Four of South Africa’s national parks have expanded their territories to safeguard more wildlife and plants.
In efforts to conserve more plants and wildlife in South Africa, The National Parks Trust of South Africa (NPTSA) and WWF South Africa have assisted four national parks in acquiring 18,000 hectares of additional land, with a collective total of 20,206 hectares of expansion set across all three parks.
The announcement, made on February 2nd, indicated that Namaqua National Park in the Northern Cape has expanded by 18,391 hectares due to efforts of the NPTSA and WWF. The park is home to over 1000 plant species such as the quiver tree, and a diverse group of local wildlife. The expansion also aims to protect vital river systems.
Additionally, Mokala National Park located in the Northern Upper Karoo has expanded by 844 hectares. Karoo National Park in Beaufort West by 397 hectares, and Agulhas National Park in the Southern Overberg region by 574 hectares.
According to the report, each expansion aligns with national conservation goals, with assessments conducted to evaluate biodiversity and ecological significance. SANParks collaborates with partners like WWF to secure funding and manage acquired lands.
In a press release issue by WWF, Dr. Morné du Plessis, CEO of WWF South Africa, says:
“These declarations are part of our work to bring some of South Africa’s most threatened habitats and species under the umbrella of SANParks as the custodian of our country’s very special natural heritage for the benefit of everyone,”
“All of this work contributes towards South Africa’s commitment to the Global Biodiversity Framework to protect 30% of the planet’s terrestrial and marine habitats by 2030,” Du Plessis added.
Read the full release here.
