SKUKUZA – Wessa celebrated its 90th anniversary over the weekend. During its annual general meeting, the wildlife organisation handed out various achievement awards and hosted a range of speakers.

The celebrations were hosted by Wessa Lowveld under the leadership of chairman, Mr Richard Pott. The theme was “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”.

In celebration of 90 years of caring for the earth, 90 living individuals’ contributions to conservation were acknowledged. The chairman’s 90th celebration medal was presented to Mr John Green for his extensive contribution to Wessa.

As it is also the 90th anniversary of the Kruger National Park (KNP), representatives of SANParks attended the meeting and confirmed that the rich history of both these organisations should be honoured by a recommitment to cooperation.

Wessa was born out of the Transvaal Game Protection Society (TGPS) which was a conservation pioneer in the early 20th century.

The TGPS took the lead in amalgamating the two reserves of Sabie and Shingwedzi, to form the early basis of the KNP. The organisation was also instrumental in the establishment of SANParks when the National Parks Act was promulgated in 1926. Wessa had a seat on this board.

“There is a huge opportunity for these two conservation organisation to take hands again,” Green, a former chairman, said.

He foresaw that, especially in environmental education, working together again can benefit conservation in South Africa.

“We should not be taking conservation back to the classroom, but should rather take children to conservation areas,” emphasised Green.

Mr Nic Funda, KNP chief ranger, said during his speech on anti-poaching activities in the park, that it was a good idea for Wessa to celebrate this occasion in the Kruger.

“I hope that we will also be able to celebrate our centenary celebrations together.”

Funda stated that a global strategy is needed because of the involvement of international syndicates in poaching. It is expected that 2016 might be the year of positive turnaround, conserning the number of rhinos poached.

A new worrying trend of elephants being poached in the northern areas of the KNP is being observed by his unit. To date, 39 elephants have been poached this year.

In 2015, 22 elephants were poached.

“This is where Wessa can play an important role,” he said.

“As a conservation NPO you have a commendable international reputation. An alliance between ourselves and Wessa can be of strategic benefit.”

Wessa is an appointed Unesco partner.

Mr Chris Galliers, head of the Wessa rhino initiative, said that even though the organisation is not a species-specific conservation body, the fund-raising and advocacy done in the past few years in saving rhinos have taught all involved important lessons.

Education remains an important arm thereof.

“To tackle this problem we must become as creative as poachers, with an increased focus on using technology and drawing communities closer,” said Galliers.

Pott shared an anecdote of first ranger of the KNP, Mr Harry Wolhuter, and his epic battle with a lion in 1903.

He showed in detail how credit for his survival had to be attributed to divine intervention, his boerbull and his faithful companions. “It wasn’t a case of good luck but of God luck,” said Pott.