Providing Education to Enhance Wildlife Conservation in South Africa Through the First Wildlife School for Game Rancers - A Grassroots Effort by Government Authorized Conservationists

The establishment of the game ranching industry in South Africa has resulted in the conversion of 20 million hectares of marginal agricultural land to an economically viable and conservation oriented industry. The single biggest driving factor in the growth of the game ranching industry in South Africa was the promulgation of the Game Theft Act 105 of 1991 which conferred private ownership of game. Due to the Act, wildlife became economically viable and were managed according to the creation of this new market. The growth in game animals has reached its highest point since 1850 with over 20 million animals. In 1992, South Africa signed the International Convention on Biodiversity whereby the country committed itself to a goal of 12% of the country would be preserved for wildlife biodiversity by 2021. By 2016, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) had determined that South Africa’s terrestrial protected area fell far short of the 12% agreed upon by the country. The DEA had determined that South Africa would have to depend on the assistance and conservation of the game ranching industry in order to meet the 12% target. In 2017it was realized that a wildlife school for game farmers was needed, to address utilizing natural resources in a manner that supports sustainability and improves economic prospects while upholding conservation ethics. To help unify the industry and address the unknowns, the first Wildskool was developed to provide direct face to face education