Co-ordinated predation management desperately needed

Predation damage in SA’s game and livestock industries amounted to R383 142 807/year, said Prof HO de Waal from the Free State University.

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He told the recent 2015 North West Red Meat Producers’ Organisation congress these statistics showed that a system of co-ordinated predation management was urgently called for.

“There are a host of predation specialists in the country, but they work in isolation. We need co-ordination to lessen the impact of predation,” he said.

De Waal proposed the implementation of a predation management program akin to the system used in the US, as predation problems there are very similar to the situation in SA.

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The state and producers would ideally act as equal partners in such a system. “The South African Predation Management Forum is the best suited to act as the practical link between the proposed partners,” said De Waal.