Africa Geographic April 2006 [antikvár]

editorial ^ ^ in the end we decided to follow an unprecedented path for Africa Geographic and devote an entire issue to a single species ^ ^ fT^owards the end of last year, when South African National Parks drew attention I to growing elephant numbers in Kruger National Park and suggested that, after a X decade-long moratorium on the practice, they might have to resort to culling to avoid loss of biodiversity in the park, there was a huge outcry. The media, both locally and abroad, gave sizeable headlines to the issue, suggesting that thousands of animals would need to be destroyed in order to restore the balance. Immediately there were assessments of the effects this unpopular management strategy would have on tourism, one of South Africa's booming post-Apartheid industries. The reality was the threat of serious damage with at least one of America's vociferous animal-rights organisations saying that they would encourage their supporters to boycott the country as a tourism destination. It soon became clear, though, that the matter was far more complex than simply weighing the cost of possible tourism losses against putative losses of biodiversity due to elephant damage to their habitat. Taking the debate away from an emotional dust-up were some scientists saying 'hang on, we are not convinced that there is scientific evidence to show that the Kruger is overpopulated with elephants; we need time to study the impacts of elephants more carefully.' Well, the upshot has been that Marthinus van Schalkwyk, South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (perhaps it is fortuitous in this instance that one person is responsible for both portfolios), has given this 'extra time'. So, for the moment, the matter is quiescent - at least in the public domain. The situation intrigued us, however, and raised many questions about elephants, their conservation and their management throughout Africa. The elephant is one of our iconic species and one of the main reasons for many people visiting Africa is to see them in the wild, and as close up as possible. But what of these great grey icons? How many are there and how do you decide if there are too many? Where do they live? Are they at risk? Are they as intelligent as some people make them out to be? How can they be managed if, indeed, management is required? What are the alternatives, if any, to culling? Opinions on all of the above range widely and some are diametrically opposed to one another. The more we probed around these questions, the more we found until, in the end, we decided to follow an unprecedented path for Africa Geographic and devote an entire issue to a single species. This Is our tribute to these wonderful animals and the way they are so tightly woven into the fabric of Africa. 1 am truly of the opinion that how we resolve the dilemmas surrounding elephants will define the path of conservation in sub-Saharan Africa. Working on this issue of Africa Geographic has cast aside many of the popular myths and misconceptions about elephants that 1 have harboured and it has helped me gain a better understanding of the issues at stake. 1 hope that it will do the same for you. PS What better holiday is there than spending time amongst elephants and other wildlife? Don't miss the Safari of a Lifetime competition on page 48. Enter soon, and it could be you setting off into wild Africa in the lap of luxury. About our magazine Africa Ceographic is editorially and financially independent. It enjoys the support and endorsement of several non-government organisations, but it is not affiliated in any way to these bodies or to any other publishing, environmental or political interest group. Africa Ceographic stnves to foster an awareness of wildlife, conservation, ecotravel. Indigenous cultures and the general environment. It consistently advocates the wisest use of natural resources in a manner that involves and is of real benefit to the people of Africa. Africa Ceographic is published 11 times a year,