The Life and Threats of the Kaapsehoop Wild Horses
The environment of the Kaapsehoop escarpment is a healthy and good one for the horses with sufficient grazing and water throughout the year.
There are however threats to their peaceful existence, and although tick-borne diseases and African horse sickness take their toll, the majority of threats flow from the hand of man:
The open cast gold mining has not only left its impact on the environment, but moreover remains a danger to the herds, as horses are still found from time to time, having fallen into these open pits.
The tar road that was built in the mid 1980’s has probably had the biggest impact on the safety of the horses as it crosses right through the centre of their natural habitat. In spite of clear road signs and warnings, many horses are involved in car accidents.
Snaring as well as the odd poaching and traditional medicine related killings, further jeopardise the peaceful existence of these free roaming creatures.
Our Responsibility?
Snare wounds and other injuries need treatment and at times this includes the darting of these animals, a costly affair. Orphans are often found left alone, either having lost their mothers to fatal causes e.g. road accidents, predators and snares, or being caught up between stallion and mares in the mating rituals. Often the mares are still very young themselves when foaling and thus inexperienced and are driven off by stallions leaving the foals behind. This usually happens when a foal is merely a week or two old and has hardly any chance of survival. For them to have any hope to survive, man needs to intervene, however this means hand-rearing these foals which is not only a costly exercise but also involves valuable time.
Man brought them here, what more can we do to but give them their place in the sun and the care they so deserve.
Man brought them here, what more can we do to but give them their place in the sun and the care they so deserve.
Kaapschehoop Conservancy:
Save our wild horses initiative
As there is no official body taking care of the horses in case of injury, orphaned foals, etc, individual caring hearts generously give their time and often from their own pockets too.
Kaasche Hoop village is formally registered as a Conservancy with a formally voted Management Committee. The Kaapsche Hoop Conservancy: Save our wild horses initiative is a project that the committee manages in conjunction with the Wild Horses sub-committee. All finances will form part of the Conservancy’s bank account and annual audited financial statements and will be available for viewing at any time. Read the report here
Should you wish to contribute to this initiative, payments can be made to:
Kaapschehoop Conservancy
Absa Bank
Savings Account: 912 061 9813
Branch Code: 632 005
Reference: Save our horses
Absa Bank
Savings Account: 912 061 9813
Branch Code: 632 005
Reference: Save our horses
Please send an email confirmation of payment to kaapschehoopvillage@gmail.com
WHAT BENEFITS DO WE ALL GET BY SAVING THE WILD HORSES?
You will help save these wild horses that has been part of the rich history of the area over the last 140 years.
You will help sustain the main tourism attraction (wild horses) in the area, contributing to the filling of guest houses, restaurants, and tourism activities in Kaapsche Hoop and surrounding areas, sustaining a multitude of servicing jobs (in a country where job shedding has reached dire levels).
You will support conserving not just the wild horses, but also other indigenous animals (mountain reed buck, civets, servals, dassies, duikers, etc etc) in the surrounding areas and nature reserve. Not only the horses are being poached...
