Tembe Elephant Park
Encyclopedia
Tembe Elephant Park is a 300km² game reserve in Maputaland
, KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
. It is adjacent to Ndumo Game Reserve
.
The park was developed by Tembe Tribal Authority and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
.
It was established in 1983 to protect elephants which used to migrate between Maputaland and southern Mozambique
. These elephants were traumatised by poaching during the civil war in Mozambique so the park was only opened to the public in 1991. The park is now home to 250 elephants which are the largest in the world and ISILO the largest living tusker in the southern hemisphere .
200 more elephants which used to be part of the same group live in the Maputo Elephant Reserve in Mozambique. The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area
is planned to link the two reserves and the Lubombo Conservancy
in Swaziland
in a single transfrontier reserve.
More than 340 bird species have been recorded in Tembe, including the rare Rudd's Apalis
, the Rufous-bellied Heron
, the Natal Nightjar
and the Woodward's Batis.
This park is to be included into the: Usuthu-Tembe-Futi Transfrontier Conservation Area
.
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Maputaland
Maputaland is a region of southern Africa situated in the northern part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and may also refer to the southern-most region of Mozambique. The South African section was also previously known as Tongaland after the Tonga people who live there, and is...
, KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is adjacent to Ndumo Game Reserve
Ndumo Game Reserve
Ndumo Game Reserve is a game reserve in Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on the border with Mozambique where the Pongola River joins the Great Usutu River...
.
The park was developed by Tembe Tribal Authority and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is a governmental organisation responsible for maintaining wildlife conservation areas and biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Their headquarters is in Queen Elizabeth Park situated on the northern slopes of Pietermaritzburg, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial...
.
It was established in 1983 to protect elephants which used to migrate between Maputaland and southern Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. These elephants were traumatised by poaching during the civil war in Mozambique so the park was only opened to the public in 1991. The park is now home to 250 elephants which are the largest in the world and ISILO the largest living tusker in the southern hemisphere .
200 more elephants which used to be part of the same group live in the Maputo Elephant Reserve in Mozambique. The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area
Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area
The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area was born out of the Peace Park Foundation’s vision to establish a network of transfrontier conservation areas in southern Africa...
is planned to link the two reserves and the Lubombo Conservancy
Lubombo Conservancy
Lubombo Conservancy comprises 5 reserves in Swaziland:* Hlane Royal National Park* Mbuluzi Game Reserve* Mlawula Nature Reserve* Shewula Community Nature Reserve* Nkhalashane Siza Ranch...
in Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
in a single transfrontier reserve.
More than 340 bird species have been recorded in Tembe, including the rare Rudd's Apalis
Rudd's Apalis
The Rudd's Apalis is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland....
, the Rufous-bellied Heron
Rufous-bellied Heron
The Rufous-bellied Heron is a species of heron in the Ardeidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, the Natal Nightjar
Swamp Nightjar
The Swamp Nightjar is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone,...
and the Woodward's Batis.
This park is to be included into the: Usuthu-Tembe-Futi Transfrontier Conservation Area
Usuthu-Tembe-Futi Transfrontier Conservation Area
Usuthu-Tembe-Futi Transfrontier Conservation Area is a group of protected areas in southern Africa, straddling parts of South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland, including the following:* Maputo Special Reserve .* The Futi Corridor ....
.
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