And how is it with the game of that day?

The true Burchell’s zebra is now regarded as extinct!  In Cape Colony and Natal, that once teemed with big game in the old-fashioned African way, they are counting the individual wild animals that remain!  Also, they are making game preserves, literally everywhere.

Now that the best remaining game districts of Africa are rapidly coming under British control, it is a satisfaction to observe that the governing bodies and executive officers are alive to the necessity of preserving the big game from actual extinction.  Excepting German East Africa, from Uganda to Cape Colony the game preserves form an almost continuous chain.  It is quite impossible to enumerate all of them; but the two in British East Africa are of enormous size, and are well stocked with game.  South Africa contains a great many smaller preserves and a few specimen herds of big game, but that is about all.  Except in a few localities the hunting of big game in that region is done forever.

The Western Districts Game and Trout Protective Association of South Africa recently, (1911), has made careful counts and estimates of the number of individual game animals remaining in Cape Colony, with the following result: 

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BIG GAME IN THE CAPE PROVINCE

From information kindly placed at the disposal of the Association by the Government, it was found that the following varieties of big game are still found in the Province.  The numbers, however, are only approximate: 

Blesbok:  About 400 in Steynsburg, and 35 in Queen’s Town divisions.

Bontebok:  About 30 in Bredasdorp and 45 in Swellendam divisions.

Buffalo:  About 340 in Uitenhage, 120 in Alexandria, and 75 in Bathurst divisions.

Elephants:  About 130 in Alexandria, 160 in Uitenhage, 40 in Bathurst, and 20 in Knysna divisions.

Gemsbok:  About 2,450 in Namaqualand, 4,500 in Vryburg, 4,000 in Gordonia, and 670 in the Kenhardt, Mafeking and Barkly West divisions.

Koodoo:  About 10,000, found chiefly in the divisions of Albany, Barkly West, Fort Beaufort, Hay, Herbert, Jansenville, Kuruman, Ladismith, Mafeking, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Riversdale, Steytlerville, Uitenhage, Victoria East and Vryburg.

Oribi:  About 120, in the divisions of Albany and Alexandria.

Rietbok:  About 170, in the Komgha division.

Zebra:  About 560, most of which are to be found in the divisions of Cradock, George and Oudtshoorn.  A few are to be found in the divisions of Uniondale and Uitenhage.

Springbok:  Being migratory, it is difficult to estimate their number.  In some years they are compelled by drought to invade the Province in large numbers.  They are then seen as far south as Calvinia and Fraserburg.  Large numbers are, however, fenced in on private estates in various parts of the Province.