Enormous boost for bird conservation and avitourism

2007-02-07

BirdLife South Africa recently received a substantial grant for funding support from the Palabora Foundation and the Rio Tinto Birdlife International Partnership for the development of the Kruger To Canyons (K2C) Birding Route.

This route will form an important part of the Greater Limpopo Birding Route and will provide incentive for conservation of three important bird areas and a host of exceptional species including Taita Falcon and Pels Fishing Owl.

The main objectives of the four year project will be to formally establish the Kruger To Canyons Birding Route as a component of the Greater Limpopo Birding Route which was started by Sarah Venter, Joe Grossell and Ben de Boer.

The Kruger to Canyons route will incorporate and add significant value to the entire Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve, and create up to 20 jobs for local bird guides and thereby place Limpopo firmly on the avitourism map.

An important outcome for the project will be to identify areas of conservation concern where avitourism projects such as boardwalks, hides or overnight facilities can add substantial value to the habitats along the route and directly involve rural communities in birding, tourism and conservation.

This new Kruger to Canyon Birding Route has:

  1. 80-90% of all raptor species found in South Africa,
  2. all Owl Species
  3. and the Blyde River Canyon and Kruger National Park on your doorstep

Birding in Limpopo is about to become even better!

Duncan Pritchard, BirdLife South Africa’s Avitourism manager, and Martin Taylor the newly appointed K2C Project Manager will do a presentation on the K2C Birding Route in Phalaborwa on Wednesday 7th February at the Impala Inn at 18h00.

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