A game reserve is a large area where wild animals can safely live and reproduce. Game reserves exist to safeguard wild animals and provide a secure environment for them to thrive away from poachers, hunters, and other intruders. As a result, game reserves are created as a safe haven for animals before they are reintroduced into the wild, and a large amount of land is set aside for this purpose. Animals such as antelope, rhinos, and giraffes are protected in these areas. Animals are mostly protected in game reserves, and when they are hunted, it is done in a controlled manner. Many game reserves are established in Africa, and most are open to the public, as tourists commonly take sightseeing safaris. Let us take a closer look at the importance of game reserves and their functions in society.
Game reserves are dedicated places for wildlife conservation
Since the world’s forests are being depleted, the natural habitats of the world’s animals are diminishing. Creating slums or shanty towns around the edges of some cities also reduces the amount of area available for animals to thrive. As a result, the creation of a game reserve allows the allocation of space, time, and resources to the conservation and protection of these animals by local governments and individuals.
Game reserves offer protection of natural vegetation
Many towns and cities are overcrowded, destroying forests and putting the remaining vegetation in these areas in jeopardy. Dedicated space for wildlife and vegetation is becoming increasingly necessary as the urban world continues to expand. Biodiversity is necessary to keep our ecosystems in balance, and game reserves contribute to the protection and maintenance of important natural areas. Several animal species are endangered, but the threat to our vegetation and landscapes is less well-known. Game reserves maintain life cycles and resist the dangers that urbanisation and overpopulation pose to these historically significant locations.
Game reserves provide animals with food and shelter
The animals that live in the game reserves are provided with food and shelter. A variety of wild fruits, as well as edible roots and tubers, can be found on the reserves. Because they are dependent on the food chain, the animals also provide food for one another, with herbivorous animals being provided with a grazing area. Game reserves allow animals to stay in their native habitat while also ensuring that their territorial grounds are protected.
Game reserves generate income from tourism
Some game reserves serve as great tourist destinations. Tourism can fund projects to restore and protect the country’s indigenous fauna and flora, attract international investment, and provide economic opportunities for rural communities. Tourism spreads wealth throughout the country, benefiting people in remote and rural communities.
Game reserves create employment
Animals require continuous protection from poachers’ pressure and the threat of extinction that they pose. For this reason, guards are employed to protect the animals. Tour guides, in addition to guards, are recruited to show tourists around and provide them with detailed information on the animal’s habits and lifestyle. The administrative staff is also necessary to ensure that game reserves run smoothly. Receptionists, for example, are needed to ensure that visitors are booked into suitable rooms and are given itineraries for their activities. In addition, general personnel must ensure that the animals are fed and that their environment is clean. Therefore, game reserves are imperative because they offer employment opportunities to the community.
Game reserves provide the pleasure of observing the animals
People derive great pleasure from observing animal behaviour in their natural environment. That pleasure alone is enough for people to insist that game reserves are preserved and even that others are created to serve as a source of happiness. Many game reserves offer Safari viewing to visitors, and this rich experience is thoroughly enjoyed by tourists and locals alike.
All forms of tourism in which relatively undisturbed natural areas serve as the principal attraction or setting are referred to as nature-based tourism. Wildlife and nature-based tourism, in particular, support a wide range of related industries and sectors, including conservation, by providing income generation for park management, wildlife protection, anti-poaching, and, to some degree, border control. For years, national and provincial conservation agencies have gained major financial benefits from nature-based tourism, which helps to fund conservation programs.
In Namibia, game reserves provide significant benefits to the neighbouring communities by supplying goods and services to visitors. Poaching, illegal resource extraction, and park invasion are all more likely in these reserves when there is no economic activity. Years of community engagement to participate in the advantages of conservation and nature-based tourism will be undone if the economic worth of our protected areas is lost to the communities that rely on them. It’s also worth noting that many people working in nature-based tourism are unskilled or semi-skilled employees who are usually their family’s breadwinners.
Namibia has an impressive diversity of animals, plants, and natural places, and this biological diversity is valuable in many ways. Besides the pleasure that many people take in observing and experiencing nature, our biodiversity provides food, shelter, grazing, pollination, and many other services.
Game reserves are important to the preservation of biodiversity. They not only help to preserve natural areas, but they also allow us to observe how ecosystems function in their natural condition. Recognizing that knowledge and awareness are catalysts for change reinforces in us the necessity of knowing about and protecting our natural environment, equipping us to protect it.
Ohorongo Game Reserve is a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to creating a sustainable conservation legacy in Africa for the past 50 years. Our values are embedded in the sustainability of both humans and animals. We ensure that our visitors are prepared for an adventurous experience in the lap of luxury that is our reserve.
