Located in South Africa, Sabi Sand

Wildlife Species at Londolozi Game Reserve

As the only organisation with a focus on covering the entire African sub-Saharan continent with its travel routes and partner destinations, Open Africa is committed to using its website to improve awareness (and thereby promote conservation) by mapping the incidence of conserved African wildlife across the continent. The following flagship species occur at Londolozi Game Reserve.

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & SOCIAL UPLIFTMENT

In 1926 the great grandfathers of the Varty and Taylor families purchased the first portion of what is now Londolozi Private Game Reserve. The first camp was set up on the banks of the Sand River and became a prime hunting location and leisure retreat for the rich and the famous. In the 1970s however, third generation siblings John, Dave and Shan Varty restructured the philosophies and goals of the game reserve, gearing them toward conservation of indigenous African wildlife. Where previously the value of an animal was determined by the risk of hunting it, value became centered on abundance and biodiversity. The farm became Londolozi, meaning ‘to protect’ and has since become a leader in world class safari, ecotourism and modern conservation.

Londolozi Game Reserve has built a successful equilibrium between social development and wildlife conservation, showing the world that sustainable development based on ecotourism is not only viable, but greatly desirable for all. With the new millennium, Londolozi seeks to promote greater awareness and appreciation of our own relationship with nature, so that we can live in service of others within the limits and laws of nature. Londolozi Game Reserve has identified some holistic and far-reaching goals including the expansion of wildlife conservation areas; greater appreciation and use of southern African rivers; and the creation of opportunity for those disabled by bad land use practices.

Conservation of African Wildlife including many Endangered Species

Wildlife conservation at Lodolozi in the last few decades has included the restoration of land to its natural abundance. Some projects have included the recreation of river systems, restoration of natural drainage lines, and repopulation of indigenous plants and animals. The restoration process has since been replaced with a land care program to ensure sustainable wildlife management.  Some of the routine projects include micro-catchment management (aiding water retention of the land), alien plant control, and bush clearing for the maintenance of biodiversity. These projects also aid by providing employment opportunities to the local community.

Electric Game Drive Vehicles

In 2011 Land Rover unveiled their cutting edge electric game drive vehicle, heralding a significant highlight for sustainable tourism and zero emissions safaris. The Londolozi General Manager, Stoff Kane-Berman, had for the previous three years been working on converting a Land Rover into a zero emissions safari vehicle, and the third prototype was already in service by 2011. Naturally, the commercial availability of Land Rovers electric model was fantastic news for Londolozi Game Reserve which has since incorporated the model into its fleet. The electric vehicle comprises a battery system, and allows for the same power and maneuverability as traditional models. The battery can be charged at a conventional plug point, and Londolozi is incorporating solar panels so that recharging is clean. The electric models are also silent, minimizing the disruption of wildlife.

Good Work Foundation

The Good Work Foundation is a Londolozi initiative focused on bringing positive social development to local communities through the power of knowledge and education. It is a not for profit organization which channels donations and funds toward educational projects based on 4 pillars of hope – digital, English, creativity, and environmental literacy. As such, the Foundation lends its support to local crèches, day care centre’s, orphanages, schools as well as to providing training opportunities and workshops for teachers and other members of the community. The underlying philosophy of the initiative is the use of education, creativity and ingenuity to overcome crisis and move toward a future of prosperity and sustainability. Training and resources are also provided for home-based care givers and the Good Work Foundation offers ongoing support and guidance to local entrepreneurs.

The Foundation is proud to work alongside existing educational institutions, providing service and infrastructure where ever possible. Other than the provision of workshops, career guidance and extra classes, the Foundation also awards bursaries to deserving young students. For adults, literacy training in English, computers, environment and finance is a priority. Since its inception, the Foundation has been proud to aid many successful graduates who have completed courses in typing and computer skills, ICDL Certification, FGASA level 1 and 2, English literacy levels 1-4, cooking, food and beverage, hospitality, game ranging and computer repair.

Celebration of achievement is part and parcel of the Good Work Foundation which has helped to host various graduation ceremonies. On these days entire communities gather to celebrate the achievement of their youth, and the hope is that the importance of education is encouraged within these young minds. An annual Easter Holiday Program is also hosted by the Foundation, and is designed to keep children occupied during the holidays, and to stimulate fun learning and creativity. Older children are taught vital computer skills, which is often absent from local schools. Game rangers take the children out on safari, and assist with fun sporting activities. Holiday Environmental Programs are also running for the staff’s children, hosting up to 60 children per day and providing arts, craft and environmental activities.

The Good Work Foundation is also committed to the sustainable growth of human development and as such prefers to source products and services from local entrepreneurs and businesses which are committed to sustainable, environmentally friendly practices. Londolozi offers the 4 Pillars of Hope Guest Tour, the proceeds of which are used to support small local businesses.

Learning Centre

The Learning Centre is dedicated to the growth and training of staff members so they may realize their full potential. Here, people are given an opportunity to draw on the knowledge of a trained education professional within a dynamic learning environment. Some of the training activities include language and literacy, accounting and computer skills, distance learning qualifications, early childhood enrichment and indigenous gardening. Through enriching lives and facilitating personal growth, the Learning Centre has truly yielded positive results all-round.

Restoring Eden

The Londolozi property has been family owned and operated since 1926, and today fourth generation siblings, Bronwyn and Boyd Varty have launched Restoring Eden, an initiative using the power of social networking to unite the global tribe and begin a journey of restoration and repair across the African continent. This initiative is based on the mutual prosperity of three entities – land, wildlife, and people. Conservation means creating space for wildlife, and land used for conservation has the potential to serve the people better than any other land use practice. Long term goals include extending conservation land so as to restore ancient migratory routes, for example, reestablishing Springbok migration in the centre of South Africa.

Bush School

The Future-Nature Bush School uses the African bush as a platform to promote a shared commitment to wildlife conservation. Thus far, a great number of young people have been put through this educational opportunity with the help of sponsors, and the hope is that the number will continue to grow. The Future-Nature Bush School is geared toward educating young minds about the natural world and the importance thereof. Not only will children be educated on the secrets of the bush, they will discover their own impact on the wild, and the importance of the environment to the survival of South Africa. With the skill of observation they can begin to understand their own role in conserving South Africa’s natural environment, and possibly even their own future in the industry. With the help of specialist educators, students will hopefully begin to foster a great love, enthusiasm, and concern for wildlife, other cultures, and themselves. They will be encouraged to take initiative, develop communication skills, and discover their own unique abilities while at the same time develop a passion for wildlife conservation.