Hluhluwe Game Reserve in South Africa is the oldest game reserve in Africa, established in 1895. It is home to the Big Five and other iconic species, including rhinos, which were once on the brink of extinction. The reserve has become a focal point for rhino conservation efforts, with an estimated 1,600 white and 370 black rhinos. Ecotourists can stay in chalets, resorts, or mobile tent safari groups, and can go on guided game drives or rent a vehicle to explore the reserve’s nearly 200 miles of dirt roads.
Hluhluwe Game Reserve, on the east coast of South Africa, is reportedly the oldest game reserve on the continent, established in 1895. Containing within its 371 square miles (about 960 square km) not only the ‘Big Five’ land animals of the safari tradition, but also hundreds of other iconic species of fauna and flora. This preserve was once a popular hunting ground for the Zulu tribe until an official animal sanctuary was needed. Located near the Indian Ocean coast in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, this area has marked achievements in bringing animal populations back from the brink of extinction.
The Big Five game located in Hluhluwe Game Reserve is so named because of the historic difficulty Anglo hunters have had in shooting it. They are the lion, the elephant, the rhinoceros, the cheetah and the buffalo. In this protected area, however, it is even more difficult to shoot them, because it is a crime to do so. Chartered safaris and guided hikes have replaced hunting.
Rhino, in particular, is densely populated in Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Their numbers here – an estimated 370 black and 1,600 white rhinos – are a testament to the park’s conservation efforts. Shortly after the reserve opened in the late 19th century, there were only a few dozen rhinos left in the world. A mass restoration project of the species called Project Rhino in the 1919-1950s made the park a focal point for this animal’s plight. In 1960, the animal’s population exceeded 2011.
The other animal inhabitants of Hluhluwe Game Reserve also contribute to the vibrant habitat. In the water are Nile crocodiles and hippos. Baboons, monkeys, dozens of species of lizards and snakes roam the trees. In large herds run antelope, zebra, impala, buffalo, wildebeest and giraffe, kudu and nyala. Competing for prey with the Big Five are other iconic predators such as the hyena, leopard, jackal, warthog, wild dog and even the small mongoose.
Ecotourists dot the savannah here, in small chalets, large full-service resorts, and mobile tent safari groups. The first camp was built in the 1930s at Hilltop, and there are now a few dozen, including a network of dirt roads that stretch nearly 200 miles (about 300km). Malaria has been known to strike here, so tourists be warned. In addition to guided game drives, some prefer to rent a vehicle and go on their own. Those who do, however, cannot get off the road.
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