The impacts of a global pandemic on the efficacy and stability of contemporary wildlife conservation: South Africa as a case study.

ABSTRACT: Conservationists speculated on potential benefits to wildlife of lockdown restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic but voiced concern that restrictions impeded nature conservation. We assessed the effects of lockdown restrictions on biodiversity conservation in South Africa, a biodiverse country with economic inequality and reliance on wildlife resources. We solicited expert opinion using the IUCN's Threats Classification Scheme to structure a questionnaire and illustrated responses with individual case studies from government parastatal and non-governmental conservation organisations. The most highly reported threats were biological resource use, residential/commercial developments, invasive species, and human intrusions. The trends reported by 90 survey respondents were supported by

SUBMITTER: Ehlers Smith DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9802021 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature