The South African Drylands
Covering 110,268 km² across the Succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo, and Klein Karoo, the Drylands are one of the country’s most expansive and ecologically important landscapes. Despite extreme heat, low rainfall, and water scarcity, these arid ecosystems are home to remarkable people, fauna and flora. Often these landscapes sustain rare and endangered species, such as Riverine Rabbits and Golden moles, dwarf tortoises, birds of prey, freshwater fish, and rare succulent plants.
Within such an arid landscape, it is important for inhabitants and specialists to ensure continued knowledge sharing in order to build a climate resilience, enabling the protection of threatened species, and to support the natural systems that local communities rely on for survival. Conservation based agriculture and livelihoods benefit both people and the local biodiversity. Support within the arid areas will allow communities to better implement efforts to reduce the impact of expanding energy infrastructure on wildlife, inform and minimise the impact of destructive mining, improve legal protection for threatened species and habitats, and develop sustainable finance mechanisms to support long-term conservation.
Why It’s Important:
The Drylands landscape is a critical focus area for the EWT because of its unique biodiversity, high levels of endemism, and its essential role in supporting climate resilience, water retention, and sustainable land use practices. Protecting the Drylands is not just about conserving species; it’s about preventing large-scale desertification and securing essential ecosystem services that underpin food security, livelihoods, and resilience in the face of a changing climate. Covering approximately 60% of South Africa, these semi-arid ecosystems are home to both wildlife and communities that depend on the land for survival. Yet, they are among the most vulnerable to climate change, overgrazing, and unsustainable development. Scientific tools like bioblitzes help uncover previously undocumented, cryptic or overlooked species, strengthening the evidence base needed to guide conservation decisions in this fragile region.
