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December 2005: The Minister of Environmental Affairs &
Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, is to invite local and
international scientists to debate a series of disputed
propositions regarding elephant management. “The
Minister recently heard presentations from a large number
of stakeholders. He was struck by the lack of consensus
regarding key questions related to elephant management.
It was disturbing that scientists appear intolerant of
each other’s views,” said JP Louw, Head of Communications
at the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
The Minister had therefore agreed
to set aside another day for a Scientific Round Table
early in 2006. Stakeholders would be consulted on the
development of a limited number of debating points for
consideration at the Round Table. They would also be asked
to identify respected elephant specialists who were prepared
to present their conclusions for peer review.
Louw said that questions to be addressed
included:
• Are there too many elephants?
• Are they causing damage to biodiversity?
• Is action needed to reduce populations?
• Which management options are most appropriate?
Scientists from SANParks, which had
already recommended to the Minister that elephant populations
should be reduced (see report at www.sanparks.org), would
participate in the Round Table: “Many commentators have
claimed that SANParks has little or no evidence to support
its recommendations. The relevant scientists have welcomed
an opportunity to respond.”
“It is clear that we will never have
enough information about biodiversity in general and elephants
in particular. The Round Table will therefore help us
identify lines of enquiry that need further attention
in the years ahead.”
Louw said that a policy framework,
the so-called Draft Norms & Standards, would be published
for public comment after the Round Table. |
