Rogge Cloof Conservation Blog Episode 3

One of the most important parts of Rogge Cloof, is our fence.  It provides protection for the animals inside the reserve and it provides a safety net for those whose livelihoods rests in the protection and proliferation of their stock on the adjacent farms.

The fence is a twofold game and electrical fence that is ‘Big 5’ certified.  Trust me when I say that, I have first hand (Left hand to be precise) knowledge of what it’s like to be ‘disciplined’ by that fence! 

Cade and I patrol the fence, in order to check the voltages and to find out where there are Porcupine/Jackal holes that need to be repaired.  These animals are intelligent and determined and with the erection of fences and the setting up of a new conservation area, there will be some animals whose traditional foraging routes have been interrupted.  In the short term, this is problematic, but in the long term, it will be highly beneficial to these animals to have an area protected from detrimental human influence (if only they understood English…or Afrikaans, so that we could explain that to them!)

So, we go out with rolls of fencing offcuts, metal stakes, binding wire and the occasional  ‘Groot Klip’, to ensure that the fence is impenetrable.  Although we do not currently have any large predators like brown hyena or cheetah, one day we may and in order to ensure the safety of all - livestock, farmers, and our wild animals - it’s important that the fence is 100%.  We’re on it and trust me when I say: fence-work is continuous…