Robben Island's natural environment is in a state of crisis, with animals like bontebok, springbok, fallow deer and rabbits starving to death because of a lack of vegetation on this important World Heritage Site.
Carcasses are lying in dry veld, where only inedible khakibos weeds are still thriving.
Although the island is always very dry at the end of summer, the problem is mainly the result of an explosion of the feral rabbit population which is eating everything in sight. A delay in reducing the number of fallow deer has also contributed to the problem.
Environmentalists are horrified by the state of affairs, and are blaming the island's managers - the Robben Island Museum - for the disaster because they allegedly ignored warnings about the ecological threat posed by the rabbits given to them at least three years ago.
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Environmentalists warned the island's prestigious World Heritage Site status, previously threatened because of the poor environmental management, could again come under review.
Although some mammals have been removed during the past year, there is not enough suitable food on the island for those left behind. And while a rabbit culling programme was initiated, it was stopped - apparently because the contractor had not been paid.
Weird behaviour has been observed as starving animals attempt to reach every piece of available greenery.
The rabbits are climbing acacia thorn trees on the island and have been seen high up among the thorns, while a fallow deer was observed trying to feed off the carcass of a roadkill rabbit. Both rabbits and deer have been spotted feeding off kelp on the beach.
Estelle van der Merwe, who worked closely with the Robben Island authorities during the Treasure oil spill in 2000, said she was appalled by the situation.
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