The Kalahari is desolate in many places and a vast thirstland that covers a large part of Southern Africa but as one spends time there, the semi-arid desert of low scrub, Acacia woodland and copper-red sand begins to reveal its magic. The therapeutic flush of early morning and late afternoon light can present a cure for 21st century angst as can be affirmed by residents of this special place.
The Kalahari is desolate in many places and a vast thirstland that covers a large part of Southern Africa but as one spends time there, the semi-arid desert of low scrub, Acacia woodland and copper-red sand begins to reveal its magic. The therapeutic flush of early morning and late afternoon light can present a cure for 21st century angst as can be affirmed by residents of this special place.
Machel van Niekerk, a third-generation farmer and daughter of the Kalahari, runs the Kalahari Wildlife Project and has established a rehabilitation centre for wildlife at the family farm. She has a work ethic that is uncommon in today’s world and a fervent passion for her projects, one of which is the rehabilitation and release of injured/trafficked pangolins.
Pangolins are now the world’s most trafficked animals and are brought to Machel through a variety of networks, including local farmers, SAPS, and other vigilant anti-poaching organizations, for rehabilitation and re-introduction into the wild.
The Fisher Foundation has identified a way to help by contributing to the funding for telemetry (VHF transmitters and tags) as well as other costs associated with the ongoing work Machel has established. Over time, the foundation will also contribute to the costly receivers that are necessary for the efficiency of the rehabilitation process.
The Fisher Foundation has also joined a pangolin educational programme for 48 children at a local school near the rehabilitation centre. During the programme, the students learned of the importance of preserving our natural heritage with emphasis on the fragility of the pangolin. They were tested on the information presented and were awarded a certificate of completion – with each student becoming a Pangolin Guardian.
Pangolins are trafficked because China’s pharmaceutical industry profits from their scarcity, marketing their scales in Traditional Chinese Medicine as cures for numerous ailments. What compounds this unfolding tragedy is that this exploitation fuels illegal trade networks that enlist vulnerable fence line communities to poach what is now the world’s most trafficked animal, deepening both human and ecological harm.
Imagine the ecosystem as a grand symphony of design – remove one element of an orchestra and the overall performance is diminished. Likewise, remove a keystone species from the delicately balanced ecosystem and the overall effect has long-term consequences. It has become a moral imperative for everyone to join this fight against the scourge of illegal poaching. The battle seems insurmountable, but with committed collective agency we can and will make a difference.
