Some of the magnificent cycad plant that was desecrated by plant thieves last July is beginning to make a recovery, and the first green shoots have begun...more
Over the last five years Judith has been working on developing a data access system for SANParks, together with ecologists and software developers from...more
The Managing Executive of the Kruger National Park (KNP), Mr Abe Sibiya warned the public, business community and staff members about people who falsely...more
Two boys were seen fishing about 50m from the crocodile in the photograph below. This was at the bridge crossing the Letaba River near the Letaba Ranch...more
Mozambique has launched a campaign called “Open Your Eyes” to combat child trafficking and unsafe child migration into neighbouring South Africa...more
A two-pronged initiative is currently cracking down on crime in the Kruger National Park, with the
Skukuza police recently arresting five suspects who...more
The controversy around the re-introduction of white lions in the Klaserie area was once again evidenced by a lively debate following a presentation by...more
Lack of law enforcement against illegal trade in Indonesia threatens the survival of orangutans and gibbons on Sumatra, a new study by the wildlife trade...more
This September orchid growers and lovers will congregate in the lowveld, where the South African Orchid Council will be holding their national show...more
In the last issue we wrote about the rhino, Ore, that roams the area around Mooiplaas and mistook a dead hippo for a possible mate. Ore arrived at...more
Despite the fact that the creation of draft norms and standards for the hunting industry has been the subject of intense public debate over the last...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is hoping to get landowners around the country to focus their attention on South Africa's most threatened small...more
The Oribi Working Group (OWG), a multidisciplinary Oribi conservation coalition which falls under the Endangered Wildlife Trust's (EWT) Threatened...more
The camps in the Central Business Unit comprise Orpen, with two satellite camps, Maroela (camping) and Tamboti (tented camp), Satara, Talamati Bush Camp...more
Since the early 1990s the Kruger Park has been hoping to move and upgrade the Orpen Gate of the Kruger National Park. There have been numerous setbacks...more
International Year of Biodiversity, the National Museum of Natural History and Pro-Natura International are working in partnership with IUCN to launch'...more
Living up to executive director Dr Bandile Mkhize's promise that guests breaking the laws of the Kruger National Park (KNP) would be shown no mercy...more
The most recent trip by the Nelspruit Autotec 4x4 Club followed the historical ox wagon route to Maputo and tested the offroaders skills to the limit at...more
Communities bordering the Park will be the main beneficiaries of an agreement signed in the Kruger National Park (KNP), specifically relating to job and...more
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Dwaf) has called for water users to stand up and take part in decisions that affect them through the...more
Peer Mkhonto is an extraordinary man who has risen from his own hard beginnings to help other children in need. Today, he is in charge of a well-trained group of traditional dancers...more
A recent survey in the far north of the Kruger National Park for one of the birds most highly prized by birders, the elusive Pel's fishing owl, has had...more
Thirty years later, Sonja Sussens and Marsena Hubbard are still corresponding between South Africa and the United States. They became pen pals while...more
In northern Botswana's Chobe river region, the river is the only source of water during the dry season - a source of life, for humans and animals...more
I could see Addy Ndlovu was a happy man in the kitchen at Shishangaan, an old military base in the Kruger National Park. Smiling continually while...more
In her book “Living Downstream” American ecologist Sandra Steingraber records that less than 20 insect species showed pesticide resistance in 1950; in...more
The five schools in Namakgale and Lulekani outside Phalaborwa that are involved in the international Eco-Schools programme are on their way this year...more
The Phalaborwa gate was voted as the gate of the year in the Kruger National Park last year. As the third busiest entrance to the park, it is scheduled...more
Primary and secondary schools in Namakgale outside Phalaborwa have become the latest learning institutions to venture into the Eco-Schools programme....more
About 1,500 learners from around Phalaborwa got the opportunity to find out about careers in the scientific field during National Science Week. With the...more
A team from Working for Water had a narrow escape while removing alien plants in the Mhalalakhuhu (where the chickens sleep) area. The team was busy...more
When Scott, Marolyn, Christy and Bobby were all visiting us we used to go on gameviewing drives almost daily. The best time for a short drive is in early...more
A rare sight greeted Odette Joubert as she sat down for breakfast - a pink elephant. The small pink elephant, about a month old, came down to drink from the Crocodile River in Kruger National Park....more
At the moment, about a fifth of the Kruger National Park's 19,500km2 has been consumed by fire. Most fires have been planned patch burns ignited by...more
After a series of uninformed, emotional and identical letters of accusations against South African National Parks (SANParks), I felt that it is necessary...more
Plans for the movement of the Orpen Gate from its present position to a new location several kilometres back along the tar road are proceeding slowly...more
Ahead of the Rio+20 Earth Summit, campaign ambassador Bianca Jagger, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Airbus launched...more
“I stand before you after a phenomenal year for tourism in South Africa, to which every one of you made a significant contribution. International tourism...more
The last, exceptionally large, surviving cycad specimen of the Mariepskop variety of Encephalartos laevofolius has been hacked apart in a fouled poaching...more
Kruger National Park rangers and operators from South African National Parks corporate investigation services (CIS) shot and killed a poacher during a...more
Two decades after the discovery of an ungulate species called the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), this rare animal is sliding towards extinction because...more
When Robin Cook saw the first tin pleading for donations for the anti-poaching programmes in the Park he was hooked. Since that day in Mopani Camp, a...more
In the field of Conservation, Wildlife Management, Earthcare call it what you want as in most other 'disciplines', there is a general tendency to 'point...more
On November 4, 2005 the 17 Vultures that survived a massive poisoning event were released back into the wild sporting new bright yellow identification...more
As a result, they are claiming they need more research and more predictions before they can take action – and when policies are made, too little action...more
If all goes to plan, political leaders at December's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) will agree to a successor to the...more
Two papers published recently in BirdLife International's quarterly birding journal highlight a problem faced by conservationists trying to save bird...more
Over 100 of the poorest people in the Giyani area have already been employed in a poverty alleviation programme that will have direct benefits to the...more
Satellite imagery may be the next tool that biologists use to monitor endangered animal populations. The Bronx Zoo-Based Wildlife Conservation Society in...more
Competition will be stiff, but the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) currently has eight graduate scholarships available for students who wish to...more
The Kruger National Park (KNP) gets some of its drinking water from the six major rivers that flow through the park, namely the Crocodile, Sabie, Sand...more
Scent and Smell play a very important role in most systems. Despite generally reduced olfactory senses due to abuse and industrial bombardment, most...more
Walking the Nyalaland Wilderness Trail in Kruger National Park often results in an experience greater than observing animals and plant life one would normally not see....more
As scientists warn that the Earth is on the brink of a period of mass extinctions, they are struggling to identify ecosystem responses to environmental...more
The direct effect predators have on their prey is to kill them. The evolutionary changes that can result from this direct effect include prey that are...more
The first week of September will see school children and responsible adults from around the country hauling out their spades in celebration of National...more
Dubai World Africa, the African subsidiary of Dubai World, one of the world's largest holding companies,has acquired major shareholdings in South Africa...more
Mixing young and old blood in the top echelons of management could be one of many elements that made Pretoriuskop stand out as Best Camp in Kruger...more
I went to Kruger (far northern part) as a day visitor on the 24th September 2007. While at Shingwedzi, I bought Kruger Park Times, volume 4, Issue 8...more
The world's 25 most endangered primates have been revealed in a new report released at the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity COP11 on October 15...more
Japan's princess Takamado recently visited several important bird sites in South Africa. The princess has been the honorary president of BirdLife...more
The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk asked professional hunters to become allies in conservation and tourism...more
Three new projects are currently on the go in the Kruger National Park (KNP) that hope to shed light on some of the important issues that surround Elephant Management...more
At the back of the Skukuza nursery there is an unassuming row of planting sheds, which most visitors simply pass by without ever knowing its existence...more
Public awareness and tip-offs lead to the confiscation of more than 10 000 units of abalone and the arrest of four men, one a Chinese national, in four...more
The new bird hide at Punda Maria has yet to be officially opened, but visitors to the park can enjoy the passing parade of birds and mammals if they...more
Early August, the deputy minister of water and environmental affairs, Rejoice Mabudafashi, opened a R20 million medicinal plant conservation project...more
South Africa welcomed the Global Environment Facility's (GEF) R25 million funding towards strengthening the current wildlife forensic capabilities in...more
Unite Against Poaching handed a cheque of R 250 000 to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Genetics Laboratory of the University of Pretoria on July 17...more
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) took possession of a consignment of 2 627.1kg of illegally harvested, processed and exported...more
In September 2010, Dawie Groenwewald and veterinary surgeons, drs Karel Toet and Manie Du Plessis, appeared in court on 1872 counts of racketeering, a...more
An auction held in Pretoria has raised R7.2 million for the Sanparks Park Development Fund. The money is earmarked to buy new land for South Africa's...more
The National Treasury has made R800 million available for the Green Fund over the next two financial years. Speaking ahead of her budget vote in...more
At least 26 people have died of rabies in the Limpopo Province, the majority of them children between the ages of seven and 12. Once rabies symptoms...more
Skukuza has been identified by the South African Weather Service as one of three priority locations in the country for a sophisticated radar apparatus...more
The new facility in Kruger's research toolkit will have a huge impact on many of the research projects in Kruger, as “rain is the main driver of the...more
ew research on the wild dog population in the Kruger National Park has revealed that the amount of rain that falls before wild dogs give birth to pups...more
The Kruger National Park has more than 30 rainfall stations that record daily rainfall throughout the park. This data is compiled and sent to Nick...more
David van Blommenstein (29), head ranger of the Thornybush Private Nature Reserve's northern section passed away last week after a tragic accident...more
Game rangers in the Kruger National Park (KNP) honoured the memory of Lance Corporal Wilson Ndlovu who was killed in the line of duty on February 22...more
The study of water, or hydrology, is a high priority in our arid country and of even greater importance in our protected areas. A detailed and high-tech...more
When Daniël Mkhancani Chavalala, sergeant at Pafuri section, goes on leave you will most likely find him at a picnic spot somewhere in the northern...more
It was Friday June 29, 2007 at about 09h30 when corporal Wilson Baloyi at Mahlangeni ranger post phoned Karien Keet, section ranger, about an apparently...more
Ranger's Diary: Trails Ranger, Don English, Olifants Trails, Kruger National Park, December 1985. Sunday 1st Day spent at home. First Euopean Rollers...more
How many people can say they have slept in a Big Five reserve with no fences around them? Who can imagine themselves sitting around a fire whilst...more
The Kruger National Park's (KNP) Nxanatseni South regional ranger, Louis Olivier, was overcome with emotion at the KNP ranger corps annual general...more
We have to do things differently and we cannot be predictable. This philosophy, combined with a highly motivated field ranger team, has enabled David...more
Kruger National Park (KNP) rangers are the conservation ears and eyes of the park. It is their duty to protect and maintain the integrity of their areas...more
The fourth annual birds of prey conference, hosted by the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Birds of Prey Working Group (EWT-BoPWG), took place in Skukuza...more
Solly Themba, community facilitator, facilitated a rare and invasive species workshop at the Mhala Science Centre. Attending the workshop were about 15...more
There are few wildlife sightings in the wilderness that can be guaranteed on a day and date, “as it goes with luck and how much does Mother Nature open a...more
After being largely ignored for many years by conservation organisations, the Taita Falcon has now become an increasingly important priority in raptor...more
John Hume is a game farmer in the Malalane area, south of the Kruger National Park (KNP). He is an ardent proponent for the legalisation of the trade...more
A team of scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is preparing a reference database that allows the identification of the origin of elephant...more
The agricultural irrigation project is in the Gaza province and will be implemented over five years. The project area covers 9000ha. According to the Aru-Sol brochure the following activities...more
The first-ever cheetah cubs have been sighted in Mountain Zebra National Park after cheetah were introduced to the Park in May 2007. Park rangers first...more
The Minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries approved an additional R6 million as part of Abalone Social Relief for commercial abalone right...more
In a remarkable cooperative venture between private landowners, various government agencies and a large mining company, a potential disease crisis that...more
More than half of all vehicle hijackings occur in front of private residences, and in eight months in 1996 there were 8,740 hijackings in South Africa...more
The final report of the commission of inquiry into the fire that raged through the Pretoriuskop area of the Kruger National Park on September 4, 2001...more
Beginning this year and continuing until 2008, South Africa's reptiles will be the object of close scrutiny. With over 360 species of reptiles, more than...more
Forty-six African penguins were returned to the wild in September 2012 after being rescued from Bird Island in Addo Elephant National Park. The penguins...more
SavFIRE or the Savanna Fire Ignition Research Experiment is being conducted in Kruger. This is a collaborative exercise to investigate integrated...more
Many researchers in the Kruger National Park (KNP) are familiar with the Hlanganani Research Station and Laboratory near Shingwedzi. The Camp is used...more
Recent noteworthy research is helping the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to better manage the interactions between birds and electrical infrastructure...more
Representatives from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique met in Skukuza on October 17 to 19 to discuss the research priorities, procedures and...more
South African National Parks and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) in conjunction with the Kruger Park Marathon Club hosted the...more
Times are tough for wildlife living at the frontier between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Armies are reportedly encamped in a...more
Global degradation of ecosystems is widely believed to threaten human welfare, yet accepted measures of well-being show that it is on average improving...more
Two researchers are currently travelling throughout South Africa conducting a study that hopes to unravel the mystery of why zoo populations of rhinos...more
We bring you an update on the movements of Charlize, a collared female elephant, roaming the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) near Hoedspruit...more
The Limpopo National Park which comprises one million hectare was upgraded to a national park in 2001 as part of Mozambique's commitment to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park...more
The renovated Masorini site, an archaeological treasure 11km from Phalaborwa towards Letaba Camp in Kruger, was officially opened on Thursday, June 3...more
Circling vultures led some Vlakteplaas rangers to two dead rhino, killed in the vicinity of Langtoon Dam in the Far Northern Region of the Kruger...more
Ebenezer Shabangu was scared but she was not letting go of the branch. She could see the black rhino's lip curl around the twigs and edge closer and...more
A rhino was recently injured on the H10 tar road south of Tshokwane when a Kruger National Park technical services staff member hit it with his car...more
In May this year, minister of water and environmental affairs, Edna Molewa, appointed Mavuso Msimang, from retirement as Rhino Issue Manager. His task...more
Another 150 rangers will be deployed in the Kruger National Park (KNP) to strengthen the first level of defense against ruthless poachers gunning for the...more
About 300 rhinos will probably be poached this year. So predicted South Africa's deputy director on biodiversity and conservation, Fundisile Mketeni, of...more
Read more on the latest news, facts and figures on Rhino Poaching and Rhino conservation both globally and in South Africa and Kruger National Park. Rhino Poaching Statistics...more
Rhino Revolution was born from the heartbreaking and escalating surge of rhino poaching in 2011 in the Hoedspruit area and surrounds, which borders the...more
There is a way of thinking within South African environmental authorities that promotes the killing of rhinos rather than protecting and respecting them...more
African rhinos have reached record numbers for the first time in decades, but the northern white rhino, Ceratotherium simum cottoni, is on the brink...more
It's not often one travels a few days in the Kruger National Park (KNP) and is spared the unwelcome sight of a roadkill. This is not a sight restricted...more
42 German tourists rolled into Hoedspruit in a luxury coach-hotel on Tuesday January 9. The coach belongs to a company called Rotel Tours, abbreviated...more
German engineer Volkmar Keuter believes it can. “What could be fresher?” In his mind he sees an IT guy signing off for the day, taking the lift (or...more
It may be a an old and hackneyed phrase, but the description “a gentleman and a scholar” perfectly fits Dr Roy Bengis, the chief state veterinarian...more
No day visitor shall be allowed to enter the park with liquor. Declare all firearms/weapons of any sort at the entrance gate. Visitors using KNP border...more
A recently held meeting of the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs and the provincial MECs responsible for environment (MINMEC) has recommended...more
A delegation from South African National Parks consisting of eleven people and one representative from the Agricultural Research Council , embarked on a...more
Ms Thandiwe January-Mclean, chief executive officer of South African Tourism announced her resignation from the organisation on June 14 2011. Her reasons...more
Recently four more collared animals were added to a study currently underway to monitor the declining sable numbers around Punda Maria. Sable numbers...more
Kruger's game capture team collared six sable three weeks ago. Three sable, two from one herd, were collared in the Punda Maria area and the remaining...more
Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries are uniting to try and resolve elephant management strategies. The Agencia de Informacao de...more
The saddle-billed stork photographic survey that took place in the Kruger National Park (KNP) from September 2009 to September 2010 has been concluded...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust and SANParks started a photographic survey of saddle-billed storks in the Kruger National Park (KNP) on September 1, 2009...more
A routine training session with elephants at Elephants for Africa Forever (Efaf) in Mooketsi, near Duiwelskloof turned into tragedy for a young foreign...more
Paging through an old Custos magazine we came across an article about the reintrodruction of Samango monkeys into Kruger, and wondered what happened...more
Edna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs welcomed the accreditation of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) as a...more
The 15 vehicles and 20 competitors from the Goodyear 4x4 Eco-Challenge spent half of this year's off-road competition in the Kruger National Park, from...more
In April this year, soldiers resumed regular patrols of South Africa's borders. Defence and military veterans minister Lindiwe Sisulu and members of...more
In 1996 it was estimated that more than half of South Africa's wetlands had disappeared. Wetlands are one of the planet's most productive ecosystems...more
Following a year long challenge with the issuing of Wild Cards to loyal nature lovers, South African National Parks (SANParks) has come clean and...more
All new accommodation and activity bookings made with arrival date of 01 June 2012 onwards with SANParks will include a 1 percent community levy...more
South African National Parks (SANParks) is challenging an ap- plication for a R3 trillion mining operation to be established at the entrance to the...more
Taking their cue from recent trends, SANParks are upgrading many of its products, focusing on an environmentally friendly and value for money approach...more
Nature's Group, the company that has run all the restaurants in the Kruger National Park (KNP) for the last four years has gone into liquidation, after...more
Toni Harthoorn, a wildlife veterinarian died in Pretoria at the age of 89. Harthoorn will be remembered for being part of a team that developed the...more
Following publicity on the new Kruger National Park (KNP) Zoning Plan, South African National Parks (SANParks) would like to put on record that the...more
Themba Mabilane, chief financial officer at South African National Parks (SANParks), handed over R1 million to the University of Pretoria (UP) for...more
South African National Parks (SANParks) will auction twenty white rhino from the Kruger National Park (KNP) as well as eland bulls from Mountain...more
Despite the high incidence of rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park, which was reported this week as having already exceeding 280 rhinos, a...more
South Africa's population has increased by about 530 000 people to 49.99 million, according to Statistics South Africa's Mid-Year Population Estimates...more
Helicopters, birding telescopes, sunscreen and patience have all been deployed in a two-week long search for South Africa's rarest breeding bird and one...more
Frankel House in Satara camp was burnt to the ground in the early morning of December 18, 2004. Although unoccupied at the time of the fire, the house...more
The Satara staff celebrated both the end of 2005 and their achievement as being chosen best camp for 2005 on the last day of December. The party was held...more
All staff members at Satara Camp have been invited to take part in a new social club being organised by hospitality manager, Thabo Lawrence. “The main...more
Pilots may soon be able to avoid rain and turbulence if a new method of analysing satellite data takes off. Developed by scientists at the University of...more
Geographers from the University of Leicester are to use state-of-the-art technology to investigate how climate change is affecting the Kruger National...more
Climate change, land use and other human-driven factors could pit savannas and forests against each other by altering the elements to stabilise the two...more
Since 1998, Steve and Michelle Henley of Save the Elephants - South Africa have studied elephant movements over the 35 000 km2 that make up the GLTP...more
For the last five years Dr Lin-Mari de Klerk- Lorist has devoted her time to the study of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in buffalo, with the hope of finding...more
As South Africans grapple with huge hikes in their electricity bills, the residents of an informal settlement on the outskirts of Cape Town have turned...more
Last October my wife and I had our first vacation in South Africa: Three weeks in the Kruger Park. The Wolhuter trail was an experience we will never...more
Stoffel and Catie du Plessis were the oldest contestants in the Tour de Drakensig cycle race on June 16. Stoffel (71) cycles 92km twice a day. The couple...more
Visitors and Kruger staff joined in a day of fun and games during the Munghana Lonene FM's live broadcast on Sunday June 12. The Skukuza Soccer Stadium...more
The Eco-Schools flag is awarded in recognition of schools who have committed to improving environmental learning and action through their curriculums...more
“The scientific evidence for action is clear and stark. Our only options are to mitigate, adapt and thrive,” said Yuan Tseh Lee, President of the...more
National Science Week keeps getting better and better in Phalaborwa, thanks to the tireless efforts of organisers who this year brought around 2,500...more
Fireside tales and anecdotal evidence of how elephants show concern for other distressedo r dying elephants have been backed up by a paper recently...more
Can Elephants Get Drunk On Marulas? Elephants become drunk when they forage on the fruit of the marula tree - this is an ongoing myth and tale that has been established now for many years...more
There are countless numbers of trees and shrubs growing in the two million hectares of the Kruger National Park. Just how to best survey this complex...more
Elephants prefer to chat to elephants that they have known for a long time. This has been revealed in a study carried out at Walt Disney's Animal Kingdom...more
For the first time, researchers have shown that the pre-hatching calls of baby Nile crocodiles actually mean something to their siblings and to their...more
The uproar over a cow elephant in distress at a game reserve abutting the Kruger National Park took another turn on Tuesday, with the animal having...more
David Mabunda, chief executive director of the Kruger National Park (KNP), reminded recipients and guests at the annual KNP awards ceremony of the never...more
Limpopo Tourism and Parks held its second wildlife expo in Vaalwater from May 24 to May 28, 2005. At the wildlife management conference parks manager...more
The giant squid, creature of myth and legend, has been captured on film for the first time by Japanese researchers working off the Bonin Islands, about...more
Joe Nkuna, section ranger based at Letaba Camp, was named best ranger in Kruger last year. Tall and friendly, Joe is a familiar face to many visitors to...more
Malelane section ranger Bruce Leslie is currently in the Seychelles on a skills exchange programme, which will see him sharing the knowledge gained over...more
After travelling 23 992km, scrutinising 57 ranger stations and interviewing 448 rangers, Arrie Schreiber was happy to report the results of yet another...more
Just returned from a walk to have a look at the effect of water run-off after recent heavy rain. Waterfalls are running after a few dry years. Rivers are...more
With the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) declaring in November last year that the grasslands biome is one of the most threatened in...more
The very popular Northern Cape guide, Conraad Mouton, walked away with top honours in the tourist guide category of the annual Welcome Awards held at...more
Over 40 decades ago some of the Shangaan people made their living through hunting game. It was not easy for their children to get a proper education...more
Complexity, resilience, the increasing usefulness of new tools such as remote sensing in ecological science and showing a broader view of biodiversity...more
In the first week of May every year BirdLife South Africa tries to get as many South Africans as possible from all walks of life aflutter with excitement...more
Shimuwini “the place of the baobab” was voted the best bush camp in Kruger for 2004. Last year the camp was managed by Phanuel Nkuna, who is now the hospitality manager at Punda Maria Camp. The...more
Whilst at Shingwedzi, my wife was shown an old black-and-white photo of the original circle of accommodation units. We were fascinated by the photo so...more
The National Joint Operational Centre has opened an inquest docket into the deaths of a Kruger National Park (KNP) ranger and a member of the South...more
Tenders are being invited to study the effect that the silt in the Phalaborwa Barrage is having on the aquatic life downstream in the Olifants River. The Phalaborwa Barrage has previously been...more
The community choir of the Matsamo/Mantenga cultural parks between Swaziland and South Africa will be taking the newly established transfrontier...more
A family group of six elephants that broke out of the Kruger National Park (KNP) was shot on Friday September 9, 2005. The elephants had travelled some...more
Six elephants have been added to the Kruger National Park's (KNP) list of upcoming tuskers, courtesy of the enthusiastic participation of visitors in the...more
Early mornings in Kruger, just before sunrise, the sounds around the camps signal the start of a new day. Amidst monkeys and birds chattering, and the...more
For six weeks in June and July this year, the biodiversity survey team was busy in the south of the Kruger National Park looking at all the smaller...more
As an erratic and unusually warm 'winter' merges into spring, it is encouraging to see many wild species resuming their seasonal cycles of regeneration...more
For the children of the Pro-Vita Sunday school in the Skukuza staff village in the Kruger National Park, Arbor Day held special significance this year...more
For the fifth year running, boys from Devon toured South Africa to meet their cricket counterparts on the fields of Cape Town and Skukuza in the...more
The impalas are lambing and summer rains are starting, but it is the end of the year for the pupils at the Skukuza Primary School who held their annual...more
Over the last two weeks Skukuza Primary held their field and track events for their inter-house athletics meeting. Six records were broken altogether...more
Did you know the South African Post Office prints about 380 million postage stamps a year? The Post Office chose the Kruger National Park as the place...more
A leopard that had been preying on dogs and cats in the town of Phalaborwa at the end of last year has now been released back into the wild. The leopard...more
Vets from Sanparks Veterinary Wildlife Services, based in Skukuza, were called out in mid October to remove two snares that were seen on two wild dogs in...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust's (EWT) and the African Consultancy for Transportation Security (ACTS), a cargo screening company that uses sniffer dogs to...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) will be using a sniffer dog to assist in its anti-rhino poaching campaign. Rico the Wildlife Sniffer Dog is being...more
Fifteen years of constant searching have finally paid off for doctoral student Som Ale, who has finally seen the elusive snow leopard in the wild. Ale...more
Kruger's Nxanatseni region soccer players and supporters met at the Letaba soccer fields on Saturday, September 16, 2006 to celebrate as Jurie Snyman of...more
Solomon Ntuli (41) has been working in the Kruger National Park since 1987, rising through the ranks as time progressed. Starting off as a gardener in...more
Hydrogen fuel, because its only byproduct is steam, should be the ultimate in green alternatives to fossil fuels, but it hasn't delivered on its promise...more
It was with great pleasure we learnt that during this festive season, the Park was again packed with wildlife enthusiasts. South Africans as usual...more
Read the basic guidelines or rules of the Kruger Park that are handed out at the gates on entering. Transgressions are punishable with fines. These rules...more
When scientists around the world think of dung, they think of Jim Mead. Mead, a researcher at Northern Arizona University, is one of the world's...more
Development in the tourism sector must be accelerated to diversify South Africa's economy and contribute towards job creation, says Minister in the...more
The number of Indian tourists travelling from India to South Africa has steadily increased by over 122 percent between 2005 and 2010 and South Africa...more
South Africa has been elected as the Africa representative to the executive council of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at the...more
Farmers sitting on several million tonnes of surplus maize have been thinking up new ways to dispose of the crop, and their attention has turned...more
South African Tourism products have recently been featured prominently in different parts of the world, thus enhancing the country's status as a...more
South African Tourism announced the appointment of Neesha Padayachy to the position of Global Manager: Product and Sadiq Dindar to the position of Global...more
The close proximity of the South African Wildlife College to the Kruger National Park provides excellent opportunities for practical excursions for the...more
Despite the recession in the world, we have seen that there are emerging markets that are being opened to us and we were helped by our exposure through...more
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) concluded an intensive scoping investigation evaluating the effectiveness of compliance monitoring and enforcement of...more
South Africa's Devil's Worm, Halicephalobus mephisto, made the Top 10 new species list for 2011 run and released by the the International Institute for...more
What in the world could ever link Africa's wild dog to the world famous Himalayan Mount Everest? Ask South Africa's Vaughan de la Harpe, who summitted...more
South Africa's first wind farm is in operation. Construction on the project, which is situated near Darling in the Western Cape, started in September...more
Cape Town's offering on the 2010 Top 10 species list is a 'flying' cockroach - well almost flying. Saltoblattella montistabularis is a new species of...more
Birders and conservationists in South Africa will know by now that the first Saturday of September every year is International Vulture Awareness day...more
Just two years ago, an exciting project was initiated to map the distribution of birds in Southern Africa using the efforts of keen civil society...more
Read about some interesting Did you know Southern African rock art facts. San artists used fingers, animal hair brushes, stick and feathers to draw...more
A visually impaired teacher, Hulisani Netshituni, addressed the gathering and described how Tshilidzini Special School was improving their environmental...more
The decline of species and their habitats may not just make the world boring. New research now suggests it may also put you at greater risk for catching...more
The lowveld, with its clear skies (except during the winter inversions) is an ideal area for 'sky watching', assisted by a 'scope' or good pair of...more
Members of the public are being encouraged to take photos of spiders, scorpions and sun spiders
(solifuges), as well as any other eight-legged creepy...more
All ants, bees and wasps belong to the suborder Apocrita in the order Hymenoptera. The 'spider-hunting wasps' are all classified under the family...more
Think about spiders, members of the second most abundant and diverse group of animals that roam the earth. With more than 5,000 species to choose from in...more
This small camp in the southeastern section of Kruger is situated on the banks of the Crocodile River. The game viewing is renowned for its regular sighting of different prides of lion and a large...more
The Kruger National Park is an important refuge for cheetahs in South Africa but is far more densely wooded than the Serengeti, where the majority of...more
Mopane worm marmite. Toast will never be the same again – at least if research follows through on current plans to diversify the number of products that...more
The first annual Spring Talent festival held at the Kamogelo Centre in Hoedspruit had a great start according to the Festival committee. With 43 stalls...more
The knobthorns are in full bloom again, heralding in a new season of hope and expectancy. Among over seventy species of Acacia in South Africa the Acacia...more
A group of nine politically high profile international delegates, including Mr Dissanayake, secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Conservation...more
A giraffe was trapped in a donga about three kilometres north of Letaba camp on the S95. Joe Nkuna, section ranger at Letaba, opted to try to rescue...more
How much value does an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of a processing plant have if it does not take into consideration the impact of the...more
The Kruger National Park held three stakeholder workshops in a 'first round' engagement with stakeholders. “Adopting an innovative approach for the...more
The Kruger National Park held a workshop at Skukuza on March 30 to create a Kruger Park local stakeholder Forum, bringing some 180 stakeholders from...more
The public participation meeting for interested and affected stakeholders regarding the proposed Blyde River Canyon National Park (BRCNP) presented by...more
“Thank you for a most enjoyable and informative day,” said one of the stakeholders, expressing a sentiment shared by many of her co-forumites who...more
Eight state owned enterprises (SOEs) signed their commitment to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) on Thursday, July 5, 2012. The UNGC calls for...more
It was a daunting task for the panel of judges to finally name this year's winner out of the over 180 entries in the Emerging Tuskers competition...more
The mopane tree with its distinctive 'butterfly' shaped leaves is a principal food source for many insects and animals. Over the last few weeks the...more
Fines for misbehaving in the KNP have been increased sharply by an average of 250 percent compared to the fines that were approved in 2004 in an attempt...more
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has announced new penalties for the poaching of wild animals, birds and fish with the fine for...more
Gerrie Camacho of the Mpumalanga Parks Board is still watching his camera traps, hoping for a sighting of the elusive black leopard. In the last six...more
Originally set for March 7, 2005 the deadline for the tenders to study the impact of siltation in the Olifants River as it enters the Kruger National...more
Don English calls early this morning regarding a leopard that is under the guide's tent at Napi trails camp. Self and Sgt Maluleke meet Don at Afsaal and...more
BirdLife International is calling for a total ban on wild bird imports into Europe to try and stop the spread of the dangerous H5N1 avian flu virus...more
The advent of satellite collars into conservation has uncovered a secret previously only guessed at – elephants love to streak across the plains of...more
Induna, a mature bull elephant, decided that it was time to go for a walk – only he ambled out of his home at Pongola Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu...more
Two foreign nationals accused of illegal possession of rhino horn were convicted and sentenced in the Kempton Park Regional Court on August 4, 2011...more
A study carried out on the conservation status of raptors in Swaziland has highlighted the effect that elephants can potentially have on birds of prey...more
why do elephants knock down trees? For years, scientists have debated how big a role elephants play in toppling trees in South African savannas. Using high resolution 3-D mapping...more
Last year 90 owls of at least five species were killed along the N1N4 toll highway in the Pretoria North area, and a research project is now underway...more
The Cape pangolin is a strange-looking armourplated ant-eating mammal that few people have ever seen in the wild, and even fewer scientists have...more
Focussing on and utilising remote sensing technology, German geography student, Claudia Jobst, (25) is on a quest to detect and map tree density in the...more
With the construction of the De Hoop Dam being a likely event in the near future, the Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality recently held a water...more
Kruger National Park's (KNP) head of the finance department, Victor Makhubedu received 300 pairs of protective eyewear for each ranger in the Park from...more
The annual Sunset Serenade, hosted by the Counter-poaching unit of the Sanparks Honorary Rangers based in Gauteng, took place at Olifants Camp and...more
The Sunset Serenade, hosted by the ranger support services branch of the Honorary Rangers (HR), was once again a popular meeting place for music and...more
The annual Sunset Serenade returned to the Letaba Restcamp this year with its first event that took place from March 30 to April 1, 2006. For the first...more
Intac, a project of the Skills Development Fund and managed by the Tourism Hospitality Training and Sports Authority, is training all the the Park staff...more
During the last two weeks of July the Veterinary Wildlife Services Unit of Kruger National Park launched an operation to determine the true prevalence of...more
Preliminary results show that a total of nine Pel's fishing owls were seen and counted during a recent survey of the Olifants River in the Kruger...more
SavFIRE – the Savanna Fire Ignition Research Experiment - is a collaborative experiment between Working on Fire, the Kruger National Park and the...more
More than 70 children from Uplands College in White River and 30 learners from a school in Hazyview were introduced to indigenous ecological knowledge...more
The SANParks team, spearheaded by the Tshokwane ranger corps, caught three suspects who could possibly be linked to the recent spate of rhino poaching...more
In an anti-poaching operation carried out on the evening of Saturday, 6 October 2012, Kruger National Park (KNP) rangers killed an armed suspect in the...more
Rhino poaching suspect wounded and arrested in Kruger. 431 rhinos poached to date in South Africa. A team comprising Kruger National Park (KNP) rangers...more
One alleged poacher was killed and two suspects arrested in a shoot-out in the Crocodile Bridge section of Kruger National Park (KNP) on May 10, 2012...more
A swiss couple, Felix and Anita Margadant, is touring Europe and Africa on a tandem bicycle. They set off from Switzerland in June 2003 and crossed the...more
Motorists in the Kruger National Park should not be alarmed if they spot some of the tall trees near the roadside marked with a distinctive aluminium tag...more
Elephant tail hairs and satellite tracking collars are being linked up to help find out where best to establish sanctuaries to protect elephants...more
Animal watching can be greatly enhanced if we take a little time to observe and analyse what we are looking at. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the...more
'I never knew dreams do come true, but today is proof that this could happen,' said Helen Mmethe, head of the people and conservation department in the...more
Tamerin Jardine was crowned as the 10th Miss Earth South Africa at a gala dinner at Montecasino in Johannesburg.
Jardine whom recently turned 25 has been...more
Tanzania expects to import 36 black rhinos from South Africa this year to boost the population of the endangered wildlife species in the country...more
Dr Thomas Gyedu-Ababio, the Kruger National Park's aquatic biodiversity conservation manager, celebrated water week together with pupils from schools in...more
Endangered, Threatened, Rare, Restricted, Common and Wide-spread are some of the terms used to describe the status of species within a given area...more
The removal of renewable natural resources such as wood, medicinal plants, fish, insects and grass from within National Parks has been a contentious...more
The earliest known history of the African Wild Cat (Felis lybica) dates back 5 000 years ago to Egypt, where it was tamed for domestic use primarily for...more
The Amazon River originated as a transcontinental river around 11 million years ago and took its present shape approximately 2.4 million years ago...more
Named after a raptor that spends most of its day in flight, the Bateleurs are a group of pilots who donate their time and their 'wings' to worthy...more
Species extinction and the degradation of ecosystems are proceeding rapidly and the pace is accelerating. The world is losing species at a rate that...more
The Kruger National Park is also an official branch of a nationwide bank, dealing in deposits and withdrawals and savings, but the clients at the bank...more
A visitor to Tloukolobe Primary School in Ga-Maredi Village, Ga-Mmamabolo, may be confused to see a Trichilia emetica (natal mahogany) tree at the...more
Imagine being so poor that every morsel of food that crosses your lips has been grown in laboriously hand-tilled fields laid out in the fertile soil...more
Why is Mapungubwe Important? Intellectual and writer Vele Neluvhalani thinks mining near Mapungubwe will be “an offence to our ancestors”. Vele “Christopher” Neluvhalani believes...more
The CyberTracker (CT) system has proven to be an indispensable tool for field data collection in the Kruger National Park (KNP). The system was developed...more
According to BirdLife International, unsustainable production of biofuels could result in more environmental degradation than that caused by the...more
Daniel was a ranger for 20 full years, based at Nyalaland wilderness trail. Job titles get lost in the wind these days, however Mentor is something that...more
As managers of natural systems, be it agricultural, commercial or wildlife, it is important to grasp the concept of energy flow. In natural or wildlife...more
There are five golden mole species listed in the top 10 most Critically Endangered mammals of South Africa. Altogether there are 21 species of golden...more
The Greater Mapungubwe Heritage Route celebrates the rich history of the northern part of the Limpopo Province of South Africa over the last 1000 years. Mapungubwe World Heritage Site...more
The third and final Tour de Kruger and the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park ride during the first week in August saw 209 cyclists pedal 350km through...more
The first of the Limpopo National Park senior managers has moved into the recently completed staff housing in the Mozambican park. There are five units...more
Ivory is being removed from the Letaba Elephant Museum – but not by thieves. A team of scientists, headed by JacquelineCodron and including Daryl Codron, Professor Julia Lee-Thorp and Professor...more
Learn more about Mud Building Insects and Mud Building Birds. Certain birds such as hammerkops and some species of thrush use mud to seal or strengthen their nests....more
Learning how to report on science was the theme of a recent conference held in Craighall Park, Johannesburg. Chris Smith, who has a radio show and an...more
Three insect experts from Montana State University will be spending from late June to early August engaged in a multi-national search for some extremely...more
Most publications write about the Limpopo National Park, but there are also a string of privately-leased conservation areas in Mozambique south of the...more
Ask any lowveld old-timer and they will tell you that sable antelope were once so common in the central lowveld that landowners used to regularly shoot...more
A pride of free roaming lions, said by some sources to be wandering around the Finale/Oaks/Blyde River Conservancy areas near Hoedspruit for the last...more
At the last stock take in March, the Skukuza Nursery had 1.2 million plants – give or take a few seedlings. Now under the steady hand of Ona Davies, the...more
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and at Yale University in the US say grasshoppers who are being frightened by spiders affect the...more
An email came across my desk last week posing an interesting question, “Why are we so concerned with swine flu and avian flu, yet nobody talks about...more
Lurking 11km to the south west of Skukuza is an unlikely structure - a 22 metre high steel tower, bristling at the top with three arms, and equipped with...more
Although the syringa tree, Melia azedarach is not indigenous, it is currently flowering and is causing quite a sensation amongst butterflies. The tree is...more
Despite looking almost identical at first glance, a big group of sable antelope found in Western Zambia are not, to the dismay of conservationists...more
A little while ago I had a group of eight trailists that joined me on a wilderness trail in the Kruger National Park. The group consisted of four...more
While Southern Africa faces its biggest loss to rhino poachers in recent history, Africa's elephants are now also under increasing threat, as 2011 has...more
Plants that depend on insect and other animal pollinators to carry their pollen from one plant to another are using more than their scent, colour and...more
Forty of southern Africa's top experts got together to discuss scientific discoveries, current projects, and challenges involved in developing the Great...more
The World Wetlands Day theme for 2012 is Wetlands and Tourism and is linked to the theme for the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties, COP11...more
Chameleon species are not numerous compared to many other groups of reptiles. Southern Africa has 14 species of endemic dwarf chameleons presently...more
SANParks' managing executive tourism and marketing, Glenn Phillips According to Phillips, said the Kruger National Park has dedicated three of its camps...more
Several of Kruger's scientific services staff now have new letters to add behind their names. Social ecologist Kelly Scheepers was awarded her PhD...more
Three rhino poachers were found guilty of illegal rhino hunting at Phalaborwa Regional Court and sentenced to a maximum of 25 years imprisonment...more
A group of people are now tying yellow ribbons around the aerials and rear view mirrors of their cars and adorning their bush equipment with yellow...more
In an unlikely repercussion of a land claim, two Bengal tigers will be relocated to Hoedspruit. The Bengal tigers had previously been kept at the...more
Huge mirrors in space, petrifying carbon dioxide, algae farms, and lots of white paint - these are some of the ideas being proposed to offset global...more
Grass is one of the primary suppliers of nourishment to the second level of the food chain namely the herbivores. Most of the large herbivores commonly...more
In recognising the urgent need to curb rhino poaching in South Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has developed a guide to help rhino owners...more
The Giriyondo Tourism Acces Facility is 95km from the Phalaborwa Gate, and only 42km from Letaba Camp. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park will link...more
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation in the United States of America awarded a $750,000 grant to the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology for an...more
Probably the most well known and least understood of all our animals are the Tortoises. Referred to, flippantly, as 'mobile meat pies' or, further south...more
South African National Parks management reacted positively to the result of a case at the Makhado (Louis Trichardt) Magistrates' Court on Friday May 26...more
Last year December Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) announced Siyabona Africa Safaris as the 22nd product – and the first mobile safari company...more
Modern technology has become important even in the heart of the African bush. That is why the children of Skukuza Primary need to be computer literate...more
The tourism sector continued to enjoy above average results and recorded a third year of sustained growth as is highlighted in the United Nations World...more
Indaba is a very important platform for any organisation in the tourism industry. We
are confident that we have achieved our objectives and time will...more
On the second last day of INDABA 2010, South African Tourism and exhibition organisers were certain that attendance this year would at least equal...more
Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk officially opened the fourth annual national tourism conference at Sun City at the beginning of October by...more
“Australia ranks 6th in terms of South African Tourism's top 20 long haul source markets. Between 2005 and 2010, South Africa has steadily grown annual...more
A Tourism Skills Sector Plan for 2008/09 is to increase South Africa's skills base by outlining the scarce skills required in the tourism industry...more
The environmental impact assessment process for the Lions Walk Wildlife Estate on the farm Rietvley adjoining the Kruger National Park (KNP) has now gone...more
Once a day low cost flights to and from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Mpumalanga are on the cards. Negotiations are underway between the Mpumalanga...more
Polokwane International Airport Limited has embarked on a development strategy which will enable it to take its rightful place among the country's top...more
The 2009/10 Welcome Awards winners, sponsored by First National Bank (FNB) Commercial, were announced at a glittering award ceremony at INDABA in Durban...more
With the opening of the Giriyondo Border Post, South Africans can now readily enter the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique to experience its attractions...more
A woman was injured on the Kruger National Park's popular Olifants River back pack trail when the group of hikers walked into an elephant breeding...more
Tracking dogs have shown their worth in the ongoing fight aginst rhino poachers in South Africa. So much so that the Kruger National Park (KNP) has now...more
Each of the 6.7 billion people on Earth has a signature body odor — the chemical counterpart to fingerprints — and scientists are tracking down those...more
Even on the quietest of game drives in the Kruger National Park, you can still experience the excitement of being close to one of the big five, and gain...more
Peer Mkhonto, the leader of a group of traditional dancers that regularly performs at functions in the Kruger National Park, is now less reliant on the...more
Two groups of traditional healers from the Bushbuckridge area attended a Business Management and Project Leadership course at the Department of Water...more
The Kruger National Park (KNP) took a stand with traditional health practitioners against the escalating rhino poaching war in the country. Over 500...more
A holiday in the Kruger National Park ended in tragedy when an accident claimed the lives of five people on the road between the Phalaborwa entrance gate...more
The Kruger National Park (KNP) together with Scarce Skills Development and Training (SSDT), P.D Naidoo and Associates (PDNA), Automobile Training Academy...more
Honorary rangers are often perceived as the 'rich guys who do things in the parks', and this perception needs to be changed with hard work and dedication...more
The African Wildlife Foundation is reiterating its commitment to the concept of transfrontier conservation by appointing a technical advisor for the...more
Fire is often thought of something that trees should be protected from, but a new study suggests that some trees may themselves contribute to the...more
Countries tackling food insecurity and climate change adaptation can greatly benefit from agroforestry - integrating fleshy plants and trees into their...more
The ongoing battle against malaria has sparked a somewhat unconventional, if not creative partnership that saw the fruits displayed on the runway at...more
In a joint project led by Dr Gregory Fleming of Disney's Animal Kingdom and Dr Markus Hofmeyr of Sanparks, a new drug combination was tested on hyenas...more
African penguins have been sliding towards extinction since industrial fishing started around the Cape. BirdLife South African has found someone to...more
Johann Oelofse, section ranger at Mooiplaas, observed an unusual occurrence. He relates the story: At Bowkerskop windpump I came across a most unusual...more
Climate scientists describe Africa as an information “black hole”. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) notes that there are only 744 weather...more
The recently opened Tsendze rustic camp site received a three star grading from the Grading Council of South Africa. The camp is assessed in the caravan...more
A total of 12 tsessebe, comprising five males and seven females, as well as 11 reedbuck found a new home in the northern part of Kruger having been moved...more
The plight of the planet's tortoises and turtles- creatures that have roamed the Earth for 220 million years - has never been greater, according to a...more
Mabarule, a big elephant bull in the Kruger National Park (KNP), has died. Section Ranger Johnn Oelofse and his team found the carcass on November 11...more
The Sanparks Veterinary Wildlife Services Capture team translocated 20 giraffe from the Satara area in the Kruger National Park to a fenced sanctuary in...more
Twin elephants have been born in the Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape. This is only the third time in the history of the park that such an...more
When there is scientific evidence that the ice cap of Marion Island has already melted by 60 percent in the past 50 years, and the surrounding oceans...more
Tourism products that focus on sustainability while incorporating the social, environmental and commercial dimensions of the industry stand in line...more
It would appear that the Orpen Gate to the Kruger National Park (KNP) is moving and multiplying. If the plans currently being discussed come to fruition...more
The discovery of two new lemur species has been announced after German and Malagasy scientists performed genetic analysis on wild lemurs from Madagascar...more
Two fresh white rhino carcasses (cow and calf), were discovered on the morning of 11 October 2011 at Albasini Road, in the Pretoriuskop Ranger Section...more
The Kruger National Park (KNP) managing executive, Dr Bandile Mkhize expressed his sincere sympathies to the next of kin of the two students that died...more
It is perhaps fitting that Masorini was chosen as the launch venue for a tourism initiative that makes use of various tourism opportunities found in...more
The focus here will be on the various types of malaria - among some other diseases - transmitted by mosquitoes. There are four types of Malaria - all of the genus Plasmodium....more
Researchers estimate the total groundwater storage in Africa to be 0.66 million km3. "Not all of this groundwater storage is available for abstraction, but the...more
The United Nations marks its Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020. Giving credence to its strategic plan on biodiversity and its overall vision of living in...more
In the light of the recent Christmas Day celebrations held in Shingwedzi rest camp it is apparent that SANParks is facing a prob lem with regards to the...more
It is important to start with a little background to this important family of plants. Grasses belong to the plant Family Poaceae (Gramineae), which falls...more
Agricultural practice and policies need to adapt to the impact of climate change - and in ways that are environmentally sustainable. And scientists must...more
Leopards are such secretive creatures that estimates of the size of leopard populations can vary wildly, with scientific estimates in South Africa...more
The director of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation's World Heritage Centre in Paris, Francesco Bandarin, undertook a...more
For 12 continuous hours over five consecutive days, twice this year, a female called Giggles was the centre of attention keeping at least three teams a...more
Over-harvesting of Prunus africana or Red Stinkwood in the wild for its medicinal properties has experts at the World Agroforestry Centre looking at...more
There is a San story that says the Milky Way owes its origins to a young girl who threw ashes from a fire into the sky to make a visible path. She flung...more
A new day visitor's site at Shingwedzi, a conference venue at Mopani and upgrades to the
tented accommodation at Lower Sabie are some of the improvements...more
At Satara Main Camp visitors will notice development and construction worth R10,4-million over the next few months. A day visitor's site and swimming...more
Upgrading of the fence on the western border of Letaba Ranch is well underway. The section north of the Letaba River has been completed except for two...more
Young city dwellers can now learn more about climate change outside the class room and get to know their national parks at the same time. In early...more
The critical situation in Africa demonstrates the urgent need to implement the African Elephant Action Plan, which was created by all African elephant...more
“Ignoring species conservation means ignoring a world in which species are currently disappearing at a rate 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal...more
More than 7500 tonnes of silver and 320 tonnes of gold are used to make cell phones, PCs, tablet computers and other electronic and electric equipment....more
A new paper published in the Journal of Mammology may have serious implications for how scientists designate which mammals belong to which species...more
If you are into combining the outdoors and technology you may want to explore the possibilities offered by an organisation that has developed an...more
New research involving chilli extract is underway to try and find a natural way of keeping elephants away from certain things that both people and...more
The international institute for species exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists, scientists responsible...more
The South African Tourism office in Amsterdam, in partnership with the South African/Dutch Chamber of Commerce (SANEC), recently held an auction...more
The motorist who was subjected to verbal abuse by traffic officials on the road between Nelspruit and Hoedspruit was delighted on January 24, 2006 when...more
R100 million has been allocated to Mpumalanga for dams and irrigation schemes. According to Bua News, agriculture MEC Madala Masuku has said that some...more
WWF and TRAFFIC are calling on Vietnam to increase efforts to address the illegal trade of rhino horn, which is threatening rhino populations in both...more
More than 50 vintage and classic, and a few new, cars stopped over at Forever Aventura Swadini on their way to Mozambique. The Polana Classic Rally to...more
Since December 2004, every thirty seconds a photo has been taken of a waterhole near Orpen Gate in the Kruger National Park and broadcast on the...more
Kruger National Park (KNP) law enforcement officials had a busy time over the festive season, issuing 600 fines in just 32 days over the December/January...more
More than 300 calls and text messages in six months highlighted Kruger visitors' concern and commitment to helping Janet Edwards plot the location of...more
The first ever Chrissiesmeer Crane Festival was hosted by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) on the 6th and 7th of July and attracted over 150 visitors...more
Visitors travelling to Mozambique through the Kruger National Park (KNP) will need to overnight either in Kruger or the Limpopo National Park (LNP)...more
Excerpts from the diary of the Nxanatseni region, Vlakteplaas section ranger, Reckson Seani. It was clear and hot and I deployed two field rangers at...more
The 2006 Global Vision International (GVI) interns got together for the last time at Letaba Rest camp before they were scattered to the various Sanparks...more
The 2008 Global Vision International volunteers spent their last days at Letaba at the end of January in preparation for their duties in the year ahead...more
Biodiversity conservation is the clear mandate for Sanparks and the savanna unit of scientific services in Skukuza is seriously getting to grips with...more
Mopane trees dominate the vegetation in the northern half of the Kruger National Park, and much of the Limpopo Province. As many frustrated tourists...more
Teenagers who use cannabis and have a family history of mental illness are 25 percent more likely to suffer from schizophrenia, delusions and paranoia...more
The first Saturday of September every year is observed as International Vulture Awareness Day by the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Birds of Prey Programme...more
The transition to summer this year has not been spectacular at all. Spring was short lived and low key. Normally the weeping boerbeans, the knob thorns...more
February to April and even May are the best times for butterflies. Currently it is endeavoured to see if these butterflies and some extras have been...more
Human conflict have a particular devastating impact on African elephant populations, far greater than habitat. This, according to a new University...more
Although every aspect of nature is fascinating, I have, like many others, been attracted to birds. However, if I had my time again and knowing what I do...more
Long-term environmental planning got a boost when 130 high-level delegates met to develop a strategy that will help guide how scientists observe...more
A juice factory just outside of Hoedspruit is under investigation by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) for the discharge of effluent...more
After months of searching, hydrologists have finally struck water in sufficient quantities to allow plans to go ahead to build a new rustic campsite...more
A special warning was issued over the weekend of 28 January that the Olifants river would be in flood following the opening of the sluices at the Flag...more
Water is a limited resource that people all around the world have to share; and discussions around this complex issue were the subject of a workshop...more
A five-year programme is currently being devised to address the backlogs in water and sanitation services and to ensure the targets of the Millennium...more
Like her grandparents did, Rose and other Cottondale villagers rely on wells, rain or the river for their daily water. Rose knows of three women who have...more
some mopane trees seem forever rooted in their autumn shine.A closer inspection of these leaves this time of the year reveals strings of whitish waxy...more
Specialised help was needed to move an automatic weather station from its current position near
the Skukuza airport to its new home at Pretoriuskop...more
White River - A new weather service station unveiled in Mpumalanga will ensure the province receives timely information about possible flooding and...more
To identify, monitor and taken actions on environmental problems, the Marula region's People and Conservation department of the Kruger National Park...more
The Kruger National Park has secured R3.6m over a three-year cycle that started in April last year for wetland rehabilitation in the Park. The money will...more
Water and environmental affairs deputy minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi celebrated the importance of wetlands conservation and linking wetlands to tourism...more
The name has been coined by the press and it is likely to stick as long as the legislation lasts, but are the more than 600 Environmental Management...more
The donor community and conservation movement are leaning increasingly towards a what can nature do for us approach, where species and wild habitats...more
There is a team of scientists who would never dream of entering the Kruger National Park (KNP) without a goodly supply of fresh carrots to assist them...more
According to minerals and energy, the department 'polices' all mining activities. The department can designated an official as an 'authorised person'...more
“Public opinion regarding climate change is likely to remain divided as long as the political elites send out conflicting messages on this issue.” In a...more
Insect life has been more prolific this year in reaction to the relatively good rainfall. In our area, the large 'emperor moths' (Family Saturniidae)...more
Raymond Travers, Kruger's media liaison, explains ongoing developments at Lower Sabie. The infrastructure is however old and desperately needs upgrading...more
In what is probably the largest fertilisation experiment of its kind, 30 hectares of mopane bushveld in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve adjoining...more
Although it is unlikely that too many people will be contemplating building a nuclear reactor or a massive power generation plant, there are several...more
The Rio +20 Conference on Sustainable Development took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 20 to 22 June 2012. A key outcome for South Africa was the...more
Hundreds of fish gasped their last, hippos battled it out in tiny pools and vegetation wilted and died last year in the Kruger National Park when the...more
Trees and plants need soil to grow. Very few fruits, vegetables and grains would live without it. Many animals need soil, too. They eat the plants that...more
Fossil teeth of African animals show that during the past 10 million years, different plant-eating critters began grazing on grass at different times...more
Diarrhoea-inducing waterborne microbes often go undetected in parts of the world with the highest rate of under-five deaths from gastrointestinal...more
With lion numbers halving in the last two decades, and the popular predator disappearing from more than 80 percent of its former home range, the United...more
Of the the R27.9 billion budget for Limpopo, 81 percent will be focussed on the delivery of social services for the poor, while R1.5 billion will be...more
Finding water to create new energy requires an investment of old energy, researchers say. “No matter what kind of energy you want to create, from...more
In the Kruger National Park there are five major rivers that historically flowed all year round – the Crocodile, the Sabie, the Olifants River. The Luvuvhu River is definitely the cleanest river in Kruger Park....more
A visitor to Kruger, Modjadjikloof resident, Jacques Schalkwyk, spotted a light-coloured buffalo calf near the Middelvlei windmill between Mopani and...more
White lions, white elephants and now a white giraffe. Man has long been fascinated with nature's quirks, and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)...more
The new facility is called the Barnato White Lion Breeding Project and is located just 6km outside of Kroonstad, Free State, South Africa. Meet white...more
The Global White Lion Protection Trust (GWLPT) still has no holding permit for the white lions it imported to an area adjacent the Greater Kruger...more
Two weeks ago the Global White Lion Protection Trust (GWLPT) translocated four white lions from Sanbona in the Western Cape to their new home bordering...more
Day three, Wednesday 23 April 2008, of the 2008 Annual Science Network Meeting offered interesting perspectives on why white rhinos and termites are both...more
The fate of the hundreds of kilometres of the Kruger National Park's western boundary fence is under review. High-level executives, including South...more
To save energy. The answer is based on the fundamental principle of free energy, that everything in nature seeks the lowest possible energy state...more
An article, published by Koedoe, which highlights the extent to which socio-demographic and behavioural and motivational indicators influence the...more
Why The Leopard Got Its Spots. Why do leopards have rosette shaped markings but tigers have stripes? Rudyard Kipling suggested that it was because the leopard...more
About half of South Africa's wetlands have already been destroyed or converted through draining, the building of dams, incorrect burning and overgrazing...more
65-day gestation period. Female gives birth to two or three kittens. The young suckle for approximately one month and accompany their mother on hunting...more
Twelve lucky winners were awarded a variety of fantastic prizes at the Endangered Wildlife Trust's headquarters in Johannesburg on June 30, 2005...more
Seven wild dogs that were released into greater Kruger at the beginning of May have now chosen a den site about three kilometres from where they were...more
Seven wild dogs are due to be released into the Balule Private Nature Reserve, ad- joining the Greater Kruger National Park, in the next few weeks...more
Elephants will respond to signals transmitted through the earth without a sound whispering through the air. This has been shown by a team of scientists...more
The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, part of the Associated Private Nature Reserves adjoining Kruger National Park, has just released 50 wildebeest to...more
'Wilderness' has different meanings for different people. To some it is a physical area, while for others it is a psychological 'place' or state of mind...more
The Wilderness Foundation and the Wilderness Leadership School, founded in the 1950s by conservation legend Dr Ian Player and Magqubu Ntombela, is...more
Many African tribes had a tradition regarding wild creatures. Certain birds and animals were given the status of protected creatures because of their...more
If you are a wildlife and nature lover who enjoys reading about first hand experiences, two books published by CC Africa may be worth adding to your...more
This year, the ladies showed the way at the Southern African Wildlife College graduation with Esther Sibanda from Zimbabwe the proud recipient of the...more
This year's Southern African Wildlife College Graduation ceremony celebrated 20 students receiving natural resource certificates and 22 students...more
The Ivory and Rhinoceros Enforcement Task Force of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) met in...more
“TRAFFIC extends its sincere thanks to the Mazda Wildlife Fund for your 20 years of support: you have, quite literally, been the driving force behind our...more
The Kruger National Park has one last remaining unspoilt gorge left on a perennial river, and this pristine gorge is increasingly coming under threat...more
The world has been warned time and again about the potential harm man is doing to ecosystems around the world. Now 1,360 scientists from 95 countries....more
Twelve high school learners from the Phalaborwa region have developed an extra dose of enthusiasm for entering a career in the sciences after attending...more
We tend to think of the warm, rainy season as a time of food production and the cooler, dry 'winter' as the period when natural food sources are in...more
Ancient humans may not have had the luxury of updating their Facebook status, but social networks were nevertheless an essential component of their lives...more
National Water Week kicked off with the presentation of the Women in Water Awards at the Presidential Guesthouse on March 18, 2005. At the ceremony...more
Bird- Life South Africa now lures cranes to its winter feeding site using life-size wooden decoys. Maize grain is put out regularly for the cranes in...more
Thirteen teachers from schools in and around Phalaborwa met at Letaba Camp in the Kruger National Park (KNP) on February 18, 2006 to take part in...more
A driving force behind the creation of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and many other international conservation initiatives...more
Employees at SANParks joined their conservation colleagues across the globe to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5, which was celebrated with the...more
“World Rhino Day is an opportunity to highlight the efforts being made to fight the scourge of rhino poaching around the world and to debunk the...more
In 1998 South Africa passed a new National Water Act. This act was hailed internationally as an innovative approach to water management, as it took...more
It has been almost 30 years since the day Louis Olivier and Hans Kolver fought an enormous crocodile for the life of their friend and colleague Tom Yssel. Louis and Tom, deciding they deserved...more
The wildlife poisoning incident that occurred outside Hoedspruit last October is now providing valuable information on Vulture movements and the...more
The external features of animal 'mouths' are the most easily observed and the best field indicators of eating habits. Focus will be on size and shape...more
In the past couple of letters we have dealt with external mouth features and digestion. In this final letter on this subject we look at some of the internal jaw and mouth structure that might...more
What animals eat will indicate their main function among the diversity of species. Mouth structures have evolved to cope with the main diet of each...more
The Kruger National Park's (KNP) outreach project “Take Kruger to 'Kasies” was officially launched on January 20, 2006 at Mkhuhlu Shopping Complex near...more
A group of Junior Honorary Rangers from the Bushveld Region spent four days last week at Letaba rest camp, Kruger National Park, making a hands-on...more
Armed with a sponsored 'goodie' bag filled with T-Shirt, cap, waterbottle and pencil case, about 500 learners from 10 schools, some having never been...more
To be like a child again or one day, to experience the Kruger National Park (KNP) the way a child would, learning about animals and their habits...more
Kids in Kruger celebrated Youth Day by inviting young people from neighbouring communities to a day of song and dance. Several entertaining items...more
African ranchers often prefer to keep wild grazers like zebras off the grass that fattens their cattle. But a new study by Kenyan and University of...more
Zimbabwe has held an auction for big game hunters, offering a variety of trophy 'bags', and raising US$1.5 million in the process, ostensibly for...more