Conservation Updates

If you're coming to Kariega Game Reserve on safari and would like to know more about rhino poaching and rhino conservation, our rangers are all knowledgeable on the topic and are happy to help with any questions you may have. You can also head down to the Curio Shop at Main Lodge for a range of rhino merchandise on sale with proceeds to rhino conservation.

Interesting results of research regarding contraception in free-ranging populations of African elephants, including at Kariega Game Reserve.

Kariega Game Reserve Conservation Volunteers honoured National Arbor Week this week by planting the 'miracle tree of the century' - Spekboom - and working on eradicating some alien invasive tree species.

Elephants, as megaherbivores, are known to have extensive impacts on vegetation, especially in enclosed areas. This raises the issue that elephants in enclosed areas may become limited by resource availability.

On Wednesday, the Kariega Volunteers teamed up with Rooting-for-Rhino and the Kingsley Holgate Foundation to bring the Children's Rhino Art Project to Farmerfield School. The Children's Rhino Art Project is a drive to raise awareness of rhino poaching amoung the youth, aiming to reach 200 000 children before World Rhino Day on the 22 September 2013.

My Rhino is an anti-poaching awareness and fundraising initiative that sells beautifully crafted ceramic rhino's with a portion of the proceeds going to the Kariega Foundation Save the Rhino fund. To date, My Rhino has raised R35 000 for the Foundation, and they were also recently part of the St Stithians Girls Prep 'My Rhino Project" which raised over R11 000 for the Kariega Foundation.

We are sharing the "Birds in Reserves" project booklet to further assist the volunteers (and all readers) to gain insights into our many species of indigenous birds. 

Giraffe research in the Eastern Cape including Kariega Game Reserve. The Kariega Conservation Volunteers assist the wildlife management team on the reserve with numerous conservation and research projects.

The Kariega Conservation Volunteers assist the wildlife management team on the reserve with numerous conservation projects, including elephant research. We are sharing this article to further assist the volunteers to gain insights into wildlife management. 

Following her skin graft procedure one month ago, Thandi underwent a follow-up procedure yesterday in which doctors and surgeons undertook to assess which of the three skin graft methods applied in June had worked best, as well as to apply further grafting treatment. Dr Marais and Dr Lamont decided that the "split skin" technique had been the most sucessful and during the 50 minute procedure the team cleaned Thandi's wound, checked for any signs of complication or infection, and applied more of the "split skin" grafting method. A fourth method which could not be applied in June was also added to the surgical effort.