Nagana, big-game drives and the Zululand game reserves (1890s - 1950s)

Abstract

• Opsomming: Die wêreldberoemde Zoeloelandse wildtuine Hluhluwe en Umfolozi word as twee van die gewildste in hul soort gereken. Tog is pogings om hulle te vestig en te beskerm ernstig geknou deur die veesiekte nagana en daar mee gepaard gaande dryfjagte op grootwild as voorsorg- en bestrydingsmaatreël teen die tsetsevlieg. Daar is geglo dat van die wildsoorte draers van die naganaparasiet was en dat die wildparke dus as voedselbron en broeiplek vir die tsetsevlieg gedien het. Gevolglik moes bewaringsgesindes onophoudelik wal gooi teen diegene wat 'n einde aan Zoeloeland se wild tuine wou maak. Metodes soos wildheinings, ontbossing en vangtoestelle om die tsetsevlieg uit te roei, het net so min resultate as die dryfjagte op grootwild opgelewer. Eers toe chemiese spuitstof in die jare veertig met sukses aangewend is, is die voortbestaan van Hluhluwe en Umfolozi verseker.

• Summary: Zululand's world-renowned Hluhluwe and Umfolozi game reserves are today two of the most popular of their kind. But in the effort to establish and keep them, the cattle disease nagana and the accompanying use of big-game drives as a preventative measure to combat the tsetse fly proved to be a serious problem. The game reserves were blamed for harbouring game which carried the nagana parasite, and were therefore regarded as a food source and infection pool for the tsetsefly. Conservationists therefore had to struggle continually to protect the existence of Zululand's game reserves in the face of several demands for their abolition. Other methods used to eradicate the tsetse fly such as fencing, bush clearing and fly traps proved as ineffective as big-game drives. It was only the successful use of chemical spraying in the 1940s which ensured the future of Hluhluwe and Umfolozi.