NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



species. However, this splendid ox-like animal is 

 in no present danger of extinction in South Africa 

 owing to Government protection, and the time will 

 no doubt come when serious efforts will be made 

 to domesticate it as a food and draught animal. 



In various parts of Africa north of the Zambesi, 

 where the white hunter rarely penetrates, the 

 African Buffalo exists at the present time in great 

 herds. 



The few Individuals which the Rinderpest spared 

 in South Africa have increased considerably in 

 numbers, and in the Cape Province there should be 

 at least a couple of thousand. When unmolested 

 these animals breed as rapidly as domestic cattle. 



From the sentimental and aesthetic standpoints, 

 it is highly desirable to make every effort to preserve 

 our native wild animals from extinction, but it is 

 not always desirable from an economic point of 

 view. We know that plagues which affect our 

 domestic animals, and even our own species, may be 

 spread through the mediumship of wild animals. 

 For instance, we know the part the tick and the 

 blood-sucking fly play in the transmission of stock and 

 even human diseases. In order to check the spread 

 of tick-borne diseases we have been obliged to dip our 

 stock at regular intervals in special dipping-tanks 

 to kill the ticks with which they become infested. 

 In addition, we are careful to control the movements 

 of our stock by means of fences and Government 

 regulations. Now, the African Buffalo, for instance, 



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