South Africa is the global leader in combatting the loss of biodiversity, according to Prof Peet van der Merwe from the NWU’s tourism program.
The current global species extinction rate was between 200 and 2 000 species per year, he said in a statement. If left unchecked, this could lead to a “sterile world”, he added.
“At the NWU we have the knowledge to curb the extinction of species. It’s our responsibility to share our expertise with the rest of the world,” said Van der Merwe.
He said South Africa was a world leader in terms of conservation, anti-poaching techniques and eco-tourism. This could be ascribed to the exceptional co-operation between the private sector and government structures.
The NWU instititute for Tourism Research in an Economical Environment and Society (TREES) had therefore decided to introduce a short course in eco-tourism and conservation in conjunction with the EcoLife educational organisation.
“The focus of the course is to train local and international students in, among others, nature conservation, zoology, veterinary studies and eco-tourism,” said Van der Merwe.
