1. Implementation of Wildlife Economy by the SANParks

2. Wildlife Economy by SANParks
SANParks recognises the history of national parks as islands of priviledge for the elite, despite high poverty levels in communities that surround them.
Despite this, national parks have been, by virtue of their existence, catalysts of rural and local economic development through creation of jobs and anchoring tourism
Recently, SANParks has redefined its five year strategy to focus on Socio-Economic Development as one of its strategic pillars, along with Conservation and Tourism.
The Wildlife Economy Programme is one of the mechanisms SANParks uses to contribute to Socio-Economic Development.

3. Wildlife Economy by SANParks
The Socio-Economic Development pillar has a number of programmes to maximise benefits to surrounding communities, which include:
- Green (Wildlife Economy) and Blue (Marine) Economy Programmes
- Corporate Social Investment Programme
- Developmental Approach to Resolution of Land Claims
- Expanded Public Works Programme
However, SANParks alone cannot solve all the challenges in the communities that surround national parks.
A cooperative approach is needed involves multiple departments, the three tiers of government and public-private partnerships.

4. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme
SANParks contributes to the implementation of the Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA) Wildlife Economy Expansion Empowerment and Development Programme.
One of the specific objectives of DEA’s Programme is growth, fair access and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the wildlife economy.
SANParks Wildlife Economy Programme is informed by this government driven process towards the transformation of the wildlife economy in South Africa.

5. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme
SANParks made a pledge in October 2015 at Biodiversity Economy Indaba to avail over 500 head of game worth approximately R10m over 3 years to communities adjacent to national parks.
SANParks Wildlife Economy Programme is defined by two options;  
Wildlife donation: offers the opportunity for local communities to own game and to participate in the wildlife economy centred on game farming activities relating to the stocking, breeding, trading and related eco-tourism activities.
Wildlife loan: serves to assist emerging game farmers to develop the skills and capacity to enter into and play a meaningful role in the wildlife economy. Recipient enters into an agreement with SANParks either to return loaned animals after an agreed period of time or donate an agreed number of animals, at SANParks’ discretion, to future applicants

6. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme
Implementation to date:
1. Opportunity identified
Request received from recipient
2. Compliance check
Check for mandatory requirements
3. Technical review
Steering Committee review and refer for feasibility assessment
4. Feasibility assessment
Site visit inspection by specialist team
Governance process
7. Implementation
Planning, translocation and monitoring
6. Approval
Official approval and signing of agreement
5. Recommendation
Generate an integrated recommendation

7. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - donations

8. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - donations
Community
Park
Request
Donation
Species
Est. Value
Khomani San
Kgalagadi NP
437 animals
Mixed
R1.3m
Mashishimale Village
Kruger NP
50 animals
R520k
Matsila Village
5 animals
Buffalo
R2.1m

9. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - donations
Implementation to date
Feasibility studies conducted in respect of a number of community properties including:
Bevhula / Gidjana adjacent to KNP,
Riemvasmaak adjacent to Augrabies Falls NP,
Enon / Besheba adjacent to Addo,
Baphalane and Matlabatsi adjacent to Marakele.

10. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - donations
Implementation to date
Kruger National Park serves as a key source for several wildlife initiatives in support communities during hardship times (i.e. drought) e.g. removal of animals for meat distribution to;
disadvantaged, low income communities on the border of Kruger NP
the National School Feeding Scheme for primary schools by supplementing protein in the form of game meat products (break-dry biltong outside of park)
develop community entrepreneurial businesses/value added chains
Kruger NP staff at reduced cost.

11. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - donations
Implementation to date
SANParks Wildlife Economy support given in respect of a number of aspects to communities including game breeding, hunting and wildlife-based ecotourism.
While hunting does not take place in national parks, permits are issued by provincial authorities for hunting in areas adjacent to national parks where there is an open border with the national park.
Hunting as a viable form of income generation is supported in the Makuleke and Makuya areas adjacent to and open to the Kruger National Park.
Ecotourism support has been implemented through a number of initiatives including the development of the Aoub Lodge in Kgalagadi and the Lendlovu Lodge in Addo.

12. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - loans

13. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - loans
Implementation to date
EMERGING GAME FARMERS ELIGIBLE FOR SANPARKS LOAN WINDOW 1
Publication of SANParks Wildlife Loan Initiative done in National newspapers as well as SANParks website
To redress the historic exclusion of previously disadvantaged individuals from game farming industry
To support emerging game farmers in enhancing their capacity and expertise required for entrepreneurial development of the loaned wildlife

14. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme - loans
The process
To supply founder herds to applicants and raise awareness for conservation, protected area management and sustainable utilization principles in the wildlife industry.
Recipients to either return the loaned animals after an agreed period of time or SANParks to donate an agreed number of off-springs.
68 applications received: only 42 eligible and considered for evaluation.
12 applicants recommended for site visit inspection.

15. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme – loans
Assessment criteria
Background checks
Applications were assessed for functionality in accordance with 8 categories vis-a-viz;
Property
Wildlife distribution
Habitant suitability
Wildlife management history
Legal history
Security management
Governance business forecasting
Background checks were done on;
Conducted on the Applicant’s credentials
Business credentials
Criminal records
Commercial records
Personal information
Past employment
Credit history

16. Green (Wildlife Economy) Outcome of inspections
Programme – loans
Outcome of inspections
9 applications recommended for a wildlife loan from SANParks.
Of the head of game (25 species) requested by applicants, SANParks allocated 941 animals (8 species).
SANParks allocated 941 head of game for Window 1 with an estimated total value of R4.2 million.

17. Species & Number Requested
Application
Species & Number Requested
Species & No Allocated
Species allocated
Number allocated
Estimated value (R) A
• Eland (x200) • Kudu (x500) • Blue Wildebeest (x100) • Black Wildebeest (x100) • Giraffe (x20) • Zebra (x80) • Red Lechwe (x100) • Waterbuck (x80) • Impala (x600) • Blesbok (x200) • Nyala (x100) • Mnt Reedbuck 200) • Fallow Deer (x200)
• 50 eland • 20 kudu
• 80 zebra 5
150 R B
• Buffalo (x20) • Sable Antelope (x40) • Giraffe (x70) • Springbok (x50) • Kudu (x11) • Eland (x15) • Gemsbok (x15) • Lechwe (x16) • Nyala (x22) • Roans (x22) • Waterbuck (x22)
• 5 giraffe • 50 springbok • 11 kudu • 15 eland • 15 gemsbok 96 R C
• Buffalo (x30) • Gemsbok (x24) • Springbok (x40) • Eland (x15) • Plain zebra (x10) • Steenbok (x20) • Roan (x30) • Tsessebe (x10) • Sable (x27) • Nyala (x10) • Blesbok (x20) • Impala (x20) • Black wildebeest (x15) • Kudu (x10)
• 10 plains zebra • 50 springbok • 24 gemsbok • 35 red hartebeest 4
119 R D
• Kudu (x15) • Eland (x15) • Blue Wildebeest (x15) • Springbok (x45)
• 15 kudu • 15 blue wildebeest 2 30 R
• buffalo (x25) • blue wildebeest (x10) • bontebok (x30) • Burchell zebra (x10) • gemsbok (x30) • eland (x10) • springbok (x50)
• 10 blue wildebeest
• 10 Burchells Zebra • 20 gemsbok • 30 springbok 70 R F
• buffalo (x20) • blue wildebeest (x20) • bontebok (x20) • blesbok (x15) • gemsbok (x15) • eland (x15) • eland (x15) • kudu (x15) • zebra (x15)
• 20 blue wildebeest
• 15 gemsbok • 15 eland • 15 kudu • 15 zebra 80 R G
• buffalo (x50) • rhino (x4) • kudu (x50) • eland (x50) • blue wildebeest (x100) • waterbuck (x50) • Burchells zebra (x50) • blesbok (x100) • gemsbok (x50) • springbok (x100)
• kudu (x20) • eland (x20) • blue wildebeest (x50) • Burchells zebra (x30) • gemsbok (x20)
• springbok (x50) 6
190 R H
• blesbok (x53) • zebra (x42) • buffalo (x16) • wildebeest (x32) • eland (x48) • gemsbok (x43) • kudu (x32) • springbok (x32) • redhartebeest (x32)
• 30 blue wildebeest
• 20 gemsbok • 15 kudu • 20 springbok • 15 red hartebeest
100 R I
• Buffalo (x41) • Redhartebeest (x31) • Bontebok (x30) • Burchell Zebra (x7) • Eland (x31) • Kudu (x22) • Gemsbok (x20)
• Red hartebeest (x30)
• Burchells Zebra (x6)
• eland (x30) • kudu (x20) • gemsbok (x20)
106 R

18. Green (Wildlife Economy)
Programme
Instead of the 500 head of game over three years as pledged in 2015…..
SANParks delivered on the allocation of heads of game with an estimated total value of R8.1 million

19. New pledge
In the next MTEF SANPArks commits to donating 3000 animals through the Wildlife Economy Programme. SANParks will double this if some of the proposals in support of the wildlife economy are considered favourably

20. Thinking outside the box: a case for new ways of doing business
Consider SANParks managed farms for breeding of disease free animals (e.g. buffalos). SANParks can raise sustainable stock of disease free game for establish founder populations for emerging farmers in the wildlife economy
A national programme modelled after the DEA Natural Resource Management Programs to create jobs for Youth in Nature Conservation in partnership with DRDLR. Training youth, employ them as inspectors. Train them in nature conservation, tourism and game farm management
Move the wildlife disease red line by 50km west of the Kruger National Park so that animals from Kruger can be made available to the Wildlife Economy Programme
These programs can contribute to the objectives stated by the President in his SONA, which listed tourism as one of four pillars for economic growth and prioritized addressing youth unemployment.

21. Potential private sector contribution
Number of Game Farms = 400 (1974); 7000 (2007)
Neighbour to neighbour
mentoring
Sharing of infrastructure and marketing support
Veterinary wildlife support
Game farming industry (Dr Taylor, EWT):
Live sales - R4.3 billion (2014) (R2.5 billion = private game sales (excl. multiplier effects));
Hunting - R2.6 billion (2014) (excl. money spent by hunters on lodging, food and fees);
Game meat production (2014) - R610 million
Du Toit Pers comm.

22. Challenges of the Wildlife Economy Programme
SANParks proposed solution
Institutional governance structure of local communities.
Support communities to form appropriate structures and ensure capacity is developed in the communities to govern themselves
Regulatory health restrictions relating to meat distribution.
Collaboration with relevant government departments in the regulation of meat processing and distribution.
‘Fronting’ of loan requests for wildlife by individuals.
Thorough vetting and verification process. Local government can assist in the vetting process
Unrealistic expectations / sense of entitlement by individuals or associations of individuals (e.g. SANParks supply animals perpetually)
Government should clarify role of agencies and help manage expectations.

23. Challenges of the Wildlife Economy Programme
SANParks proposed solution
Lack of technical and management skills for operating wildlife management entity / farm
Training of community members, especially youth (through courses and internships)
Lack of requisite infrastructure for keeping and managing wildlife (fences, water points, animal handling equipment)
Collaboration with three tiers of government. Proposed models of self sufficient donations/loans
Lack of adequate grazing land (farm size, veld type, grazing condition) for the wildlife they often request
Collaboration with DRDLR in acquiring adequate land
Communities are biaised towards charismatic species (e.g. buffalo)
Community education and engagement
Widllife disease challenges (TB in buffalo and rhino, distempa in wild dogs)
Disease management. Source animals from disease free parks.

24. Thank You