HONINGFONTEIN GAME FARM GUIDELINES FOR THE INTRODUCTION & MANAGEMENT OF INDIGENOUS AND EXTRALIMITAL WILDLIFE PREPARED FOR Mr. Gerhardus Wendt SEPTEMBER 2019 - updated October 2020 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES – KEN COETZEE 4 CHESTNUT STREET, HEATHER PARK GEORGE, 6529 TEL / FAX: 044 – 8708472 www.conservationmanagementservices.co.za CONTENTS 1. Introduction and objectives .................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………… 1 1.2 Objectives of the plan …………………………………………………………….. 2 2. Description of the habitat ....................................................................................... 3 2.1 Vegetation description ..................................................................................... 3 A. Albertinia sand fynbos ............................................................................... 3 B. Canca limestone fynbos ............................................................................ 5 C. Eastern Ruens shale renosterveld……… …………………………………….. 6 D. Transformed pasture areas……..………………………………………………..7 2.2 Habitat condition and capability ....................................................................... 8 2.3 Conservation status ......................................................................................... 9 3. Wildlife management ............................................................................................. 10 3.1 Already introduced species ............................................................................. 10 3.2 Naturally occurring species & species introduced in the area…………………. 16 3.3 The additionally required wildlife species…………………………………………..16 3.4 Stocking rates and animal numbers………………………………………………...28 3.5 Maintaining genetic heterozygocity…………………………………………………32 3.6 Passive capture and removals………………………………………………………32 3.7 Wildlife register ................................................................................................ 37 3.8 Supplementary feeding .................................................................................... 37 3.9 External parasite and disease control .............................................................. 38 3.10 Water provision…………………………………………………………………….. 44 3.11 Fencing……………..……………………………………………………………….. 47 3.12 Pasture improvement……………………………………………………………… 48 4. Monitoring and audit ............................................................................................... 49 4.1 Monitoring habitat condition ............................................................................ 49 4.2 Ecological threat analysis ................................................................................ 59 4.3 Game farm management evaluation (Audit) ................................................... 59 5. Additional management recommendations .............................................................. 61 6. References .............................................................................................................. 61 Appendix 1 - Undertaking by property owner …………………………………………………62 1. INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES 1.1 INTRODUCTION Ken Coetzee of Conservation Management Services was contracted by Mr Gerhardus Wendt to prepare a game introduction plan for the Honingfontein Game Farm (HGF) south of Riversdale in the Southern Cape. (See Figure 1 for the locality). The brief for the contract was to prepare a wildlife introduction and management plan in terms of the Game Translocation and Utilization Policy (2014) of Cape Nature. Some of the wildlife that will be introduced are extralimital species, for which such a risk assessment and management strategy must be prepared in terms of the policy. The site was inspected on 12 September 2019 in order to collect the necessary biodiversity and site information. Figure 2 (and Figure 6) shows the layout of the HGF. Details of the applicant are as follows: a) Full name : Gerhardus Wendt. b) Identity no : 5608065079084 c) Farm name : Farm 372 Honingfontein, Riverdale d) District : Riversdale. e) Postal address : PO Box 237, Riversdale, 6670. f) Cell phone : 0716796410 / 0729243480 / 0828278789 g) e-mail : [email protected] h) Title deed number: T 32023 / 2018 FIGURE 1: Approximate locality of the HGF ±18 km due South of Riversdale in the Southern Cape. 1. N FIGURE 2: The layout of the HGF clearly showing the previously cultivated areas in the Northern portion as enclosed in yellow. 1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this game introduction plan is to address the objectives of the Game Translocation and Utilization Policy (GTUP) (2014) with respect to the introduction of game species extralimital to the Western Cape. These objectives are: ➢ To ensure that risks posed to biodiversity by the introduction of extralimital game species are effectively mitigated; ➢ to ensure sustainable utilization of natural resources; ➢ to ensure the ecological integrity of wildlife species; and ➢ to ensure effective protection, security and compliance. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: The secondary objectives are those set by the landowner for the establishment and management of the property as a private game farm. In the case of HGF, the objectives are as follows: The management, rehabilitation and conservation of the farm for use as a sustainable and extensive game farming operation. 2. 3. RUENS SILCRETE RENOSTERVELD EASTERN RUENS SHALE RENOSTERVELD CANCA LIMESTONE FYNBOS ALBERTINIA SAND FYNBOS FIGURE 3: The vegetation of the Honingfontein Game Farm. (Mucina & Rutherford, 2006) 4. 5. 6. 7. Goukou The value of habitat for wildlife grazing lies within the transformed pasture area. These pastures have supported huge numbers of game under the previous ownership and under better management will be able to sustainably support the proposed wildlife species and the numbers recommended. 8. Goukou The transformed pasture areas consist mostly of a variety of grasses which will be selected by the grazing herbivores. The remnants of limestone fynbos and sand fynbos that sttill occur in this area will be little affected by the foraging game, particularly if animal numbers are kept within the recommended stocking rate. Goukou some browse along the minor drainages and the river. The remaining limestone fynbos and sand fynbos does contain seasonal grass which will be utilized by the introduced game whenever it is available. It is estimated that the foraging grazers will make very little use of the fynbos plants in these habitats so the sensitive plant biodiversity will be little affected. These areas have experienced fires and the heavy grazing of the post-fire vegetation for a very long time, first with livestock and later by introduced wildlife. With well managed animal numbers, that are within the capacity of the available grazing, there should be no additional negative impact on the sensitive vegetation/habitat component. Considerable sections of the transformed pasture areas are either classed as no natural (vegetation) or as degraded. These are the areas that have been modified to provide good quality pasture grazing. The sensitive aquatic wetland areas will not be negatively impacted or otherwise affected by the introduced wildlife, indigenous or extralimital. 9. CRITICAL CRITICAL BIODIVERSITY AREA - BIODIVERSITY CRITICALLY AREA - ENDANGERED ENDANGERED HABITAT & AQUATIC HABITAT CONNECTIVITY CRITICAL DEGRADED BIODIVERSITY AREA - VULNERABLE HABITAT NO NATURAL REMAINING CRITICAL OTHER NATURAL BIODIVERSITY AREA - AQUATIC FEATURES AND CONNECTIVITY 3. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 3.1 ALREADY INTRODUCED SPECIES Other than the naturally occurring bushbuck, common duiker and grysbok, the following species already occur on the property: Zebra Equus quagga - 5 Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis -125 Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros - 8. Eland Tragelaphus oryx - 23 Blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus - 65 Bontebok Damaliscus p. pygargus - 28 Gemsbok Oryx gazella - 45 Red hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus - 10 Fallow deer Cervus dama - 14 10. The game species already introduced are discussed as follows: 3.1.1 PLAINS ZEBRA Equus quagga (extralimital) Plains zebra have been introduced and the fencing is adequate in terms of Cape Nature fencing specifications (1,4m minimum for all zebras). The boundary fence around the study area is a 2,4m game fence and therefore more than adequate. The study area falls outside of the African horse sickness controlled area of the Western Cape and zebras can be introduced without any special veterinary permits. It is advised that animals for introduction (for genetic health) be sourced from the nearest possible source in order to increase the chances that the zebras are immune to the local tick-transmitted diseases. The risk for hybridisation with other zebra species does not exist, as all zebras in the area are the same species. The risk of hybridisation with domestic equids (and other zebras) is not likely due to the adequate enclosure standard of the boundary fence. The habitat is more than suitable for plains zebra, providing excellent grazing pastures on transformed sites as well as seasonal grazing in the more grassy Renosterveld habitats. 3.1.2 BONTEBOK Damaliscus pygargus pygargus (range extension) There is currently great concern for the conservation of genetically “pure” bontebok and the conservation authorities try to ensure that bontebok are kept where there is at least some potential for viable population expansion and a reduced chance of hybridization