Aerial shot of a river surrounded by green areas. Text:

Credit: Save the Rhino

The Unique Ecosystem of uMkhuze Game Reserve

uMkhuze Game Reserve, nestled within South Africa’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park, is a beacon of biodiversity and a sanctuary for some of the world’s most remarkable wildlife. Spanning over 40,000 hectares, this ecological haven boasts an array of habitats, from lush wetlands and acacia savannahs to dense woodlands and rocky ridges. The reserve’s rich landscape supports an incredible variety of species, making it a critical conservation area within the KwaZulu-Natal Province.

Rhinos are at the heart of uMkhuze’s conservation efforts, with its black rhino population one of two original populations in KwaZulu-Natal (the other being in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park). This population has played a vital role in reintroduction projects to re-establish locally extinct populations in many other protected areas, including South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park.

Why Rhinos Matter to uMkhuze

Needing vast areas of land to thrive, rhinos are regarded as “umbrella species”, meaning that their conservation enables the protection of myriad other species that share their habitats. In this way, saving uMkhuze’s rhinos also saves uMkhuze’s birds, cheetahs, antelopes, hippos and hyenas, contributing to the Reserve’s intricate ecological web.

More directly, rhinos influence the spaces they live, impacting processes and cycles that other species depend upon. For instance, their feeding patterns (white rhinos are grazers and black rhinos are browsers) can change the distribution and quality of vegetation, in turn affecting the food availability for herbivores such as zebras and antelopes. Additionally, when rhinos wallow to cool off and support their skin microbiome, they create small waterholes, essential for many other species. Even their dung is often piled up in mounds named ‘middens’ and provides vital nutrients for insects and benefits the soil.

Aerial shot of a green, vast landscape. — At 360km², uMkhuze Game Reserve is the less well-known little brother of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.

A man sitting at a computer looking at a photo of a rhino on one screen. — Thanks to black rhino monitoring efforts, uMkhuze’s team can better support the wellbeing and growth of their rhino population.

Aerial shot of two rhinos, a mother and calf, walking through green bush. — uMkhuze is home to black and white rhinos, though they’re hard to spot in the dense bush.

Aerial shot of a river running through a green landscape. — The uMkhuze River runs around and inside the Reserve and is one of the reasons the landscape is so biodiverse.

Three wildebeest and two zebra drinking from a waterhole. — uMkhuze is home to myriad wildlife species, from zebra and wildebeest to cheetah and wild dogs.

By funding the teams working at uMkhuze to protect rhinos, we are enabling the constant protection of this incredible biodiversity hotspot. Given the poaching crisis impacting all rhino countries and that has been particularly intense in South Africa, uMkhuze’s team works 24/7 to keep rhinos safe.

Recently, our focus has been on enhancing staff morale and equipping field rangers with the right kit and support, so that they can continue to be safe and effective under extremely difficult conditions.

“In this era where the fight against rhino poaching is becoming increasingly sophisticated, there is a critical need to look after our most important assets: our staff. All the technology in the world means nothing without the correct application of the boots on the ground, and that’s where the support of Save the Rhino and its donors has been so helpful”.

Eduard Goosen, Conservation Cluster Manager, uMkhuze Game Reserve

With your support through the Great African Rhino Adventure, we can maintain their important work – for rhinos, and for the future of the extraordinary ecosystem in and around uMkhuze.

The next stop on our adventure is Zimbabwe! Keep up your activities and fundraising, and we’ll see you there!