QUAGGA PROJECT ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE

Co-coordinator’s Report

June 2008

ASSETS UPDATE

  1. Refer to call account/cash invested by QPA Treasurer
  2. 90 animals in 12 locations

ANIMAL MOVEMENTS

  1. None

FORMATION OF NEW SEC 21 COMPANY

  1. The Company “Quagga Project” (inc under Sec 21) was successfully registered on 6 May 2008, reference number 2008/011276/08. It is a registered company not for profit or gain
  2. There is a registered Memorandum of Association of the Company not having a share Capital
  3. Directors are~Prof E. Harley

~ Stephen Mitchell

~ Butch Hulley

~Michael Knight

~Michael Gregor

~Patricia Swanepoel

~Craig Lardner

  1. The Company is registered with SARS
  2. All these documents are lodged with the Quagga Project secretary

CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS WITH LANDOWNERS

-Agreement drawn up by Adv Molteno needs to be signed by all members and kept by the Secretary

WEBSITE UPDATE

-A much higher traffic of South African visitors has been recorded on the website usage, word is clearly getting out to them

-Hopefully with the Wild Ltd SABC programme scheduled for 23rd June, this might increase

NEW FOALS

  1. A new foal was born at Far Horizons on 24 May, fantastic degenerative striping (ZERO stripes on legs)and VERY good colouration

ANIMAL DEATHS AT GROOTE SCHUUR ESTATE

-2 animals died at Groote Schuur Estate on 28th & 29th April

-The section Ranger was asked by the QP coordinator to file a report on these two deaths, the following was reported

-----Original Message-----
From: Stevenson Mkhulise
Sent: 30 April 2008 19:48
To: 'Craig Lardner '; Paddy Gordon
Cc: Mike Knight; Paddy Gordon; Jannie Du Plessis
Subject: Quagga zebra mortalities

Hi Craig

Further to our discussion, as request please find below the record/sequence of incident (and photographs attached) regarding the death of 3 project zebras:

The field rangers monitor (basic animal physical condition, waterholes capacity, newborn and mortalities) and feed animals three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). The animals fed Lucerne, equifeed cubes and bales of hay.

On Monday the 28 April one young stallion was noticed dead (pic 6102-03), the water supply was noticed not functioning, Alternative water source was provided i.e. 200 litres water tank to fill three water points. They also noticed another two male plain zebras looking unfit and spitting foams from the mouth. I asked if they noticed such conditions on Friday25th, they confirmed there was enough water and all animals including Paul looked healthy (zebra stallion, very confident and curious during feeding).

This incident was immediately reported to Senior Park Management and Quagga project coordinator, also contacted the contact vet Hamish, also spoke to Mike as advised by Craig. Permission was granted to send animals to pathologist for post-mortem.

The water was checked and provided three times on the 28th, I also contacted the Hospital bend development’s Environmental manager who gave me the number for the City official who confirmed that they disconnected water for road upgrade operation and the situation will remain as is for the next three weeks, but they reinstalled emergency connection later on the same day after awareness raised about the potential effects.

On Tuesday 29, another Zebra stallion was noticed dead (could be Paul, pic 06-07); On 30 April All three animals were sent to Stellenbosh veterinary lab for further operation by Dr Strubel. Dr Hamish also responded urgently and paid a visit to look at the water hole, artificial feeding and remaining animals of Plain zebra, Black Wildebeest and Bontebok in the Groote Schuur game camp as requested.

We will still continue game feeding, monitoring and assign a ranger on site to monitor and report on the progress, and the matter will be addressed again on the shortcoming Hospital bend upgrade meeting by designated Park officials. While our ranger team and management is shocked and disappointed about this incident, we will like to also mention that we are uncertain about the cause of death until we hear the confirmation and further advice from the vet, pathologist and the Quagga management group. thanks

Kind regards

Sizwe Mkhulise

Section Ranger

SANParks-Table Mountain

Tel: 021 6894441

Fax: 021 6894461

Cell: 0728973457

email:

-Comment from Dr Hamish Curry was that he was concerned that negligence might be a cause of these deaths given that the animals were without water

-He further questioned why the animals were only taken to the state coroner for a PM at a much later stage

WILD LTD SABC TV PRORAMME

-The QPA assisted Melanie Gosling with the production of The Quagga Revival to be screened on Wild Lt (SABC TV 2) on 23rd June 2008

-A big thank you to all our budding Oscar nominees for their sterling performances!

-The DVD is available through the secretary

-Letter of thanks to QPA was sent by Melanie Gosling (see attached)

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