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DANIR 2024 | Our involvement

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SHUNGIMBILI ISLAND MARINE RESERVE

The symbol of
longevity and unique
conservation.

Coral reefs are not very common or widespread around the ocean. But they are
invaluable to the marine environment. Because even though they cover less than one
percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs house more than twenty-five percent of all marine
life. That says something about their importance and that is why the conservation
work of Danir’s very own coral reef is so important in the marine ecosystem.

What is actually Shungimbili Island is also referred one of the requirements was to establish a marine
to as Thanda Island, a name that came with the nature reserve in the sea around Shungimbili. This
Olofsson family when they sought to build a resort is because the waters around the island, as well as
on the island and create a paradise retreat. This around the neighbouring islands of Nyororo and
would become a place for calm, tranquillity, and Mbarakuni, have been severely abused over the
indescribable experiences, on land, at sea, and below years. The seabed, coral reefs and all marine life had
the surface. Thanda, which means “love” or “to love” suffered severe damage from destructive fishing
in Zulu, is also the name of the company that, among methods such as dynamite fishing and drag netting.
other things, runs Thanda Private Game Reserve in And already in 2007, long before construction on
South Africa and is the group’s representative in the the island had begun, the area around these three
five-star hospitality and experience industry. So, you islands was declared a marine nature reserve. It also
could say that Thanda Island is the experience and received the highest possible level of protection,
Shungimbili is the island. a so-called “no-take zone”, which means that no
fishing is allowed within the reserve.
When the Olofsson family took over the island,