Abstract:
The First World rationale for nature conservation is usually the aesthetic and recreational experiences and opportunities that
nature provides and its scientific importance, but rural populations in Africa tend to focus on the utilisation of natural
resources. This paper argues that management decisions regarding the conservation and utilisation of natural resources are
inseparable from a people's world view and value system, because values inform people's ideas about useful or valuable
resources, appropriate behaviour and their priorities regarding issues such as grazing, hunting versus poaching, job creation,
tourism, and access to sacred sites and natural resources.
The objective of this study was to gain insight into the perceptions of wildlife conservation among the North Ndebele in
Limpopo Province to create a climate in which the community can become involved in issues regarding policy matters and the
management of the Masebe Nature Reserve.
