Karoo Project - background information

The Ecoregion and Biodiversity

The Succulent Karoo is a biodiversity hotspot. It is the only arid region in the world to be declared as a biodiversity hot-spot and boasts the world's richest succulent flora comprising 6356 different species. Over 40% of these species are found nowhere else in the world and 936 (17%) are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red Data List.

The Succulent Karoo is also a centre of diversity and endemism for reptiles and various invertebrate groups, and supports a variety of mammals and many of South Africa's endemic birds.

Threats

The Succulent Karoo is vulnerable to several land use pressures, including overgrazing, agriculture, mining, the illegal collection of plants and animals for trade and invasive alien species. Although the region has a relatively sparse human population only a very small proportion of the original vegetation remains in a relatively pristine state.

Climate change is also expected to have a serious impact on the region's biodiversity. This is exacerbated by the fragmentation of conservation areas, which only protect approximately 3.5% of the biome. These areas do not provide a range of climatic and environmental conditions, nor allow plants and animals to move in response to seasonal and long-term changes.

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