Zululand, steeped in proud cultural history and not so long ago, a landscape of commercial farming where the wildlife was slaughtered to rid the area of the Tsetse fly and to make way for vast herds of cattle that overgrazed the lands and turned them into dry and lifeless dustbowls. Today though, it has to be one of conservation’s greatest success stories where the old and often unproductive farms have now once again fortunately been reverted back to their natural state, allowing the lions, leopards, wild dogs and cheetah’s to thrive amongst the teaming herds of antelope, giraffes, zebra’s, Cape buffalos and African elephants. Birdlife is prolific in diversity and color and endangered species that once balanced on the edge of extinction are now able to build up their numbers in the ever-expanding footprint of private and state-owned protected areas. This revival and rejuventaion of the landscapes has also been good for the people of the region through the development of a thriving eco-tourism industry that brings much needed revenue and job-creating opportunities to one of South Africa’s most picturesque and diverse parts of the country. This conservation story is definately a success that other areas need to follow!
1 of 18: The Purple Crested Turaco is one of the most recognizable and iconic of the Zululand birds
2 of 18: A Cape Glossy Starling drinking from a tranquil pool that highlights its reflection
3 of 18: Crested Guineafowl flocks are commonly sighted in the dry bushveld of Zululand and particularly favor the localized sand forest patches
4 of 18: A beautiful male White-Bellied Sunbird pauses from feeding on the energy rich nectar of an aloe flower
5 of 18: In the dappled light of the forest, the purple sheen on the wings, bill and feet of a Hadedah are highlighted
6 of 18: A young Giraffe stretches forward to feed on new leaf shoots
7 of 18: A Waterbuck bull stands slightly separated from his family herd in the lush grasslands of iSimangaliso Wetland Park
8 of 18: Two Cape Buffalo bulls wallow in a muddy pool as the harsh heat of Zululand summers takes hold of the landscape
9 of 18: A White Rhino calf stands in close proximity of its protective mother
10 of 18: A Spotted Hyena en-route back to its den after a night out in search of food
11 of 18: A Wild Dog watches a herd of Nyala from the top of a raised mound
12 of 18: A Cheetah licks its bloody lips after gorging itself on an impala kill
13 of 18: A recently hatched African Rock Python suns itself in the late afternoon light of the Zululand bushveld
14 of 18: A Rock Monitor Lizard wanders through open grassland in search of prey
15 of 18: The flowers of the Candy-striped Crinum (Crinum delagoense) appear after the first spring rains and only last a few days before withering and dying
16 of 18: The characteristic bright red flowers from a coral tree. These trees attract a myriad of insects and birds that feed upon the nectar
17 of 18: Dawn over the lush spring vegetation of Zululand
18 of 18: Sunrise over rare patches of Sand Forest in the Phinda Private Game Reserve
