NOORD-KAAP BIED PREDASIEBESTUURSKURSUSSE AAN / NORTHERN CAPE PRESENTED PREDATION MANAGEMENT COURSES
NOORD-KAAP BIED PREDASIEBESTUURSKURSUSSE AAN
Die RPO Noord-Kaap het van 24 Julie tot 1 Augustus in samewerking met die NWKV en PMSA ‘n reeks predasiebestuurkursusse in die provinsie aangebied.
Die kursusse is in Loeriesfontein, Calvinia, Pofadder, Prieska en in Kimberley gehou. Dit was van ‘n praktiese aard en kursusgangers het ná die voorafgaande teorie-sessie die geleentheid gehad om ‘n paar ysters in die veld te stel.
Ongeveer 189 landbouers het die kursusse bygewoon en hulle het dit baie leersaam gevind. Baie landbouers was onbewus van die fyner besonderhede rondom vangysters en hokke en hoe goed dit ingestel kan word om spesifieke diere soos rooijakkalse en rooikatte te vang, sonder om kleiner wild skade te berokken.
Neil Viljoen, die aanbieder, het die noodsaaklikheid van die ekologiese balans beklemtoon, sodat kleiner wild nie onnodig in die vangysters beland nie. Kursusgangers het ook nuwe insig gekry in die onderhoud van die vangsak en die toerusting wat benodig word. Die belangrikheid van ‘n predasiebestuursplan is toegelig, onder meer die feit dat indien al die verskillende vangplekke, teelgate, watergate en misbosse op ‘n plaas se kaart op Google maps geplaas word, dit lewenslank gebruik kan word aangesien dieselfde patroon oor en oor herhaal word, ongeag of nuwe jakkalse of rooikatte die plaas indring.
Die landbouers kan al die vaardighede wat gedurende die dag gedeel is, dadelik op hul plase gaan toepas. Dit gaan ‘n verskil maak in die verliese wat hul ervaar, asook ‘n besparing in terme van tyd aangesien beter bestuursmetodes op die regte tye en die regte plek toegepas sal kan word. Dit sal tot ‘n meer produktiewe en winsgewende boerdery lei.
NORTHERN CAPE PRESENTED PREDATION MANAGEMENT COURSES
The RPO Northern Cape presented a series of predation management courses in the province from 24 July to 1 August in collaboration with the NWGA and PMSA.
The courses were held in Loeriesfontein, Calvinia, Pofadder, Prieska and in Kimberley. It was of a practical nature and course participants had the opportunity to put a few irons in the field after the preceding theory session.
Around 189 farmers attended the courses, and they found them very instructive. Many farmers were unaware of the finer details surrounding traps and cages and how well they can be set up to catch specific animals such as black backed jackal and caracal, without harming smaller game.
Neil Viljoen, the presenter, emphasised the necessity of the ecological balance, so that smaller game does not needlessly end up in the traps. Course participants also gained new insight into the maintenance of the catching methods and equipment required. The importance of a predation management plan was explained, including the fact that if all the different trapping sites, breeding holes, watering holes and dunghills are placed on a farm’s map on Google maps, it can be used for life as the same pattern is repeated over and over, regardless of whether new jackal or caracal invade the farm.
The farmers can immediately apply all the skills on their farms that were shared during the day. This will make a difference in the losses they experience, as well as a saving in terms of time as it will be possible to apply better management methods at the right times and in the right place. This will lead to a more productive and profitable farming enterprise.
