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Overcoming barriers to understanding the biodiversity contribution of private ranchlands

Overcoming barriers to understanding the biodiversity contribution of private ranchlands Private individuals can own wildlife in South Africa (Game Theft Act 105 of 1991; Snijders, ). This has led to the flourishing trade of wildlife at game auctions, to huge commercial value of trophy hunting and ecotourism, to the broadscale homogenization of mammal communities, and also potentially the saving of many species from extinction. The proliferating ranching estate (hereafter, ranchland) is suspected to have facilitated the conservation of large tracts of indigenous vegetation, protected watersheds and enabled the recovery of degraded land. However, this is by no means certain, and anecdotal reports suggest the increasingly productive nature of ranchlands may be causing the same level or greater habitat degradation than livestock ranching. Determining whether ranchlands in South Africa have a net positive or negative effect on biodiversity, or for specific species, is hindered by the lack of trust between government and the private sector, the gap between scientists and practitioners, and the tension between commercial gain and conservation. Rhino conservation is a good example. In 2013, 1004 rhinos were poached in South Africa to fuel the rampant demand for their horns in end‐user markets, primarily in the East (DEA, ). South Africa houses >90% of the world's white http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Animal Conservation Wiley

Overcoming barriers to understanding the biodiversity contribution of private ranchlands

Animal Conservation , Volume 17 (5) – Jan 1, 2014

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References (5)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Animal Conservation © 2014 The Zoological Society of London
ISSN
1367-9430
eISSN
1469-1795
DOI
10.1111/acv.12171
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Private individuals can own wildlife in South Africa (Game Theft Act 105 of 1991; Snijders, ). This has led to the flourishing trade of wildlife at game auctions, to huge commercial value of trophy hunting and ecotourism, to the broadscale homogenization of mammal communities, and also potentially the saving of many species from extinction. The proliferating ranching estate (hereafter, ranchland) is suspected to have facilitated the conservation of large tracts of indigenous vegetation, protected watersheds and enabled the recovery of degraded land. However, this is by no means certain, and anecdotal reports suggest the increasingly productive nature of ranchlands may be causing the same level or greater habitat degradation than livestock ranching. Determining whether ranchlands in South Africa have a net positive or negative effect on biodiversity, or for specific species, is hindered by the lack of trust between government and the private sector, the gap between scientists and practitioners, and the tension between commercial gain and conservation. Rhino conservation is a good example. In 2013, 1004 rhinos were poached in South Africa to fuel the rampant demand for their horns in end‐user markets, primarily in the East (DEA, ). South Africa houses >90% of the world's white

Journal

Animal ConservationWiley

Published: Jan 1, 2014

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