The release (Part III of III)
one open panel, let the springbok decide
08:30am, Monday 13 July
A week after the truck arrived, we opened the boma. Not all of it—just a 20m panel facing the Plains, towards the ground dam and the area where a resident group of springbok already spend time.
dominant ram juvenile ewe young adult ewe
Then we waited. A few minutes later, the first ram pronked across the line where the sail had been. Ten animals followed: a ewe, her lamb, and a small group suddenly back in the veld.
The others stayed in the boma. For several nights, some of the released springbok returned to eat, drink and socialise with the rest of the band. By morning, they were back in the veld.
Forty-eight hours later, the remaining animals left too.
A soft landing
Even after we dismantled the boma, that pattern continued. Which was precisely the point: a soft landing, not a permanent address.
At first, the herd split. The explorers chose the Plains and the ground dam, alongside the resident ram. Others headed south, towards richer vegetation. Both groups stayed within 600–700m of the release site. Not bad for their first week in a new neighbourhood.
the 10 explorers decide where to settle
The groups have since come together again. We are now seeing more than 30 springbok, including five lambs. On camera and in the veld, sightings are becoming reassuringly regular. That does not mean we declare victory and order 1,000 more. Springbok are migratory, social and independently minded. Summer will test water, vegetation and the herd’s view of local real estate. If they choose to scout elsewhere, they will go—with natural elegance and no forwarding address.
Rewilding with four legs (but not only)
At Löwen River, restoration will continue with the ground beneath our boots: soil→water→vegetation→fauna→climate interactions
The sequence matters.
We do not place animals onto degraded land and call it rewilding. Irrespective of how exhilarating (one of the strongest emotions in someone’s life: the ‘birth’ to 24 individuals and grandchildren in a matter of days). So the return of springbok follows work already under way:
no more pressure from livestock
opening up movement by removing internal fences
slowing erosion with gabions and bush-packing
capturing water with bunds and ground dams
propagating endemic vegetation, and
monitoring what returns naturally when the land is given some breathing room
So the herd is not a miracle cure in beige and white. It is an important part of the cast.
Rewilding is romantic right up until someone needs to fix a pipe, remove a fence. Starting with a small social group allows us to learn. We will track the springbok’s condition, movement, use of habitat, and interaction with the recovering vegetation. We will also keep asking the more important question: is the land benefiting?
That requires humility. Good rainfall can create a flush of forage; it does not guarantee that the next season will be equally generous (especially with El Niño, or whoever will come next). The Nama Karoo operates on cycles, not quarterly guidance. Our actions therefore need to respond to rainfall, veld condition, and the animals themselves.
But this year, 24 springbok stepped onto Löwen River. The land is greener. The system is a little more complete. And the next chapter is under way. Come and see it live.
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