How to assist Cape of Good Hope SPCA saving affected wildlife from devastating fires
If you find injured wildlife, call our emergency line immediately: 083 326 1604.
CapeTalk's John Maytham (standing in for Lester Kiewit) speaks to Jaco Pieterse, Chief Inspector at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, about the impact the Table Mountain National Park fire has had on wildlife and pets.
Listen below:
Across a blackened, still-smoldering landscape of hundreds of hectares, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspectors are combing every bush, lifting every rock, scanning every patch of scorched ground for animals injured due to the recent raging fires.
Pieterse says, there are many wildlife species that have been affected by the fire.
Some "can't get away," others "have the skillset to escape".
"This devastating fire has not only affected people having to evacuate their homes but also our wildlife and as we speak, inspectors of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA are on the ground busy looking for animals that are misplaced and injured... and we're trying to render services to get these animals to safety and provide care for them."
- Jaco Pieterse, Chief Inspector - Cape of Good Hope SPCA
A pet dog named Holly was also separated from her family during the time of evacuation from Silvermine and is still missing.
"Our team is on the ground assisting the owners, looking for the dog named Holly but other than that the domestic animals are cared for by the owners and our main focus right now is the wildlife..."
- Jaco Pieterse, Chief Inspector - Cape of Good Hope SPCA
"Sadly, with global warming and with us encroaching on the wild habitat, things have changed over time and these fires that happened would not have most likely have happened 100 years ago or more as they do now. So, we're seeing more and more fires and more frequently which are killing more of our wildlife... so we have to step in, we have to help."
- Jaco Pieterse, Chief Inspector - Cape of Good Hope SPCA
If you'd like to assist...
The SPCA advises placing shallow dishes of water in your gardens (with stones inside for smaller animals to safely perch). It's a small act of kindness that can mean the difference between life and death for wildlife survivors desperate for a drink of water.
If you find injured wildlife, call our emergency line immediately: 083 326 1604.
Donate to help give surviving animals a second chance, here.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.