Page 22 - The Villager June 2021

Nature

wilD

AnimAls –

how close

cAn one

get?

It's amazing how close one can get
to animals in Kruger Park these days.
BY JAMES CLARKE,
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARY BROADLEY

The flight distance is

the distance at which
a wild animal decides
whether to flee or take

aggressive action.

recently wrote about how close assume so. In fact, a ranger was killed in some Southeast Asian students driving
we were able to approach zebra the Kruger Park last month though I’ve in a South African lion park saw a group
I when driving in Kruger Park once heard nothing of the circumstances. of lions and two of the students got
the park was fully re-opened after the The problem is that, these days, ‘normal out of their vehicle and casually walked
initial COVID-19 lockdown. This brought circumstances’ do not prevail over much over to them wanting to pose for
a response from somebody who had of Africa. We have to sow crops and so photographs. They were instantly killed.
noticed that lions at Crocodile Bridge we attract herbivores; we have to have About that time, I was driving a
were unfazed when he drove within a livestock and so we attract carnivores; Hungarian visitor in Kruger Park and
few metres of them. and, as Africa’s human population grows, stopped because there were elephants
Has there been a change since the we have to establish villages and towns in the road. My guest leapt out of the
lockdown started – or are we imagining and invade the habitats of other large car and ran towards the elephants
it? species – some bigger and toothier than gesticulating for me to take his picture.
It is interesting how, under normal we are – and so a conflict situation arises. Fortunately, the elephants fled.
conditions, wild animals do not become Many overseas tourists have a Nature has always been neutral. As
overly alarmed – cautious, yes – when perception of wild Africa that has John Burroughs wrote a century ago,
they are approached by vehicles. If we been heavily influenced by television “Nature does not care whether the
are on foot, they invariably move away programmes. Remember the hunter slays the beast or the beast the
as soon as they see us. Lions, elephants, programme, Mad Mike and Mark not hunter. She will make good compost of
buffaloes – even crocodiles when long ago? They performed flamboyant them both and her ends are prospered
encountered on dry land – move away at and pointless antics, getting perilously whichever succeeds.”
our approach. Most, including lions, will close to dangerous animals, seemingly to We can make pets of lions, even
even flee. show off just like circus lion tamers used romp with them. We can tame African
This doesn’t say much for humans. to when they put their heads in lions’ elephants enough to ride on their backs.
Significantly, such animals do not shy mouths. Other TV programmes depict But in the wilds, no bond exists between
away from other species – buck will wild animals in an anthropomorphic way, us and them. Wild animals live in fear
graze quite close to resting lions. The often insinuating there can be a sort of of man but even some normally timid
hypothesis that animals in the wild will Doctor Dolittle bond between humans species, such as the sable antelope,
flee at our approach is not, however, an and wildlife. tsessebe and giraffe, have been known to
immutable rule and it could be fatal to Influenced by this, a few years ago attack, lethally, in their defence.

20 • Issue 6 2021 • The Villager