The Endangered Oribi
Category Environmental News
There is a wide range of wildlife within and around Intaba Ridge Private Game Estate. The most unique is however the Oribi, which is why it is also the inspiration for the estate’s logo.
Oribi are a type of small antelope that occur in temperate grasslands, they are recognised as Endangered in South Africa and their numbers are declining. Oribi are found on their own, in pairs, or in small groups of one male with two or more females. Resting during the heat of the day, Oribi are most active in the morning, late afternoon and evening. When alarmed, they produce a shrill whistle. Often, they do not attempt to flee until an intruder is within a few meters, remaining motionless in the grass, relying on camouflage.
Oribi populations in many areas are threatened by human activities, such as:
• Habitat destruction - Grasslands are lost to expanding settlement, commercial forestry, intensive commercial farming, grassland degradation due to overstocking, poor use of fire, erosion and mining.
• Illegal hunting - Trapping with snares and hunting with dogs are serious threats, and has led to the demise of many oribi populations in South Africa.
• Inappropriate management - In many areas where oribi are present, farm management practices (impenetrable fences, poor burning practices, poor veld management, domestic dogs) do not allow oribi to coexist. Sport hunting of oribi at unsustainable levels also threaten their survival.
We are extremely proud of our small but growing population of Oribi at Intaba Ridge. We even considered them when we recently designed the additional fence-line upgrade in order to provide a double electrified perimeter fence. This design, ensures that the perimeter fence is able to keep out poaching dogs and jackal, whilst protecting the Oribi on the inside.
Author: Intaba Ridge