50|50 Episode 15 Season 8: 16 July 2017
Doodsbenoud: Black rhino
The Hluhulwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is well known for its healthy rhino populations, both white and black, and for its attraction as a walking safari destination. But one family, casually enjoying birthday celebrations in the bush, had no idea these two compelling features of the place they were visiting, would collide in such a terrifying way.
A new threat to SA animals: Donkey poaching
The donkey is indigenous to Africa and is basically the domesticated version of the wild ass from the northern reaches of our continent. The history of how and why the donkey spread across Africa is not well documented but what is apparent, is that Africans have had a long-standing relationship with these incredible animals. At the beginning of the year, a new form of poaching blasted into the headlines and horrific reports of large numbers of donkey’s being inhumanely slaughtered met the public’s ears. Somewhat of a variation from the rampant wildlife trafficking or rhino poaching in SA, the stories were no less gruesome and shocking in the brutality of the animal cruelty demonstrated by the culprits. The unexpected demand for donkey hides to supply Asian markets and the brutal manner in which the demand is satisfied certainly gives new significance to the term “beasts of burden”.
Wonderwêreld: Banded mongoose
Banded mongoose are a social species of mongoose that live in troupes of up to 30 very chatty individuals. The incessant chattering is essential to help the group stay together while they are excavating in the undergrowth for insects and other tasty morsels. It’s a busy schedule for these small predators. In this week’s instalment of Wonderwêreld we sit back and enjoy “a day in the life of” one adorable little family in Botswana’s famous Okavango Swamps.
VeldFokus:
This week’s VeldFokus is a whirlwind of activity! Two of the planets avian heavy-weights go head to head for title of top bird, a Mongoose dances a dangerous dance around a deadly adversary, while insects hit our screens like a tornado… quite literally.
