[The purpose of the release camps is to teach the elephants to respect electricity; and to enable the group to re-bond following the disruption of translocation.]
| 1.1 | be prepared well ahead of time; |
| 1.2 | be inspected and approved beforehand by the issuing authority; |
| 1.3 | be easily accessible by large, low-bed transport trucks with access roads able to adequately carry such vehicles, due consideration be given to all bridges and culverts and large trees; |
| 1.4 | be located adjacent to the centre of the protected area or registered game farm, to the extent possible; |
| 1.5 | have access and use of a water source; |
| 1.6 | be a minimum width of 100 metres; |
| 1.7 | be a minimum area of two hectares for every six elephants; |
1.8 have adequate clean drinking water;
| 1.9 | include a possibility for mud-wallowing with a solid cement or rock floor and supplied with water to prevent small calves from becoming trapped; and |
| 1.10 | is sufficiently vegetated to provide security and shade for the elephants. |
| 2. | The fence of the release camp must— |
| 2.1 | have a minimum height of 2,4 metres; |
| 2.2 | be constructed using steel railway tracks lines or steel poles filled with concrete as uprights set in concrete ten metres apart; |
| 2.3 | have a minimum of five strands of steel cables,each having a minimum diameter of 16mm, one placed at ground level and thereafter at minimum intervals of 500mm. The cable must be strung on the inside of the poles except at the corners, where it must go around the outside of the corner post; |
| 2.4 | have a galvanised veldspan fence erected from ground level to the top of the fence with steel droppers,each having a minimum top width of 100mm,placed at intervals of one metre apart; |
| 2.5 | be electrified in the following manner: |
| (ii) | the offsets must be to the inside; |
| (iii) | a voltage of 6000 - 9000 V should be maintained; |
| (iv) | the bottom strand must be 300mm above ground level.The second strand must be 1,0m above ground level and the remaining strands are to be spaced approximately 500mm apart. The top strand must be placed at the top of the fence with an additional earth strand. Double offset brackets should be used for all strands, especially when bulls are introduced; |
| (v) | the offsets must be five metres apart to prevent the elephants from causing a short when they push against the fence; and |
| (vi) | if elephants are ranging on the property outside the release camp, it is essential that the paddock is also electrified with three strands on the outside. |
| 2.6 | where adult bulls are to be introduced,be reinforced with the following: |
| (i) | additional earthing that can beobtained by wetting the area directly inside the fence prior to the animals arriving; |
| (ii) | a second inner electric fence erected two metres inside the perimeter of the paddock fence using Y metal standards or using good quality offset brackets; |
| (iii) | spanning electrified strands across the corners of the release camp. It is advisable to construct a paddock of 2 hectares, so as to ensure that the elephants do not run through the fence in panic,and so that they have sufficient food during their stay.Additional re enforcement of the gate can be achieved by using horizontal steel poles; and |
| 2.7 | not be near large trees that the elephants may push onto the fence and cause a short. |
| 3. | The offloading ramp must— |
| 3.1 | be placed outside the fence; |
| 3.2 | be at least 2,4m wide and 1m high; |
3.3 have containing walls that are-
(i) three metres high;
(ii) reinforced;
(iii) constructed with steel poles that are concreted into the ramp; and
(iv) are sufficiently strong to prevent the elephants from pushing them over when off-loaded; and
| (i) | separates the offloading ramp from the release camp; |
| (ii) | is constructed of heavy steel; |
| (iii) | is electrified when closed; |
| (iv) | is reinforced by thick horizontal poles pushed through steel brackets after the elephants have been offloaded; |
| (v) | is additionally reinforced if bulls are to be introduced; and |
| (vii) | is of a sliding design; and |
| (viii) | can be opened remotely with a cable or rope, if necessary. |
