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Anthropogenic activities cause habitat loss for wildlife, thus increasing human-wildlife conflicts globally. This study focused on highlighting factors that need to be explored when assessing human-wildlife conflicts for managerial actions. To identify critical factors influencing co-existence between humans and wildlife and the role these factors can play in supporting conservation of flora and fauna. A structured questionnaire was developed and administered to four communities around the two divisions of Cross-River National park to collect information demographic characteristics and series of tolerance construct statements to understand tolerance towards human-wildlife conflicts. The factors influencing tolerance in human-wildlife conflicts in Cross River National Park were highlighted using factor analysis on 335 households from communities living near the park. Tolerance in human-wildlife conflicts influences conservation and management in protected areas. The identified factors were a contribution to conservation, wealth & multiple livelihood sources, Compensation & Benefits, and community resilience. Furthermore, it was also discovered that carnivore conservation requires special attention for communities to provide support for conservation. Our results suggest that even though conservation is a central concept in human-wildlife conflict, other factors such as tolerance, the occupation of locals and the benefits to be derived play a critical role in ameliorating human-wildlife conflicts. Human-wildlife conflicts cannot be totally eliminated but having a clear understanding of the factors that play a major role in determining tolerance levels is a huge step towards peaceful coexistence and hence better management of the protected area

This study examined human–wildlife conflicts between border communities to Cross River National Park in Nigeria. The research aimed to assess mitigation strategies and traditional measures used to ...

Currently, the majority of land used in South Africa for wildlife by the private sector has been converted from livestock farms to game farms and covers more land than state-owned provincial and national parks conservation areas combined. One animal that stands out above most wildlife regarding its popularity is the lion. From a private land owners’ point of view, lions are amongst the most sought after animals for photographic safaris and trophy hunting, leading to the increase of lion breeding and populations on private land to the point where the private sector is responsible for managing the largest portion of the lion population in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of this research is to determine the economic significance of lion breeding within the South African wildlife industry. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 breeders in South Africa. The results revealed that lion breeders contribute R500 million (US$ 42 million) annually to the South African economy. The contribution of this research is twofold. Firstly, it was the first time such research has been conducted amongst lion breeders, and secondly, it points to the economic significance of lion breeding regarding the amount spend by breeders as well as number of jobs maintained by this breeders. Key words: Consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife tourism, economic significance, ecotourism, lion breeding, wildlife tourism.

Accommodation plays such an important role in the tourist’s experience that one would imagine that many studies concerning this topic have been conducted. However, surprisingly, very few studies have focused on this subject despite the growth in both demand and supply. This gap or lack of research led to the present exploratory study that addressed the question: ‘What are visitors’ accommodation preferences when they select accommodation in the Kruger National Park?’ Based on a visitor survey in the Northern region of the Park during December 2015 where 294 fully completed questionnaires were administered, respondents were segmented based on their accommodation preferences (self-service, serviced and safari). Three distinct segments were identified, Self-service seekers, Servicescape seekers and Self-safari seekers. These segments differ regarding their socio-demographic characteristics and especially regarding the factors they regard as important when selecting accommodation and campsites. This was the first time that the accommodation preferences of visitors to the flagship national park in South Africa have been analysed. The results demonstrated that while visitors to the Kruger National Park appear homogeneous regarding their demographic profile, they differ significantly when it comes to accommodation needs and preferences. The findings from the research are valuable to park management, especially when developing and expanding accommodation options in the park as it shows the preferences of each distinct market. This research furthermore contributes to the current literature regarding ecotourism and ecotourists’ accommodation preferences.

Sandy beaches offer invaluable services, the overexploitation of which threatens their survival. Management responses may be inappropriate, focussing on limited aspects of beaches and neglecting key characteristics. This study developed and tested a new integrated assessment tool for sandy beaches, using seven recreational South African beaches as case study. The tool was based on a beach description matrix, forming the Beach Description Index; an assessment of beachgoers’ attitude and opinion, forming the Human Dimension Index; and a monetary assessment, forming the Monetary Index. Values for each index were classified according to management attention/recreational favourability, opinion/attitude, and economic value, respectively. The average of the indices formed a Beach Evaluation Index, which was used to rate the performance of and compare the case study beaches. Within limits, the evaluation tool successfully identified management priorities, public concerns, and economic aspects regarding the beaches, all of which can be generalised to other beaches worldwide.

Lucrezi, S. and van der Merwe, P., 2015. Beachgoers' awareness and evaluation of the Blue Flag Award in South Africa. Beach awards such as the European Blue Flag are increasingly adopted in many countries as an environmental brand to promote better beach management and encourage tourism. However, the validity of the Blue Flag award has been criticized in the literature, and research shows that the award is still not widely known and has marginal influence on tourists' beach selection. This study, conducted at six popular South African beaches, three with and three without Blue Flag status, investigated awareness and evaluation of the Blue Flag award among 579 beachgoers. Results from a structured questionnaire showed that over half of the participants, mostly people on the Blue Flag beaches, knew about the Blue Flag award and its criteria; however, approximately one-third of the participants were unaware of it. Participants tended to be less tolerant of supposed water-quality degradation than the...

This study evaluated the economic impact of hunting on the regional economy of South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Data on biltong hunting was derived from a national survey conducted in 2009 and data on trophy hunting from the Professional Hunting Association of South Africa (PHASA). Using the input-output (social accounting matrix) and multiplier analyses, we found that the direct economic impact of hunting in the regional economy of the Limpopo Province, as a result of increased expenditure, exceeded R669 million (US$83.6 million). This direct impact resulted in a total economic impact in the order of R1.2 billion (US$150 million) and consequently in a multiplier effect of 1.76. With regard to employment, we estimated that some 8 382 jobs, in addition to those of the employees directly involved, may be dependent upon hunting in the province, which supports the notion that this is a viable and important sector of the tourism industry.

The ecosystem services provided by sandy beaches are increasingly recognised and valued globally. Nevertheless, sandy beaches remain under threat from the overexploitation and degradation of these services, mostly attributable to human pressures. Management challenges for sandy beaches include taking into account their diversity and their inherent aspects, from environmental to social. In developing countries, in particular, lack of resources exacerbates these challenges. Therefore, low-cost strategies focused on interventions with spatial priority and aimed at cooperative governance, while addressing the diversity of sandy beaches, are favoured. The inclusion of social drivers, a prescription designed to contribute to Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), appears to fit this role by means of actions engaging stakeholders. In this context, users data are receiving more attention with an eye to designing and implementing management strategies for different sandy beaches. Recreational ones, in particular, are under pressure, including development and direct use by visitors, and their functions can be easily jeopardised through homogeneous, partial or blanket management. This paper discusses the utility of users data so as to assist differential management of recreational sandy beaches in South Africa. This country was selected as a case study given that it is developing rapidly and its long coastline is dominated by sandy beaches, many of which are valued and exploited for recreation and tourism. The data under investigation concern sandy beach visitors or beachgoers. These data, collected through self-administered questionnaire surveys, included socio-demographic profiles, travel motivations, beach selection criteria and an evaluation of the state of the beach. Twelve recreational sandy beaches with different urbanisation levels were selected for fieldwork. Between April 2013 and April 2014, 1200 questionnaire surveys were distributed to the beachgoers; 953 of these were completed and returned. There was a notable variability in the profile and perceptions of the beachgoers according to urbanisation and geographic location of the beaches. Such variability supported the case for differential and ad hoc management of recreational sandy beaches. In addition, some users’ views matched with actual scenarios encountered on the beaches under study, confirming the validity of users data in assisting sandy beach management. Implications for the findings of this study are discussed and span actions based on users’ priorities, regulations and interventions to better educate users on the functionality of sandy beaches and the importance of conservation.

Off-road vehicles (ORVs) are popular in coastal recreation, although they have negative impacts on sandy shores. In South Africa, ORVs are banned from most coastal areas, while some areas are designated for restricted ORV use, providing an opportunity to assess whether ORV traffic restrictions translate into biological returns. In Sodwana Bay, the impact of ORVs on ghost crab populations was investigated. During Easter 2012, ghost crab burrows were counted on beach sections open and closed to traffic. Burrow density in the Impact section was less than a third that of the Reference section, and by the end of the study burrow size in the Impact section was half that of the Reference section. ORV traffic caused a shift in burrow distribution to the Lower beach. However, differences in burrow densities between sections were 14 times smaller than differences obtained at a time when ORV use in Sodwana Bay was not controlled. While confirming the well-established detrimental effects of ORV use on sandy beach ecosystems, results demonstrated that traffic restrictions on beaches measurably minimize impacts to the fauna, thus translating into clear-cut biological returns. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00267-013-0223-5

Coral reefs are threatened by impacts such as from scuba diving, and ongoing research is required to assess diving impacts, diver behavior and environmental knowledge. This study investigated perceived diving impacts, reef condition and norms among scuba divers at Sodwana Bay (South Africa). Divers viewed contact with coral as damaging, and perceived environmental degradation at dive sites. However, most divers saw activities such as photography as causing little or no damage to reefs. One meter or less was believed to be a safe distance from the reef or the wildlife to avoid contact or disturbance, and encounter norms were high. Age and experience influenced most perceptions, although cannot be accepted as reliable indicators of divers' perceptions or behavior, due to the heterogeneous conduct of divers of various experience and age as described in literature. The importance of human perceptions to understand what strategies need implementation in diving management is discussed.

The literature indicates that wildlife tourism has become a major draw card for many countries. This is also true for South Africa where wildlife tourism forms the cornerstone of the South African tourism industry. Wildlife tourism activities can be classified into two main groups: non-consumptive (viewing and photographing of wild animals) and consumptive (such as hunting and fishing). Although hunting is one of the major contributors to wildlife tourism in South Africa little is known about the hunters themselves. Therefore the aim of this article is to understand the reasons why South African hunters hunt and to identify specific clusters. In order to achieve the above, a web-based survey conducted on the SA Hunters’ website was used, which afforded respondents the opportunity to complete and return the questionnaire electronically. A total of 344 (n) completed questionnaires were received. The results revealed seven travel motives why South African hunters hunt, namely: for educational purposes, culture and heritage, family togetherness, nature experience, adventure, wildlife meat products and spiritual reasons. In addition three clusters or markets were identified. Key words: Hunting, Biltong hunting, wildlife-based tourism, travel motives, market segmentation, cluster analysis

Scuba diving is a growing form of tourism reflecting positively on the economy of coastal communities. However, any negative impacts associated with scuba diving need to be prevented to safeguard the critical ecosystem services provided by reefs. Studies have explored the behaviour of scuba divers by psychological and skill-related factors to formulate plans for the management of reefs and diving tourism. This study represents a contribution to the growing evidence concerning scuba divers' perceptions according to these factors. Scuba divers at Sodwana Bay, South Africa were interviewed on their diving motivations, excitement for marine life, experience, and perceptions of impacts, reef condition, and norms. It was hypothesised that motivations and marine life preferences had a significant relationship with scuba divers' perceptions and norms, and that experience mediated this relationship. Hypotheses were tested via structural equation modelling. Although motivations varied significantly according to diving experience, the hypotheses were not confirmed by the structural model. These findings highlight the importance of a stronger educational component across all diving specialisation levels, and emphasise the need to further research the potential links between psychological variables and behaviour in scuba divers.

Orientation: Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site (MNP) is a unique national park in South Africa in that it includes a World Heritage Site of significant importance for the people of southern Africa. MNP is a relatively new national park with low visitor numbers and occupancy rates, which threaten the sustainable management of the park. Research purpose: This study aimed to develop a general visitor profile and to describe the motivational factors for visiting the park in order to support the development of tourism at MNP. Motivation of the study: A tourism management plan is required for the park; however, any planning associated planning requires an assessment of tourist behaviour and needs. Research design, approach and method: An online questionnaire was distributed to a database of visitors to MNP during March−April 2013. A total of 486 responses were received. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics through frequencies and means. Motivator constructs were analysed through a factor analysis. Main findings: The study both confirmed and contradicted previous findings from other national parks in terms of visitor profiles and motivations. Most crucially, this study identified a new motivational factor for visiting national parks, which advances the need to manage the heritage aspect of world heritage sites distinctly from national parks. Managerial implications: The results indicated that visitors to MNP were older and better educated compared to visitors at other national parks. These visitors included predominantly first-time visitors. In addition these visitors are mainly motivated by the need for a nature experience , although the park is not a Big 5 reserve, findings also identified heritage and educatio n as a unique motivational factor for this park. Contribution added: The study promotes the requirement of a unique park-specific tourism management strategy for MNP as the market base of this park is demographically distinct. In addition, the park should improve the promotion of its status as a World Heritage asset in relation to its natural attributes in order to attract greater numbers of heritage tourists. Although the park features exceptional natural features, the reserve is not a Big 5 reserve and this may result in dissatisfaction with the major group of visitors seeking a nature experience.

Coastal dunes are increasingly at risk due to pressures deriving from global climate change, sea level rise, recreation and development. The consequences of the “coastal squeeze” in which dunes are placed, such as erosion and the loss of critical ecosystem services, are usually followed by expensive restoration and protection measures, many of which are unsuccessful. Due to the poor understanding and acknowledgement of the key attributes of coastal dunes in decision making processes, it is essential to provide scientific data on the impacts of human interference on coastal dunes so as to inform executives and guide them towards a sustainable management of the coastal zone. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of five different levels of infrastructure development on the vegetation community structure of coastal dunes in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. The effects of infrastructure development on dune vegetation were quantified by measuring the richness, diversity, cover, height and composition of plant species. With an increase in infrastructure development a significant decrease in dune width, average species richness and height of the plants occurred, accompanied by a shift in plant community composition. The foredunes that were backed immediately by infrastructure presented significantly greater species richness, diversity, cover and height compared with the foredunes abutted by primary dunes. This study demonstrated that coastal dunes are environments which are sensitive to varying levels of human impact. Informed and comprehensive management planning of these environments is therefore imperative for the restoration and maintenance of remnant dunes and for the conservation of undeveloped coastal dunes.

This study, the first of its kind involving South African National Parks, aimed to determine which environmental factors in these parks have a negative effect on tourists’ experience, and whether tourists who visit parks frequently are more aware of environmental impacts than those who visit only occasionally. The findings will help to inform South African National Parks (SANParks) management about the impacts of tourism in the parks and how these affect tourists’ experience. Data was obtained from 451 questionnaires completed in a survey on the SANParks official website. A factor analysis identified five environmental factors that had a negative impact on tourists’ SANParks experience: pollution, tourism product offering, park violation, environmental management, and tourism impacts. An ANOVA test was then conducted to examine the relationship between the frequency of tourists’ visits and the effect of these factors on their experience. It was found that the more frequent the visits, the more the environmental impacts of tourism were perceived. These findings should help to develop management strategies to reduce negative nature-based experiences. Key words: Tourist experience, environmental impact, park management, ANOVA, factor analysis, South African national parks.