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kruger national parklatest news & developments
Putting pen to paper, forestry, fisheries and environment minister Willie Aucamp, signing the beneficiation scheme framework agreement, watched by SANParks interim chairperson Beryl Ferguson and community leaders. Pictures: Lucas Ledwaba

Kruger returns to its owners

Historic deal sees communities set to gain from sche signed with SANParks

Boosting the village economy: Phindile Sobhuza-Tshaka and her husband Thabathani of Tshaka Tours. Photos: Brian Sokutu

A century of Kruger

Kruger National Park’s 100-year milestone reflects both South Africa’s conservation history and SANParks’ efforts to shift from exclusionary “fortress conservation” to community…

Championing tourism: President Cyril Ramaphosa and Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille. Photo: GCIS

Africa’s Travel Indaba boosts Durban economy and drives African tourism growth

Africa’s Travel Indaba is expected to generate millions for Durban’s economy while showcasing African tourism growth, conservation and regional travel opportunities

Unresolved: Spokes Sithole, who was born in the same year as Nelson Mandela, 1918, is one of the original
claimants in the R1 billion Mala Mala land claim. He died at 108. Photos. Lucas Ledwaba

Fruit of freedom withers under broken land deal

The death of Spokes Sithole at 108 exposes the broken promise of one of South Africa’s largest land restitution settlements, where freedom and land ownership have not translated…

Ezemvelo says war on rhinos continues, supports regulated trade to curb poaching

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife highlights a successful dehorning programme and improved anti-poaching measures but continues to call for discussion on legal rhino horn trade to protect…

In Mpumalanga and Limpopo, the floods killed at least 38 people. The Kruger National Park was forced to close. (SANParks)

Climate change and La Niña drove deadly southern Africa floods, analysis finds

The intensity of heavy downpours has increased by 40% since pre-industrial times, with some areas receiving more than a year’s rain in just days

The Letaba rest camp is under water. (SANParks)

Kruger National Park closed to day visitors amid heavy flooding in Limpopo, Mpumalanga

Persistent and heavy rainfall affecting Limpopo and Mpumalanga has led to South African National Parks (SANParks) taking a precautionary decision to temporarily suspend day…

South Africa must diversify its tourism offerings beyond Cape Town and the Kruger National Park to revive the sector, which has yet to reach the growth levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic. (Photo by: Edwin Remsburg/VW Pics via Getty Images)

‘Exploring South Africa’s untapped destinations can boost post-Covid tourism recovery’

Before the pandemic, the country’s tourism attractions were spread across the country but now this is skewed in favour of Cape Town and the Kruger

Contractors from Paragon Tailings doing trial hydraulic reclamation of the phosphogypsum stacks. Photo supplied

Limpopo rare earths project aims to clean up the environment

At least six decades of mining has caused significant environmental damage in the Phalaborwa area

The invasive Opuntia stricta flourishing under the canopy of a native tree in the Kruger National Park. (Photo: SANParks)

Study shows growing number of alien plants infesting Kruger Park

Twenty-one species in the national park are invasive, five of which are among the 100 worst invaders globally

(File photo by Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Corbis via Getty Images)

Scientists warn that poaching, drought threaten Kruger lions and hippos

Lion numbers have remained stable from 2015 to 2023, while the population of hippos plunged by more than 2 500 from 2015 to 2017

Wild dogs are not the only animals being caught in snares — more than 30 elephants were caught in 2023 alone, as well as hyenas and lions. (File photo by Dianah Chiyangwa)

Behind the scenes of snare removal in the Kruger National Park

The use of tracking collars that send alerts when animals enter snaring hotspots or have been stationary for a certain period has become a key tool

Nelson Mandela is still a powerful brand indicator for South Africa. Thirty years of democracy has changed tourist perceptions of South Africa; they  have become more positive, overtaking past associations with apartheid.

Discover the allure of South Africa: Nature, business and culture

Tourists flock to the many wildlife reserves, while the attractive investment climate draws global business and investors

The animals, formerly owned by rhino breeder John Hume, are expected to significantly boost biodiversity in their new home. Photo: Michael Dexter

120 captive rhinos moved to the Greater Kruger wild

The animals, formerly owned by rhino breeder John Hume, are expected to significantly boost biodiversity in their new home

A new report predicts that the effect of climate change will cause a 4% drop in visitors Kruger National Park by 2050. (Photo by Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Climate change threatens livelihoods in South Africa

A new report predicts that the effect of climate change will cause a 4% drop in visitors Kruger National Park by 2050

Former environment minister Barbara Creecy.

At least 15 wild animals killed in collisions with vehicles in Kruger, says Creecy

The numbers are difficult to quantify because most carcasses are scavenged quickly and disappear

Former environment minister Barbara Creecy.

Snaring on the rise in the Kruger, says Barbara Creecy

The forestry, fisheries and the environment minister said more than 7 000 snares were removed last year alone

Kobus De Wet was one of SANParks’ senior managers in its environmental crime investigative unit based at Groenkloof in Pretoria.

Senior SANParks manager killed by hippo in Kruger National Park

Kobus De Wet played a leading role in investigations and the arrests of rhino poaching syndicates

231 rhinos have been killed for their horns so far this year.
(Photo by Deon Raath/Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

231 rhinos killed for their horns so far this year

But measures such as law enforcement authorities working together have resulted in a decline in the number of animals killed

Tourism minister Patricia De Lille.

De Lille emphasises need to grow tourism on visit to Kruger

The department has given R76.1 million for energy and water-saving measures at tourism sites as part of the Green Tourism Incentive Programme, Patricia de Lille says