At Hlane

Hlane supports four of the Big Five: Lion, leopard, elephant and rhino. Lion were reintroduced to Swaziland after an absence of 30 years on the 9th of February 1994. During the course of 1995, leopard and cheetah joined the lion at Hlane. A herd of young elephant were re-introduced to Hlane and are often seen close to Ndlovu Camp. These are significant events for the conservation of the Kingdom’s wildlife.

Fantastic sightings of white rhino can often be seen – especially at the waterhole at Ndlovu Camp. There are small populations of rhino, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, hyena, as well as large populations of zebra, wildebeest, impala, kudu, warthog, and duiker. Also to be seen are many smaller mammals, baboon, vervet monkey, ostrich, steenbok, nyala, bushbuck and waterbuck. Jackals and hyenas also play their very important role in the ecology of the park.

Bird life is prolific with large red-billed quelea nesting colonies during season and the densest populations of birds of prey in the Kingdom, including bateleur and martial eagle and no less than five vulture species. The nesting density for the white-backed vulture is the highest in the whole of Africa! The most southerly nesting colony of marabou stork is also found at Hlane.

Supporting Hlane’s abundant wildlife is the fascinatingly diverse fauna and flora, including some of Africa's finest Knobthorn (Acacia Nigrescens) parkland and prime Swazi bushveld, dominated by ancient hardwood vegetation in the form of giant Leadwoods and Tamboti's.

At Mlilwane

Seldom seen, but present in the reserve are the ever-elusive leopard and a variety of smaller mammals like bushbaby, mongoose, aardwolf, genet, porcupine and civet.

A variety of bird life can be enjoyed which include the black, crowned and fish eagle as well as the purple-crested lourie and at least 3 species of robin being common sightings in the Rest Camp.

Seen along the Machobane trails are common coral trees, common tree ferns, waterberry trees and a number of other indigenous trees and vegetation.

Mlilwane is Swaziland’s oldest conservation area, which not only gave birth to the concept of nature conservation in the Kingdom but is also the root of virtually all that is nature conservation in Swaziland today. Ted Reilly, having witnessed the disappearance of wildlife in the years he was growing up, turned his 450 ha family farm, Mlilwane, into the Sanctuary as we know it today, where Swaziland’s rapidly vanishing wild animals could find refuge and protection. Reilly planted indigenous trees, created wetland habitat and restocked Mlilwane with wildlife. The Reilly family then donated Mlilwane to a non-profit making Trust in 1969 to perpetuate it for prosperity. Mlilwane has since grown to 10 times it original size, through the support of the Monarchy, international support and true individual dedication.

At Mkhaya

Mkhaya currently supports four of the Big Five; with leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino being present on the reserve. Giraffe, hippo, crocodile, roan and sable antelope, tsessebe, eland, kudu, waterbuck, nyala, zebra, wildebeest, impala, warthog, grey duiker, steenbok, ostrich, bushbaby and vervet monkey are also seen daily whereas species such as red duiker, genet, lynx, baboon, serval, mongoose and jackal are seen infrequently and leopard, hyena, honey badger and pangolin seldom.

Mkhaya is alive with many species of smaller mammal, reptiles, insects and a rich diversity of bird life, with the climax vegetation of ancient leadwoods, knobthorns and Tamboti being particularly valuable from both a conservation and an aesthetic perspective.

During 1995 Mkhaya hit world headlines when it received 6 black rhino from South Africa, a project funded by the Taiwanese Government and heralded as a turning point in international efforts to protect endangered species. During 1997 the first two baby elephant to be born in Swaziland in one hundred years were born at Mkhaya.

Mkhaya has been assisted with generous grants from HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, the Prettejohn family of Ngwenya Glass, the European Union and Rhino Rescue of Great Britain.

The term “Nguni” describes the African tribes that migrated down the eastern shores of southern Africa, including the Swazi people. This name extended to the livestock they brought, although it was only in the 1980’s, through constant battle, that the breeds were recognized. Due to the environmental challenges the traditional livestock had to endure over time in Africa, a natural resistance to disease and a certain level of adaptability was built up. The conservation and commercial value of the Nguni cattle was first realized by the Reilly family, who prompted the formation of the Southern African Nguni Breed Society. Once on the verge of extinction, the Nguni Cattle now thrive on the lush vegetation at Mkhaya and graze compatibly with zebra and wildebeest as they did 1 200 years ago.

It was the plight of the Nguni that led to the development of Mkhaya – the protection of the breed was the sole reason the original Mkhaya land was purchased in order to preserve the integrity of the pure Nguni, and thus all the traits which make it potentially the most economic domestic bovine on the Southern African veld today. It is the centuries of adaptation that makes the Nguni outclass its competitors. In recent times, contamination by developed breeds that have lost their natural resistance to environmental constraints through man’s interference has diluted the attributes the Nguni used to have. Being totally committed to the development of the Nguni as a purebred, Mkhaya protects these unique cattle and lets them roam freely and naturally in selected areas of the reserve. Ancient traditions, where African herdsmen still muster them through the bush with the music of impala and reedbuck horns, live on compatibly with nature at Mkhaya.