PEACEVALE Conservancy hosted a Game Flush recently to push the animals through the construction site and into a safer area within the Peacevale area.

This they did after some animals were stranded due to the construction on the N3.

Kathy Barnard, Peacevale Conservancy chairperson, said they asked permission from the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) and the contractors as they were not happy with the planning, which had left some animals trapped.

“Our mission was to quietly, and as humanely as possible, encourage the animals that were stuck (duikers and bushbucks) in what we call the island, across the N3 realignment construction site. We organised with the contractor to drop their fences for the day, and we had approximately 70 volunteers all led by trained team leaders. We had seven teams in total.”

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Barnard said the plan was to walk quietly in a line, almost like a curtain effect, from the beginning of the island to the end.

Due to the planning, which left the animals stranded, Barnard said the island is now being targeted by poachers and hunting dogs.

“The need to help these animals through this busy construction site and into the safer areas of Peacevale is big. This is a 7–10-year construction plan, and the situation is just going to get worse.

“We did not manage to get all the animals to a safer area as some of the animals turned back the other way as some of the people walked ahead of this curtain and basically into the path of where we were trying to push the animals through,” said Barnard,

For now, the conservancy said they will have to go back to the drawing board and have more meetings with SANRAL and the contractor to find other ways of helping these animals.

Barnard thanked everyone who supported this initiative.

“I would like to mention that this initiative was supported by the Tactical Survival Institute, EnviroPro Consulting, Sterkspruit CPF, Kloof CPF, Hillcrest CPF, Phezulu, KZN Wildlife, eThekwini BioDiversity/Natural Resources and members of Morningside/Durban.

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In response to the conservancy’s grievances about the construction, SANRAL said they prioritise environmental sustainability, including the well-being of plants and animals potentially impacted by its construction projects.

Asked if they take such matters into consideration when planning the constructions, Mpho Nephembani, SANRAL’s Eastern Region project manager, said a small portion in the south-east of this area, between the existing N3 and the future N3, has a green, natural state and has been provided for animal habitat.

“This portion includes a watercourse section, bordered by wetlands and natural vegetation. It is partially bordered by existing property fences, adjoining roads and newly erected fences demarcating the construction zone.”

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