Sustainable Use: How Putting a Value on Wildlife Can Save It

Nicolette Botha

29 Sept 2025

It might sound like a paradox: to save a species, we must use it. This concept, known as “sustainable use,” is often misunderstood, sparking emotional debates filled with charged, misrepresentative images of hunters and endangered animals. Yet, in South Africa, this very principle has been the engine behind one of the world’s most remarkable conservation success stories, turning the tide for species once on the brink of extinction.