| Swaziland | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Southeastern Africa | ||||||||||||||||||
| National web sites | Kingdom of Swaziland, | ||||||||||||||||||
| Embassy / Chancery in
U.S.
(Courtesy of CIA WORLD FACT BOOK) |
Suite 3M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Agencies responsible for biological inventory and conservation | Ministry
of Tourism, Environment and Communication
Telephone (+268) 404 4556 / 404 6420/3 Information Office - (+268) 404 2531 Fax (+268) 404 5415 / 404 6438 Telex 2035 WD P.O. Box 2652, Mbabane Kingdom of Swaziland |
||||||||||||||||||
| Non-governmental organizations concerned with conservation | Although not autonomous from the government the Swaziland National Trust Commission does have a Community Outreach Programme to educate and involve community members in environmental conservation. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Major Natural Resources | Although Swaziland has a small land-area, it is rich in biodiversity. Swaziland is comprised of four regions "from semiarid to wetlands" (Swaziland's Flora) and "from forests to grasslands" (Swaziland's Flora). The varied habitats allow for a variety of species almost equal to South Africa's own great reserve, Kruger National Park (Swaziland's Biodiversity). Swaziland is also rich in mineral resources, especially asbestos and fossil fuels. According to the World Bank, Swaziland has 17,184 petajoules of fossil fuel energy left in reserves and does not have to import energy despite its growing urbanization. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Major Environmental and Conservation Issues | Nearly half of all of Swaziland's forests are plantation forests, which generally exist as monoculture environments. All over southern Africa grassland habitats are disappearing, and forest plantations take away from grasslands, threatening the birds who depend on grasslands for their habitat. Soil erosion is also a problem as is a lack of potable water in Swaziland, to which forest plantations contribute by a lack of understory to hold in the water. Soil degradation is also occurring in Swaziland, threatening agriculture even as agriculture contributes to the problem by exhausting the soil. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Land area | 17,200 Sq. km | The World Bank, Agriculture Resources Dept. | |||||||||||||||||
| Area of forest | 2861 Sq. km | The World Bank, Agricultural Resources Dept. | |||||||||||||||||
| Area of wetlands | 100% of Swaziland's Natural Wetlands remain | The World Bank, Agricultural Resources Dept. | |||||||||||||||||
| Area of territorial waters | 160 Sq. km (Swaziland is a landlocked country, this is really just a figure for lakes and streams) | The World Bank, Agricultural Resources Dept. | |||||||||||||||||
| Population: 1 million | Density: | 145/Sq.mi
which is approximately 56/Sq. km |
|||||||||||||||||
| Area protected (ha) at all IUCN levels: 40 ha | Since Swaziland is a small country the 40 ha must be looked at in proportion to its size. The fraction of land protected is a better indication than the size of the preserve. | Fraction of land area protected (%): | 2.6 | The World Bank, Agricultural Resources Dept. | |||||||||||||||
| Major Protected Areas | Although they amount to only 40 ha, Malolotja, Mlawula, Mantenga and Hawane protect diverse populations and habitats. | National Trust Commission Nature Reserves | |||||||||||||||||
| Endemic Species |
|
Swaziland National Trust Commission - Swaziland's Fauna | |||||||||||||||||
| Endangered, Threatened and Vulnerable Species |
|
World Conservation Monitoring Centre - Animal | |||||||||||||||||
| Extinct Species |
|
World Conservation Monitoring Centre - Animal | |||||||||||||||||
| Species listed on CITES Appendices | CITES-listed Species Database | ||||||||||||||||||
| Legislation | |||||||||||||||||||
| Laws protecting endangered or threatened species | 4 national
trust parks protect Swaziland's diverse species: Malolotja, Mlawula,
Mantenga and Hawane |
||||||||||||||||||
| Laws protecting endangered ecosystems | 4 national
trust parks protect Swaziland's habitats: Malolotja, Mlawula,
Mantenga and Hawane |
||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to CITES | February 26, 1997 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to Ramsar Wetlands Convention | No | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to Convention on Biological Diversity | Signed June 12, 1992, Ratified on November 9, 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to Migratory Bird Treaty | No | ||||||||||||||||||
| Member of International Whaling Commission | No. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to other international treaties designed to protect or manage biological resources | No. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Natural Resource Use | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fisheries | Since Swaziland is a landlocked country there are no major fishing industries. | World Bank | |||||||||||||||||
| Forestry / deforestation | The total area of Swaziland's forests is 146 ha, but 72 ha of these forest hectares are plantation forest. Although deforestation is not occurring, aforestation (the creation of forests where there were none) often causes a loss of grassland habitat (especially for birds) and increases pressure on water and leads to soil erosion. | World Bank | |||||||||||||||||
| Ecotourism | Swaziland receives 200,000 visitors per year , roughly 1/5 its population, boasting a beautiful area with a wonderful climate. Swaziland seems now trying to capitalize on its rich biodiversity as well to attract ecoturists, and since it hosts over 800 species of African birds it is likely to be very successful. | Nations of the Commonwealth: Swaziland | |||||||||||||||||
| Trade in wildlife products | Swaziland meets about an 80% rate of the reporting required by the treaty. | World Bank | |||||||||||||||||
| Hunting | Hunting does not seem to be a major source of income in comparison to the mining and oil industries of Swaziland. | MBendi Information for Africa, Swaziland | |||||||||||||||||
| Other uses of natural resources | Although the Dvokolwako diamond mine closed in 1996, asbestos mining continues as does the oil industry. | MBendi Information for Africa, Swaziland | |||||||||||||||||
| Human Impacts on Natural Resources | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Air pollution | |||||||||||||||||||
| Water pollution | |||||||||||||||||||
| Development activities | Although 31.2% of Swaziland's population is urbanized, that figure is expected to nearly double in the next 25 years, the impact of this urbanization is yet unknown. | The World Bank, Agricultural Resources Dept. | |||||||||||||||||
| Introduced species | In Swaziland's Flora, exotic species in Swaziland are referred to as "naturalized exotics" suggesting that they are not recent introductions, nor were any specific problems mentioned. | Swaziland's Flora | |||||||||||||||||
| Legislation addressing these issues | |||||||||||||||||||
| Restoration and Reintroduction | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Programs for restoration of damaged habitat | The Malolotja Nature Reserve is an attempt to conserve grassland habitat, but as Swaziland urbanizes and afforests like its neighbor, South Africa, the loss of grasslands continues to occur. | Swaziland's Biodiversity | |||||||||||||||||
| Programs for ex situ conservation (captive breeding and reintroduction) of endangered species | In working
in cooperation with South Africa, Swaziland has begun conservation efforts
towards preserving the diversity of its avian species. Habitat loss seems
to be a major contributor to species loss, but the fragile nature of some
avian reproduction cycles seems to contribute to their depleted numbers:
"In 1995, the Pretoria Zoo donated three ground hornbills to the Malolotja Nature Reserve in Swaziland. The chicks were taken from the Kruger National Park four years ago after they had hatched. Ground hornbills lay two eggs which both hatch, but the second chick usually dies. By removing the second chick from the nest, the project aims to increase the numbers of ground hornbills and thereby save them from extinction." --Courtesy of Swaziland's Biodiversity |
Swaziland's
Biodiversity |
|||||||||||||||||
Return to Endangered Species Protection around the World
Page compiled by (Stacy E. Korn) as part of a class project in h90 "The Science of Biodiversity and Conservation" (Peter J. Bryant, Instructor), University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA