Madikwe Game Reserve
The Madikwe Game Reserve is situated in the far of the North West Province, adjacent to the Botswana border and is a 75 000 hectare reserve restored from farmland to its natural environment. It is South Africa’s fourth largest game reserve and a malaria free area. The entire reserve has been enclosed in a 150km perimeter fence, which has been electrified to prevent the escape of elephants and the larger predators.
Operation Phoenix, which began early in 1991 and was completed in 1997, is one of the largest game translocation exercises in the world.
Madikwe is a haven of amazing diversities. The landscape has mountainous areas, plateaux, rocky hills, a perennial river, seasonal wetlands, a variety of sandy and clay areas, bushveld, Kalahari veld and savanna areas. This broad spectrum of habitats supports an animal life, which is consequently richly varied. There is a good chance of seeing the Magnificent Seven which comprises the Big Five as well as the rare and endangered wild dog and cheetah. The reserve is home to the largest elephant population outside the Kruger National Park, black and white rhino, and the biggest disease free herd of buffalo in the country. In addition to these, one may see brown and spotted hyena and all other South African predators. A multitude of plains game includes giraffe, zebra, springbok and sable. There are also large populations of wildebeest, impala and warthogs. For bird watchers Madikwe is an unmissable destination with the latest official bird list boasting an incredible 340 species.
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