South Africa’s game parks risk going under. So do their animals
ON MARCH 26, THE DAY SOUTH AFRICA CLOSED ITS borders to help curb the spread of COVID-19, Kayla Wilkens thought of only one thing: How was she going to feed the elephants?
Wilkens, the general manager of the privately owned Fairy Glen safari resort, about 71 miles outside of Cape Town, knew that the park’s budget depended on tourism. Without that income, taking care of the lions, rhinos, zebras and antelope that populate the 1,235-acre reserve would be difficult. That night, Wilkens sat down with her partner and Fairy Glen owner, Pieter De Jager, to map out the future. If they gave up their own salaries, laid off all but two of their 30
