The History behind Erindi Private Game Reserve is one of atrocity and triumph. For the last 60 years Erindi was an over-stocked and over-grazed livestock ranch which resulted in severe damage to the natural vegetation. The predators, such as leopard and cheetah, were hunted and killed as a measure to protect the livestock. All the competing antelope populations and in particular oryx were also hunted as they were seen by the ranchers as food competition to their livestock. In due time, farming and ranching was replaced with hunting.
A hunting venture was established after the erection of an electrified game fence. Owners Gert Joubert and his nephew Paul gradually phased out cattle farming entirely and invested in the re-introduction of numerous species that once occurred naturally in the area.
It wasn’t until 2007 when hunting was officially banished from Erindi and with the halt the reserve was transformed into a nature conservation venture in ecotourism. With years of hunting the first challenge the new reserve faced as an eco-tourist operation was gaining the trust of the previously threatened wildlife and allow people into their wild world. (Even to this day oryx rarely stick around long enough to take a photograph)
Erindi’s project isn’t an easy one. Though with diligent practices and proper measures set in place the reserve is having phenomenal success and is truly one of the earth’s most amazing conservation areas.
For the last four years Erindi has successfully transformed itself into a ecotourism practice to be modeled by others. Through conservation and rehabilitation the land and species are restored to the old Africa it once was with prides of lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, rhino, giraffe, bat-eared fox, oryx, springbok and a whole lot more roaming freely and protected from harm. Erindi strives to implement and monitor these programs across all aspects of the land rehabilitation process.
