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Private Game Reserves in Southern Africa

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Institutional Arrangements for Conservation, Development and Tourism in Eastern and Southern Africa

Abstract

Private game reserves now number about 11,600 in South Africa, covering in the order of 21 million hectares. It has become a USD 1 billion industry based on the sustainable use of wildlife as a natural resource. This has resulted in a 40-fold increase in the number of wildlife from the early 1960s to today with South Africa now having more wildlife than at any point in time during the past 200 years. This chapter discusses the economics of this industry and uses lions and rhinoceros as illustrative examples of how the placing of a commercial value on wildlife species can turn the tide from a decline in numbers and local extinctions, toward healthy populations. The game capture and wildlife veterinary services, fencing and transportation, disease control and nutrition are furthermore discussed in illuminating the evolution of a thriving private game reserve industry.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See also http://www.wrsa.co.za

  2. 2.

    See also http://www.wrsa.co.za/component/k2/item/285-welcome-to-wildlife-ranching

  3. 3.

    See also http://www.wpazambia.com/Articles/GameRanchingInZambia.html

  4. 4.

    See also http://botswanawildlifeproducers.com/game_ranches/game_ranches.php

  5. 5.

    See also http://wta.org.za/index.html

  6. 6.

    See also www.wildlifeauctions.co.za

  7. 7.

    See also http://www.rmrdsa.co.za

  8. 8.

    See also http://sapredators.co.za/landing_page.htm

  9. 9.

    See also http://sapredators.co.za/landing_page.htm

  10. 10.

    Pers. comm. with John Hume, the single largest owner of rhinos in the world.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. North West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X 6001, Noordbrug, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa

    Wouter van Hoven

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  1. Wouter van Hoven
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Correspondence to Wouter van Hoven .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    René van der Duim

  2. Social Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Machiel Lamers

  3. Maastricht School of Management, Maastricht, Limburg, The Netherlands

    Jakomijn van Wijk

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van Hoven, W. (2015). Private Game Reserves in Southern Africa. In: van der Duim, R., Lamers, M., van Wijk, J. (eds) Institutional Arrangements for Conservation, Development and Tourism in Eastern and Southern Africa. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9529-6_6

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