13 Jan 2016

Botswana’s second president, Sir Ketumile Masire, who is also a renowned farmer and game rancher, is reeling from the shock of losing 89 zebras that died over the past week at his game ranch near Sekoma in the Southern District.

During a press briefing at his official residence in Gaborone, Sir Ketumile said water scarcity at the ranch caused the herd to perish. He said since January 6 when the first group of zebras died, the number dying has been steadily climbing.

“I had about 300 herd of zebras in the ranch, a game farm about 15 kilometres from Sekoma where I also keep eland, gemsbok, hartebeest and wildebeest among other animals. 

A 23 kilometre pipeline that has been supplying the animal reservoir had burst some time ago, and with the lack of sufficient water sources and the current drought, the zebras eventually started perishing,” Sir Ketumile said.

He noted that it was a situation he had long realised was looming, and that he had realised that the zebras would most likely be the most affected of the animals.

“I reported this to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, who initially sent a team of inspectors to the ranch early last year.  I later contacted them about selling some of the zebras to them, but we could not agree terms.  They later offered P3 000 for every beast, which I was ready to accept, but the deal never went through,” Sir Ketumile said.

He noted that the country does not have a well-established game business, and that the standard price in South African ranches for a zebra is in the region of R6 000.  

Sir Ketumile said given the situation at hand, he had to compromise on the price.

“Unlike cattle farming where I am in full control of my herd and can easily sell to other farmers, wild animals are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks even if they are in a private ranch.  So I do not have the same authority I have with livestock. You have to go through the government department,” Sir Ketumile said.

He said he had worked with the department’s headquarters on the situation, and had misgivings over the time it took since he first contacted them over the situation. However, he still has high praise for the Mabutsane unit of the department, whom he described as “very sympathetic and helpful over the situation.”

The former president said he was duty bound to encourage other Batswana to go into wildlife ranching, but to also warn them about the challenges.

“It can be financially rewarding, in South Africa it has proved to be a very profitable business that also contributes to tourism, as some game ranches are equipped with chalets with tours organised for visitors. But in Botswana it is still very challenging. It was cumbersome hiring a company that caught the game in the northern part of the country, then the transportation to Sekoma in the south, and of cause the cost of keeping them, with water being scarce and underground water highly saline,” he said.

Sir Ketumile said that he would continue to keep zebras, but at a much reduced scale. Ends