Group introduces fish into pan to feed bullfrogs
The occasion was attended by 60 members, juniors and youth members of the branch
IN an effort to conserve the African Bullfrog, the Impala branch of the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA) has relocated between 5 000 and 6 000 indigenous fish into the Bullfrog Pan (Wyman Pan), in the Benoni Small Holdings.
The fish that were introduced are African Mouth Breeders (Dwarf Tilapia) and Straight Fin Barb (Ghieliemientjie). The occasion was attended by 60 members, juniors and youth members of the branch.
According to Loura Stegmann, of the Impala branch, which is situated in Bredell, the purpose of the conservation initiative is to help the African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus) to breed.
The fish will serve as a food source for the bullfrogs as well as to alleviate predatory pressure from the bullfrog by also serving as a food source for birds feeding on bullfrogs.
The reason for selecting to introduce the Southern Mouth Breeders and Straight Fin Barb are that these fish are indigenous and are also a threatened species in South Africa, due to the introduction of bass fish in South Africa by anglers utilising this fish for sport fishing.
The fish were obtained from Fisheries Hartebeest, South Africa’s leading breeders of indigenous fish species.
The two principal thrusts of SAHGCA’s conservation policy highlight the human-orientated elements of conservation, namely that conservation is the responsible, wise and sustainable use of renewable natural resources, and that SAHGCA’s conservation focus should be on indigenous fauna and flora.
Both thrusts clearly indicate human initiated and managed activities, focusing on the realistic conservation of our natural and wildlife heritage.
For more information about the branch, or to become a member, visit www.impalatak.co.za.
