VN April 2022

Vetnews | April 2022 21 Peter Henry Bunton's father, Henry Arthur Bunton and his mother, Grace Isabel Gilfillan, started farming citrus on the farm 'Elim' in the Selborne district of Uitenhage in 1923. His father died in July 1927 when Peter was 5 years old, and his mother Grace continued with the citrus farming. Peter's elder brother, John Gilfillan Bunton, was killed in 1942 duringWW2, and Peter inherited the farm. Peter was born on the 2nd of March 1922, possibly in Port Elizabeth, where his parents were living at that time before they moved to 'Elim'. Peter Bunton matriculated from Espin House, St Andrews College in Grahamstown at the end of 1939. During his high school years, he was awarded colours for both rugby and boxing and had been a school prefect and corporal in the Cadet Corps. He was also a keen polo player and represented South Africa in this sport. St Andrews College lauded him in May 2021 as their oldest' Old Andrean' at the age of 99. He was accepted into the veterinary faculty in 1939, and his student number (40005420) indicates that he started his first year in 1940. He interrupted his studies during WW2, and after the end of the war, he returned to Onderstepoort and completed his degree, qualifying in 1950. He returned to the family farm 'Elim' in the Addo area, where he practised as a veterinarian, managed the large farm and played polo. He also promoted the development of game ranching in the 1970s and put it into practice on his extensive farm, becoming one of the leaders of this new form of farming. For many years, Peter worked as a wildlife veterinary specialist and an honorary veterinarian for Addo Elephant Park. He was active in the Addo area all his working life, getting deeply involved in conservation and the development of the Addo Elephant Park. Peter is part of the Addo Park's history. He was reluctant to have lions introduced into the Addo Park in late 2003 since the Addo Park animals had never previously had any large predators. The first year that the lions were resident in the park confirmed his fears as the whole Disease- free Buffalo calf herd was wiped out. Thankfully the animals quickly learnt to live with these predators and defend their calves. Today, Dr Peter Bunton is a Formosa Garden Frail Care Centre resident near Plettenberg Bay. v