The Balule Game Reserve is the protected area in which we do most of the game drives; it is a private game reserve within the Greater Kruger Area. Prior to it becoming a game reserve, this area was livestock farmland, and barbed wire fencing was used to keep the wild animals from entering, especially predators, which would feed on the farmer’s cattle. Although all the fencing separating the private game reserves from the Kruger National Park were removed in 1993, fences still remain within this private game reserve. (To read more about the history of the Kruger National Park and the reserves that make up the Greater Kruger Area, see this Africa Geographic article.)

Part of African Impact’s Research and Conservation Program involves removing these remaining fences. Last Thursday morning, February 2nd, those participating in the Photography Program joined the Conservation Program volunteers and helped with the removal of the barbed wire and metal fence posts in addition to photographing the process for documentation purposes. Within just about three hours, a large section of barbed wire fencing was removed.

The process involved detaching the barbed wire from the fence posts and cutting the wire into sections, the wire was then measured and rolled up into coils for later disposal. After the wire was detached, the rebar fence posts were removed, either by attempting to lift them up completely off the ground or by breaking the metal below the ground level by moving the post back and forth until it snapped. The amount of wire removed is measured mainly so that the game reserve’s Reserve Management staff can be notified of how much wire was removed. Besides this being a great advantage to the game reserve and the wildlife that live and roam the area, African Impact also benefits by receiving a discount from the Reserve for the fees to utilize the land for game drives.

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