Kruger National Park: Elephant breaks into rest camp
An elephant bull broke into the day visitors site at Letaba Rest Camp on Wednesday night. Fortunately, no guests were harmed.
An elephant bull broke into the day visitors site at Letaba Rest Camp on Wednesday night, and from there into the rest camp itself.
According to a social media alert on the South African National Parks Facebook page, a couple of hyenas also gained access to the camp through the damaged fence and raided dustbins in the camp.
Fortunately, the elephant nor hyenas didn’t harm any of the guests in the camp.
Guests alerted the duty manager who phoned the ranger on duty and the animals were chased out.
The technical team is currently busy with repairs of the fence.
Meanwhile, as reported in February, a restaurant employee was bitten on the arm by a hyena while sleeping in the Berg-en-Dal staff living quarters.
The hyena was euthanised following the attack.
The employee was taken to a hospital in Tshwane.
It was confirmed that a specialist had diagnosed the unnamed employee with fractures in her hand that extended to the articular surface and an oblique fracture near her elbow.
She underwent an operation to repair the fractures and was reported to be “doing well and is very thankful for the good medical care she is receiving”.
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK IS ONE OF THE LARGEST GAMES RESERVES IN AFRICA
It covers an area of 19 623 km2 in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga and extends 360km from north to south and 65km from east to west.
To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, respectively. To the north is Zimbabwe and to the east is Mozambique.
The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza.
It became South Africa’s first national park in 1926.
The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the various camps.
They are: Crocodile Bridge, Kruger, Malelane, Numbi, Orpen, Pafuri, Phabeni, Phalaborwa and Punda Maria.
The Kruger National Park has 12 main rest camps
They are:
- Berg-en-Dal (with satellite Malelane)
- Crocodile Bridge
- Letaba
- Lower Sabie
- Mopani
- Olifants
- Orpen (with satellites Maroela and Tamboti)
- Pretoriuskop
- Punda Maria
- Satara (with satellite Balule)
- Shingwedzi
- Skukuza
All the main rest camps have electricity, a first-aid centre, a shop, braai and communal kitchen facilities, a laundromat/laundry tubs, a restaurant and/or self-service cafeteria, public telephones and a petrol station. Information centres manned by information staff are at Letaba, Skukuza and Berg-en-Dal.
The Kruger National Park has 4 satellite camps.
The Kruger National Park has 5 bushveld camps
Bushveld camps provide accommodation in smaller, more remote rest camps. One or more accommodation units may be reserved. Bush camps do not have shops or restaurants. Access to all bushveld camps is restricted to overnight visitors with reserved accommodation. Electrical equipment such as hair-dryers, cannot be used except at Talamati, Biyamiti and Bateleur. Open verandas often serve as kitchen/dining room. All units have a refrigerator, cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery and a stove, either a two-plate stove without an oven or a four-plate stove with an oven in the larger units. Al l units have private ablution facilities. Communal freezing facilities are offered at Biyamiti, Shimuwini, Talamati and Sirheni. Cellphones can be charged at reception at Shimuwini and Sirheni.
Kruger National Park Emergency Hotline: 013 7354325 or 013 7350197 or 076 8019679
ARE YOU A FREQUENT VISITOR TO THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK? IF SO, WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE CAMP?
Let us know by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
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