From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.

In 1931 an area of 4,517 hectares was declared a national park to protect a remnant herd of 12 elephants, the only remaining elephants in the Eastern Cape. Effective conservation measures not only protected the elephants, but also the only remaining buffalo in the Cape Province. Conflict with neig...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Michael R. Brett
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AfricaJournals 2019-10-01
Series:African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_49_vol_8_5__2019_unizul.pdf
_version_ 1828541805774241792
author Michael R. Brett
author_facet Michael R. Brett
author_sort Michael R. Brett
collection DOAJ
description In 1931 an area of 4,517 hectares was declared a national park to protect a remnant herd of 12 elephants, the only remaining elephants in the Eastern Cape. Effective conservation measures not only protected the elephants, but also the only remaining buffalo in the Cape Province. Conflict with neighbouring farmers and collisions with trains limited the population increase for two decades. In 1954 a herd of 20 elephants was eventually confined by the first elephant-proof fence in Africa. Preservation of large mammals inadvertently resulted in the conservation of the endemic, subtropical thicket. As the elephants increased in number, the enclosure had to be enlarged from its original 2,270 hectares. Two state forest reserves were transferred to the national park in 1985 and 2002. A coherent expansion blueprint, completed in 1997, succeeded in attracting funding from government and international sources and increased the size of the national park by 36-fold. Tourist facilities have been considerably increased and two new rest camps and two tented camps have been added. Visitor numbers increased by 145% between 2004 and 2019, while unit nights increased by 65%, which indicates that many tourists are staying in accommodation outside the AENP. The AENP illustrates important shifts which have occurred in conservation in South Africa in nine decades, with less emphasis being placed on the protection of large mammals and greater emphasis being placed on the conservation of landscapes.
first_indexed 2024-12-12T01:45:28Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3a2b22f34fb2499ca5140439807382a7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2223-814X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T01:45:28Z
publishDate 2019-10-01
publisher AfricaJournals
record_format Article
series African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
spelling doaj.art-3a2b22f34fb2499ca5140439807382a72022-12-22T00:42:35ZengAfricaJournalsAfrican Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure2223-814X2019-10-0185From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.Michael R. Brett 0Department of Social Sciences University of Zululand, South Africa In 1931 an area of 4,517 hectares was declared a national park to protect a remnant herd of 12 elephants, the only remaining elephants in the Eastern Cape. Effective conservation measures not only protected the elephants, but also the only remaining buffalo in the Cape Province. Conflict with neighbouring farmers and collisions with trains limited the population increase for two decades. In 1954 a herd of 20 elephants was eventually confined by the first elephant-proof fence in Africa. Preservation of large mammals inadvertently resulted in the conservation of the endemic, subtropical thicket. As the elephants increased in number, the enclosure had to be enlarged from its original 2,270 hectares. Two state forest reserves were transferred to the national park in 1985 and 2002. A coherent expansion blueprint, completed in 1997, succeeded in attracting funding from government and international sources and increased the size of the national park by 36-fold. Tourist facilities have been considerably increased and two new rest camps and two tented camps have been added. Visitor numbers increased by 145% between 2004 and 2019, while unit nights increased by 65%, which indicates that many tourists are staying in accommodation outside the AENP. The AENP illustrates important shifts which have occurred in conservation in South Africa in nine decades, with less emphasis being placed on the protection of large mammals and greater emphasis being placed on the conservation of landscapes.https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_49_vol_8_5__2019_unizul.pdfEastern CapeAfrican elephantnational park expansionecotourism development
spellingShingle Michael R. Brett
From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
Eastern Cape
African elephant
national park expansion
ecotourism development
title From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
title_full From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
title_fullStr From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
title_full_unstemmed From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
title_short From game camps to landscape conservation: The evolution and development of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
title_sort from game camps to landscape conservation the evolution and development of the addo elephant national park south africa
topic Eastern Cape
African elephant
national park expansion
ecotourism development
url https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_49_vol_8_5__2019_unizul.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT michaelrbrett fromgamecampstolandscapeconservationtheevolutionanddevelopmentoftheaddoelephantnationalparksouthafrica