After Dr Geoffrey Roy McLachlan moved from Museum in Port Elizabeth in 1966 (read Dr McLachlans note), it was decided that the Ringing Scheme be handed over to a larger organisation with proper funding and staff. As a result the entire scheme was moved to the FitzPatrick Unit in Cape Town.
The scheme was still administered by the South African Ornithological Society (SAOS - Now BirdLife South Africa) until 1972 when the first full time coordinator was employed, Dr Clive Elliott. With this new leadership the Scheme was renamed the National Unit for Bird-Ringing Administration (NUBRA).
This new unit struggled initially as the ringing data had been neglected over the previous five years. It soon made some great steps forward and one of the great improvements Clive made was the creation of "SAFRING News". In the first editorial entitled "Overcoming Isolation" Clive details the need for communication between ringers (to share knowledge, techniques, downfalls and interesting observations) and thus emphasising the need for such a magazine (written for the ringers, by the ringers). During his time at NUBRA Clive authored (along with Mike Jarvis) three Annual Reports (the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth). Although he only stayed for three years he was able to achieve a lot (to read a short account of his years click here).
To read more on SAFRINGs history please Click Here.
