Second elephant science round table scheduled

Environmental affairs minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has convened a second scientific round table to discuss the controversial issue of elephant management in South Africa. The round table will be held on August 22, 2006 at Kirstenbosch and will include some experts who were not able to attend the first round table meeting held in January.

Although the final line-up of top-notch scientists is not yet confirmed, the scientists from the first round table are expected to be joined by Holly Dublin from the World Conservation Union (IUCN), Ian Douglas- Hamilton from Save the Elephants and Prof Kevin Rogers from Wits University. The original panel consisted of Prof Norman Owen-Smith (Wits University), Prof Rudi van Aarde (University of Pretoria), Prof Graham Kerley (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University), Dr Hector Magome (Sanparks head of research), Dr Ian Whyte (Sanparks large herbivore expert), Dr David Cumming (University of Zimbabwe), Bruce Page (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Prof Rob Slotow (University of KwaZulu-Natal) and Dr Bob Scholes (CSIR).

The second round table is likely to discuss the development of an integrated research programme that will be able to guide the management of elephants in the short, medium and long term. This may involve running trials Second elephant science round table scheduled of the different management options available (eg culling, contraception, conservation corridors) to better assess their cost/impact issues. The ethics of culling are also likely to play a role in the discussions, including in what situations culling is justified and how different size protected areas should be treated with respect to culling.
 

The ethical discussions will feed into a workshop on the ethics of culling planned by animal welfare organisations for September. It is expected that after the second scientific round table, draft norms and standards for elephant management in South Africa will be drawn up and published for public
comment.