Stop the Slaughter of Biodiversity on South African Farms
- by: Landmark Foundation
- recipient: The Director General of Environmental Affairs
ACT NOW: Legislation needs your comment
Thousands of animals die each year in gin traps and other predator eradication practices on South African farms. The commonly used methods (e.g. gin traps, killer traps, dog hunting and poisons) are ethically unacceptable and ecologically damaging. New legislation proposes to keep them legal and even rename gin traps as "soft traps".
Watch this video of a leopard caught in a soft trap (not for sensitive viewers).
More than 80% of South African land is under commercial agriculture. This legislation (The Norms and Standards for the Management of Damage Causing Animals) affects the management of all wildlife on agricultural land.
Meat, wool and mohair come from South African farms. The public buy the products of this cruelty.
THIS MUST BE STOPPED. SIGN NOW
1600 signatures were handed in on the 31st January 2011 to government. Keep clicking with your signatures - we need as many people to know about this as possible and as many voices to speak out. The fight will continue until legislation is changed and practiced. We are extremely grateful for your support. Keep this petition going.
Read more in the Landmark Foundation's latest newsletter.
Many farmers have proven that alternatives to lethal predator controls work more effectively than blanket eradication programs. Guardian dogs,shepherds and protective systems have resulted in the reduction of livestock losses by 53 - 97 % in one study area alone. Yet the current government legislation wants to continue the use of gin trapping and allow hunting with dogs under pressure from certain lobby groups.
The Norms and Standards are silent on activities like poison baits, snaring, denning, helicopter hunting and killer snap traps that should be prohibited outright. Innocent wildlife gets killed in the onslaught of these methods. Eagles, cape foxes, antelope and the rare aardwolf are a few of the innocent victims. The legislation even allows for profiteering from the hunting of threatened species like the leopard on a Damage Causing Animal permit. This opens the system to massive abuses.
Since 2004 the Landmark Foundation has rescued 37 leopards. HELP NOW.
Read more about the slaughter of biodiversity on South African farms and how change is possible. Sign up to our newsletter for updates.
Yours Sincerely
Dr Bool Smuts
Director
Landmark Foundation
Attention: Mr Thomas Mbedzi
Email: NMbedzi@environment.gov.za
Re: Objections and Comments on the Published Norms and Standards for the Management of Damage-Causing Animals (Government Gazette Vol 545, Pretoria, 26 November 2010, No 33806) - General Notice (1084 of 2010)
I the undersigned state my objections and submit my comments for this government notice in order to protect biodiversity and ensure that ethical care is considered in the national legislation.
[Your personal comments will be inserted here.]
1. I object to the continued legalized use of indiscriminate lethal control options as proposed in the Norms and Standards for predators in South Africa. It is ecologically damaging and ethically unacceptable. This includes the use of gin traps /soft traps, leg hold devices, hunting with dogs, denning, helicopter hunts, cage trapping, poisons and snaring.
2. I object to the renaming of gin traps to "soft traps", as it is misleading and there is no legal or practical distinction between the two, and your minimum standards actually describes a conventional gin trap.
3. I ask the government to clarify its Damage-Causing Animal definition in this legislation as it leaves loopholes for abuses. The broadness of the definition makes all wildlife Damage Causing Animals (DCA's). The definition of a DCA must be for an individual animal (not a species) that causes excessive, regular and repeated damage.
4. The definition of restricted activities must be clarified, and should specifically require the issuing of a permit by the relevant permit issuing authority.
5. Prohibited activities must be specifically listed as it is not mentioned in the current legislation. This should include the use of: a) poisons, b) snares, c) all gin traps/soft traps, killer snap traps and leg hold devices, d) hunting with dogs, denning and helicopter hunting
6. I object to allowing hunting with dogs. Dog hunting is unlawful (in the Animal Protection Act). Dog hunting is ecologically damaging and unethical.
7. The issuing of permits for the management of a DCA be must be for: a) individual animals b) in individual cases that are verified by a relevant authority, and c) methods used must be humane. Permits may not be granted in retrospect. Permits may only be granted when reasonable non-lethal protective management methods have been implemented and exhausted first.
8. I call for clarification of the permitting procedure involving restricted activities. This includes a site inspection and evaluation of evidence by a registered professional or relevant issuing authority.
9. I object to a DCA being hunted for profit or being 'sold' to a hunting client. This is a VERY important provision as key and highly valued hunting species will be motivated as DCAs and persecuted if this flaw in the legislation is not changed.
We trust that you will apply your mind to these objections and that this flawed norms and standards will be changed to fulfil the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Chapter 2 section 24).
"Everyone has the right:
a) to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being;
b) to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that:
i. prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
ii. promote conservation; and
iii. secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.
Yours Sincerely
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