“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Vivid images, videos and touching documentaries on environmental destruction of our natural world have all become part of our daily consumption on social media, paid television streaming services and headlines on the daily news.
Melting polar icebergs and glaciers, raging wildfires, neglected wildlife, devastating droughts and brutal poaching of endangered species have visually become part of our daily media feeds and significantly contributes to our current state of “empathy fatigue”.
These images of destruction stand in stark contrast to the beauty and abundance of our Southern Africa wildlife. African wildlife has inspired poets, writers and filmmakers to share our wealth across the globe. We are the custodians of our natural wealth and diversity.
According to WWF’s Living Planet Report (2018), there is a 60% decline in the size of populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians in the last 40 years. Our world in data recently published that an estimated 8 million tons of plastics are dumped in our oceans daily. We have work to do.
Highlighted in previous articles, is the importance and benefits of outdoor recreation to the development and wellbeing of individuals, communities, regions and countries. The wildlife viewing industry, as a sub-sector of the outdoor recreation industry, is a significant contributor to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and employment in SA. Only 8% of our population are active in the outdoors!
Some interesting facts about our wildlife viewing industry in South Africa:
- SA has +/- 24 million hectares of wildlife ranches, game farms and national parks.
- SANParks manage 4 million hectares, 20 million hectares are in private hands.
- The industry employs almost 900 000 people.
- Wildlife viewing was an R 204 billion industry in 2019 (4,2% of SA GDP).
- 8 out of 10 foreign tourists choose to visit South Africa motivated by a unique wildlife viewing experience (UNWTO, 2014).
- Apart from the renowned big five, SA is called home by well over 200 species of mammals in one of the most diverse terrains, ranging from grasslands, savannah to the bushveld.
- Marine tourism in South Africa is an R 2 billion industry (SA Tourism, 2019).
- South Africa proclaimed national parks in 1926 compared to 1783 in Mongolia (oldest) and 1872 in the USA.
- No country in Africa ranks in the top 20 of the Global Wildlife Destinations (2019).
- SA has 2798km coastline with our oceans abundant with plankton providing fertile waters to support large numbers of fish and a booming oceans economy.
The South African Outdoor Recreation Industry Association (SA OIA) was launched in 2020 to unlock the socio-economic significance of the Outdoor Industry in Southern Africa. Recent research further uncovered a fragmented and divided outdoor industry that is working in deep silos. The SA OIA intends to bring all stakeholders together in solving the industry’s challenges, sustainably and inclusively.
These problems are highlighted by 90% of all land restitution projects (agriculture and wildlands) that have failed miserably. This failure has resulted in more than 5 million hectares of productive land being rendered unproductive in South Africa (Minister Gugile Nkwinti, Ministry of Development and Land Reform, 2014 to 2018).
By working together, we can solve these problems. SA OIA is on a mission to expose more people to the wonders of the outdoors, thereby planting the seed of lifelong outdoor participation.
We want to salute both local and international organizations and their world-class efforts to protect our wildlife and wild spaces. We extend an open invitation to connect with us to explore ways in which we can work together to unlock the benefits of the industry for the broader South African population, currently excluded.
We only protect what we value and understand. South Africa’s abundant wildlife is a legacy that is worthy of the best possible efforts to protect. Everyone needs the outdoors, and we need to make a stand, now more than ever, to protect our wildlife and wild spaces from the human-made forces of destruction. We need nature, and nature requires us to step up!
