Some observations on game ranching in Southern Africa

Abstract

In recent years in East and Southern Africa, increasing pressure of Man and domesticated animals on the natural environment has caused a rapid deterioration of soil, vegetation, and water resources, together with widespread destruction of wildlife. The use of vegetation by wild animals in semi-arid areas such as the ‘lowveld’ of Rhodesia tends to be far more efficient than is its use by cattle. Game ranching —the scientific management of many species of wild animals in their natural habitat—has been carried out successfully in Rhodesia and South Africa for a number of years. In protein-hungry Africa, with its great unsatisfied demand for meat, game ranching, if practised more widely, could help to satisfy some of this demand. This is in addition to the obvious need for the conservation of wild animals for scientific and aesthetic reasons and as a source of delight to, and revenue from, increasing numbers of tourists. Statistical information is given particularly for game ranching in Rhodesia (Table I) and for various provinces and national parks in South Africa.