PROTECTING THE DRYLANDS: THE BATTLE AGAINST MINING IN FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS

THE scars of mining activities are visible as you make your way through the vast dryland areas straddling the Western Cape and Northern Cape.

- LISA ISAACS

Here, the land is not lush. Here, a little bit of rain goes a long way.

Much of the interior region of the country, spreading to the West Coast, is classified as semi-arid drylands and includes the Karoo region. The areas are prone to desertification, drought and land degradation but support an array of some of the hardiest animals and plants, including many endemic species which occur nowhere else on Earth.

The Succulent Karoo has extraordinarily high plant endemism - there are more than 6350 vascular plant species in this biodiversity hotspot, with nearly 40% endemic. The unique plant life and habitat diversity also support an extraordinary diversity of vertebrates.