Invest wisely to weather wildlife industry storms

The local wildlife ranching industry has had its share of ups and downs over the past few years, and drought, a boom-bust cycle and COVID-19 have seen many farmers exit the sector. Lindi Botha spoke to Limpopo rancher Jaco Sullivan about the resilience and sound business decisions that have kept his family in the game.

- Jaco Sullivan

FAST FACTS

The South African wildlife industry has taken several knocks in recent years, which has forced many farmers to exit the sector.

Jaco Sullivan, manager of Bongela Private Game Lodge, says staying in business has required carefully considered financial decisions.

Hunting is growing in popularity and remains a healthy industry.

The game industry made headlines in the mid-2010s as prices for animals skyrocketed off the back of colour variants like the black impala and golden wildebeest. Buffalo prices followed suit, and paying over R100 million for an animal was not uncommon in 2016.

However, as many predicted, the bubble inevitably burst, leaving countless long-time game farmers in the pinch. This situation was exacerbated by the ensuing drought, followed by COVID-19, which led to the shutting down of hunting activities for most of 2020. Suffice to say, game farmers have been stretched to their limits.

Nevertheless, for the Sullivan family, owners of Bongela Private Game Lodge in Vaalwater, Limpopo, wildlife ranching still holds much promise. The lodge derives 70% of its income from hunting activities, and also offers bush getaways for families. What started as a weekend destination for the Sullivans in 2012 soon morphed into a business, as the family realised the value in sharing the property. Timing, however, was not on their side, and they have had to weather the sector’s storms over the years.

“We entered the industry just too late in the boom period to actually benefit [from it],” explains Jaco Sullivan, manager of Bongela. “We bought animals when prices were high, and then the market fell. We definitely suffered a financial loss, but fortunately we bought conservatively, so we could manage the impact.