North-West University tourism researcher says bushmeat poaching is depleting wildlife populations and threatening South Africa’s tourism economy,
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South Africa’s thriving wildlife tourism industry is under growing threat from bushmeat poaching, with experts warning that the continued loss of wildlife could have devastating consequences for conservation, rural livelihoods and the country’s reputation as a premier safari destination.
This is according to Professor Peet van der Merwe of the Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) research unit at North-West University (NWU), who said illegal bushmeat hunting is quietly stripping parks, reserves and farmlands of wildlife that attracts millions of visitors each year.
“Protecting wildlife is not only a conservation responsibility; it is an investment in tourism, rural livelihoods and the country’s international reputation. If the wildlife disappears, the tourists – and the opportunities they create – may follow,” Van der Merwe warned.
Wildlife under increasing pressure
The warning comes amid increasing reports of wildlife being caught in wire snares and hunted with packs of dogs across South Africa’s conservation areas. According to conservation organisations, snaring remains one of the most widespread forms of poaching in the country.
Unlike targeted hunting methods, wire snares indiscriminately trap animals regardless of species, age or conservation status. Many animals suffer prolonged deaths from severe wounds, infections, dehydration and starvation after becoming trapped.
Van der Merwe said the impact extends far beyond the animals killed.
“By depleting wildlife populations, disturbing natural behaviour, reducing the prey available to predators and placing vulnerable species under further pressure, bushmeat poaching threatens the quality of the wildlife experiences on which South Africa’s tourism reputation depends,” he said.
Research and conservation reports have documented snaring incidents in national parks, provincial reserves, private conservation areas and farmland. In the Kruger National Park, SANParks has identified snares as an escalating threat, with endangered African wild dogs among the species affected.
Tourism and ecosystems at risk
The loss of prey species also has wider ecological consequences. As natural food sources decline, predators may disappear from affected areas or increasingly prey on livestock, heightening tensions between conservation authorities and farming communities.
“For those involved in bushmeat poaching, the issue often comes down to food security. Wildlife is poached, firstly, to provide food and, secondly, as a source of income, with the meat sold in local markets and communities,” Van der Merwe explained.
However, he cautioned that bushmeat poaching is no longer solely a subsistence activity, with illegal meat increasingly entering informal markets and creating commercial incentives for poachers.
Rangers face dangerous conditions
Van der Merwe described the bushmeat trade as a major challenge for conservation authorities, particularly in and around the Kruger National Park.
“Rangers patrol the park daily in search of snares, but removing them is both difficult and dangerous. Some of these poachers are armed and are not averse to shooting when confronted,” he said.
The use of hunting dogs has further complicated anti-poaching efforts, enabling poachers to chase wildlife across vast areas and property boundaries.
“The use of dogs in bushmeat poaching is also very problematic, especially in rural areas away from heavily populated areas,” he added.
Call for community-driven solutions
Van der Merwe said the economic fallout from wildlife losses extends well beyond conservation areas, affecting accommodation providers, tour guides, transport operators, restaurants and local suppliers that depend on tourism revenue.
He stressed that tackling the problem requires a combination of stronger law enforcement, anti-poaching operations and community-based interventions aimed at reducing poverty, unemployment and food insecurity.
“Communities living alongside parks and reserves must experience tangible benefits from conservation and tourism,” he said.
Van der Merwe said meaningful employment opportunities, skills development, community-owned tourism enterprises and improved access to affordable food could help create incentives for local communities to protect wildlife rather than exploit it.
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