Ultimate Guide To Africa June 2015 | Page 50

Destination Downtime It is home to thousands of species of plants, including varieties of fynbos, which is found nowhere else in the world. The region is also home to a rich diversity of marine life and wildlife, and has been identified by Birdlife International as an Important Bird Area. “Around the world, 35 areas qualify as biodiversity hotspots. They represent just 2.3 % of the Earth’s land surface, but they support more than half of the world’s plants species and nearly 43 % of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species. For an area to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must have at least 1,500 endemic plants – that is plants that are found nowhere else on the planet – and it must have 30 % or less of its original natural vegetation, in other words it must be threatened.” The old adage goes that it is not just about the destination, but also about the journey. With the num &W"