As Kruger National Park prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, a historic agreement signed on Friday has opened a new chapter in the relationship between conservation authorities and communities whose ancestors were displaced to make way for South Africa’s most famous wildlife sanctuary. Hundreds of jubilant community members from villages surrounding the park gathered at Skukuza Rest Camp to witness the signing of the Kruger National Park Beneficiation Scheme Framework Agreement, a landmark deal aimed at ensuring that communities with…

The brutal killing of two elderly tourists in the remote northern reaches of the Kruger National Park has shaken South Africa’s tourism and conservation sectors, with authorities describing the attack as an unprecedented tragedy in the park’s 100-year history. Police have now confirmed the identities of the victims as Ernst and Dina Marais, a couple from Mossel Bay, whose bodies were discovered on Friday, 22 May, in the Pafuri region near Crooks Corner, an isolated area where the borders of…

Conservation leaders, tourism executives, scientists and historians gathered on the sidelines of the Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 in Durban on Wednesday for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of conservation, sustainable tourism and community inclusion as SANParks marked 100 years since the proclamation of Kruger National Park. The “Conversation About Conservation” dialogue formed part of SANParks’ programme on the sidelines of Africa’s Travel Indaba and reflected on the legacy and future of one of Africa’s most iconic conservation areas under…

South African National Parks (SANParks) has used Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 in Durban to celebrate 100 years of the Kruger National Park while positioning conservation and tourism as key drivers of economic growth, community development and climate resilience. Held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban from 11 to 15 May, the tourism showcase has seen SANParks anchor its participation around the theme “Our Heritage, Our Future”, linking the centenary of the Kruger National Park with the…

South Africa’s fight against poaching is showing renewed momentum, with recent enforcement operations and court convictions underscoring a coordinated push to clamp down on environmental crime across the country. Over the long weekend, ranger teams from South African National Parks (SANParks) recorded a series of successful operations in Table Mountain National Park, targeting activities ranging from abalone poaching to theft and illegal harvesting of protected plant species. According to SANParks, a targeted night operation conducted on 23 April by its…

Four people who were reported missing after a helicopter disappeared inside the Kruger National Park have been found alive and unharmed, bringing a dramatic end to an overnight search operation. The group — comprising a pilot, two South African Police Service (SAPS) investigators and an environmental crime investigator — was located on Tuesday morning after spending the night in a remote area of dense bush. According to a media statement issued by the office of the Provincial Commissioner of SAPS…

After nine years, the long-awaited trial of former Kruger National Park (KNP) regional ranger, Rodney Landela, and state veterinary technician Kenneth Mutshotsho, has resumed at the Skukuza Regional Court. The trial resumed on Thursday, February 20, with forensic investigator Cindy Harper taking the witness stand at the Skukuza Regional Court. Harper testified that DNA found on two pairs of shoes and an axe in Landela’s car matched that of two rhino horns discovered in Mutshotsho’s vehicle when the pair were…

Rhino poaching has reached alarming levels in South Africa’s Kruger National Park (KNP), with 35 rhinos lost to poaching in the first few months of 2025. This surge follows a disturbing trend that began around Christmas and continued into January and February, according to authorities. The rising number of poaching incidents has left conservationists and park officials scrambling for more effective solutions. Bruce Lesley, the Regional Ranger and Acting Mission Area Manager for KNP’s Special Operations, confirmed the grim numbers.…