South Africa Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! == Geography == {{Main|Geography of South Africa}} [[File:South_Africa_sat.jpg|thumb|left|[[Satellite image]] of South Africa]] South Africa is in southernmost Africa, with a coastline that stretches more than {{convert|abbr=on|2500|km|mi|0}} and along two oceans (the South Atlantic and the Indian). At {{convert|abbr=on|1219912|km2|sqmi}},<ref>{{Cite web|title=Country Comparison|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html?countryName=South%20Africa&countryCode=sf®ionCode=af&rank=32#sf|website=World Factbook|publisher=CIA|access-date=4 September 2009|archive-date=1 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501164719/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html?countryName=South%20Africa&countryCode=sf®ionCode=af&rank=32#sf|url-status=dead }}</ref> South Africa is the 24th-largest country in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Demographic Yearbook – 2015 |date=2016 |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2015.htm|access-date=12 December 2017|website=United Nations Statistics Division |archive-date=8 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708191849/https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2015.htm|url-status=live }}</ref> Excluding the [[Prince Edward Islands]], the country lies between latitudes [[22nd parallel south|22°]] and [[35th parallel south|35°S]], and longitudes [[16th meridian east|16°]] and [[33rd meridian east|33°E]]. The interior of South Africa consists of a large, in most places almost flat plateau with an altitude of between {{convert|abbr=on|1000|m|ft}} and {{convert|abbr=on|2100|m|ft}}, highest in the east and sloping gently downwards towards the west and north, and slightly so to the south and south-west.<ref>McCarthy, T. & Rubidge, B. (2005). ''The story of earth and life''. p. 263, 267–268. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.</ref> This plateau is surrounded by the [[Great Escarpment, Southern Africa|Great Escarpment]]<ref name="Altas">Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 13. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town</ref> whose eastern, and highest, stretch is known as the [[Drakensberg]].<ref>Encyclopædia Britannica (1975); Micropaedia Vol. III, p. 655. Helen Hemingway Benton Publishers, Chicago.</ref> [[Mafadi]] in the Drakensberg at {{convert|abbr=on|3450|m|ft}} is the highest peak. The KwaZulu-Natal–Lesotho international border is formed by the highest portion of the Great Escarpment which reaches an altitude of over {{convert|abbr=on|3000|m|ft}}.<ref>Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 151. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town</ref> The south and south-western parts of the plateau (at approximately 1,100{{ndash}}1,800{{nbsp}}m above sea level) and the adjoining plain below (at approximately 700{{ndash}}800{{nbsp}}m above sea level{{snds}}see map on the right) is known as the [[Karoo|Great Karoo]], which consists of sparsely populated [[shrubland]]. To the north, the Great Karoo fades into the more arid Bushmanland, which eventually becomes the [[Kalahari Desert]] in the north-west of the country. The mid-eastern and highest part of the plateau is known as the [[Highveld]]. This relatively well-watered area is home to a great proportion of the country's commercial farmlands and contains its largest conurbation (Gauteng). To the north of Highveld, from about the 25°{{nbsp}}30'{{nbsp}}S line of latitude, the plateau slopes downwards into the [[Bushveld]], which ultimately gives way to the Limpopo River lowlands or [[Veld#Highveld and Lowveld|Lowveld]].<ref name="Altas" /> The coastal belt, below the Great Escarpment, moving clockwise from the northeast, consists of the Limpopo Lowveld, which merges into the Mpumalanga Lowveld, below the Mpumalanga Drakensberg (the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment).<ref>Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 186. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town</ref> This is hotter, drier and less intensely cultivated than the Highveld above the escarpment.<ref name="Altas" /> The [[Kruger National Park]], located in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in north-eastern South Africa, occupies a large portion of the Lowveld covering 19,633 square kilometres (7,580 sq mi)<ref name="Kruger National Park">{{Cite web|title=Kruger National Park|url=http://www.africa.com/south-africa/travel/what-to-do/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218164142/http://www.africa.com/south-africa/travel/what-to-do/|archive-date=18 December 2014|access-date=16 December 2014|publisher=Africa.com}}</ref> [[File:South Africa - Drakensberg (16261357780).jpg|thumb|alt=Image depicting the Drakensberg|[[Drakensberg]], the eastern and highest portion of the [[Great Escarpment, Southern Africa|Great Escarpment]] which surrounds the east, south and western borders of the central plateau.]] [[File:Namaqualand, Goegap 0035.jpg|thumb|Spring flowers in [[Namaqualand]]]] The coastal belt below the south and south-western stretches of the Great Escarpment contains several ranges of [[Cape Fold Belt|Cape Fold Mountains]] which run parallel to the coast, separating the Great Escarpment from the ocean.<ref>McCarthy, T. & Rubidge, B. (2005). ''The story of earth and life''. p. 194. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.</ref><ref name="geological map">Geological map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (1970). Council for Geoscience, Geological Survey of South Africa.</ref> (These parallel ranges of fold mountains are shown on the map, above left. Note the course of the Great Escarpment to the north of these mountain ranges.) The land between the [[Outeniqua Mountains|Outeniqua]] and [[Langeberg]] ranges to the south and the [[Swartberg]] range to the north is known as the [[Karoo|Little Karoo]],<ref name="Altas" /> which consists of semi-desert shrubland similar to that of the Great Karoo, except that its northern strip along the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains has a somewhat higher rainfall and is, therefore, more cultivated than the Great Karoo. The Little Karoo is famous for its ostrich farming around [[Oudtshoorn]]. The lowland area to the north of the Swartberg range up to the Great Escarpment is the lowland part of the Great Karoo, which is climatically and botanically almost indistinguishable from the Karoo above the Great Escarpment. The narrow coastal strip between the Outeniqua and Langeberg ranges and the ocean has a moderately high year-round rainfall, which is known as the [[Garden Route]]. It is famous for the most extensive areas of forests in South Africa (a generally forest-poor country). In the south-west corner of the country, the [[Cape Peninsula]] forms the southernmost tip of the coastal strip which borders the Atlantic Ocean and ultimately terminates at the country's border with Namibia at the [[Orange River]]. The Cape Peninsula has a [[Mediterranean climate]], making it and its immediate surrounds the only portion of [[Sub-Saharan Africa]] which receives most of its rainfall in winter.<ref>Encyclopædia Britannica (1975); Micropaedia Vol. VI, p. 750. Helen Hemingway Benton Publishers, Chicago.</ref><ref name="Altas1">Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 19. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town</ref> The coastal belt to the north of the Cape Peninsula is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and the first row of north–south running Cape Fold Mountains to the east. The Cape Fold Mountains peter out at about the 32°{{nbsp}}S line of latitude,<ref name="geological map" /> after which the Great Escarpment bounds the coastal plain. The most southerly portion of this coastal belt is known as the [[Swartland]] and Malmesbury Plain, which is an important wheat growing region, relying on winter rains. The region further north is known as [[Namaqualand]],<ref>Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 113. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town</ref> which becomes more arid near the Orange River. The little rain that falls tends to fall in winter,<ref name="Altas1" /> which results in one of the world's most spectacular displays of flowers carpeting huge stretches of [[veld]] in spring (August{{ndash}}September). South Africa also has one offshore possession, the small [[Subantarctic|sub-Antarctic]] [[archipelago]] of the Prince Edward Islands, consisting of [[Marion Island]] ({{convert|abbr=on|290|km2|sqmi|disp=or}}) and Prince Edward Island ({{convert|abbr=on|45|km2|sqmi|disp=or}}) (not to be confused with the [[Prince Edward Island|Canadian province of the same name]]). === Climate === {{Main|Climate of South Africa}} [[File:South Africa Köppen.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of South Africa]] South Africa has a generally [[temperate climate]] because it is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides, because it is located in the climatically milder [[Southern Hemisphere]], and because its average elevation rises steadily toward the north (toward the equator) and further inland. This varied topography and oceanic influence result in a great variety of climatic zones. The climatic zones range from the extreme desert of the southern [[Namib]] in the farthest northwest to the lush subtropical climate in the east along the border with Mozambique and the Indian Ocean. Winters in South Africa occur between June and August. The extreme southwest has a climate similar to that of the [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] with wet winters and hot, dry summers, hosting the famous [[fynbos]] [[biome]] of shrubland and [[Albany thickets|thicket]]. This area produces much of the wine in South Africa and is known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year. The severity of this wind made passing around the Cape of Good Hope particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many shipwrecks. Further east on the south coast, rainfall is distributed more evenly throughout the year, producing a green landscape. The annual rainfall increases south of the Lowveld, especially near the coast, which is [[Subtropics|subtropical]]. The Free State is particularly flat because it lies centrally on the high plateau. North of the [[Vaal River]], the Highveld becomes better watered and does not experience subtropical extremes of heat. Johannesburg, in the centre of the Highveld, is at {{convert|abbr=on|1740|m|ft|0}} above sea level and receives an annual rainfall of {{convert|abbr=on|760|mm|in|1}}. Winters in this region are cold, although snow is rare.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/11/pure-magic-snow-falls-on-johannesburg-for-first-time-in-11-years#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIt%20happens%20once%20every%2010,little%20rain%20in%20winter%20months |title='Pure magic': snow falls on Johannesburg for first time in 11 years |work=The Guardian |last=Sullivan |first=Helen |date=11 July 2023 |access-date=29 December 2023}}</ref> The coldest place on mainland South Africa is Buffelsfontein in the [[Eastern Cape]], where a temperature of {{convert|abbr=on|-20.1|C|F}} was recorded in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 July 2018|title=These are the lowest ever temperatures recorded in South Africa|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/lowest-temperature-recorded-south-africa/|access-date=11 September 2020|website=The South African|language=en-US|archive-date=11 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911142956/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/lowest-temperature-recorded-south-africa/|url-status=live }}</ref> The Prince Edward Islands have colder average annual temperatures, but Buffelsfontein has colder extremes. The deep interior of mainland South Africa has the hottest temperatures: a temperature of {{convert|abbr=on|51.7|C|F|2}} was recorded in 1948 in the Northern Cape Kalahari near [[Upington]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=South Africa's geography|url=http://www.safrica.info/about/geography/geography.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608121736/http://www.safrica.info/about/geography/geography.htm|archive-date=8 June 2010|access-date=30 October 2011|publisher=Safrica.info}}</ref> but this temperature is unofficial and was not recorded with standard equipment; the official highest temperature is {{convert|abbr=on|48.8|C|F|2}} at [[Vioolsdrif]] in January 1993.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SMdzAAAAMAAJ|title=South Africa yearbook|publisher=South African Communication Service|year=1997|isbn=9780797035447|page=3|access-date=14 October 2015|archive-date=24 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124000311/https://books.google.com/books?id=SMdzAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live }}</ref> [[Climate change in South Africa]] is leading to increased temperatures and rainfall variability. [[Extreme weather]] events are becoming more prominent.<ref name=":4">Republic of South Africa, ''[https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/nationalclimatechange_adaptationstrategy_ue10november2019.pdf National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612014043/https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/nationalclimatechange_adaptationstrategy_ue10november2019.pdf|date=12 June 2021 }},'' Version UE10, 13 November 2019.</ref> This is a critical concern for South Africans as climate change will affect the overall status and wellbeing of the country, for example with regards to [[water resources]]. Speedy environmental changes are resulting in clear effects on the community and environmental level in different ways and aspects, starting with air quality, to temperature and weather patterns, reaching out to food security and disease burden.<ref>{{Cite web|title=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health|url=https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph|access-date=26 November 2020|website=www.mdpi.com|language=en|archive-date=10 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610212414/https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph|url-status=live}}</ref> According to computer-generated climate modelling produced by the South African National Biodiversity Institute,<ref name="SANBI">{{Cite web|date=30 September 2011|title=South African National Biodiversity Institute|url=http://www.sanbi.org/|access-date=30 October 2011|publisher=Sanbi.org|archive-date=1 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901083818/http://www.sanbi.org/|url-status=live }}</ref> parts of southern Africa will see an increase in temperature by about {{Convert|1|C-change|}} along the coast to more than {{Convert|4|C-change|}} in the already hot [[hinterland]] such as the Northern Cape in late spring and summertime by 2050. The Cape Floral Region is predicted to be hit very hard by climate change. Drought, increased intensity and frequency of fire, and climbing temperatures are expected to push many rare species towards extinction. South Africa has published two national climate change reports in 2011 and 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 2017|title=South Africa's Second National Climate Change Report|url=https://www.environment.gov.za/otherdocuments/reports/southafricas_secondnational_climatechange|access-date=17 May 2020|archive-date=14 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614170504/https://www.environment.gov.za/otherdocuments/reports/southafricas_secondnational_climatechange|url-status=live }}</ref> South Africa contributes considerable [[Greenhouse gas emissions|carbon dioxide emissions]], being the 14th largest emitter of carbon dioxide,<ref name=":32">{{Cite web|date=15 October 2018|title=The Carbon Brief Profile: South Africa|url=https://www.carbonbrief.org/the-carbon-brief-profile-south-africa|access-date=3 August 2020|website=Carbon Brief|language=en|archive-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509123731/https://www.carbonbrief.org/the-carbon-brief-profile-south-africa|url-status=live}}</ref> primarily from its heavy reliance on coal and oil for [[Energy development|energy production]].<ref name=":32"/> As part of its international commitments, South Africa has pledged to peak emissions between 2020 and 2025.<ref name=":32"/> === Biodiversity === {{main|Biodiversity of South Africa}} {{See also|Wildlife of South Africa|Protected areas of South Africa|Marine biodiversity of South Africa}} [[File:South African Giraffes, fighting.jpg|thumb|[[South African giraffe]]s, Kruger National Park]] [[File:African Leopard Sabi Sands Fir0002 Oct18.jpg|thumb|The female [[African Leopard]] "Thandi" in the Djuma concession of the [[Sabi Sand Game Reserve]]]] South Africa signed the Rio [[Convention on Biological Diversity]] on 4 June 1994 and became a party to the convention on 2 November 1995.<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of Parties|url=http://www.cbd.int/convention/parties/list/|access-date=8 December 2012|archive-date=24 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124005746/http://www.cbd.int/convention/parties/list/|url-status=live }}</ref> It has subsequently produced a [[Biodiversity action plan|National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan]], which was received by the convention on 7 June 2006.<ref name="cbd.int">{{Cite web|title=South Africa's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan|url=http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/cm/cm-nbsap-01-p1-en.pdf|access-date=10 December 2012|archive-date=2 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502141819/http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/cm/cm-nbsap-01-p1-en.pdf|url-status=live }}</ref> The country is ranked sixth out of the world's seventeen [[megadiverse countries]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Biodiversity of the world by countries|url=http://institutoaqualung.com.br/info_biodiversidade23.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101120514/http://institutoaqualung.com.br/info_biodiversidade23.html|archive-date=1 November 2010|access-date=30 May 2010|publisher=Institutoaqualung.com.br}}</ref> [[Ecotourism in South Africa]] has become more prevalent in recent years, as a possible method of maintaining and improving biodiversity. Numerous mammals are found in the Bushveld including lions, [[African leopard]]s, [[Southeast African cheetah|South African cheetahs]], [[Southern white rhinoceros|southern white rhinos]], [[blue wildebeest]], [[kudu]]s, [[impala]]s, [[hyena]]s, [[hippopotamus]]es and [[South African giraffe]]s. A significant extent of the Bushveld exists in the north-east including Kruger National Park and the [[Sabi Sand Game Reserve]], as well as in the far north in the [[Waterberg Biosphere]]. South Africa houses many [[Endemism|endemic species]], among them the critically endangered [[riverine rabbit]] (''Bunolagus monticullaris'') in the Karoo. Up to 1945, more than 4,900 species of [[Fungus|fungi]] (including [[Lichen#Fungi|lichen-forming]] species) had been recorded.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Rong|first1=I. H.|last2=Baxter|first2=A. P.|year=2006|title=The South African National Collection of Fungi: Celebrating a centenary 1905–2005|journal=Studies in Mycology|volume=55|pages=1–12|doi=10.3114/sim.55.1.1|pmc=2104721|pmid=18490968}}</ref> In 2006, the number of fungi in South Africa was estimated at 200,000 species but did not take into account fungi associated with insects.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Crous|first1=P. W.|last2=Rong|first2=I. H.|last3=Wood|first3=A.|last4=Lee|first4=S.|last5=Glen|first5=H.|last6=Botha|first6=W. l|last7=Slippers|first7=B.|last8=De Beer|first8=W. Z.|last9=Wingfield|first9=M. J.|last10=Hawksworth|first10=D. L.|year=2006|title=How many species of fungi are there at the tip of Africa?|journal=Studies in Mycology|volume=55|pages=13–33|doi=10.3114/sim.55.1.13|pmc=2104731|pmid=18490969}}</ref> If correct, then the number of South African fungi dwarfs that of its plants. In at least some major South African ecosystems, an exceptionally high percentage of fungi are highly specific in terms of the plants with which they occur.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Marincowitz |first1=S.|last2=Crous|first2=P.W.|last3=Groenewald|first3=J.Z.|last4=Wingfield|first4=M.J.|year=2008|title=Microfungi occurring on Proteaceae in the fynbos. CBS Biodiversity Series 7|url=http://fabiserv.up.ac.za/webresources/pdf/02cccd42960c651fba2eee15dd3c180b.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729211209/http://fabiserv.up.ac.za/webresources/pdf/02cccd42960c651fba2eee15dd3c180b.pdf|archive-date=29 July 2013|access-date=26 June 2013|name-list-style=amp}}</ref> The country's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan does not mention fungi (including lichen-forming fungi).<ref name="cbd.int" /> With more than 22,000 different [[vascular plant]]s, or about 9% of all the known species of plants on Earth,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lambertini|first=Marco|title=A Anturalist's Guide to the Tropics|date=15 May 2000|publisher=University Of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-46828-0|edition=Revised edition (15 May 2000)|page=46|language=en|chapter=The Flora / The Richest Botany in the World}}</ref> South Africa is particularly rich in plant diversity. The most prevalent biome is the [[grassland]], particularly on the Highveld, where the plant cover is dominated by different [[Poaceae|grasses]], low shrubs, and [[acacia]], mainly camel-thorn (''[[Vachellia erioloba]]''). Vegetation is sparse towards the north-west because of low rainfall. There are numerous species of water-storing succulents, like [[aloe]]s and [[euphorbia]]s, in the very hot and dry Namaqualand area. And according to the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|World Wildlife Fund]], South Africa is home to around a third of all succulent species.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Trenchard|first=Tommy|date=2021-07-31|title=In South Africa, Poachers Now Traffic in Tiny Succulent Plants|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/31/world/africa/south-africa-poachers-tiny-succulent-plants.html|access-date=2022-06-27|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The grass and thorn [[savanna]] turns slowly into a bush savanna towards the north-east of the country, with denser growth. There are significant numbers of [[Adansonia|baobab]] trees in this area, near the northern end of Kruger National Park.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plants and Vegetation in South Africa|url=http://www.southafrica-travel.net/pages/e_plants.htm|access-date=30 October 2011|publisher=Southafrica-travel.net|archive-date=28 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028175454/http://www.southafrica-travel.net/pages/e_plants.htm|url-status=live }}</ref> The fynbos biome, which makes up the majority of the area and plant life in the [[Cape Floristic Region]], is located in a small region of the Western Cape and contains more than 9,000 of those species, or three times more plant species than found in the [[Amazon rainforest]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewton |first=Robin Cherry & Thomas |title=South Africa's flammable floral kingdom |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190304-south-africas-flammable-floral-kingdom |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en}}</ref> making it among the richest regions on earth in terms of plant diversity. Most of the plants are [[evergreen]] hard-leaf plants with fine, needle-like leaves, such as the [[sclerophyll]]ous plants. Another uniquely South African flowering plant group is the genus ''[[Protea]]'', with around 130 different species. While South Africa has a great wealth of flowering plants, only 1% of the land is forest, almost exclusively in the humid [[KwaZulu–Cape coastal forest mosaic|coastal plain of KwaZulu-Natal]], where there are also areas of [[Southern Africa mangroves]] in river mouths. Even smaller reserves of forests are out of the reach of fire, known as [[Knysna–Amatole montane forests|montane forests]]. Plantations of imported tree species are predominant, particularly the non-native [[eucalyptus]] and pine. [[File:Flora at Cape Peninsula.JPG|thumb|left|[[Cape Floral Region Protected Areas]]]] South Africa has lost a large area of natural habitat in the last four decades, primarily because of overpopulation, sprawling development patterns, and deforestation during the 19th century. The country had a 2019 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 4.94/10, ranking it 112th globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{Cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|display-authors=1|year=2020|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|page=5978|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|issn=2041-1723|pmc=7723057|pmid=33293507|doi-access=free|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.|bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G }}</ref> South Africa is one of the worst affected countries in the world when it comes to invasion by [[Introduced species|alien species]] with many (e.g., [[Acacia mearnsii|black wattle]], [[Acacia saligna|Port Jackson willow]], ''[[Hakea]]'', ''[[Lantana]]'' and ''[[Jacaranda]]'') posing a significant threat to the native biodiversity and the already scarce water resources. Also [[woody plant encroachment]] of native plants in grasslands poses a threat to biodiversity and related ecosystem services, affecting over 7 million hectares.<ref>[https://www.dffe.gov.za/sites/default/files/reports/indigenousbushencroachment.pdf Towards a policy on indigenous bush encroachment in South Africa (2019)], Department of Environmental Affairs, Pretoria, South Africa</ref> The original [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests|temperate forest]] found by the first European settlers was exploited until only small patches remained. Currently, South African hardwood trees like [[real yellowwood]] (''[[Podocarpus latifolius]]''), stinkwood (''[[Ocotea bullata]]''), and South African black ironwood (''[[Olea capensis]]'') are under strict government protection. Statistics from the [[Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries|Department of Environmental Affairs]] show a record 1,215 rhinos were killed in 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|date=22 January 2015|title=Progress in the war against poaching|work=Environmental Affairs|location=South Africa|url=https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarelease/molewa_waragainstpoaching2015|url-status=dead|access-date=22 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123231507/https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarelease/molewa_waragainstpoaching2015|archive-date=23 January 2015}}</ref> Since South Africa is home to a third of all succulent species (many endemic to the Karoo), it makes it a hotspot for plant poaching, leading to many species to be threatened with extinction.<ref name=":1" /> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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