Today, on the 3rd of March we celebrate the annual World Wildlife Day. A day to appreciate the wildlife which surround us, as well as the invaluable services, enjoyment and identity which we receive from our wildlife. World Wildlife Day was adopted in late 2013 by the United Nations General Assembly, with the first day held on the 3rd of March 2014. The choice to celebrate World Wildlife Day on the 3rd of March is everything but random. Rather, this date was chosen as it is the anniversary date of the adoption of a treaty known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or CITES for short.
The main aim of CITES is to regulate trade of wild Fauna and Flora and to prevent the overexploitation and illegal smuggling of our natural resources. CITES currently has around 185 signatories and is up there with the most powerful instruments for wildlife conservation. It is then only fitting that CITES, along with other branches of the United Nations, facilitates the yearly World Wildlife Day celebrations. As part of this yearly event, a theme is chosen for each year and the World Wildlife Day for that year focuses specifically on this theme. In 2026, the theme is: “Medicinal and Aromatic plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods.”
Plants as a part of wildlife
Oftentimes when we think of wildlife, our thoughts move immediately to the animal life which we see around us, in nature reserves or on our favourite nature documentaries. Maybe when I say the word “wildlife” to you, an image of an elephant herd pops into your head. Or possibly you are thinking of a bird of prey which you recently saw on a visit to a nature reserve. These are definitely very good examples of wildlife and 100% fits into the scope of wildlife, however there is so much more life and meaning to this concept.
This is seen in both the theme for 2026, as well as in the United Nation’s definition of wildlife. The 2026 theme relates to plant life (flora), and the United Nations defines wildlife as all natural life that is uncultivated and not domesticated. The CITES convention also focuses on the trade in both wild fauna and wild flora. We thus see how plants should also be included in our definitions of wildlife, and how critically important the 2026 theme is in relation to specifically plant life as wildlife.
The importance of plants for medicine
This theme makes specific mention to the medicinal properties of various plants and how it aids in conserving health. I am amazed at all the different plant species worldwide and closer to home in Africa, which have scientifically proven medicinal properties. A high number of these are used in medicinal and pharmaceutical products. According to CITES, an estimated 60 000 plant species worldwide are used for their medicinal properties. Around 1600 of these are covered and listed by the CITES convention as plants which are traded internationally, and the international trade of 800 of these are being actively managed by CITES. Further, around a quarter of all pharmaceutical products are derived from medicinal plants, which leads to about 1 in 5 people being directly dependent on medicinal plants for their livelihoods.
Medicinal plants of Southern Africa
In Southern Africa, we are blessed with exceptional biodiversity and natural resources. Included in this is also a host of different native plants which hold amazing medicinal properties. The list of examples is extensive with some of the most well-known plants being the African Wormwood, Buchu, Cancer Bush, Aloe, Spekboom and Rooibos. Many of these plants have been used for centuries and it has been well documented that the indigenous Khoi-San had an extensive collection of hundreds of different native plants which they used for medicinal purposes.
This knowledge of medicinal plants has been passed down through generations and many of these plants are still used today. This creates a rich and unique cultural heritage. This knowledge also often forms the base on which modern scientific research has been undertaken regarding the properties and composition of these plants and their use in modern medicine. To celebrate some of our unique Southern Africa medicinal plants, I think it is only fitting to dive deeper into some of the examples mentioned above. Let us then have a closer look at rooibos and spekboom.
Rooibos
Possibly the most well-known of the Southern African medicinal plants, this plant is endemic to the Cederberg area of the Western Cape. As the Rooibos Council of South Africa explains, it requires highly specific growing conditions, specifically regarding the soil and the climate. The name Rooibos translates to red bush in English; a name derived from the red colour which the leaves get when they undergo the oxidisation process after being cut.
There are a multitude of known health benefits sprouting from drinking rooibos tea, with many others showing promising signs during scientific testing. The most famous health benefit of the rooibos tea is that it is a natural antioxidant, containing a host of different antioxidants including aspalathin which is a very rare and highly beneficial antioxidant. Current testing has found that there is a strong possibility that rooibos can help manage diabetes and heart disease and signs of cancer prevention have been highly promising.
Spekboom
The spekboom is another of our indigenous medicinal plants and is truly a wonder of nature! It is described by Shamwari Nature Reserve in the Eastern Cape as a miracle plant. With a wild range spanning from the Thickets and Karoo regions of the Eastern Cape to the dry valleys of northern Limpopo, the spekboom has proven itself to be an incredibly hardy plant. It is also easily cultivated and spread throughout gardens in Southern Africa. Known for being a succulent, this plant stores water within its leaves and it is from here that the medicinal properties of the Spekboom originate.
The high moisture and nutrient content within the leaves lead to many highly advantageous uses. The first of these being the soothing effect which the leaf juices can have for mouth and throat ailments such as sore throats or mouth ulcers. The juices in the leaves can further help for various skin conditions such as blisters, sunburn and insect bites. The spekboom leaves also aid greatly in helping combat dehydration.
I think by looking at the importance of medicinal plants for our human health and the centuries of knowledge which have been passed down, we can all agree that medicinal plants play a critical role as part of our wildlife. On this World Wildlife Day in 2026, let us take a moment to recognise the invaluable contribution of medicinal plants for our human health, and celebrate the sustainable use opportunities which these plants provide to us. Happy World Wildlife Day!
Be filled with nature.
Willem🐛
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