{"id":77714,"date":"2018-01-23T11:51:36","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T09:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/?p=77714"},"modified":"2018-02-06T15:31:46","modified_gmt":"2018-02-06T13:31:46","slug":"the-birth-of-the-baobab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/news-headlines\/2018\/01\/23\/the-birth-of-the-baobab\/","title":{"rendered":"The birth of the Baobab"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This is a vital step in turning things around for the endangered southern <a href=\"http:\/\/hesc.co.za\/species-hesc\/ground-hornbills\/\" target=\"_blank\">ground-hornbill<\/a>, also known throughout its range as the Thunderbird.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-77719\" src=\"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/ground-hornbill-520x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/ground-hornbill-520x400.jpg 520w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/ground-hornbill-300x231.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The species breeds slowly and, as a consequence, populations cannot keep up with the myriad of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/anthropogenic\" target=\"_blank\">anthropogenic<\/a> threats:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>secondary poisoning from baits left out for so-called &#8216;pest&#8217; like <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jackal\" target=\"_blank\">jackal<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.krugerpark.co.za\/Kruger_National_Park_Wildlife-travel\/kruger-park-wildlife-hyenas.html\" target=\"_blank\">hyenas<\/a> and hunting dogs;<\/li>\n<li>lead <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/toxicosis\" target=\"_blank\">toxicosis<\/a> from hunters still using lead ammunition in wild places,<\/li>\n<li>electrocution on electrical infrastructure and trade, both for the agriculture trade but also for traditional cultural practices, specifically in times of drought,<\/li>\n<li>persecution for breaking windows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One of the conservation tools being used to try and slow the decline of the Thunderbird is the use of conservation <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Species_reintroduction\" target=\"_blank\">reintroductions<\/a>, carefully planned using the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.iucn-whsg.org\/node\/1471\" target=\"_blank\">IUCN Reintroduction Guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The birds only ever raise one of the two chicks that usually hatch, and so taking the chick that would naturally die and rear it is a way of growing a whole new population.<\/p>\n<p>This is done without in any way negatively affecting the existing population. These chicks have been reared by Delecia Gunn, Senior Conservationist at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mtpa.co.za\/index.php?parks+1812\" target=\"_blank\">Loskop Dam Nature Reserve<\/a> since 2006.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-77720\" src=\"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/ground-hornbill2-520x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/ground-hornbill2-520x400.jpg 520w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/ground-hornbill2-300x231.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This new formal partnership is going to grow the scope of the project beyond experimental, to a stage where 15 high-quality healthy and well-adjusted chicks, can be reared annually to start rebuilding locally extinct populations.<\/p>\n<p>Construction of a specialised hand-rearing facility will begin in January, under the expertise of Rampholodi Building Construction and Projects CC, with members of the communities assisting with the management and construction of the facility.<\/p>\n<p>Gareth Leonard provided all the architectural planning pro bono &#8211; a generous personal contribution to conservation in itself too.<\/p>\n<p>It is called the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adansonia\" target=\"_blank\">Baobab<\/a> as the design emulates that great iconic tree of the African <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Savanna\" target=\"_blank\">savanna<\/a> and this single tree will house a number of artificial nests from which the hand-reared chicks will fledge.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_77722\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77722\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-77722\" src=\"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/baobab-520x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/baobab-520x400.jpg 520w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/92\/2018\/01\/baobab-300x231.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-77722\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: wikipedia.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It is this kind of community-conservation project that is the future of conservation in this country and it&#8217;s hoping to be a model project for how people need to take part in wildlife conservation solutions.<\/p>\n<p>This project still needs support and if anyone would like to contribute a shipping container for storage, or any medical supplies \u2013 particularly stainless steel tables and shelving, we would be extremely grateful.<\/p>\n<p>If you are interested in supporting this initiative in any way please contact Dr Lucy Kemp on <a href=\"mailto:project@ground-hornbill.org.za\" target=\"_blank\">project@ground-hornbill.org.za<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Other conservation news:<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/64673\/fotos-natuurliefhebbers-sal-nie-hieroor-brom-nie\/\" target=\"_blank\">Spot the leopard?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/64673\/fotos-natuurliefhebbers-sal-nie-hieroor-brom-nie\/\" target=\"_blank\">Foto&#8217;s: Natuurliefhebbers sal nie hieroor brom nie<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/71992\/greater-lakenvlei-protected-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Greater Lakenvlei Protected Enviroment<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/afp\/54540\/extinct-myanmar-bird-rediscovered-after-73-years\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>\u2018Extinct\u2019 Myanmar bird rediscovered after 73 years<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The new year sees the dawn of an exciting new conservation venture \u2013 a partnership between Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), Mabula Ground Hornbill Project (MGHP) and the new landowners: Rampholodi CPA, Dindela CPA and Mmamarumo CPA. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5031,"featured_media":77718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Middelburg Observer","cxt_disable_google_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[10207,10206,10209,10212,10204,10211,6791,10208,10210,10205],"class_list":["post-77714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news-headlines","tag-baobab","tag-conservation","tag-conservation-effort","tag-gareth-leonard","tag-ground-hornbill","tag-iucn-reintroduction-guidelines","tag-loskop","tag-savanna","tag-saving-the-thunderbird","tag-thunderbird"],"category_labels":{"Category":"News","SubCategory":"Local news"},"tag_labels":["baobab","conservation","conservation effort","Gareth Leonard","ground hornbill","IUCN Reintroduction Guidelines","Loskop","savanna","saving the thunderbird","thunderbird"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5031"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}