There is no denying that the buffalo is one of Africa’s most beautiful and unique animals. Lovers of the Big 5 will know first-hand what it means to want to conserve these creatures for future generations to enjoy and experience Africa in all its glory.
Moditlo River Lodge happens to fall into the Blue Canyon Conservancy area, which means we are moving forward with efforts to protect our buffalo as best we can. In recent years there has been an outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease, as well as Tuberculosis that affects the buffalo. To eradicate this problem, conservationists have identified a controlled area in which healthy, disease-free buffalo can breed and live protected against threats. This double-fenced area was built in 2017 and to date hosts 20 buffalo.
As the project grows, it is important to Moditlo that the buffalo are continuously protected and able to grow to a large and sustainably-sized population before they can be released into the greater reserve with predators, and we hope to someday have the controlled area expand to cover the entire greater Kruger. This holds immense promise for buffalo moving forward into the future, as the reality with many of Africa’s indigenous species is the threat of extinction, weakening numbers due to disease, and poaching.
The buffalos are tracked and treated just as any other animal in the bushveld, and special care is taken to ensure they remain a beautiful part of our wildlife. Safari visitors are still able to see the buffalos while visiting the park areas, and efforts to educate guests are made to drive home how important the longevity of this part of nature is to Moditlo River Lodge.