Although faced with stumbling blocks such as permit and policy issues, the Owl Orphanage in Velddrif is not letting these get them down, and is still operating.
Despite not being permitted to take in any birds from officially-designated animal sanctuaries, such as the various SPCA branches in Cape Town, the orphanage’s mission to save bird life is ongoing, its founder, Jacques Nel, said.
Owing to new policies made by CapeNature, the Owl Orphanage has been fighting a never-ending battle to get the permits needed to continue its work.
Operating since 2018, the Owl Orphanage has rehabilitated many birds of prey and blue cranes. Nel said the policies affecting it concern his not being a master falconer. This prevents him from “lawfully” rehabilitating birds of prey.
“This has never been a problem before, and we have received lots of input from experts and have spoken to many stakeholders throughout the country who have agreed that one doesn’t have to be a master falconer to rehabilitate birds of prey successfully.
Nel said the Owl Orphanage was advised by CapeNature to apply for an exemption to the policies, which it did through its attorneys, but to date no action has been taken after much correspondence. “We received an email from the SPCA notifying us that, because our permit renewal is overdue, it can unfortunately not bring us any more patients. This is understandable, since its hands are also tied with red tape.
“Our environment is in huge trouble. The number of birds has dropped, on average, to between 40% and 60% over the past few years, depending on the species.
“Birds of prey and blue cranes are in huge trouble. We try our best 24/7 to help keep the numbers up by doing what we have been doing for years. Every bird that dies because of red tape or the lack of an updated permit is one bird too many. But it is in the hands of CapeNature. We don’t know what to do or say anymore.”
Responding to an enquiry from Weslander concerning the exemption, CapeNature spokesperson Petro van Rhyn said the evaluation process for the orphanage was extended as its species scope had changed since its inception and therefore a new management plan had to be evaluated.
Procedure to be followed
“The assessment of a permit application is not a transactional process; it is a regulated and considered procedure in which Cape Nature must apply its mind to the merits of each application. CapeNature has to ensure that any proposed activity, particularly one involving the rehabilitation of wildlife, aligns with relevant legislation, conservation principles and best practices.”
Nel also felt there had been a lack of communication with rehab centres to find solutions to respond to the new policies.
Van Rhyn said CapeNature can confirm that a comprehensive public-participation process was conducted before the finalisation and implementation of the Cape Nature Raptor Policy on 2 November 2023.
Stakeholders and interested parties, international, national, provincial and local, were given an opportunity to comment on the draft policy.
“CapeNature remains committed to transparent and inclusive policy development against the backdrop of our overarching responsibility for biodiversity conservation and regulation in the Western Cape,” Van Rhyn said.
Aletta Kleynhans, a resident of St Helena Bay and a nature and animal lover, said the Owl Orphanage has played a big role on the West Coast. “It has enough space, knowledge and skill to take care of these birds of prey. Without it the animals are the ones that will suffer. We need to think of the future protection of our animals.”
Nel hopes the issues surrounding the permits will be resolved soon.
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