Lions in the park?!
Scroll down to see highlights from Pedro Vaz Pinto’s Giant Sable 2013 Capture Operation report.
Veterinarian Pete Morkel and Pedro setting a collar.
The main objectives of the 2013 operation “for Luando Reserve, were to place as many new tracking collars as possible; track down known herds and animals collared in previous years while trying to find new groups; and very importantly, to get fresh information on the population trends, poaching activities and other threats.”
“… a huge black-mane lion came out of nowhere, jumping from under the grass to the back of the female and quickly knocked her to the ground! We could not believe our eyes! There was a lion in Luando, and it had attacked a sable right underneath the chopper!!!”
“Lowering the chopper and blowing the siren we managed to chase him away! “
“But as dramatic as this scene was, the lion is not our biggest concern. The main predator in Luando walks on two legs, and during the operation we were confronted with new evidence on a daily basis.”
“In previous occasions we found most of the snares to be made of nylon and the minority made of cable, but this time the vast majority of 60 snares collected, were made of steel cable, therefore much more lethal.”
“Two darted females had horrible injuries in the form of amputated legs. This was a shocking find, and the poor female never had a calf and is lost for breeding. In addition two of the bulls found were limping, and after being darted and inspected, they revealed serious injuries on their right hind legs, also clearly caused by snare traps. In total, a staggering rate of 20% of all darted animals (males and females) had serious snare injuries. Considering that this might be the tip of the iceberg, representing just the ones that survived, we can have a good idea on the magnitude of this problem. Surely this level of poaching pressure translates into completely unsustainable harvesting. As far as we could tell, some poaching originated in the local villages. But the more organized and most worrying type of poaching, targeting the larger antelopes such as sable, seems to be fueled by a constant demand for meat to supply the diamond outfits established along the Kwanza River.”
Sendi making an educational presentation for public schools in Cangandala.
Visit our Giant Sable page to read biologist Pedro Vaz Pinto’s 2013 Capture Operation Report with photos from Angola’s Cangandala Park and Luando Special Reserve, in English and Portuguese.
Angola Field Group 
October 15, 2013 at 5:07 am
It is a wonderfully mature pair of horns one sees in the photo. It is heart warming to see wildlife growing again in Africa..
It is regrettable that so many animals are being the victims of snares. Protection of wildlife must be as important a subject at schools as any other discipline. Adult education is equally important and sensitivity to it by governance would be highly commendable.
November 6, 2013 at 4:20 pm
Is the time not now to capture as many of the giant sable at risk in Luando Reserve and transfer these to Cangandala instead?
November 7, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Hi Jelle,
Tks for your post and question regarding the giant sable conservation strategy.
You have raised a valid point, and there is no easy or definitive answer.
At this point in time I believe that the best solution, more cost effective, with more guarantees of success, and politically and socially more acceptable, is developing an in-situ conservation strategy, managing simultaneously both populations in Cangandala and Luando.
Translocating a significant part of Luando sable population to Cangandala, would be a task of gigantic porportions, very costly and difficult to execute. As collateral, it would then doom the remaining Luando sables (the ones we wouldn’t be able to catch) to almost certain quick extinction. In addition Cangandala is not prepared to receive 30-40 new sable, and that would demand serious management requirements to be put in place.
It should be relatively easier to bring poaching under control in Luando, at least in the more sensitive areas. I believe this is possible and it is my focus at the moment.
Also bear in mind that Luando is a much more exhuberant reserve, with huge areas of prime habitat, and if not for the poaching conditions are much better for a healthy sable population than Cangandala.
In short, I believe that it should be possible to bring down poaching significantly in the short term, and to use Luando population to translocate few animals to Cangandala only every few years or so, just to boost the genetic diversity and avoid increase of inbreeding.
Having said this, this is what I believe at the moment but if, unlike what I expect, conditions deteriorate further in Luando, then I might reconsider and agree with your suggestion.
Finally keep in mind that my opinions and recomendations are one thing, but in the end it will be the Government to decide what to do.
Best wishes,
Pedro