Safari tourism has long been an economic boon to people living in Africa. But the suspension of flights and safari visits because of the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated this critical source of income – and devastated the wildlife conservation efforts it funds. The repercussions for flora and fauna are far-reaching. Anything with a horn or tusk is at greater risk today than yesterday.

The economic value of Africa’s national parks, reserves, and conservancies is obvious. In 2019, travel to Africa accounted for 7.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), generating US$168 billion in revenue.

Last year, Kenya, the continent’s fourth-largest tourism economy, had more than two million tourists. The sector now contributes 15 percent to Namibia’s GDP and 115,000 jobs, or 16 percent of total employment.

The resulting revenue helps boost biodiversity. For example, in Tanzania, where tourism comprises 11 percent of the economy, 35.5 percent of land and 13.5 percent of marine areas are now protected, exceeding the goals set in Aichi Target 11 of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

But few policymakers anticipated, much less prepared for, a dramatic and immediate drop of tourism revenue. Most African reserves rely on daily entry fees to finance rangers and help protect habitat and wildlife. None of them has adequate financial reserves, endowments, or insurance to counteract a massive decline in tourism.

In the best of times, African parks – which offer visitors vast savannahs or deserts, herds of regal elephants, and the fleeting glimpse of a big cat – aren’t a hard sell. Protection of these awe-inspiring natural areas is strongest when proceeds from park tourism are leveraged to boost local economies and finance livelihood programs for nearby communities. But conservation isn’t easy. Sustaining wildlife amid shifting economic realities requires sophisticated monitoring technologies and adaptive management approaches.

The economics of wildlife reserves are somewhat opaque, and few visitors to the parks and reserves understand their significance to their business models. At least half their revenue – and in some cases all of it – comes from tourism. The money is used to protect wildlife by paying operating costs, employing rangers, and maintaining security. These places are the economic lifeblood of the regions they serve. Many support local schools and health clinics and employ local people – who might otherwise work in charcoal production and bushmeat hunting – in nature-based jobs.

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