wildsouthafrica

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South Africa / South Africa Wildlife, Biodiversity, Parks and Protected Areas
on this page: headlines spotlight: Garden Route (Tsitsikamma, Knysna, Wilderness) National Park related: wild africa, wildlife, biodiversity, sbi parks: kruger, Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve wildlife: elephants, giraffes, lions, sharks, whales editing: [|South Africa]

//**Publisher's Note:** Planeta Wiki features collaboratively edited features about biodiversity, parks and wildlife around the world. Editors are encouraged to add relevant links, current headlines and upcoming events. Want to make a suggestion? Please tweet [|@ronmader] or [|edit the google doc and change the world].//

https://planeta.com/1609southafrica
 * Planeta.com**

Headlines
https://www.iol.co.za/news/opinion/canned-lion-hunting-damaging-brand-sa-11564974 http://www.traveller24.com/Explore/Green/family-horrified-by-glen-garriff-visit-but-sanctuary-says-its-not-what-it-seems-20171114 http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/Green/or-tambo-to-remove-cub-petting-images-that-give-tourists-the-wrong-message-20170112 http://www.timeslive.co.za/scitech/2016/12/20/Now-you-cedar-it%E2%80%9A-now-you-dont-How-an-iconic-South-African-tree-is-dying-out http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/sanparks-open-access-week-is-off-to-a-golden-start-20160912 http://www.flauna.co.za/sa-conservation-projects - https://twitter.com/flauna_za [|Is-the-vilification-of-wildlife-sightings-apps-justified] [|Let's keep wildlife wild] [|The commodification of South Africa’s wildlife - Andreas Wilson-Späth] [|Ecotourism and protected areas in Southern Africa] - [|@SueSnyman] [|@iucn] [] [] [] []
 * [|Hack out those aliens]
 * [|Biospheres and water]
 * [|Coast to Catchment]

Spotlight on Conservation Guardians
http://www.conservationguardians.co.za http://conservationguardians.blogspot.co.za https://www.facebook.com/conservationguardians https://www.instagram.com/conservation_guardians https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdBUhqMHcpC6WmfqK9U-Ujw https://www.gofundme.com/animalcarescore

- Animal Care Score - Conservation Achievement Score - Conservationists have lost ability to focus on real conservation

Events

 * September 24 - October ** 5 CoP17

http://www.sanparks.org/about/events/parks_week/default.php
 * September 12-16** National Parks Week

[|South African National Parks (SANParks)] celebrates National Parks Week from September 12-16 in most of South Africa's national parks, some of which celebrate the week for a week (through September 18). Free access is given to day visitors, with a particular focus on attracting people from local communities. Free access to parks does not in include free access to accommodation facilities and other tourist activities.

Parks not participating are Namaqua National Park and Boulders Penguin Colony in Table Mountain National Park.

This initiative in partnership with Total SA and FNB is in line with SANParks vision statement of ‘A sustainable National Park System Connecting Society'.

It should be noted that free access to parks does not in include free access to accommodation facilities and other tourist activities. Some of the parks will be extending the week to include the weekend. For More information visit https://www.sanparks.org/about/events/parks_week

Some of the parks will be extending the week to include the weekend, as indicated on the [|SANParks website]: //***First 100 visitors per day on the Saturday (17 September) and Sunday (18 September) gain free access.**// || //*First 100 visitors per day on the Saturday (17 September) and Sunday (18 September) gain free access.// || //*Free entry excludes Boulders Penguin Colony// || []
 * ~ Park ||~ Dates ||
 * [|Addo Elephant National Park] || 12 - 16 September 2016 ||
 * [|Agulhas National Park] || The Park is an open access park with no pay points. Access to the lighthouse however will not be free. ||
 * [|Augrabies Falls National Park] || 12 - 17 September 2016 ||
 * [|Bontebok National Park] || 12 - 18 September 2016 ||
 * [|Camdeboo National Park] || 12 - 18 September 2016 ||
 * [|Garden Route National Park] || 11 - 17 September 2016 ||
 * [|Golden Gate Highlands National Park] || 12 - 18 September 2016 ||
 * [|Karoo National Park] || 12 - 16 September 2016
 * [|Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park] || 12 - 17 September 2016 ||
 * [|Kruger National Park] || 12 - 16 September 2016 ||
 * [|Mapungubwe National Park] || 12 - 18 September 2016 ||
 * [|Marakele National Park] || 12 - 18 September 2016 ||
 * [|Mokala National Park] || 12 - 17 September 2016 ||
 * [|Mountain Zebra National Park] || 12 - 16 September 2016
 * [|Namaqua National Park] || //***Excluded from SA National Parks Week**// ||
 * [|Table Mountain National Park] || 12 - 17 September 2016
 * [|Tankwa Karoo National Park] || 12 - 18 September 2016 ||
 * [|West Coast National Park] || 12 - 16 September 2016 ||
 * [|richtersveld] || Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park]] ||  ||

Facebook
[|Butterflies and bugs] [|Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary] [|Better Tourism Africa]

Twitter
[|@SANParks] [|@SAASA_RSA] [|@monkeylandRSA] [|@JukaniWildlife] [|@Birds_Eden] [|@SueSnyman] [|@anna_spenceley] https://twitter.com/WhaleWatchSA https://twitter.com/environmentza https://twitter.com/flauna_za https://twitter.com/TenikwaWildlife

Flickr Groups
[|Ecotourism Africa]

Reports
[|Biodiversity Sector Messaging Strategy Document] (PDF)

South Africa's national tree is the yellowwood - @http://buff.ly/1orm05n

Parks and Protected Areas
[|SANParks] - [|Forums] - [|Map] - [|Facebook] - [|Twitter] http://www.sanparks.org/promotions [|Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage Site] [|Kruger National Park] [|Tsitsikamma National Park] [|South African National Parks] [|Bird Island Group Marine Protected Area] Tankwa Karoo National Park - [|Facebook] [] http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-blog/tip-article/?p=58894 https://www.sanparks.org/about/media/press-kit.php media type="custom" key="27315202" align="right"

[|Koedoe], with the sub-title 'African Protected Area Conservation and Science' is an influential, frequently cited, accredited, peer reviewed and Open Access journal published since 1958. The journal promotes and contributes to the scientific (biology) and environmental (ecology and biodiversity) conservation practices of Africa, by defining the key practices that will ensure biological diversity in Africa.

Established by the government in 1926, South African National Parks (SANParks) is one of the world's leading conservation and scientific research bodies and a leading agent in maintaining the country's indigenous natural environment. It manages a system of parks that preserve the indigenous fauna, flora, landscapes and associated cultural heritage of South Africa:
 * [|Introduction]
 * [|Addo Elephant National Park]
 * [|Agulhas National Park]
 * [|Augrabies National Park]
 * [|Bontebok National Park]
 * [|Camdeboo National Park]
 * [|Golden Gate National Park]
 * [|Karoo National Park]
 * [|Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park]
 * [|Knysna National Lake Area]
 * [|Kruger National Park]
 * [|Mapungubwe National Park]
 * [|Marakele National Park]
 * [|Mokala National Park]
 * [|Mountain Zebra National Park]
 * [|Namaqua National Park]
 * [|Table Mountain National Park]
 * [|Tankwa Karoo National Park]
 * [|Tsitsikamma National Park]
 * [|West Coast National Park]
 * [|Wilderness National Park]
 * [||Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld National Park]
 * [|Related articles]
 * [|Useful links]

Read more: [|http://www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com]

[|South African National Parks' annual research report] states that the TAPAS Group's 2014 special edition of Koedoe on "Tourism and protected areas: A growing nexus of challenge an opportunity" has "gained widespread attention" and has been downloaded more than 15,300 times

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Department of Environmental Affairs https://www.environment.gov.za [|@environmentza]

https://www.youtube.com/user/EnvironmentZA

Google+
[|South African National Parks]

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Hiking
[|Hiking Organisation of Southern Africa] (HOSA)

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guineafowl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Star_Cave

http://isimangaliso.com https://twitter.com/iSimangalisoZA [|Facebook]
 * iSimangaliso Wetland Park**

Cape Floral Region
[|Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage Site] media type="custom" key="27792387"

Garden Route (Tsitsikamma, Knysna, Wilderness) National Park
also see: knysna http://www.sanparks.org/parks/garden_route https://www.facebook.com/groups/147847698591558 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_Route_National_Park [|@nandimgwa]

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Swartberg Trail
http://www.ralphpina.com/2016/05/the-swartberg-trail https://www.flickr.com/photos/ralphpina/albums/72157667798637082 https://plus.google.com/+RalphPina/posts/UPc9T9JJBLm http://www.footprint.co.za/swartberg.htm

FYI
Three of the five fastest land animals live in South Africa - the cheetah (101km/h), the wildebeest and the lion

South Africa is home to the world's smallest succulent plants (less than 0.39 inches) and the largest (the baobab tree)

Accessible Travel in Parks
[|South Africa]

filing
The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) is the current winners of the Lilizela Tourism Visitor Experience of the Year Award – ‘Wildlife Encounters’, Skål International Sustainable Tourism Award, Overall winner of the World Responsible Tourism Award and in the category ‘Best Animal Welfare Initiative‘

The Touch a Monkey’s Heart Foundation (TAMHF) sanctuaries – named Monkeyland and Birds of Eden – provide the primates and birds who live there with a stable environment, one with permanence and where there is definitely no exploitation. At Monkeyland and Birds of Eden, care exceeds the regulations regarding animal welfare. Monkeyland and Birds of Eden is, most importantly, a place where primates and birds are rehabilitated both physically and emotionally.

It is because of sanctuaries such as Monkeyland and Birds of Eden which go beyond idealism, and who strive to do something positive, that we can look forward to a more optimistic future.

Therefore we have decided to do more and ultimately become the custodian of even more sanctuaries. Thus we needed to bring along change. From here on out TAMHF will be known as Saasa.org.za (South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance). - See more at: http://www.saasa.org.za/live/why-tamhf-changed-to-saasa/#sthash.E1LLXhz1.dpuf

http://www.saasa.org.za

[|@SAASA_RSA]

@http://www.sanparks.org/ The [|forums] (found under the 'interactive' menu) discuss sightings of wildlife, tips on photography or what to do if surrounded by elephants, advice to travelers on how to book a good cabin or campsite (e.g. one with views into the woodland or close to bathroom if you have to walk there during the night), the best routes for driving, what to bring in different seasons, where you can get wifi, just about every topic you can think of to do with visiting the national parks, and when you ask a question it is generally answered within a couple of days (sometimes within a couple of hours). You need to register and choose a password to contribute and ask questions, but it's free.

Whales
http://www.awhaleofaheritageroute.co.za http://www.southafrica.info/travel/surf/whale.htm

Photos
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Embedded Tweets
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media type="custom" key="28695672" 35% of the [|#ProtectedArea] network in [|#SouthAfrica] are [|#PrivatelyProtectedAreas], help fulfils global targets Candice Stevens [|#BirdLife] http://privateconservation.net

flickrgroup: [|Ecotourism Africa] slideshare: [|Ecotourism Africa] (3,000+ views), [|Parks, Tourism and the Social Web] (41,000+ views), [|Parks Bingo] (1,000+ views), [|World Parks] (8,000+ views)