One of the major factors that motivated me and my husband, Ken Kuhle, to move to South Africa was the private ownership of wildlife. In Kenya the wildlife belongs to the government and as farmers or ranchers you have no control over them, for either conservation efforts or as an asset for ecotourism ventures.
We relocated from Kenya to South Africa in 2000. Ken is the founder of a charitable trust in Kenya, called the Rhino Ark. He committed more than 15 years to this trust, whose main ambition is to assist the government to arrest the conflict between wildlife and man in the densely populated Central Province, by erecting an electric fence.
The Aberdare Sanctuary is one of the last indigenous forests left in Kenya and the source of all the water for Nairobi. It is vital that this area is preserved, and at the same time the small subsistence farmers who border it must be offered protection from marauding elephants, buffalos and baboons who think nothing of demolishing a year’s crop in one night’s feast.
The trust has been a financial success thanks largely to an annual event called the Rhino Charge, which is supported by Kenyans who spend a weekend doing a hair-raising off-road orienteering event. This remains one of the biggest one-day fundraisers in Kenya, even after Ken’s move to South Africa.
It was this passion and commitment to the preservation and conservation of wildlife that created the embryo of what is now Milimani Game Sanctuary, situated on 10 000 acres near Mkuze in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
When we bought the land, we inherited two Bengal tigers that had been rescued from a bankrupt Egyptian circus travelling through Mozambique in 1996. The owner of the circus had apparently run out of cash and ‘dumped†them in Maputo.
It was quite a traumatic time for all the animals. The wife of a businessman alerted animal welfare groups to their plight and the tigers were brought to South Africa. At that stage there were two female tigers and a male, who was vasectomised.
The previous owner of our property brought the tigers to KwaZulu-Natal. In 1999 the females attacked the male and he did not survive the attack.
When we bought Milimani, we became the tigers’ custodians and, according to our contract, we are not allowed to move them or use them for breeding purposes. They are now 11 years old and live in a fenced-off area in the sanctuary. We have undertaken to protect them as best we can and want to let them live the rest of their lives as comfortably and quietly as possible.
These tigers were effectively the catalyst in our developing a project that now ensures orphaned and rehabilitated animals are given a second chance in the wild.
We approached the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) in Durban and offered sanctuary for animals that are healthy enough to be released. To date we have put more than 350 animals back into the wild.
Milimani was the first official release site for tortoises in South Africa, thanks to the persistent efforts of Crow chairperson Helena Fitchat to obtain a permit for their release. We have released at least 164 tortoises.
Other animals that have enjoyed their freedom include owls, fish eagles, black-breasted snake eagles, servals, caracals, genets, banded mongooses, bush pigs, porcupines, duikers and nyalas. And we dare not omit ‘Jasper the friendly gooseâ€, an Egyptian goose who has taken control of Milimani.
Many wild animals that are hand-raised present one with problems as they get older and their hormones start kicking in. One troop of mongooses we raised from a very young age took to feasting on fingers with their sharp teeth.
Two hand-raised servals remained around the lodge at Milimani for a short period after their release, but once they were confident assumed their role as wild cats. One of several genets we have released took up residence in the bar, peering down with disdain at anyone who ventured underneath him.
I have raised nine bush pigs and, despite their reputation for being vicious, have managed to ensure that six of them have been successfully integrated back into the wild. Sadly, three of them fell victim to the viciousness of their wild brethren.
Other members of the Milimani family include two hand-raised white rhinos, which were initially raised by Karen Trendler at Wildcare near Pretoria. Lahliwe, a young female, was born in the bomas at Umfolozi prior to the annual Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife auction in 2001. Her mother rejected her, hence the name Lahliwe, meaning ‘thrown away†in isiZulu. Grant, her companion, was rescued in the Sabi area after he was found fighting hyenas off his mother’s carcass – she was a victim of poachers.
More recently Milimani was asked to take care of three young Cape foxes confiscated by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife staff from people who were offering them for sale outside a trading store. The two-month-old pups have settled into Milimani and when they are old enough will be sent to a safe area for release.
We are often confronted with the emotional question of the difficulty of ‘letting goâ€. For us the decision is not a difficult one, as it is more traumatic to see an animal in a cage than to watch it embrace its freedom.
Milimani is dependent on tourism to maintain the work at the sanctuary. To date we have not approached fund-raising organisations to support our work, but as the project develops this may be necessary.
We offer tourism facilities in the form of an upmarket safari lodge and a wide range of activities, including walking safaris in one of South Africa’s most beautiful countrysides, bird-watching safaris, bass fishing and game drives.
Milimani embraces responsible tourism and recognises that it is vital to work with neighbouring communities. In July 2003 students from the United Kingdom came to Zululand to complete their Gold Award for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Together with staff from Milimani and the villagers of KwaDlakuse, they built a crèche for the village, which is now maintained by the Milimani Educational and Rehabilitation Trust.
Crèche children are fed twice a week, thanks to a generous donation of 825kg of mielie meal from Tiger Brands. Donations from guests and the Canterbury College in the UK sustain this project. In addition, the trust has funded 164 school fees for 2004, for orphans or students from impoverished families.
Milimani is not speckled with cages filled with animals. The essence of the project is to ensure that animals are put back into the wild.
People and animals have to learn to live together because of the destructive inclination of man’s intent on dominating. Milimani hopes that if compassion and understanding are shown to both parties, our small contribution will have some impact. — For more information, contact (034) 414 1094 or see www.milimani.com