Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-21

German Southwest Africa and the southern
bank of the Zambezi on the south. This
agreement did not include the British
colonies in South Africa, every one of
which today has its game laws, and some
animals that were almost exterminated are
now altogether protected against the gun.
All these British colonies nave close sea-
sons. The game laws are rlgidly enforced
wherever practicable and every effort is
made to preserve the existing fauna. The
results are already remarkable.
1t is officially reported from South At
RIGA that "the rarer and more beautiful
antelopes are becoming in certain districts
more numerous than at any previous time
for over a generation and game generally
is plentiful throughout the length and
breadth of the land"
In the Transvaal and Orange River col
onies, where the Beers had almost oblit-
Grated all game, the increase in the num-
Der of some OF the antelopes, and partic-
ularly the ~springbuck. is so great that the
close season will probably be shortened"
Some years ago the big game Of Africa
had for a time a far more formidable en-
envy than the hunter. 1t was the rinder-
pest, which not only declmated the herds
of native and white farmers, but also
killed hundreds of thousands of the finest
game in Africa. Years must elapse before
the big game fully RECEIVERS from the ter
rible loss inflicted by this epidemic.
Mr.. Roosevelt proposes to hunt in the re-
markable game country of the British East
Africa Protectorate, from Mombassa to
Uganda. In spite of the frightful slaughter
in this region before the game laws went
into force It is still one Of the most WON
derful fields of great game in the world.
ThnPo y ENratnhAg - $500 80 Ill.
along the Uganda railroad where hundreds
of animals in large variety are constantly
in view from the car windows Not long
ago Mr.. Schillings sat for two hours in a
tree en- the edge OF a forest, and here is
what he saw pass before his eyes on the
plain in front of him: A large herd of
the wonderfully graceful Pallah antelopes,
some twenty Grants gazelle bucks, I'M
counted number of the water buck an
telope, nine stately Gland antelopes, some
800 balloons, and finally a numerous herd
of zebras.
What is being done in British East Africa
to prevent the determination of this Won
derful wealth of game?
The British are maintaining in that pro-
tectorate three game reservations of a total
area of 1895 square miles, almost the exact
size of New York state. In these areas
no one can hunt without special permits
sion, and this is granted only under rigid
restrictions.
No white man is permitted to hunt or
capture animals without a license in any
part OF the protectorate, and in all cases
the number of animals that may be killed
under the license is limited, as for exam
Pile, the elephant, rhinoceros, zebra and an
telope. two each. In the adjoining colony
of German East Africa the protection Of
big game Is still far from satisfactory.
There was never in any part of ths world
a more earnest effort to protect big game
from ruthless and e~xterminative slaughter
than we now see in most parts OF Africa.
That the effort does not always attain the
highest efficiency is not surprising. for the
arm OF the law is not yet long enough to
reach all offenders in those wild regions.