Rhinos pull in the bucks
A price of R550 000 was paid for a female white rhino at the Boma Auction
Brandon Leer in action at the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Boma auction
AS an experiment to test the water, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) offered five lions for sale at their Boma Auction at the Centenary Centre in the iMfolozi Game Reserve on Monday.
Speaking to CEO Dr Bandile Mkhize after the auction, he said that a lion is a difficult animal to manage and many game farms and ranches do not have the required facilities to keep them.
EKZNW has a surplus of male lions in Tembe Elephant Park and they need to manage the genetics of their lions to prevent in-breeding.
Twelve lions are being removed from Tembe, of which five were offered for auction.
Only one buyer showed interest and after the R5 000 offer for each of the lions was not accepted, negotiations with the bidder after the auction set the price at R9 000 each.
While the sale of the lions were disappointing, the mood changed completely when the 20 white rhinos came under the hammer. The bidders did not hold back, pushing the prices up.
Five rhinos were sold for over R500 000 and two for more than R400 000.
A price of R550 000 was paid for a female white rhino, with another going for R540 000 and a third for R530 000.
The average price for white rhino was R362 000 compared to the previous highest average price of R252 973 in 2008.
Of the other animals which went under the hammer, the highest bid for a male nyala was R13 000 and a male hippo was knocked down for R26 000.
A family group of buffalo also fetched R26 000 per animal.
Total money raised for the 90 animals at the auction was R8.01-million.
TUESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER
THE ‘Boma Auction’ raised more than R8-million. As there was only one bidder on the lions, the parties negotiated a selling price of R9 000 each for the five lions.
The other seven lions which were to be auctioned, are being translocated to other reserves in the province.
This was the first time lions went under the hammer at an Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife auction.
MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2.30PM
TOP price was for a female white rhino, she was sold for R550 000. However the lion sales were disappointing, selling at R5 000 each. A negotiated price would be discussed after the auction.
MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 1pm
JOURNALIST Larry Bentley is at the ‘Boma Auction’ in the iMfolozi Game Reserve.
Excitement builds as buyers arrive at Centenary Centre where five lion, 20 white rhino, five hippo and 53 nyala, eight buffalo are among the game on sale.
Update to follow
THURSDAY 12 SEPTEMBER
FOR the first time in many years Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) will be offering lion as a catalogue item for its ‘Boma Auction’ being held on Monday at the Centenary Game Capture Centre in the iMfolozi Game Reserve (1pm).
Twelve male lions are being moved out of the Tembe Elephant Reserve to facilitate the introduction of a new male lion.
This will improve the gene pool of the Tembe lions.
Besides the lions, white rhino, nyala and buffalo will also come under the hammer, as the organisation reduces its number of surplus animals.
The animals can be viewed in the bomas at the Centenary Centre from 9am to noon on Monday.
Strict conditions apply to the sale of the rhino and potential buyers need to contact Rahman Devduth on 033 8451717, 082 8985306 or email rahman@kznwildlife.com for further details.
Catherine Hanekom and Jedd Bird fit a tracking collar onto lion in the Tembe Elephant Park as part of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s preparations for their game auction
Ezemvelo KZN is just a conduit for wildlife to be sold off to be shot by hunters. They are despicable
Will EZN make sure (and I mean REALLY) make sure that those allowed to bid for these lions will only be bona fide reserves and not reserves where hunting of any sort is allowed.
hmmm can we totally trust that these lion will not be bought for hunting or breeding for canned hunting?
Lion are critically endangered and should be protected with everything at our disposal.
Our National Parks have to start taking responsibility for the selling off or endangered species to hunters.
How do you know the lions will not be sold into the horrific Canned Lion Hunting industry?
This has SO much potential to go bad.
I am very stressed about it.
Kind regards,
Christine
Given the frightening demise of Africa’s lion population, not to mention rhino and elephants, I sincerely hope that these lions will not be sold to those who run the barbaric canned hunting industry. There will be a huge worldwide outcry if this is the case. Can your reporter follow this up and inform your readers accordingly?
Selling the horn, not the rhino..somebody knows something..
why are we auctioning off rhinos when we are trying so hard to save them ? doesnt make any sense !!