PIETER DE VILLIERS

QUALIFICATIONS

B.Sc (Agric) – University of the Orange Free State, RSA

B.Sc (Honn.) – University of Pretoria, RSA

MSc (Ecology) - University of the Orange Free State, RSA

PhD (Ecology) - University of the Orange Free State, RSA

Soil classification and farm management course at the Potchefstroom Agricultural College. RSA

Accredited with the Tourism Hospitality Education and Training Authority (THETA) of South Africa under the control of the South African Quality Authority as a trainer and assessor.

PRESENT OCCUPATION

Working independently as an environmental consultant in various fields. Some of the projects completed entail the following:

Ø Ecological impact of hunting on buffalo, elephant impala and lion in the Greater Kruger National Park

Monitoring system development

Development of population dynamic models

Determination of elephant, buffalo and lion trophy quotas

Impala hunting quotas

Predator/Prey interaction modelling

Ø Development of a citrus project – Letaba River RSA

Ø Projects in the mining industry

Pipelines for the mining industry

Mining prospecting EMP’s

Ø Elephant management programs on game farms

Ø Game farm planning and management

Ø Compiling and presenting a course in protected area management at the Southern Africa Wildlife College.

EXPERIENCE

Twenty five years experience in various parts of Southern Africa including:

Initiating conservation in Damaraland and Kaokoland in Namibia

Management and research in the Etosha National Park (Namibia):

Elephant management

General veldt management

Planning and Management of Provincial Nature Reserves (South Africa)

Planning and management of game farms in South Africa and Botswana

Cattle farm management

APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT

Holistic, which entails:

Analysing the ecological components, namely climate (rainfall and temperature), geology, physiography, soils and vegetation that enables one to decide on a farming option which would be in harmony with nature, this leads to success irrespective whether it is cattle, game, cash crops or horticulture farming.

My approach to game management in large areas is “hands off” as far as possible but maintaining an appropriate monitoring system which would indicate drastic changes and enable the manager to determine the causes of changes and apply appropriate correction actions.

FIELDS OF EXPERTISE

· Soil classification and determination of soil potential for various crops.

· Planning of game farming operations:

Analysing the ecological components

Deciding on the aim

Determination of objectives

Translating objectives into management actions

Monitoring to determine whether the objectives are obtained, this process can and should be used in any farming operation

Development of fodder flow programs for cattle farming

Determining of carrying capacity for game and cattle farms

Counts, trophy quotas and culling programs for game

Long term management planning

Grazing systems and fodder flow programs for cattle and game farming

· Computer literacy:

Financial feasibility studies

Fodder flow for cattle farms

Trophy quotas for game farms

Carrying capacity for game and cattle farms

Production potential and feasibility analysis for irrigation farming

· Agriculture

Planning of projects in any agricultural field, furthermore my practical and theoretical background enables me to bring these disciplines together in the planning and management of farming in a holistic way.

PUBLICATIONS:

International

* DE VILLIERS, P. A. & KOK, O.B. 1983. Distribution patterns of elephants (Loxodonta africana) in Namibia with special reference to the Etosha National Park. Madoqua, 13(4): 319:338.

* DE VILLIERS, P.A. & KOK, O.B. 1988. Etho-ecological aspects of elephants in the Etosha National Park. Madoqua, 15(4): 319:338.

* DE VILLIERS, P.A., MEISSNER, H.H. and KOK, O.B. 1991. method of sampling food consumption by free-ranging elephant. S. Afr. J. Wildl. Res. 21(1)

* MEISSNER H.H., SPREETH, E.B. and DE VILLIERS, P.A. 1990. Quality of food and voluntary intake by elephant and its implications for management. Proc. ivth Int. Rangl. Cong. Mont Pellier, France.

* DE VILLIERS, P.A., HERSELMAN, W. and KOK, O.B. 1992. A holistic approach to large game reserve management. Proc. 3rd Int. Wildl. Ranch. Symp. Pretoria.

P. A. DE VILLIERS and O.B.KOK. 1997. Home range, association and related aspects of elephants in the eastern Transvaal Lowveld. Afr. J. Ecol. Volume 35.

Departmental

I have more than 150 official reports to my credit covering a variety of aspects of wildlife management and game farm/reserve planning. Amongst others I have compiled complete management plans for game reserves and game farms in the Transvaal using geology, soils, vegetation structure and composition, animal habitat as well as qualitative and quantitative food requirements as basis. A paper on this subject was read at a Wildlife Symposium at the University of Pretoria.

PAPERS:

Have presented several papers at national and international conferences for example:

Electrified fencing for elephants and other large mammals. S.A. Wildlife Management Assoc. Symp. Pretoria, 1986.

Management planning for game reserves. S.A. Wildlife Management Assoc. Symp. Pretoria, 1986.