CONSERVATION
CONSERVATION African tourism alarmed by rhino and elephant losses
The continent is at the epicentre of global poaching and trafficking of many species
Animal conservation in Africa has suffered several setbacks, prompting experts at an African tourism conference last week in Cape Town to warn about the cost to the travel industry."Obviously it’s negative," said the African Tourism Association’s MD Naledi Khabo, who spoke at the inaugural event organised by Airbnb.Kenya was thrust into the conservation spotlight when an effort to move endangered black rhinos between national parks, launched with great fanfare in June, left 11 of the animals dead."It does impact the overall pan-African perception as well, which in turn has a negative impact on tourism," said Khabo.The cost of environmental crime to developing countries is estimated to be more than $70bn a year.Africa is at the epicentre of global poaching and trafficking of many species, with elephants coveted for their ivory tusks and rhinos sought for their horns, which are used in traditional Asian medicine.Botswana, which has Africa’s largest elephant population, is on the front...
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