Putting conservation above profit in S Africa

IN SOUTH AFRICA'S Kruger National Park, leopards, elephants, lions, rhinos and giraffes are a magnificent sight to behold for the newbie safari-goer. But life in the wild is no picnic for these majestic creatures, thanks to Man and climate change.

Take the endangered rhino - news stories about them being butchered for their horns become painfully real when you see these huge yet gentle creatures up close in the park, where almost half of the world's white rhino population resides.

In Friday's issue of BT Weekend magazine, experiential travel operator Scott Dunn takes us to South Africa to learn first-hand how luxury lodges such as Singita are putting conservation above profit, channelling their revenue from accommodation into protecting the local wildlife through their anti-poaching efforts. We also bask in the beauty and wildlife that thrives in the Kruger Park, from zebras rolling around in the grassland in play, lazy lions taking a nap in the afternoon heat, leopards feasting on their kills, and herds of elephants out for a leisurely jaunt. It's a sight that will give you newfound respect for Mother Nature's creatures.