Importance of Biodiversity
It is important to protect biodiversity in South Africa because people still rely on natural resources for food and medicine. Plants and flowers are widely used as traditional forms of medicine and treatment for common ailments. The Western Cape of South Africa has about 8,000 different types of flowering plants. Some of these plants are currently being researched for treatment of HIV patients.
Large mammals such as hyenas, lions, hippopotamus, rhinos, elephants, and giraffes also inhabit parts of South Africa. There are also millions of invertebrates that provide functions such as decomposition and pollination which are necessary for life. A loss in biodiversity for wildlife would be very detrimental to the ecosystem and to the human population as well. The residents along the country's coast depend on fish as a substantial part of their diet.
Read more about this topic: Ecotourism In South Africa
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