African Natural World Heritage Sites
There are currently 45 world heritage sites in Africa, designated under the World Heritage Convention's natural criteria. Four of these are on the islands of Madagascar (2 sites) and the Seychelles (2 sites), with the rest spread across the continent from the Cape to Cairo. They cover every bio-geographical region and are arranged here according to each site's main ecological characteristics - so your journey of exploration can take you across the golden sands of the Sahara desert......to the continent's highest peaks.....through the Great Rift Valley.....and into the strange worlds of the Cape Floral Region and Madagascar.
For a full listing of Africa's World Heritage Sites see Appendix A - Africa's World Heritage Sites. “Africa…it grabs hold of your heart, and never quite lets go.”- Robert Ruark, author.
Africa - looking forward
Africa has for centuries enticed and enthralled not only adventurers and explorers but artists, poets and the thousands of tourists that visit each year. As we look forward to a world adapting to an ever increasing population, global warming and climate change, what does the future hold for the wild places of Africa?
The good news
In recent times there have been a number of encouraging signs for the wildlife and wild places of Africa – some of these include:
Increased awareness - an awareness of the plight of wildlife and wildlife habitats has increased dramatically around the world in recent times. The environment is a matter of concern to us all, whether it be saving the rainforests or the whales, or doing something constructive to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. We have moved from whaling boats to whale-watching, coal heating to solar power. The resurgence in the number of whales in the past 25 years is a dramatic example of how better conservation principles can yield startling results – not just in numbers, but more importantly, in the level of interest taken by ordinary people around the world in the welfare of these lovely creatures. People have come to realize what they could, very nearly, have lost. National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Animal Planet and the Discovery channel (among others) have all helped to foster this interest.
Advances in knowledge - there have also been great advances in our knowledge of wildlife, about the many species that make up our world and how they relate to each other. There is now a much more widespread interest in, and appreciation of, that world. These are not just wild beasts to us now. They no longer threaten our existence. Rather we are threatening theirs. There is still much we can learn from nature, and there exists a growing realisation that we should be looking at our own place in nature to ensure our very survival.
Sound wildlife management - countries like Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique who, in times past, were beset by uncontrolled poaching, are today embracing wildlife conservation and recognizing the many benefits that sound wildlife management practices can bring. Since the fall of Idi Amin, and the more recent demise of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), Uganda has seen a dramatic increase in wildlife populations throughout its National Parks.
Growth of tourism - tourism has come to represent a significant revenue earner in those African countries that have adopted good conservation principles, protected their wildlife and allowed the private sector to create a viable tourism industry. Tourism not only contributes to GDP but encourages better infrastructure development, the training and development of skills, and employment.
Tourism is directly responsible for the survival of Africa’s wildlife and its wild places. Without tourism the wildlife of Africa would be doomed. It is in those countries where tourism has not been embraced that wildlife is most under threat. It is in these countries where organisations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Africa Parks are fighting hard to raise awareness, encourage the creation of National Parks and the protection of endangered species like the pygmy hippo, forest elephant and bonobo amongst others.
Parks beyond Parks - the success of tourism to Africa’s National Parks and Game Reserves has led to the concept of ‘Parks beyond Parks’ – where local communities and private land owners work together with safari operators to protect wildlife in areas that border National Parks and Game Reserves. Around the Serengeti, Masai Mara, Kruger and Etosha, to name but a few, more and more safari camps and lodges, situated within concession areas negotiated with local communities, are opening their doors to foreign visitors. As the game fences come down between the Parks and the areas surrounding them, so wildlife can move freely and gain a larger area in which to roam, and at the same time local communities can benefit from a more regular income stream, less affected by the vagaries of the weather and a subsistence existence.
Private Reserves - many private game reserves and wildlife sanctuaries have been established and have invested in breeding and reintroduction programs of selected species into areas where they have been absent for decades – most notably, the black rhino and African wild dog but also sable, sitatunga and buffalo.
Parks increase - never has so much land been set aside by so many for so few! Nearly 30% of Tanzania’s total land area has been proclaimed as wildlife reserve or is under wildlife management. In Botswana, I believe the figure is even higher, closer to 40%. They are not alone.
In a single gesture in 2002 the President of Gabon, Omar Bongo, signed into legislation the creation of 13 National Parks in the West African country of Gabon. This not only saw the creation of 28,500 sq. kms of new parkland but also effected the cancellation of 800,000 hectares of logging concessions.
In 2003, at the Fifth World Parks Congress, the President of Madagascar, Marc Ravolomanana, announced that he would triple the size of Madagascar’s National Parks and reserves (from 3% to 10% of the total land area) over the next five years. To date, an additional two million hectares of newly protected areas have been declared, seven new National Parks or special reserves created, and numerous conservation projects have received government support. Reforestation projects are in full swing and ecotourism is on the rise. Three quarters of the species found in Madagascar occur nowhere else in the world.
In 2007, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in conjunction with the Bonobo Conservation Initiative, announced the formation of the11,804 sq. mile Sankuru Nature Reserve, home to the endangered bonobo (considered to be the most closely related big ape to humans).
As recently as 2010, Namibia announced the declaration of the Dorob National Park, the last piece in the puzzle converting the total Namibian coast, from the mouth of the Kunene River in the north to the mouth of the Orange River in the south, into the eighth largest protected area in the world – to be known as the Namib-Skeleton Coast National Park.
Conservation takes hold - post colonial governments throughout Africa continue to take heed of their natural heritage and support a range of conservation measures in each country. Even as far back as 1961 Julius Nyerere, the newly elected President of Tanzania, made a speech that became known as the Arusha Manifesto and a mantra for conservation in East Africa: “The survival of our wildlife is a matter of grave concern to all of us in Africa. These wild creatures amid the wild places they inhabit are not only important as a resource of wonder and inspiration but are an integral part of our natural resources and our future livelihood and wellbeing. In accepting the trusteeship of our wildlife we solemnly declare that we will do everything in our power to make sure that our children's grand-children will be able to enjoy this rich and precious inheritance. The conservation of wildlife and wild places calls for specialist knowledge, trained manpower, and money, and we look to other nations to co-operate with us in this important task the success or failure of which not only affects the continent of Africa but the rest of the world as well.” Julius Nyerere, President of Tanzania
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