Latest news with #SouthAfricanNationalParks
eNCA
23-05-2025
- eNCA
SANParks clears five buffalo to be auctioned at wildlife festival
ADDO - South African National Parks has tested five buffalo in Addo Elephant National Park for diseases of concern, and all have been cleared. The buffalo will be auctioned off at the Kirkwood Wildlife Festival in late June, with the proceeds going towards conservation projects. This marks the 24th year SANParks has backed the festival. Kirkwood Wildlife Festival auctioneer, Johan Swart, says most buyers use the buffalo as breeding bulls and for hunting purposes. Swart says the festival attracts over 50 thousand visitors globally and generates R10-million in revenue.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
How elephant translocation is reviving biodiversity in Addo Elephant National Park
One of the 42 elephants at the Aldo Elephants National Park being translocated to its new environment. Image: Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa A significant conservation effort has been under way at the Addo Elephant National Park near Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, where 42 elephants were successfully translocated to the newly secured Kabouga section. This move, which is part of the South African National Parks (SANParks) initiative, aims to expand the elephants' range and restore ecological balance in one of the country's most iconic conservation areas. According to the park's Conservation Manager Anban Padayakee, the translocation, conducted between May 12 and 15, was meticulously planned and executed by a team of conservationists, wildlife veterinarians, and logistics specialists. Padayakee said each step was done with attention to animal welfare and ecological integrity. Video Player is loading. 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Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'The reality of our achievement has not yet set in… it's still such an unbelievable achievement. We were so careful that we had experts from all different fields to make sure the mission was successful. 'The experience was not limited to this operation; we can apply it in the future," Padayakee said. He said the team moved the animals that consisted of five family groups, with the oldest female elephant aged 52 and the youngest, a male, aged between three to four months old and named after the area they were translocated to. 'That gives you the idea of how complicated it was because we needed to keep the animals stress-free, and the veterinarians did exactly that,' Padayakee said. Park Manager, Roland Januarie, emphasised the importance of this effort saying he had only joined the park a week ago and had found the process of translocating these animals in the middle as it had started last year. "Addo has a proud record of elephant conservation and maintains a healthy and secure population of one of Africa's most iconic animal species,' Januarie said. Elephants are widely recognised as ecosystem engineers, playing a crucial role in shaping their environments and supporting biodiversity. By expanding their range and establishing new habitats, the translocation stands to contribute to long-term biodiversity health and the reactivation of natural ecosystem functions across the region. The Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa, an initiative of Global Humane Society, provided critical support for the project. Aldo Elephants Another of the Aldo Elephants National Park animal enjoying its new habitat after translocating. Image: The Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa Regional Director for Africa, Taryn Gillson, the organisation was proud to support this critical restoration project and help ensure these elephants have the space they need to thrive. 'This is an extraordinary milestone for conservation in Africa. This not only marks the expansion of the elephants' range but also the restoration of ecological processes in a landscape where elephants have been absent for generations,' Gillson said. The translocation is part of a broader conservation vision to repair degraded ecosystems through species-led restoration. By reintroducing elephants to the Kabouga section, SANParks aims to restore ecological balance and promote biodiversity. The newly relocated elephants will be carefully monitored as they settle into their new environment, marking a hopeful step forward for conservation efforts in the Eastern Cape. 'As a leading conservation authority, SANParks is committed to inclusive conservation and advancing policies that support sustainable development and biodiversity conservation,' said Januarie SANParks manages 21 national parks, including three world heritage sites and 10 marine protected areas covering over four million hectares on land and almost 370,000 hectares at sea.
The Citizen
13-05-2025
- The Citizen
Former Kruger National Park ranger and accomplice nabbed for illegal hunting
Former Kruger National Park ranger and accomplice nabbed for illegal hunting Two men, a former South African National Parks (SANParks) corporal ranger and a known crime offender, appeared in the Masoyi Periodical Court in Mpumalanga yesterday on charges of hunting and trespassing. Mpumalanga News reports that the case was postponed to Thursday for a formal bail application. Alfred Khosa (59) and Kenneth Ntimane (37) were arrested in Skukuza on Sunday. According to provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, the arrests were made after field rangers discovered the tracks of four people, and initiated a search in Block 19 in the Skukuza area of the Kruger National Park. Ndubane says the rangers pursued the suspects and apprehended two, but the other two escaped. The arrested suspects were found in possession of an impala head, a dead warthog and seven snares. Ndubane says they failed to produce a valid hunting permit. 'The former ranger had previously worked in the park. He was dismissed in 2021 for conspiracy to commit a crime, which is a matter still being heard in the Skukuza Regional Court. At the time of his arrest, he was found wearing a Kruger ranger's uniform,' she says. The police have, however, not ruled out the possibility of adding further charges. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
12-05-2025
- The South African
Tourist trampled to death by herd of elephants in Kruger National Park
An elderly tourist tragically lost her life after encountering a herd of elephants near the Sirheni Bush Camp in the Kruger National Park. According to a statement from South African National Parks (SANParks), the woman had wandered away from her unit at the camp when the fatal incident occurred. Details surrounding the circumstances are still under investigation. The South African Police Service (SAPS) is leading the inquiry, and no further information will be released until their investigation is complete. 'Out of respect for the family and to ensure adherence to protocols, SANParks will not offer commentary or any further details of the incident until investigations are finalised,' the organisation stated. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the 68-year-old woman woke up and walked out of the chalet she was sharing with her husband just before 23:00 on Saturday. Security cameras are said to have captured the woman walking out of the camp gate and onto the road leading into the park, where she encountered the herd of elephants. In the wake of the tragedy, SANParks Board and Management extended their condolences. 'We send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased during this difficult time,' the statement read. Sirheni Bush Camp is one of the more secluded camps in Kruger, popular for its proximity to wildlife and tranquil surroundings. Visitors are typically advised to remain within designated areas and adhere to park safety protocols at all times. Further updates will be provided by SAPS once their investigation concludes. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Vultures rescued from mass poisoning in South African game reserve
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South African park rangers and a local wildlife organisation rescued more than 80 vultures from a mass poisoning in the country's Kruger National Park this week, though they were unable to save over 120 vultures. South African National Parks (SANParks) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust said it was one of the largest vulture poisoning events in Southern Africa. Officials from the organisations suspect poachers are to blame as they are increasingly using agricultural toxins to target species whose body parts are in demand for traditional medicine. Some of the vultures rescued are classified as endangered or critically endangered, including the white-backed vulture. The rescue was made possible by a wildlife-poisoning detection system in a remote section of the Kruger park. After being alerted to suspicious activity, the rangers who arrived on site discovered 116 dead vultures near an elephant carcass laced with poison. The death toll later rose to 123 vultures as more birds died on the way to a rehabilitation centre. SANParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla told Reuters it was not clear which species the poachers were targeting but said the incident was concerning because the vultures that were killed only breed once a year.
