African Wildlife & Environment Issue 81

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

So many outside factors are threatening our existence as we know it. As if the COVID-19 Pandemic was not bad enough, Russia has invaded its neighbour Ukraine, with massive consequences being felt the world over, as major companies pull out of Russia, the price of crude oil skyrockets etc. Even though this conflict is halfway across the world in the northern hemisphere, there is a knock-on effect that we feel, even on the southern tip of the African Continent. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIVATE GAME RESERVES

a massive toll on countries affected, with not only economic consequences, but also severe ecological and social impacts.With all these over- arching worldwide events happening, it is easy to get distracted and start letting things slip through the cracks. Extinction is forever, and even with all our modern technology, political will (or lack of it), historical knowledge of what worked and what did not, you would think that humankind would be well-placed to make wise decisions, and that we would know how to look after all the species on our planet earth?Well, think again. The Kruger National Park (KNP) was proclaimed in 1926. Part of the reason was to try and conserve the wildlife populations that had effectively been hunted to local extinction. One of these was the Black Rhino, which had all but disappeared at the turn of the century. In 1961,

Article and photographs: Bryan Havemann

The world news channels are now fixated on this war and how the NATO-aligned countries are imposing severe sanctions, supplying equipment and weapons to Ukraine's army, in a desperate attempt to assist, without direct involvement, which could be viewed as an act of war by Russia. With these very real tangible issues, other subjects such as climate change and global warming, seem to be put on the back burner. The reality however, looking at extreme weather events the world over, is that the planet earth is having to deal with unprecedented challenges, when it comes to change in weather patterns. Unseasonal droughts, flooding, destructive wildfires, cyclones etc. All these changes have

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