Latest news with #SouthAfricanNationalParks
The South African
17 hours ago
- The South African
SANParks provides 'flower report' for upcoming wildflower season
The South African National Parks (SANParks) have revealed that the first signs of spring are beginning to show at Namaqua National Park. According to the parks body and their flower report for 28 July – 1 August, the fields around Skilpad are shaking off their winter chill and showing the first hints of the new season. And while the landscape is still patchy in places, the early bloom hints at the spectacular wildflower season to come. For those taking on the 4×4 eco-route at Wildeperdehoek Pass, the experience is also already breathtaking. 'Sweeps of orange, white, and yellow wildflowers line the trail, offering a visual feast for nature lovers and adventure seekers. It's a must-see for anyone exploring the region.' SANParks said. Even the coastline is beginning to show its colours, a promising sign for the weeks ahead. Visitors can be sure to experience an explosion of floral diversity and colour as the season unfolds. Visitors can currently enjoy: Namaqualand arctotis (Bittergousblom), Namaqua parachute-daisy (Bergmagriet), Cape marigold (Soetgousblom), Namaqualand daisy, Sambreeltjies, Bokbaaivygies Glansogies, Blue and white sporries, Wit-soe, Various Oxalidaceae (Suurrings), A variety of vygie species, Meidestert, and different Gazania species. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
22-07-2025
- The Citizen
How SANParks turned conservation into a success story
SANParks' self-funded conservation model proves that tourism and ecology can thrive together for future generations. South African National Parks (SANParks) stands as one of the world's leading conservation agencies. In recent years, SANParks has demonstrated remarkable financial resilience, generating nearly 80% of its own revenue. For the first time, the organisation's annual revenue has exceeded R4 billion in the past financial year. Since 1994, SANParks has undergone a transformative journey, underpinned by a commitment to inclusivity and equity. This shift has been guided by the Vision 2040, which envisions a future where people and nature thrive in sustainable mega living landscapes. SANParks' success story is not only one to be celebrated but also serves as a model for how conservation can be funded effectively. At its core, SANParks remains committed to its primary mandate, protecting and managing South Africa's natural and cultural heritage for current and future generations. Its achievements – and the model it employs to fund conservation – are worthy of recognition through tourism. ALSO READ: Vultures lead rangers to one of SANParks' largest poisoning events Take the story of the bontebok, for instance, a classic case of conservation success. Once on the brink of extinction due to hunting and expanding human settlement, the bontebok population had dwindled to just 17 animals by the late 1930s. In response, a dedicated conservation area was established to protect the species, preventing it from suffering the same fate as the quagga, which went extinct in the late 1800s. Today, bontebok National Park, which was founded in 1931 in Swellendam, is home to over 100 bontebok, with about 3 000 living in private reserves. Despite its limited commercial viability, Bontebok National Park continues to operate because SANParks' model allows for cross-subsidisation. More profitable parks support those that are less financially viable but ecologically essential, ensuring that conservation is not driven solely by profit, but also to ensure biodiversity in perpetuity. ALSO READ: WATCH: Elephant chases away police at Kruger Park The bontebok's original habitat, the renosterveld, is now among the most threatened vegetation types in South Africa, with 70% of it under threat. As a result, the bontebok has become a flagship species for renosterveld conservation. SANParks has developed specific management plans to protect both the species and its critically endangered ecosystem. This approach is not limited to bontebok conservation. In 2023, SANParks launched the Richtersveld Desert Botanical Garden, the country's first botanical garden in a desert biome. Located within the Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, it safeguards over 400 succulent species facing extinction due to poaching, mining, climate change and overgrazing. Other success stories abound: after a 170-year absence, lions have been reintroduced to the Karoo National Park, where the population is now thriving to the point of abundance. ALSO READ: Rachel Kolisi finds strength amid Tokai inferno and personal struggles The mountain zebra, once facing extinction with just 80 individuals remaining, has rebounded dramatically, with over 3 200 now recorded. These zebras play a vital ecological role, helping maintain biodiversity and supporting predator populations. In collaboration with archaeologists from the University of Pretoria, SANParks launched a project to rescue and preserve two significant archaeological sites along the Letaba River in the Kruger National Park. These sites, which were inhabited between 1 500 and 1 000 years ago, offer some of the earliest evidence of trade between South Africa and Asia, predating ancient civilisations like Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe. Sadly, the Letaba sites are currently being threatened by severe soil erosion, risking the irreversible loss of a valuable record of Africa's past. Through archaeological research and conservation efforts, the aim is to recover as much material as possible before it is lost, providing greater insight into the lives of the ancient people who once lived in the Kruger National Park. What underpins these efforts and successes is a conservation funding model that works. Most revenue is generated by some of the well-visited parks and those funds are strategically redistributed to support the entire national parks network. ALSO READ: The fight to save the penguins This approach ensures that not only well-known sites like Table Mountain National Park flourish, but also that less-visited parks continue to safeguard South Africa's rich natural heritage. Conservation is not a luxury; it is a necessity. It is an investment in our future generation. SANParks' funding model is a success due to the combination of funding sources, tourism revenue, government grants, volunteers such as honorary rangers and private donors.
The South African
20-07-2025
- General
- The South African
Animal activists reject bid to remove baboon troops from Cape Peninsula
A group of animal activists in the Western Cape is opposing a bid to remove several baboon troops from around the Cape Peninsula. This comes after the Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT), which includes representatives of South African National Parks, Cape Nature, and the City of Cape Town, issued a controversial proposal to translocate the animals, whose population has exceeded available management resources. Last month, the CPBMJTT submitted a proposal for public comments in which it sought to remove five troops of baboons from around the Cape Peninsula. According to data, the population has increased far beyond management, placing pressure on available resources. The proposal includes the following options for baboon population: translocation for rewilding, capture and removal to an existing sanctuary or to a newly established sanctuary, humane euthanasia, or a combination of these options. Baboon troops would be removed from the following areas: Constantia Nek, Kirstenbosch, Constantia Village, Waterfall, Simon's Town, Seaforth, Murdoch Valley, Welcome Glen, Glencairn and the Da Gama residential areas. Local and international experts have been invited to review the proposal and will be included in the project. Meanwhile, animal activists descended on Simon's Town to protest against the removal of baboon troops. The Cape Peninsula Civil Conservation shared in a social media post: 'These baboons are part of this place — they are not intruders, but residents of a rapidly shrinking wild world who were here long before our cityscape. As urban development continues to fragment and destroy habitats and ecosystems, baboons could be seen to be here with a message. Are we going to shoot the messenger?'. @manditshwete Baboon conservation march in Simon's Town. Hundreds of people gathered as they marched against the killing of baboons in Cape Town. #southafricatiktok #capetown #sama28 #fypシ #fyp ♬ original sound – Mandilakhe Tshwete @manditshwete #tiktoklive #livehighlights @The Cape Argus @IOL NEWS @CapeTimesSA ♬ original sound – Mandilakhe Tshwete The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA) has also strongly opposed the proposal. In a cease-and-desist letter to CPBMTT, the organisation called on authorities to develop sustainable endeavors to manage the baboon population, particularly in low-lying areas. 'From legal and good governance perspectives, ethical considerations based on sentience, flourishing, multispecies justice, and shared biology must be major considerations. 'The onus, therefore, of the CPBMJTT and their ecologists, is to formulate ethical management practices that reflect and take cognisance of multispecies interactions, peaceful cohabitation and the need for a more responsible model of harmonious multispecies co-existence'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
05-07-2025
- The Citizen
Kruger urges holiday visitors to book ahead and follow rules as park braces for school break rush
Kruger urges holiday visitors to book ahead and follow rules as park braces for school break rush During the school holidays, the Kruger National Park (KNP) is anticipating a large number of visitors as families seek relaxation and time to enjoy nature. Mpumalanga News reports that Reynold Thakhuli, spokesperson for KNP, says South African National Parks (SANParks) urges visitors to book in advance and adhere to park rules during the school holidays, which run until July 21. To manage the expected increase in traffic, gate quotas will be implemented. Visitors are strongly advised to book their entry online ahead of their visit. Gate quota time slots: Time slot 1: 06:00 to 08:00 Time slot 2: 08:00 to 10:00 Time slot 3: 10:00 onwards 'Plans for increased visibility of both traffic officials and visitor management personnel to monitor speeding, after-hours travelling and general behaviour on the roads are being implemented. Management is urging visitors to co-operate with officials who will be on duty and to report any bad behaviour to the gate officials or call the emergency call centre number on the entry permits.' Thakhuli emphasised that motorists with temporary vehicle registration plates are encouraged to provide documentation at the gates, and vehicles with missing number plates will not be permitted to enter or exit the park. 'Any vehicle found inside the park with missing number plates will be impounded and the driver will be charged under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, Act 57 of 2003, and fined,' he warned. Thakhuli said SANParks Ranger Services, Environmental Crime Investigations and Protection Services Units and the South African National Defence Force will be out in full force to ensure compliance. He added that tourists are urged not to remove 'No entry' signs as such actions can pose a danger to others. Visitors are encouraged to plan their trips carefully, allowing sufficient time to enjoy the bush, relax and arrive safely at their destination. For updated information on road closures, visitors should consult camp and gate receptions or visit the park's social media platforms. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
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The South African
04-07-2025
- The South African
SANParks outlaws drones in Kruger Park [video]
South African National Parks (SANParks) has issued a stern reminder to the public that flying drones in any national park is illegal, regardless of the intended purpose. In an official statement, SANParks clarified that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – commonly referred to as drones – are prohibited under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (NEMA). The legislation stipulates that no aircraft, including drones, may fly below 2 500 feet above the highest point within a national park without prior written permission from SANParks. Read the full version of the ' SANParks issues reminder of DRONE use in Kruger Park' article. 'All national parks in South Africa are legislated protected areas with restricted airspace, making them no-fly zones for all unauthorised aircraft,' SANParks said. The reminder comes as reports increase of illegal drone use in popular reserves, which SANParks warns can disturb wildlife and negatively affect the experience of other visitors. Looking for quick updates? Watch News in a Minute videos on The South African's YouTube page for all the key stories you need to know! Catch all the latest videos on news, lifestyle, travel, sports and more – there's always something to watch! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky to stay connected and get your news on the go!
