Bontebok National Park: Park set up specially to protect one species of antelope

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Government representatives from all over the world are meeting in Geneva for a conference that aims to strengthen the rules on trading in endangered animals. Meanwhile, in South Africa, there's a special park that exists to protect just one species - the bontebok. CGTN's Rene del Carme reports.

Established nearly a century ago, to protect the bontebok, the Bontebok National Park is an idyllic area, which lies at the foot of the Langeberg Mountain, in South Africa's Western Cape Province.

The bontebok is said to be a habituated animal, which can often be seen grazing in the park's rest camp.

KOKETSO KOTSOE PARK MANAGER, BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK "It's a very adaptable antelope, that can adapt easily in any environment. And very social. You'll see when you're in the park, you'll get a family group, walking together. And also maybe somewhere, you'll get the ram, that is territorial."

Sanparks carefully limits the size of the nearly 200-strong bontebok population, as it tries to strike a balance between protecting both the animals and the rich diversity of indigenous Cape Floral vegetation.

The park has a small rest camp with family and single units and camping spots along a 10-kilometer stretch of the Breede River which runs through it.

THANDIWE BOZWANA DUTY MANAGER, BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK "You can do activities, like you can canoe on the river. You can fish, can do mountain biking. You can do trails. And you can do a game drive in your vehicle."

RENE DEL CARME BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA "Bontebok National Park is the smallest of the 19 national parks across South Africa. But the communities and conservationists living here say it's big in spirit and biodiversity."

THANDIWE BOZWANA DUTY MANAGER, BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK "I would like the place to be looked after so that future generations could come and see it. And be able to come and enjoy it. And that we can continue the conservation of the species. Especially the bontebok, species, in this particular park."

KOKETSO KOTSOE PARK MANAGER, BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK "And one thing about the park itself that I Iove, it's one of the parks that doesn't have Big Five animals, which doesn't restrict you to be in your vehicle. So, if you wanna cycle, you could cycle right through the park. If you wanna walk, you can walk wherever you wanna walk."

Rene Del Carme, CGTN, Bontebok National Park, South Africa.