Fair Trade Tourism certifiedTenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation and Awareness Centre, a non-profit organisation located close to Plettenberg Bay, uses tourism as a platform to raise awareness about threats facing South Africa’s indigenous wild cats, using the funds it generates from tourism for a wildlife rehabilitation programme that caters for marine and terrestrial species.
Tenikwa is the first wildlife facility to be certified against the new captive wildlife criteria introduced by Fair Trade Tourism in 2016. Tenikwa’s rehabilitation facilities admit over 250 injured or abandoned wild animals annually and wherever possible these animals are released back into the wild.
Tenikwa’s sustainability programme includes using collected rainwater for drinking and channelling run-off water into dams that support waterfowl and a wetland ecosystem. Tenikwa supports local suppliers that are environmentally friendly and ethical, while its community initiatives include supporting a local community gardening club to utilise environmentally-friendly gardening techniques. Tenikwa is one of the few tourism businesses to publish an annual sustainability report.
Visitors to Tenikwa are educated on non-lethal methods of predator management, environmentally-friendly and techno-savvy farming practices, how to co-exist with wildlife and the illegal wildlife trade. Interest-specific programmes are offered, such as the Private Photographic Tour and EcoKidz Family Challenge.
Tenikwa also offers a learning experience for veterinary students wishing to gain expertise in the wildlife rehabilitation field. In the broader community, Tenikwa runs workshops on handling dangerous animals as well as how to deal with injured wildlife out in the field.
Travel. Enjoy. Respect.
For more information connect with Tenikwa Wildlife Rehab Centre via the links below:
Tel: +27 (0)44 534 8170
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.tenikwa.com
Facebook: @TenikwaWildlife
Twitter: @TenikwaWildlife
