KAROO NEWS - The annual Kirkwood Wildsfees game auction, in association with Nedbank and SANParks, is breaking new ground with hyena and prize buffalo, that have Kruger National Park genes, on sale. 

The Wildsfees will take place from Friday June 28 to Sunday June 30.

There will be 15 lots of buffalo from the Mokala National Park, which is near Kimberley in the Northern Cape.

“Certainly, the pick of the day is an exceptional 38″ cow with a bull calf at foot,” said auction convener Johan Swart.

“There is also a magnificent bull with a 46″ horn span and a 32″ cow with a bull calf at foot that will be sold with a 1½ -year-old heifer as a parcel.

The buffalo, which are known for their large horn sizes, have been bred outside of Kruger by SANParks, and have been certified disease-free.

There will also be five disease-free buffalo bulls from Addo on auction. Their horn size ranges from 33″ to 39 ½″.

A clan of five hyenas from Addo has also caught the attention of lodge owners across the country, according to Swart.

Addo Elephant National Park Manager, Nick de Goede, said the decision to make hyena available this year is because the park is reaching its threshold of potential concern and would like to be pro-active in reducing their numbers.

It is estimated that there are about 40 spotted hyenas in the main game viewing area of the park.

There will be a wide selection of other prime game on auction.

Buyers can view the game that will be on auction from noon on Thursday June 27 in the Mayogi bomas, which is situated on the R75 between the two Kirkwood turn-offs.

The Addo buffalo will be in the Addo bomas.

Game that will be in the boma includes kudu, blue wildebeest, eland and waterbuck bulls.

Sought-after catalogue game includes genetically certified Cape mountain zebra and top quality kudu, according to Swart.

There will also be breeding groups of gemsbok, blue wildebeest, springbok, impala, golden wildebeest and more.

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