Conservationist Discusses Challenges Facing Wildlife in Africa

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Wouter van Hoven

A recognized leader in the field of wildlife management throughout Africa will speak at Rochester Institute of Technology on the state of wildlife on public and private lands in Africa.

Wouter van Hoven will present “Some Challenges to Wildlife in Africa today” 4 p.m. Oct. 28 in Golisano Hall. The event, hosted by RIT’s College of Science, is free and open to the public.

Van Hoven holds degrees in zoology, botany, ecology and physiology. He is currently a professor at the University of Pretoria in Wildlife Management and the University of Vermont. He is the founder of EcoLife Expeditions, an experiential hands-on study abroad provider that offers courses such as Vets in the Wild, Wildlife Management and Conservation, and African Heritage, credited by the University of Pretoria.

Van Hoven’s talk will cover different aspects of conservation in Africa, including the following topics:

• The commercialization of wildlife in South Africa has led to most wildlife and wildlife habitat being found on private land. The privatization of conservation provides a $400 million annual income and leads to many jobs in rural areas.
• Lion breeding has become very successful as well as very controversial. Is it ethical to breed lions for the purpose of sustainable use? Greed also overshadows ethics concerning the level of rhinoceros poaching that continues in Africa.
• Wildlife is on the decline on public land in most African states. The opposite, however, holds true for South African National Parks, where elephant overpopulation is becoming a serious problem in Kruger Park.

For more information about the lecture, contact Susan Tontarski at 585-475-5772.