fact she wanted to. Then I noticed the voice in the background. It was ACDC’s Brian Johnson singing “highway to hell”. No doubt about it now, I was in a living nightmare. My shoulders slumped as I realized the terrifying reality of my horrifying situation. There was only one option left. I began to scream shamelessly

A short time earlier, my pretty little dentist had been smiling, Cliff Richard had been singing “Summer Holiday” in the background and the nurse had been half the size. It had been like a little sanctuary of peace in a timeless paradise.
Then, the stunning reason for my wanting my teeth checked out said, with her sexy Polish accent, “you not from here, why you in town: special to see me?” (The last said with a look that could drive men mad).
“Sort of“, I replied innocently giving her my best smile in return. I had been brushing my teeth 12 times a day to prepare for this. ”I have been in the bush for so long and unable to get back to see you; but I had to pass through town so thought I’d seize the opportunity”.

Then I made my fatal mistake. “I have to shoot a buffalo not too far from here tomorrow” I said, naively wondering to myself when I should ask her out for dinner.

She passed out of sight and I assumed the silence was due to concentration as she picked up the mouth thingies.

As her gorgeous face reappeared over me and she began to insert the hardware into my mouth, I began to notice that her previously sweet, sparkling eyes had changed from those of an angel to those of a hound from hell. Then a now demonic-sounding Slavic voice emanated from her, saying, “you kill nice animals. I not like people who kill nice animals”.

I wanted to tell her that it was a wounded animal that was suffering and needed to be put out of its misery and how ethical hunting was a natural thing to do that help support the Parks, and so on and so forth, but it was too late!
Then I heard a clunk as the hypodermic containing the anaesthetic I was pinning my fading hopes on was dropped into the bin. I was doomed, doomed, doomed. . .

Seriously now; this may come as a surprise but I have a great respect for vegetarians. I’m a bit nervous of militant former Soviet-bloc vegans, but all in all I appreciate the fact that vegetarians are people who practise what they preach.
To be frank, what I really find intriguing is the position of people who do eat meat… and are against hunting.

When asked what they feel about hunting most people in the Western world will come out in opposition to it. Yet, strangely the vast majority of these same people will happily sit down and eat a steak. Pretty weird some would day, or even hypocritical…

It is quite obvious that the vegetarians would be against it, but meat-eaters?
Is it really hypocrisy? Could it be ignorance maybe? Or even something else entirely, such as hunters behaving badly? How about a combination these?
Well it’s easy enough to find out. Next time you are sitting with a group of non-hunters, ask them. I do it all the time and invariably receive the very similar answers.

The first thing point to come up will usually be the perception that hunting is destructive to the environment and in particular certain species, especially endangered ones. This sometimes comes as a shock to responsible hunters.
However, perhaps they are just ignorant rather than deliberately hypocritical, so let’s be open-minded. Put yourself in the shoes of these non-hunters for a second. Assuming, that you are just an average person who lives in an urban area and doesn’t actively seek out very controversial subjects. what would you pick up in the media to lead you to form such an opinion?

Picture this scene. A television journalist, shaking with outrage, tears streaming down her cheeks, points to piles of migratory birds of prey littering the ground on the small Mediterranean island she is investigating. Next a series of loud reports interrupts her choked words and the camera turns to a small cinder block bunker-like construction from which shotgun barrels protrude. Then, more shots are heard. This time, accompanying recoils and fumes from the shotguns are clearly seen.

We jump forward in time. Now our heroine is bravely confronting the “hunters”. She is insulted, threatened and the camera-man is assaulted. It all ends with the accused racing off in a battered sedan, rude gestures showing clearly out the windows and leaving their kills to rot. Mostly endangered or threatened species of course…

Never mind the average non-hunting, European town-dweller; I too was outraged by this barbarity. In fact I was shaking with anger and ranting and raving about how these maniacs should be hunted down themselves. They weren’t hunters of course. They were poachers, the lowest of the low as far as I am concerned.
Sadly the same behaviour continues in many countries quite legally, thereby making them not poachers but legal “hunters”. Quite obviously what these morons were doing is bad for the environment and that is unethical and therefore unacceptable. Personally, I believe that only ethical hunters should be called hunters, full stop. The rest should be referred to as poachers, regardless of whether what they are doing is legal or not. Poaching should refer to both illegal AND unethical hunting.

Let’s get back to our non-hunter question and answer sessions.
The second thing that usually comes up is cruelty or suffering caused to animals hunted.

Now the deliberate wounding of or cruelty to animals is usually covered by the law. Well it is in civilized countries anyway. I think any hunter with a normal upbringing, living in a normal community and not currently institutionalized will agree that anyone who is deliberately cruel to animals should get help before they move on to mass murder or serial killing. However, the non-hunters see hunting as often cruel and the cause of suffering.

On this point, aside from the bad behaviour of medical hunters, I believe the television and film industries are partly responsible for perpetuating the myth that wild animals in the wild live an idyllic existence without any pain or suffering. Obviously that’s nonsense and only the ignorant and out of touch with reality wander around believing that. Unfortunately though, there are plenty of people who really are that ignorant and out of touch with reality wandering around!
At this stage I usually ask the non-hunters if they prefer “free-range” meat or battery-farmed” meat. Of course the answer is always “free-range” (even if they secretly buy the cheaper stuff). Why? Because it’s a nicer more natural environment for the animals to live in and invariably the meat will be healthier to eat too.

For some reason our non-hunters don’t usually notice the obvious; that wild animals are the most “free-range” animals under the sun. This point usually makes a big impression when pointed and is often accompanied by remarks such as “‘I never thought of it that way” and “wow” (accompanied by distant look).

After a while they will usually return to the point about suffering in this vein, “but farm animals die a more peaceful death than animals that are hunted.”
After explaining that an animal that is shot correctly by hunter using the correct calibre endures a lot less suffering than one that endures the small and sounds of an abattoir or one that dies a more natural death by predator, disease or old age.

That also makes an impact but very often the response is only too true, “that’s all very well as long as the hunters do actually use the right weapon for the quarry and kill  cleanly”.

Yes, back to ethics. Again we are embarrassed by those fools who can’t behave or who don’t educate themselves. Someone who is not competent simply shouldn’t go near game or firearms.

Let’s move on to the third point that comes up. The story of those fools slaughtering migratory birds over the Med also falls into this category: Waste.
Many people feel hunters are only interested in hunting only so that they can mount a trophy on the wall. Well it’s true in some cases in many places and in many cases in some places. Furthermore, although some countries have laws that require a hunter to remove the entire carcass from the hunting area, I have yet to come across a law that says that nothing if possible, should be wasted.
It may not be a law but it should certainly be standard good conduct for all hunters anyway. Surely the animal deserves to be honoured and respected by all hunters?

The last point that usually arises is image, or the perceived psychology of the hunter may be a better way of putting it.

People who have never hunted often view the killing of an animal as a necessary evil and therefore the thought of enjoying it is somehow very wrong. I believe most Europeans fall into this category. This I believe is a result of a total disconnecting with their natural environment whereby they do not have any experience of the entirely natural thrill of hunting that is a built-in part of us.
I am sure you will agree that the combination of challenge, outdoors, thrill, danger , objective and more is impossible to describe to someone who has absolutely no experience of anything like it.

This is the toughest of all to change. How does one convince someone that a hunter has more right to hunt than a non-hunter has to eat meat? How do you explain to them that they have lost the innate understanding that all men once had; that life is about struggle and death as much as it is about beauty and peace – Ying and Yang?

I guess the conclusion to these musings is that hunters need to think about what they do and how they do it and make sure they do what is right. At the same time non-hunters need to be educated and a few, who really are hypocrites, like the bad hunters, should be exposed for what they are. I do however strongly feel that these dishonest people are, for the most part, a minority. The real problem is ignorance.

As for me, I need to brush my teeth at least twice a day and keep my mouth firmly shut around vegetarians.

Rory J. A Young
22nd March 2013

View Answer on Quora

How can I get to play with a cheetah cub?

Answer by Rory Young:

There are many places that breed cheetahs in captivity in Africa, especially Southern Africa and many of these promote "walking with cheetahs" and other big cats such as lions and leopards. They also allow people to go "handle" cubs.

However!!! Many of these places are raising these animals for "canned hunting"
Some claim to be reintroducing them to the wild when they reach adulthood but, as an example, I have to date failed to verify that a single successful reintroduction from two of these outfits that I have been looking into.

Unfortunately playing with baby cheetahs makes big bucks for some but does not benefit the animals or species.

View Answer on Quora