SKUKUZA – SANParks once again warned individuals against flying unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones in the Kruger National Park (KNP)  after an incident on the weekend when a group of four visitors, according to an eyewitness, “terrorised” zebras by flying a ducking-and-diving drone over the animals’ heads.

When a Pretoria visitor stopped on the Afsaal Road on Sunday morning to see what the driver of a luxury car with a Mozambican registration number was intensely looking at, he found that the three men and a woman were amused by the drone they were flying over a herd of about 40 zebras close by.

He remarked to Lowvelder that he was outraged as he abhors “people who treat the Kruger like a game park where they can come to test their newest toys. I am tired of people teasing and threatening animals with their behaviour”.

The man stopped his own car and through the window told the drone operator that his behaviour was unacceptable.

“I asked him if he knew that he isn’t allowed to fly a drone in the Kruger and he pleaded innocence. I referred him to the conditions on his permit that he got at the gate which specifies that you are not allowed to disturb the animals in any way and pointed out to him that he is not allowed to fly a drone.”

The operator tried to intimidate him by spinning his wheels on the tarmac when he took some photographs of the car.

The man went to the Afsaal to report the incident. “This was unacceptable to me. I decided not to merely drive by.”

He informed an honorary ranger about the incident. The ranger advised him to report it at Malelane Gate as an honorary ranger he did not have the authority to arrest the culprits.

At that stage the drone operators arrived at the picnic spot and reacted with aggression to the Pretoria visitor and the ranger. “He was swearing away at us and became very abusive.”

The man decided to rather leave than to endure the obvious aggression towards him. The incident was reported at 11:40 to a ranger at Malelane Gate.

“I gave him the registration number and a detailed report of what had happened. I thought the culprit might use this gate and be caught out.”

Mr William Mabasa, acting head of communications of SANParks, said the incident was reported at Malelane Gate, but the culprits never arrived at that gate.

“Unfortunately they were day visitors driving a Mozambican registered vehicle. We have the registration number in our possession,” Mabasa explained.

The flying of drones is illegal in national parks as they are legislated protected ares with restricted airspace and therefore a no-fly zone for all unauthorised aircraft systems.

He explained that KNP has never had a policy on drones before.

“It is only now that there is a process to develop one. Currently the applicable legislation is NEMA Protected Areas Act which prohibits the flying of any machine at less than 2 000 metres above any national park.”

In the past the KNP often warned that trespassers with drones will be arrested on the spot and their equipment will be seized.

Visitors are advised to report any observations of guests using drones in the KNP to Skukuza Emergency Centre on 076-801-9679 or 013-735-0197 or alternatively to the nearest camp or gate.

* Also read: When drones can be useful