Biodiversity:
South Africa is a megadiverse country with 10% of the world’s plant species and 15% of the world’s marine species. Endemism rates are very high as well, reaching 56% for amphibians, 65% for plants, and 70% of its invertebrates. However, South African biodiversity is greatly endangered. During the 1960s the rhino population plummeted to only a few hundred. Mountain zebras had the same issue. National Parks, such as Mountain Zebra, and nature reserves helped bolster their numbers. Elephant overpopulation can actually damage local eco-systems and threaten other species. So conservation efforts are being undertaken to create megaparks and transnational passages for them to roam. Penguins were in grave danger when in 2000, a ship carrying oil crashed into the penguins habitat. Hundreds of volunteers rehabilitated the oil penguins, taking more than 20,000 to Port Elizabeth, nearly 1000 km (621 mi) from their home. As the penguins swam back home, it gave authorities two weeks to clean up the beaches before the penguins arrived.