Posted on 20 March 2025
Ndumo Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, a designated Ramsar-listed wetland site, is grappling with increasing environmental and conservation threats.
As reported by African Travel & Tourism Association, this raises doubts about the effectiveness of international protection treaties. Over the past 17 years, the reserve has experienced a surge in illegal farming, deforestation, wildlife poaching and gillnet fishing.
Ndumo was once home to a thriving population of hippos. (Picture: Getty Images)
This was particularly following the removal of its eastern boundary fence. Once home to thriving populations of rhinos and hippos, Ndumo has since faced significant biodiversity losses, with rhinos now locally extinct due to poaching.
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Despite calls for government intervention, no formal request has been made to Ramsar for an assessment of the situation. Conservation experts, including Dr. Simon Pooley, have expressed concerns about South Africa’s commitment to its Ramsar obligations. They have further pointed to a lack of government action even as the site is recognized as ecologically threatened.
While Ramsar offers advisory missions to help address conservation challenges, the South African government has opted for local assessments rather than seeking international expertise. The next Ramsar member meeting is set to take place in Victoria Falls in July and it remains uncertain whether the Ndumo matter will be addressed.
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