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Lion Population Re-established at the Samara Private Game Reserve

Samara Private Game Reserve is now home to the Big Five, as their founder pride of lions arrived on the reserve on the 29th of November 2018. They are thrilled to be re-establishing a lion population which had been locally extinct for 180 years.The Award-winning Samara Private Game Reserve is a luxury malaria-free safari destination with a passionate conservation mission set on 70,000 acres of breathtaking wilderness in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Located just north of the famous Garden Route and 40 minutes from South Africa’s 4th oldest town of Graaff-Reinet, Samara offers a rejuvenating and pampering safari experience with a greater conservation purpose, delivering a safari for the soul.

Photo credit: Samara 

The lion population declined in numbers by 43% over the past 24 years. The current population is estimated to be between 20,000 and 30,000 individuals. Lions face a number of threats, all thanks to humans. Humans orchestrate indiscriminate killing in areas like the Maasai Mara, whilst the bushmeat trade and habitat loss deplete the lions’ prey base. Further pressure on the species stems from the trade in lion bones shipped to the Far East, where lion body parts are sold under the guise of being tiger bones in traditional medicine. This illegal trade has fuelled South Africa’s ‘canned lion’ industry.

Photo credit: Samara 

The ‘canned hunting’ industry refers to the act of shooting captive bred and/or tame animals in confined areas. The term canned hunting came into popular use in 1998 after the Cook Report, a British current affairs television programme, featured footage of a lioness being shot several times within a small enclosed area. The term soon became synonymous with any form of trophy hunting where hunters shot animals within confined areas, ensuring they had no or little chance of escape. Today, canned hunting is widespread in South Africa. Large numbers of wild animals are being bred in captivity specifically to be shot. This is truly terrible, and is the reason why sanctuaries like the Samara Private Game Reserve need to exist and thrive.

Photo credit: Samara 

Samara’s founder lion pride will consist of several unrelated males and females to ensure genetic diversity. The lions’ movement, feeding and breeding patterns will be monitored through satellite technology and by researchers on the ground. The Samara experience will always be about more than just ticking boxes and chasing the world’s most famous megafauna (large mammals of a particular region, habitat, or geological period), but re-introducing contributing meaningfully to conservation and responsible tourism, as well as adding an exciting new dimension to their safaris. Samara is already home to elephant, black (and white) rhino, buffalo and the occasional leopard. We are excited about their new lion pride and if you’d like to visit the game reserve, get in contact with us today.

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Safari chat with a Sabi Sand Game Ranger

Below is an interview with Greg. He is 36 years old, and is a game ranger in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. He tells us about safaris and tries to give us a clear insight into them.

Tell me about yourself, your career path and your current job.

Greg: Well, I was born in Johannesburg. But I was lucky because as far as I remember, I was going to safaris with my family every holiday. The bush quickly became my passion, so I decided to turn it into a job. First, I was a guide for years in the Kruger National Park where I organised walks. Then I worked in several reserves and now I’m here. It is in the bush that I feel good, and I don’t think that I will leave this place anytime soon.

How are the safaris here?

Greg: Here, we offer two safaris a day, one at dawn, very early in the morning around 5, 5:30am and the other in the afternoon; 3:00 pm in winter and 4:00pm in summer. We use open 4×4 vehicles to take the guests to see the wildlife, which is the best way to enjoy the view and take pictures. Sometimes we do safaris by night, but we do not always offer it.

Can you see animals each and every time? Or it is still a matter of luck?

Greg: Sabi Sand Game Reserve is one of the best sighting spots for game in the country. So, we are not really looking for animals. Sometimes, after a few minutes of driving, we find lions and leopards, and even sometimes all the Big Five! But Sabi Sand Game Reserve is obviously special. I have worked in other reserves and there, we kind of know where the animals are. Most of them are not really nomadic and they remain in their territory, so we get to find them. But we always need to be on the lookout for them and follow the tracks. But it’s true; it’s also a matter of luck! Sometimes we do not see all the animals we wanted to. Sometimes we’re looking for them for a long time. That’s the law of nature.

And for very large reserves, some rangers need to communicate. If someone finds a lion or something else, he usually lets the others know, and so on. In short, everything is done in order for the guests to see as many animals as they can, but they must also understand that it is not always possible, and it is not our fault. And sometimes, it takes more time than expected.

Is it not too dangerous to work in the middle of wildlife and organize safaris?

Greg: Oh, I’m glad you are asking that question! I just wanted to talk about it. Here in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, and even in most reserves, the animals are now accustomed to humans. Well, I should say they are used to seeing 4×4’s! They know we’re not a threat, so they do not attack. But it took time, about fifteen years. Now, when our cars make a hellish noise approaching a lion, sometimes it does not even look up. But you can’t generalise, they still remain wild animals and in the wild, you never know what can happen.

Sometimes I have clients who want to get off the 4×4 to closely approach the animals, take a picture of them and come back into the car. You can even see in the Kruger Park, people leave their cars on the side of the road and start walking on foot in the bush! These are attitudes that are unconscious and dangerous. We, rangers, always have a gun if something happens. Here, it’s forbidden to walk alone and even at the Lodge you must be careful. There are rules for safaris: remain silent and wear neutral colours. So, in short, it is not really dangerous, otherwise safaris would not exist! But we need to be aware that all animals here are still wild animals, and yes, if someone walks all by himself or starts to display reckless behaviour and tries to pass for a hero by getting out of the 4×4, then, it is not safe.

What do you think the tourists don’t expect on safari?

Greg: I think that they are often surprised when they see really violent scenes. Sometimes customers do not expect this. Hunting scenes with leopards slaughtering antelopes, crocodiles ripping a leg off of a buffalo, or when wild dogs hunt, etc… Sometimes the guests think they will see a peaceful bush where all animals live in harmony, like, let’s say the Lion King movie. But no, the law of nature is cruel, and wildlife is violent! But it is also what makes it so interesting.

By Sophie Pollet

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