Mother of All Crocodiles April 2, 2008
Posted by Clarissa Hughes in : Animals, Community, Conservation, ecotourism , trackback
Madikwe, short for Madikwena, meaning Mother of All Crocodiles is a shining example of ecotourism success in Africa. This 76,000 hectare reserve was created in 1994 and was the subject of the largest game reintroduction exercise on the planet. Operation Phoenix saw the translocation of 8000 animals over a period of 8 years. The fully fenced reserve offers an almost unique location to view both desert adapted species, and the more regular bushveld animals. Gemsbok, brown hyena and eland occur; as do buffalo, elephant and spotted hyena.
A number of lodges have sprung up in the reserve over the years as the Parks Board have tendered out sites. They range in price from SAR 1,000 to SAR 5,000 per person per night.
What impressed me most was how the authorities interact and engage with all the private sector stakeholders. Monthly meetings are held between all the authorities e.g. park, police, tourism and each one of the following private groups: guides, managers and owners/investors. This is a working example of how issues can be nipped in the bud and provides a regular forum for problems to be discussed.
One such potential problem has been admirably solved. That is the number of vehicles at a game sighting. The rule, which all guides adhere to, goes like this. No more than 3 vehicles are permitted at a sighting. The first one there is “in charge” of the log. That person allows 2 more vehicles in. Any further vehicles must wait on standby. When the first vehicle leaves he/she hands over the log to the first one on standby, who comes into the sighting. And so it goes on. Everyone is in constant communication over the radio so everyone knows who’s where and when, and how many are waiting etc.
And it works. We saw African wild dog, and understandably there were a lot of vehicles wanting to see them too. Even though it would have been nice to stay longer watching them, everyone did manage to get good photos and all the other lodges got their guests in to the sighting.
Another example of this excellent co-operation between all parties was the following. A fresh eland bull carcass had been found by a guide. It was apparent that another eland bull had killed it in a territorial battle. The guide was dutifully reporting the death to the Park Headquarters.
Several lodge concessions have been leased to communities living on the boundary of the park. And, once again, sound management principles are in place. Communities own the lease, and where skills have not yet been developed in those communities an external company is brought into provide the operational and marketing expertise with a view to training the local communities up to those functions. Agreements are in place that communities derive direct employment opportunities at the various lodges.
To enrich the wildlife experience there is a lot of history in the area too; from early Bantu settlers pushed north during the Difiqane wars to the Boers, who also trekked north to escape repressive authorities. Marico is an Afrikanerisation of Madikwe and all South African literature lovers will have reveled in the tales of Oom Schalk Lourens of the Groot Marico.
In line with progressive conservation practice the Parks Board has gone a long way in the planning stages of a corridor-park between Madikwe and the Pilanesberg NP. This Heritage Park will add another 167,000 hectares to the existing conservation areas and will open up much need migratory routes to the larger mammals.
All in all, Madikwe and the future plans for the area are totally impressive, innovative and exciting.
When you Google in North West Parks Board you’ll find it comes up as the North West Parks and Tourism Board. The two are inextricably linked. Now this is ecotourism.
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