Timbavati Game Reserve, Game reserve in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Timbavati Game Reserve is a protected area in eastern South Africa that stretches across diverse landscapes featuring acacia woodlands, mopane forests, and gentle hills. The terrain rises gradually from about 300 to 500 meters and offers varied habitats for wildlife.
The reserve was founded in 1956 when local farmers established the Timbavati Association to restore and protect degraded land. A transformative moment came in 1993 when fences separating it from Kruger National Park were removed.
The reserve's motto, quoted in its own materials, holds that wild animals are not ours to do with as we wish and that we must answer for them to those who come after us. The white lions found here in October 1975 were documented by the naturalist and photographer Chris McBride in his book The White Lions of Timbavati.
Visitors should be prepared for unpaved roads and variable weather conditions, particularly during the rainy season. Accommodations range from simple camps to comfortable lodges with different levels of amenities.
In October 1975 a litter of white lion cubs was found in the reserve; the naturalist and photographer Chris McBride documented their lives in his book "The White Lions of Timbavati". Lions reappeared in the reserve in 2006 after an absence of many years.
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