50|50 Episode 36 Season 8: 10 December 2017

Hippo relocation: how to move a giant

With huge tusks and a grumpy temperament hippos are widely known as one of Africa’s most dangerous mammals. Yet in many places they need to be captured for conservation management purposes, but how can this be done safely for people and the hippo? We explore the techniques that vets and other game capture professionals must employ and the obstacles they must overcome to get a hippo from A to B.

Powerlines: a death trap for birds

Most powerlines built before the 1990s were not subject to environmental impact assessments and the structures were not designed to be bird friendly. Despite mitigation efforts over the years, there are still thousands of kilometres of power lines across South Africa which are extremely dangerous to birds. With the increasing demand for energy in both South Africa and across the continent, it is essential to proactively address the threats powerlines pose to large birds to ensure our biodiversity is protected into the future. Hermien takes a closer look at how this is being done.

Wonderwêreld: caracal

The signature feature of a caracal is its attractive tufted black ears, if you’re lucky enough to spot one of these illusive cats. Like everything in nature, these have a purpose beyond their aesthetic qualities. Able to make enormous leaps into the air to catch prey, these magnificent cats leap onto our screens in Wonderwêreld.

VeldFokus:

Being at the right place at the right time pays off in this week’s VeldFokus, with great animal behaviour captured as a result. A lilac breasted roller flashed its pretty feathers for the camera, a cobra’s lightning strike makes for impressive footage, while a young giraffe probably wishes it wasn’t being photographed in a moment of clumsiness.