MBOMBELA – The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) condemned the opening of Mpumalanga’s first zoo, Pumbaa Wildlife Park, calling it a tragedy for wild animals.

In a recent statement, the NSCPA said it believes that commercial captive wildlife facilities are unnecessary.
“Since this zoo is situated less than an hour away from the Kruger National Park, its existence is illogical,” it said.

In response to this, attorney Mandla Macbeth Ncongwane, who represents the zoo and its owner, asked why the same point was not raised when uShaka Marine World (Aquarium) had been built less than 100 metres from the ocean.

“We are very disappointed at the manner in which the statement was issued,” Ncongwane said, calling the NSPCA’s statement reckless and a direct attack. “This statement comes as a surprise and a contradiction to earlier statements made by Nelspruit SPCA,” he said. Nelspruit SPCA previously told Lowvelder that many inspections had been carried out and it was satisfied in term of the animals’ welfare. “The SPCA, however, remains opposed to animals in captivity,” it said.

Ncongwane accused the NSPCA of “siding with the minority who are against the zoo” and said it had gotten onto the bandwagon with reckless organisations like Ban Animal Trading (BAT). “We would have understood if the animals were in a poor state.”
BAT has its claws out, and says it is fighting until all cages are empty. “We will do everything in our power to prevent this zoo from opening,” said the organisation’s Dr Smaragda Louw.

“For Ban Animal Trading, the zoo’s rehabilitation plans contribute nothing to conservation in the area, but the owners say they want to provide education opportunities at their facility, which will be ‘research-based’,” said Louw adding that the Kruger National Park offers so much more education than a zoo.

“Pumbaa has a variety of wildlife animal species that is not available in the Kruger National Park and secondly the Kruger is not accessible to the underprivileged who mostly rely on public transport. It remains dedicated to educational, experiential, academic research and public interest,” Ncongwane said.

Douglas Wolhuter, manager of the NSPCA’s Wildlife Protection Unit, said there is a plethora of welfare concerns surrounding zoos. “It is impossible to provide the five freedoms to wild animals in captivity. This results in behavioural, emotional and physical issues. Furthermore, there are welfare concerns entrenched in the trade of wild animals.

“Zoos around the country use the excuse that it is a necessary and valuable form of education. In reality, however, there is little to no educational value seeing wild animals caged in unnatural environments. It would be far more beneficial for children to observe the animals in their natural habitat or to watch documentaries of animals in the wild,” he said.

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“The Kruger National Park boasts the Big 5 and thousands of free-ranging wild animals living their lives naturally. It is nonsensical for tourists or locals to visit this zoo when the park is on their doorstep. We encourage the public to rather visit national parks as opposed to captive wildlife facilities. The value of a natural park is infinite in comparison to captive facilities, for both the viewer and the animals,” he said.

“The NSPCA will continue to undertake welfare inspections at this zoo and initiate the necessary action if and when it is required.”
BAT further feels that the owners, Hennie and Melanie Maritz, are pretending to have rescued the animals so it softens the real blow of setting up another zoo with caged animals. “Of course they bought them, from other breeding institutions, and they are just perpetuating the whole cycle of cruelty by keeping these businesses going,” Louw said and added that it just shows you that anyone with enough money, can open a zoo. “No cage can offer what the wild does.”

Lowvelder previously reported that the park boasts more than 100 animals. Soon to join the park are brown and black bears, a honey badger and bird species like marabou storks, vultures and blue cranes. More animals are in the pipeline, but Hennie would not divulge more information before all the permits are in place and the construction of the enclosures is done.

Lowvelder is still awaiting response regarding the National Prosecuting Authority’s update on the docket opened against Hennie. According to Kholofelo Nkambule, spokesperson for the MTPA, there is currently an investigation into the introduction of game on the farm without a permit, before the application was processed and finalised by the MTPA. The zoo is expected to open at the end of January. Hennie maintains that all permits are in order.