Bushmad wrote:
You say that this happens, depending on the severity of the situation, a "friendly letter" is not always the right action to take. If someone is photgraphed stealing tortoises or behaving very badly then fines and bans should be on the cards.
Hi Bushmad
Sorry. My sense of humour got the better of me on this one. The "friendly letter" was indeed a fine. (That will teach me to be clear and explicit on the forum!).
But, many are not followed up with the "friendly letter" because in some photographs you cannot see details clearly and - although well meant - the visitor often doesn't supply the correct or complete information. This is why it is vital for the complainant to approach the law enforcement official in person, so that all these details can be included. It is also vital that people do go forward with the charges and act as witnesses too. Even although our rangers do regular patrols and the security staff are often seen on the roads (they drive Condors with blue lights on the roof), we can't be everywhere at once!
You raise another good point. There is nothing worse than - while trying to enjoy your holiday - you have to play "policeman". There is also another point to ponder here - would you feel welcome in a place where there are notices/signs all over the place that say "Don't do this" , "Don't do that" etc?
I reckon (again not necessarily the opinion of the organisation) the following: There are indeed (basically) two types of people who come to the KNP. Those who have visited for years, knowing and respecting the rules, and who enjoy the KNP for what it is (like you and Penny and others say in previous posts). Then there are the "new" visitors who might not necessarily know or understand the old "traditions" of the KNP, but who are keen to experience the national park (which, by the way, belongs to ALL South Africans). I would sincerely welcome any initiative taken by groups of the former (possibly Honorary Rangers???) to try and educate the latter. Now here is a challenge - if you see a family or group of the latter who are perhaps battling with the whole idea of "KNP Culture", perhaps go up to them and tell them of your good, positive experiences and why you come to the Kruger? That way, the "culture" is passed on. After all, how was it passed on in previous generations?
Speaking of the exceptions to the former group not breaking the rules: One of the Mugs of the Month in Getaway edition of August 2004 wrote a letter in his defence, stating that he had come to Kruger for the last 20/30/40 years (I hear that statement so often, its all a bit of a blur) and had always followed the rules. According to him, he was out of his vehicle because he says he saw a baby elephant slipping down an embankment and wanted to make sure the elephant was ok. Baby elephants - which although they might be young, are pretty resilient - have been slipping down embankments for thousands of years and the species has survived!
Kind regards
KNP Spokesman
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