On 24 April 2025 the Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve within the Tanglewood Conservation Area of the Bushman’s River Biodiversity Corridor was introduced.
Another puzzle piece was placed down as landowners in the corridor take steps to tear down fences, remove barriers and restore vital habitats in a bold move for wildlife conservation.
Owners of the land in this corridor all enter into a conservatory type agreement that will regulate and care for the wildlife in this area for generations to come.
Brad Andrews is the Global Director, Humane Conservation and is an internationally recognized figure in the zoological field, Andrews is also Emeritus Chief Zoological Officer for SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, where he was responsible for all Sea World/Busch Gardens parks’ animal programs, including husbandry, breeding, training, beached animal rescue programs, education and transportation and acquisition procedures.
Andrews began his SeaWorld career in 1987 as Associate Curator for SeaWorld of California. He started working with marine mammals in 1972 at Marineland of the Pacific, later becoming General Curator at that marine life park. During his 15-year tenure there, he showed remarkable abilities for animal care and personnel leadership.
Andrews connection to South Africa stretches back to 1978 when he was the Eighth man on the USA Cougar Rugby Team that beat Transvaal.
He was one of three brothers. While attending St. Mary’s College, he commenced his rugby career in 1967. He graduated from St. Mary’s with a degree in Biology.
He was a stalwart on several west coast rugby clubs in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1972, he played with the Old Gaels Rugby Club. In 1973, he started a 10-year run with the Santa Monica Rugby Club, one of the top teams in the country at the time. Following his stint with the Dolphins, he played for Belmont Shore then finished his career with Orlando in 1991. Andrews was selected for the Los Angeles County and Southern California Griffins Representative Sides numerous times from 1973-1984. He played for the Pacific Coast Grizzlies from 1977-1981, including matches against Wales “B”, Italy and Fiji.
Andrews, arguably the premiere #8 in the United States in the late 1970s, was the kind of player that everyone wanted on their team, bringing ferocity and fairness in his play. He played the game for over 20 years and was selected to represent the U.S. National Team from 1977-1979. He was part of the Eagles touring side to England in 1977 and rose to captain the national team in 1979. Andrews was also one of the leaders of the USA Cougars team that toured South Africa in 1978.
The Cougars played six games in South Africa: against Natal, Combined Universities, Griquas, Northern Transvaal, South African Gazelles and Rhodesia, and won once.
The highlight of the tour was the Cougars’ 18–15 win on 19 August 1978 over Northern Transvaal, who had won the Currie Cup in 1977 and went on to retain their title in 1978.
The tour closed with an international match on 28 August 1978, a 32–15 loss to a Rhodesia side that featured Ray Mordt.
African Drumbeat Singers Welcome Guests to the Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve With the Click Song
Qongqothwane is a song about where the village’s witch doctor can be found. This is important because it is the witch doctor who gives good blessings and advice for the future to the Xhosa’s newlyweds. But this witch doctor looks just like a normal person, not like what most people think of when they imagine a witch doctor — strange hair, charms, and all that. So sometimes, he can be hard to find since he looks like everyone else. He is compared to a “knocking beetle,” a type of beetle that makes an abrasive sound when it strikes its abdomen against the ground.
Lyrics:
Igqira lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
The road’s witchdoctor is the knocking beetle
Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqo ngqothwane
The witchdoctor of the road is said to be the knocking beetle
Seleqabele gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
He has passed by up the steep hill, the knocking beetle
Selequbule gqi thapha nguqo ngqothwane
He did pass by up the steep hill, the knocking beetle
