Hunting hounds hit Vryheid Hill
THE quiet tranquility of Mother Nature on Vryheid Hill is fragmented by the shrill and piercing sound of dogs barking in the distance.
THE quiet tranquility of Mother Nature on Vryheid Hill is fragmented by the shrill and piercing sound of dogs barking in the distance.
These are no ordinary dogs. These are hunting dogs, trained for poaching. Man’s best friend is being used to help local poachers hunt small game, despite the fact that it is illegal.
Cornel McDermott visited the nature reserve on Sunday and reported the presence of the hunting dogs, which could be heard in the distance. He noticed that there was a disturbing lack of wildlife in the area at the time, aside from the canines being utilised for the hunt.
“We have been going there for quite a while,” stated McDermott. “We’ve noticed much less wildlife in the area,” he added. “Dit raak net al hoe minder en minder elke keer.”
While unconfirmed, it is believed that the poachers who own these dogs are more than likely gaining access to the grounds from the direction of the dumpsite and hunting with their packs of dogs with the aim of catching buck and small game for meat and sustenance.
Some of the animals occurring in the 900ha reserve include eland, zebra, impala, blesbok, mountain and common reedbuck, bushbuck and oribi, but if the current trend of illegal hunting continues, the number of animals could come under threat.
Photo by Cornel McDermott.
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