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Southern Cape wildlife ranchers and private reserves, and the communities dependent on them, are bent under a harrowing drought gripping large parts of the Western Cape, especially the Central and Little Karoo.
South Africa’s news media was filled with reports regarding the drought in the Western Cape and the looming “Day Zero” in the Cape Metro. Recently welcome rain has fallen in the catchment areas replenishing dam levels somewhat, but since then, the story has, quite literally, dried up in the social conversation. However, the crises is still very much the current reality for farmers and ranchers in the Southern Cape.
While drought-stricken areas eagerly await and celebrate the first rain, drought conditions can extend long after the first drops fall on the veld. Just as drought is a slow-onset disaster, recovery from drought can take months, even years.
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The lingering drought
The eco-system’s recovery depends on many variables, including the length of the drought and the weather conditions post-drought. If a drought is immediately followed by a wet season, recovery can happen fairly quickly. But if conditions remained dry, as they did in the Southern Cape region, recovery can be lengthy.
Where game ranchers and private game reserves are especially vulnerable to the long-term effects of an extended drought, and a drawn-out recovery, is in the damage to vegetation. Plants can suffer long-term damage from droughts as the lack of moisture required for normal growth disrupts the normal life cycle.
The main loss of animal production due to prolonged drought, is the permanent loss of the key nutrition (Decreazer) species from the vegetation composition. These species do not recover naturally with improved rainfall, in order to restore these important lost species, special management actions need to be implemented at extended funding and cost.
This slower and less productive plant growth leads to a decrease in food for animals.
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No drought assistance for wildlife
The Western Cape, after conducting a Provincial Risk Assessment which included a technical veld assessment, disbursed thousands of rands in fodder vouchers to livestock farmers in critical drought areas.
Unfortunately, the agricultural drought relief offered through these fodder vouchers does not include game ranches or private reserves who do not benefit from government relief, and circumstances on these properties have become dire.
WRSA Foundation
The WRSA Foundation has launched a donation campaign to assist the most severely impacted ranches and reserves to sustain their existing herds over the next few months. They are in urgent need of feed, transport, and cash donations to provide relief to those in desperate need.
Please donate generously to the WRSA Foundation’s initiative to help the ranchers and private reserves, who do not benefit of government relief, during this devastating drought.
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The link to the Online Donation Form 2022 is: https://form.jotform.com/223244799456569
Alternatively, cash donations can be made directly to the Foundation:
WRSA FOUNDATION NPC
ABSA Bank
Branch Code: 632 005,
Cheque account no: 410-319-6934
Swift Code: ABSA ZA JJ
Payment Reference: SC-Drought
Email proof of payment to accounts@wrsa.co.za
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