212 SCIENCE IN AFRICA 



to mankind, we have to remember that every individual animal 

 and plant has its place in the highly complicated balance of nature 

 which can be upset all too easily. All knowledge of the flora and 

 fauna is relevant to the problem of maintaining this balance 

 amid the changes introduced by the spread of European civiliza- 

 tion. 



The subject of wild-life conservation and control is one which is 

 bound to come more and more into prominence as African civiliza- 

 tion progresses, not only for sentimental and scientific reasons, but 

 because the natural appeal of wild animals can be turned to pro- 

 nounced economic and educational account, as such bodies as the 

 Zoological Society of London and the National Parks in America 

 and South Africa have made abundantly clear. This aspect of con- 

 servation, particularly in regard to the larger mammals, is becom- 

 ing widely appreciated in Africa, but it involves particular econo- 

 mic problems, since in many regions climatic conditions make it 

 unlikely that national parks could be developed on a revenue- 

 producing basis like those of Canada and the United States. 



The destruction of game animals in the past provided consider- 

 able income through the sale of shooting-licences, and still does 

 so to a less degree. Revenue from such products as ivory, rhino- 

 ceros horn and hides is diminishing, partly because the animals 

 themselves are becoming scarce, but also as a result of legislation 

 preventing the sale and controlling the export of many animal 

 trophies. Kenya was the first to adopt this system, which is now 

 in force in most other British territories. But these sources of 

 revenue, from the sale of shooting-licences and trophies, are small 

 compared with those which might be expected by attracting num- 

 bers of visitors to see and photograph large animals in a compara- 

 tively tame state. 



It is noteworthy that, while products from wild mammals are 

 being reduced, the economic exploitation of the lower orders is 

 increasing. For example, reptile skins, especially those of croco- 

 diles, snakes, and lizards, have formed the subject of a recent 

 inquiry and report by the Imperial Institute (1933), which will 

 possibly stimulate trade in these articles. Here again, however, 

 the natural balance has to be remembered: many snakes are 

 important factors in the control of rodents which damage crops, 



