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Award-winning Grootbos Private Nature Reserve certified by Fair Trade Tourism

An established leader in the responsible tourism area, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve has been certified by Fair Trade Tourism, demonstrating its commitment to the responsible tourism portfolio which boasts nearly 200 products in Africa. Grootbos accommodation, forest lodge exterior Overlooking Walker Bay near Hermanus, Grootbos has won numerous accolades for its work. In addition to […]

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How some African farmers are responding to climate change

As sub-Saharan Africa’s climate changes, small-scale farmers are increasingly looking to innovative ways of dealing with agricultural challenges. And in some instances, the techniques they adopt are helping to combat climate change, too. Alternative animal feed, climate-friendly grasses and the use of fodder trees are among the examples providing farmers resilience and leading to benefits

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Fences are an increasing threat to Africa’s migratory wildlife

Wildebeest rarely stay still for long. With sloping hindquarters, and an easy loping gait, their bodies are designed to move. In the Serengeti ecosystem, for instance, a wildebeest will move over more than 2,000 kilometres during their annual migration. Migratory or nomadic animals, like wildebeest, that live in drylands need to move over vast distances

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Controlling rats on small-scale African farms-vital for food security

Recent analysis suggests that Africa will only be able to achieve food security if it invests in crop intensification like increased fertiliser and pesticide input per hectare. But the expansion of agricultural production areas can also improve this. A complicating factor in African agriculture is that most of the production comes from relatively small farms.

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80 years of protecting the Cape mountain zebra

As World Ranger Day was celebrated around the globe yesterday (31 July 2017), South African National Parks (SANParks) celebrated the 80th birthday of Mountain Zebra National Park (MZNP). On 3 July 1937, MZNP was proclaimed for the purpose of protecting the Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra) at which time it was estimated that fewer than

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Landowners called to report invasive plants

Landowners who have listed invasive species must notify any relevant competent authority, in writing, of the listed invasive species occurring on that land. Furthermore, landowners must take steps to control and eradicate the listed invasive species and prevent them from spreading, the Department of Environmental Affairs said in a statement on Friday. “Failure to do

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Endangered African wild dogs threatened by climate change

Climate change is threatening the survival of African wild dogs. “In Botswana‚ the average number of pups that reached their first birthday fell by 35% from 5.1 per litter between 1989-2000 to 3.3 between 2001-2012‚ with temperatures rising 1.1C in the same period. Yearlings fell by 31% in Kenya and 14% in Zimbabwe.” The warning‚

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Sustainable tourism is not a dying fad

We may be halfway through 2017 – the year that was officially named the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO) – but by no means has sustainable tourism become a dying fad. Tour operators globally are reporting a marked increase, especially from millennial travellers, in enquiries

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First ever case of lion nursing leopard cub

A lion at Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area has been photographed nursing a leopard cub in the first-ever known case of cross-species suckling among wild cats. The two species are normally mortal enemies. Photo: Panthera Cats The photographs were taken at Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area earlier this week and published by the wild cat conservation group

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Skills in demand: IT opportunities in tourism

15 years ago, the roles now held by professionals didn’t exist in the same way at all – now they’re ideally suited to the younger workforce segment, the generation rapidly dominating business. It’s time to acknowledge that this is the age of technology, and that’s what we’re doing in tourism. The benefits of this are

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