Page 13 - KZN Business Sense 8.4

the art of environmental together by encouraging other of Loziba Wildlife Reserve.
journalism, a successful conservationists and advocates Without philanthropic donors and
endeavour which has been to allow elephant corridors CSR contributions from larger
active for close to ten years. through their territories. This organisations, it is difficult to
will include communities in move forward at the pace needed
The Human Elephant
Foundation’s more recent aim various areas where elephants to purchase farms, build fences,
is to support rewilding efforts are currently a huge threat to roads, lodges, etc. However, and
as in all successful sustainability
crops and livelihoods. Great
through encouraging the advances have been achieved endeavours, the general public
purchase of unutilised farms in this area with the help of wants to be involved. We have
in the Thaka Valley to create Fowlds, a great Zulu and Xhosa therefore created a unique offering
the 36 000 hectare Loziba
Wildlife Reserve. Thereafter it linguist and friend to the people. where people can pledge R2
500 towards one acre of Loziba
will encourage joining game Dr Player and his conservation
reserves such as Babanango, work had a huge and lasting rewilded land. People and
companies may of course pledge
Mziki, Phinda, Hluhluwe, influence on Charter. He
and Umfolozi, thus creating recalls that just before Player funds towards many more than
one acre. Land does not transfer
corridors for elephants and other passed, he received a wonderful in ownership to each individual
animals to move freely between tribute in a copy of Player’s but will be forever recognised
defined wilderness areas. Over book “Zululand, Wilderness as that person’s contribution to
time this momentum will Shadow and Soul”. Player said
pursue corridors that link game he had woken up at 3am one this magnificent project. Each
contributor will receive an
reserves right up to the trans morning and had put the book
frontier parks in Mozambique, he wanted to give to Charter on autographed Rewilding Africa
book written by Grant Fowlds, a
Namibia, Angola, Botswana, his hall table. When Charter
Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, unexpectedly came to visit personalised thank you letter from
the Human Elephant Foundation,
and up the eastern side of Lake that day, he said he knew then
Tanganyika and beyond into why he had got up so early that a satellite link to their purchased
land, and ongoing communication
Uganda. Loziba thus represents morning. Player then proceeded and reward structures. History
a catalyst in encouraging other to write a tribute in the book for will forever recognise these value
wildlife reserves to recognise Charter. This was a wonderful creating contributors to Rewilding
the importance of rewilding moment in Charter’s life, and
areas for animals to occupy in a way the book acts as a Africa and making it possible for
elephants and other wildlife to
and move about safely from passing of a baton of hope and
land overutilisation through responsibility from one person thrive in KwaZulu-Natal, South
Africa, and in Africa at large.
being confined into smaller to another – and one generation
areas. Each wildlife reserve to the next. Player as many will Please join our campaign,
is a microcosm of the natural remember, was an exceptional and even if you are not
environment, and each is person, mystical in his thinking a philanthropic donor, a
critically important and and ways, who played a pivotal corporate sponsor, or individual
ensuring the preservation of role in saving both white and contributor, please support and
animals in our natural kingdom. black rhino from extinction encourage this initiative and the
in the 1930s and 1940s. Botha important work being done by
The late Dr Ian Player, the is in the process of creating a people all over the world. There
world-renowned conservationist monument to Dr Ian Player, are many people desperately
and philosopher, had a widely which will be erected in working to reverse the damage
held view about the connection
of elephants and humans. He Umfolozi Game Reserve. done in wildlife areas over the
Botha has already erected a
past decades. The intention is to
maintained that humanity
reached Europe from the cradle monument to Beyers Coetzee. restore the health and beauty of
natural areas, so that animals
Coetzee, another passionate
of mankind in South Africa
where human life began and and able conservationist, can thrive in their preferred
and Loziba Wildlife Reserve
habitats, communities can
developed, with the aid of founder, was tragically killed prosper, and future generations
elephants. Elephants are natural a few years ago while moving may enjoy the splendour and
water diviners and moved from the Loziba elephants away wonder of our animal and
water to water through deserts
and extreme dense vegetation from the community. vegetation kingdoms. 
right up to north Africa. Humans John Charter himself comes
found it very easy to follow the from a praised conservation Please contact,
huge elephant paths to Europe. lineage. His grandfather A.E. John Charter (john@blackegret.co.za),
Charter, also an influential David White (david@drg.co.za) or
Yet it is the human footprint www.humanelephant.org t o hear more
which has rendered them highly conservationist, fished in the about how to become involved in
lake now known as Charter’s
threatened. We have encroached Loziba Wildlife Reserve and other
upon their territory to such an Creek. A.E. Charter’s name is Human Elephant Foundation initiatives
on Memorial Gate at Hluhluwe
extent that within 30 years or
so there is a strong possibility together with Potter and Powers
as founders of Africa’s oldest
that no wild elephants will be park. A.E. Charter’s role at the
left on our planet. The notion time as provincial secretary of SCAN
of elephant corridors is the Natal was to proclaim Hluhluwe QR CODE
only concept that we can find
to save these majestic creatures. and Umfolozi. TO SEE
The vision is to join various There are many ways people can VIDEO
reserves and natural areas get involved in the development

13