The Conservation Services Division comprises a number of units including Scientific Services which conducts the bulk of SANParks’ research and monitoring in the biophysical and social sciences across the parks.
The knowledge generated by scientists and supporting staff within the division and in collaboration with external associates informs park management and promotes the conservation of biodiversity, landscapes and associated heritage assets across SANParks’ network of protected areas.
Ash plays a critical role in a post-fire environment. It helps re-stimulate microbial activity and post-fire regeneration of the landscape. Fires and savanna go hand in hand and vegetation and wildlife are known to be adapted to frequent burning. Whether soils and organisms living below ground cope with savanna fires equally well is less understood….
Working out rhino numbers is not a simple exercise of taking the current count and subtracting rhinos reported as poached. Where have all the rhinos gone? This question is asked every year when the new SANParks’ rhino numbers are released. The public subtracts the reported number of poached rhinos in the previous year from the…
As we reflect on 2021/2022, it’s an excellent time to highlight emerging conservation issues that warrant greater understanding and attention. Some of the challenges and concerns we face in Cape parks are large-scale issues that need to be solved through extensive collaborative efforts across multiple spheres and disciplines. Many of these issues are deeply rooted…
03 March 2024 – 08 March 2024
Nombolo Mdhluli Conference Centre, Kruger National Park
The Science Network Meeting provides an opportunity for scientists to share their latest research findings conducted in national parks and other conservation areas within the savanna biome.
Based primarily out of Kimberley, the Arid Research Unit has a long history within SANParks. Established more than 3 decades ago, primarily focused on plant-herbivore-carnivore interactions, the unit has seen considerable flux over time. Currently, the Arid Research Unit supports research and monitoring in parks in both the Arid and Frontier region of SANParks.
The Cape Research Centre (CRC) was established in 2008. It is situated in the Tokai section of Table Mountain National Park on land that was formerly under plantation but is currently being restored to fynbos. The CRC was established to develop internal scientific capacity to serve the socio-ecological research needs…
Garden Route Scientific Services was established to develop internal scientific capacity to serve the Garden Route National Park (GRNP), which includes the previously proclaimed Tsitsikamma and Wilderness National Parks, State Forests and mountain catchment areas, as well as the Knysna National Lake Area…
Formal in-house scientific research in SANParks has its roots in Kruger National Park (KNP) where the first staffed research station was established in the 1950s. Today the Savanna & Grassland Research Unit is responsible for managing research and monitoring activities across several national parks…
For general enquiries please contact:
PA: GM Savanna and Grassland Research Unit
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +27 (0)13 735 4402