[color=cyan:e6b8ba5585]There is group of paddlers that wish to have the hippos removed on a section of the Crocodile River in the province of Mpumalanga here in South Africa. This is because there is an annual race on the section they wish to 'clear' up. Yes hippos are dangerous and can kill you but they were there first, right? If you can't deal with the consequences of padding a certain section, then don't paddle it.

As Darren Eksteen has already pointed out: [/color:e6b8ba5585]
"Hippo's were there first. Many paddlers have paddled with the hippo's and had amazing experiences, unfortunately I have not had the privelege of paddling with them but I have been in close contact with them. The most dangerous thing I face in the UK is being harassed by a fisherman. None of them are exciting to watch. Nor do they do anything for adrenaline. If any of these people that are complaining are conservationists in any way they will take note that the World Wildlife Fund have just released the new endangered wildlife list and if inspected, all will see that the Hippo has been added to it. By removing them from their own environment will not be aiding them in their struggle for survival. Wont that look good for South Africa and my fellow canoeists!!!!!!!!!!!! "

[color=cyan:e6b8ba5585]What do you guys think Any thoughts would be appreciated, whether you live in Africa or not
Please take the time to add your vote. Many thanks [/color:e6b8ba5585]

Things should be paddled in their natural state as far as possible. This means that the hippos stay. Its all about coping with the surroundings not changing them to make it easier for a few people. If you can't do it with the hippos, then don't do it.

removing hippo's for the sake of a race is ridiculous. find another river to paddle or leave them alone, there is plenty of hippo free water in SA.

Guys, even leaving all emotions about scenery, wildlife, hippo survival etc. aside, the logical thing would still be to leave them in the river. Think about it: the chance of actually meeting the business end of a hippo in an attack is much less than the risk of paddling rapids, bumping heads against rocks, drowning etc.

The beautiful thing about South Africa is that you have these stunning unspoilt rivers with teeming wildlife and unbelievable scenery with the advantage of a first-world country's infrastructure close at hand. Nowhere else in the world will you find that, so PLEASE keep it that way!

wtf have they been smoking? There's a ton of other rivers to hold your race on.. this is ridiculous!

I think all this is pretty funny. How exactly did they propose to remove the hippos? I'm no hippo expert, but I would imagine that they would not cooperate. Catching a bunch of hippos would probably be more dangerous than paddling the river. Is there anything online where we can read about this? This is probably the silliest thing I've ever heard.

Dfinney >> they won't move them, they'll shoot them. So not so funny.

"Being Devils advocate and having paddled the croc river and many others with hippos, i can see where they are coming from. The hippo is the biggest man killer in africa next to the mosquito and until you've had a run in with one you can't pass [too much] judgement. The race that is held there is the biggest marathon in the area and does a lot for the local tourism industry."

But i agree with most of you, if you're afraid of the Hippos paddle somewhere else.

Good lines
Scotty R

That makes absolutely no sense at all. There is surely some sort of law that prevents people from killing the hippos. I'm not from South Africa, so I don't know everything, but that just seems like common sense. No one goes around shooting sharks when there's a surf competition. I didn't mean to make light of the subject, but it just seems so absurd that I'm certain that it won't happen.

David

[b:7667ee2149]This is an email that was forwarded onto the SA whitewater tangent. It sheds light on the recent Hippo culling debate.

David, this answers your question.[/b:7667ee2149]

"Hi All

Pity you chaps never got hold of all the facts before you blundered your way into this one.

Comments such as the ones from Hugh, Jordan etc I will treat with the contempt they deserve.

I will give you the facts from my side and I welcome any comments that can add value.

I am the race organiser and I am anti hippo culling, so I also qualify to belong to PAHA as do the majority of paddlers who trip the river with me. I am merely guided by comments from people who are trained in nature conservation so that I try and make an informed decision.

I go to great lengths at the race to avoid hippo contact for safety reasons and have always planned the race around the hippo situation. I still trip the entire river section but have often altered the race format by racing the hippo-free area twice.

The meeting is not a planned meeting by canoeists to have the river declared a hippo free zone. I am a riparian land owner and I have heard all the talk in the valley with regard to the hippo situation. I have been requested by the Mpumalanga Parks Board and Mbombela Local Authority to call a public meeting of all the interested and affected parties to ascertain the general consensus on the matter. This stems from a meeting that was held to discuss Ecotourism in the area with a view to promoting the full potential of the beautiful Crocodile River.

In a thesis written by Johan Eksteen who is now employed by the Mpumalanga Parks Board, Johan concluded that the area above Montrose Falls is not good hippo habitat due to the nature of the river and surrounds.

In an Internal Memo of the Mpumalanga Parks Board from Johan Eksteen on the Hippo Census in Lowveld Rivers: 2003, he stated, amongst other things, the following:

“Crocodile River: The number of hippo counted in the Crocodile River significantly exceeded the projected totals… An upstream movement of hippo is quite evident from the census results…the recorded increment of 29% is almost double maximum recorded increment for hippo. This is an indication that the Kruger Park population is spilling over into these areas. During previous droughts significant movements occurred in an upstream direction. The number of hippo counted exceeded the projected totals in almost all sections of the river section, supporting the statement that significant hippo movements occur in an upstream direction.

Recommendations:

. MPB should take note of the significant movements from KNP

. Although totals are very similar, much higher numbers of hippo are present in the upper river sections

. Attempts must be made to reduce the hippo numbers in the river sections under MPB jurisdiction.”

What happens is that Kwena Dam is used as an irrigation dam for the sugar estates in the Malelane area. Thus in spring before the rains have come, water is released for irrigating the sugar fields. In nature, there is not adequate grazing as it has not rained; the hippo moves up to the river in search of the lush grazing areas at the source of the increased water flow only to be denied of the dam by the electric fence around the game farm.

What has actually happened is that due to the non-culling policy hundreds of hippo have been naturally driven from their pods in the Kruger National Park due to the territorial fighting. The ousted hippo have moved up into the river systems of Mpumalanga, where the pods have obviously also grown in size and the fights repeated. Thus, the hippo are being forced into the extremely narrow upper reaches which are not ideal hippo habitat.

Added to this the farmers are fencing along the river to keep the hippo out with the result that the hippo have even less grazing area.

Now:

Is it fair on the hippo to be forced into an area that is not good hippo habitat where, with good management, it could be relocated to a number of game farms that are looking for hippo?
Is it fair for the hippo to be fooled by the Irrigation Board that there is adequate water upstream?
Is it fair that the hippo are fenced off the land by farmers fences along the river?
Is it fair that the hippo should be forced to stay in a stream that has a rocky bottom and is generally between 5 and 10 metres wide with less than 1 cumec flowing for 10 months of the year?

But, most importantly, is it fair that a farmer can state that he wants the hippo in the area, but as soon as the hippo came into his unfenced cabbage patch and devoured his luscious crop, the parks board were called in and the animal was culled? This is what happened two years ago.

With regards to the list of endangered species if one looks at the areas of concern related to the hippo it is not South Africa, it is the Central African countries.

But all the same , I like to hear all constructive comments and welcome any further discussion in this matter.

Regards
Paul

[b:7667ee2149]Sorry it was so long, but i didn't write it and i thought all of it should go in.

Good lines
Scotty R[/b:7667ee2149]

leave the river natural, if your worried about the hippo's so much dont paddle the river.

before taking part in this debate please read the long post above. This will stop people from making the same replies over and over -

IT IS NO LONGER JUST A PADDLER ISSUE IT IS A CONSERVATION ONE AS WELL.

reply baring that in mind

Good lines
Scott (devils advocate)

I am not an advocate of one side or another.
However, from witnessing how our species has dealt with various pest problems from mamals to insects for the purposes of agriculture we can not admit to having a very successful track record.
For every action we (as a species) has taken there has often been a negative reprocusion down the road.
I am not a fan of affecting the balance of the regional species without showing that it is in the primary interest of the affected species without capital gain to our own.
Show us some studies (from both sides) and we can make a better call.
FYI: There should be a "undecided" part in the poll for those who want an opinion but lack sufficient info.

I'm sure S. Africa has Wildlife biologists that can figure the animal to land ratio to support a healthy herd. If the hippo population exceeds these margins, then it only makes since to cull, otherwise you risk the chance of disease and several other problems from overpopulation.

The problem as it stands is that paddlers have problems with the hippo's. Within this thread hippos are growing in number in the crocodile river due to man made circumstances, eg. The Kruger Park, and the dam further upstream, (The Kruger is a man made haven for animals). Now culling is not the only solution, there is also relocation, for eg.

Re-Introduction of Hippos into Rondevlei, Western Cape (GT 1222)
Essentially this project focuses on the relocation of four hippo from KwaZulu-Natal to Rondevlei Nature Reserve on the Cape Flats. Rondevlei is home to the only hippopotamus population in the Western Cape (where, historically, this species had been fairly abundant). Without hippo in the system, Rondevlei's wetlands will soon be smothered by alien grass. Hippos have also opened up reed beds for water birds, which will grow closed in their absence. Furthermore, hippo provide an important educational tool for the Reserve's environmental educational program, where some 6 - 7000 school children learn about the environment each year. Most of these children come from previously disadvantaged areas. Hippo are also an important draw card for tourists, who generate not only funds for the Reserve but also stimulate local tourism.

www.panda.org.za/species_projects.htm

Taken that we can determine the average yield of the area and work out its sustanability of organisms in its enviroment. We could relocate the animals to parts of the country that need to be restocked, like the above mentioned area.

This in turn would reduce the chance of attacks on paddlers, as hippos only attack for defensive purposes (they are solely vegetarian). A hippo herd that is cramped in a river, feels threatened by other entities that enter the river. Also never come between a mother and her calf or between a hippo and water. Otherwise unless you are unlucky and the hippo just feels pissed off, you are safe in the water.

[quote:d7f634e759="VAPaddler1324"]leave the river natural, if your worried about the hippo's so much dont paddle the river.[/quote:d7f634e759]

yeah.....


www.snowgears.com

I don't mind paddling with fat chicks.

Just an update... Although it is a little late ... (by Paul Hay)
Just in case anybody ever wondered what would be done

\"Hippo and the Lowveld Croc.

The Lowveld Croc will always have concern of the hippo question. It should
be noted that a huge amount of work goes into avoiding these beasts and thus
we have yet to have an encounter on race day. Having said that, I am the
first to admit that the possibility does exist that we could encounter a
hippo on the river. However, progress has been made with regards to the
control of the hippo in the area by Mpumalanga Parks Board.

Latest Developments with regards to the hippo

On the 27 May 2006 I called a public meeting of the residents of the
Crocodile River valley for the area on which the race is held. This was at
the request of the Mpumalanga Parks Board to ascertain the feelings of the
community with regards to the presence of hippo. There was an overwhelming
support to have hippo in the area, which was to be expected; what was not
expected was the hate that farmers, in general, have for paddlers (but that
is another story!)

The main result of the meeting was that a committee has been set up to
monitor the movement in the Crocodile River valley. The committee consists
of three members from the farming community, four from the paddling
community, two from Mpumalanga Parks Board and an independent chairperson.

On the 17 July 2006 the committee had a meeting and it was resolved to
1. Construct a barrier at Montrose Falls to prevent the movement of
hippo in the upstream direction into the area on which the race is held.
This was proposed by the Mpumalanga Parks Board as they understand the
problems that can occur with the uncontrolled movement of hippo. We have
surveyed the area and the engineers are at present working on the plans for
the barrier;
2. The farmers would report any hippo sightings to the radio control
room, which is manned by my father;
3. Mpumalanga Parks Board and the local farming community will
cooperate with the monitoring of the hippo and assist on race day with
manning possible problem areas should a hippo be spotted.\"

As kayakers, we should remember that we are always guests... as we are The Adventurers!

hey i think that the word remove is wrong i think that they should move the hippos to below the water fall. i live on a farm along the river and i think that river provides a sh*t habitat for these animals due too very shallow pools and not alot of food source... and i paddle into to a pod of hippos and kak it is the scariest thing i have expieranced. so hear us paddlers out they were there first but is it really where they want to be?