Lions return to South Africa reserve led by local community
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
In KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, the Emcakwini Community Trust initiated a rewilding project on land returned to them after the end of apartheid.
For decades, the land suffered from farming and hunting, but the community envisioned a future based on conservation and tourism. In 2018, they partnered with the KwaZulu-Natal government, donors, and conservation groups to create the Babanango Game Reserve, combining community-owned land into a 21,000-hectare protected area.
The reserve now leases land from local trusts, giving them rental income and a share of tourism profits. This approach differs from many African reserves created by governments or private interests. Babanango supports a diverse ecosystem, and has reintroduced more than 4,000 animals, including lions absent from the area for 150 years after the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Local people now work at the reserve, stabilizing hillsides, controlling invasive plants, and monitoring wildlife.
Babanango is currently Zululand’s second-largest employer, providing first-time formal jobs for many. Reserve managers continue to expand the protected area by negotiating with neighboring landowners, aiming to include more communities in the conservation effort.
