a journey through lapalala

A J O U R N EY TH R O U G H LAPALALA
PA R T I C I PAT E I N A F R I C A’ S F I N E S T S U S TA I N A B L E C O N S E R V AT I O N I N I T I AT I V E
A J O U R N E Y T H R O U G H L A PA L A L A
TH E E C O LO GY
Some of the planet’s earliest sedimentary
formations have been generous in Lapalala’s
creation of breathtaking and diverse habitat;
bounteous waters and waterfalls flow through
44 km of Lephalale and Kogong river landscape,
elevated rocky outcrops look out over valleys,
grassland plains and dotted woodland where wild
animals have roamed for thousands of years.
A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Lapalala’s vision and promise is to continue to
protect and conserve its bio-diversity, uplifting
its neighbouring communities and creating a
responsible and sustainable model to secure its
conservation status into the future.
Duncan Parker, son of the late Dale Parker, who
together with Clive Walker founded Lapalala,
has partnered with Lapalala’s neighbour Gianni
Ravazzotti. Together with Peter Anderson of
Anderson Wildlife Properties a sensitive plan had
been formulated in order that the vision and legacy
of Lapalala is safeguarded for the future.
A N I N V I TAT I O N
Like-minded conservation-focussed individuals
are invited to participate in this remarkable
and exciting venture as custodians. Lapalala
Wilderness
will
be
the
first
off
grid,
sustainable big five private protected area of
its size. A large portion of the reserve will be
maintained as a wilderness area and free of
man-made structures.
C U STO D IAN O F F E R I N G
The three main components of Lapalala’s
Custodianship offering are;
1. Free-hold title ownership of 42,000 hectare
reserve of pristine land with the rights to build a
luxury 12 bed safari lodge.
2. Participation as a shareholder in the Lapalala
Special Species Breeding Project
3. Traversing rights in perpetuity over the entire
36,000 hectare reserve.
A Lapalala Conservation Fund endowment will be
combined with the breeding initiative to create
an integrated sustainable model for Lapalala.
LION AN D PR E DATOR N U M B E RS AR E B E I NG I NCR EASE D
L A PA L A L A H A S B E E N A P I O N E E R I N P R I V AT E
P R O T E C T E D A R E A R H I N O C E R O S C O N S E R V AT I O N
T H E W I D E LY A C C L A I M E D L A PA L A L A W I L D E R N E S S
S C H O O L H A S E D U C AT E D O V E R 70 , 0 0 0 L E A R N E R S
S I N C E I TS I N C E P T I O N
L A PA L A L A H A S P L AY E D A R O L E I N R O A N A N T E L O P E
C O N S E R VAT I O N S I N C E I N C E P T I O N
T he K udu is one of
59 large mammals found at L apalala
B U F FA LO H E R D S R O A M L A PA L A L A W I L D E R N E S S
L A PA L A L A I S H O M E TO T H E C R I T I C A L LY E N D A N G E R E D B L A C K R H I N O C E R O S
~ Diceros bicornis
A N A F R I C A N F I S H E A G L E S O A R S F R E E LY A B O V E T H E PA L A L A R I V E R
A L E O PA R D R E S E A R C H P R O J E C T I S U N D E R W AY AT L A PA L A L A
BLACK RHINOCEROS BREEDING PROJECT
B U F F A L O F O R M A N I M P O R TA N T P A R T O F
L A P A L A L A ’ S B R E E D I N G I N I T I AT I V E , A L O N G
WITH R OAN ANTE LO P E AN D R H I N O C E R O S
S A F E G U A R D I N G A N D N U R T U R I N G T H E R H I N O C E R O S P O P U L AT I O N S I S A P R I O R I T Y
A C R AS H O F R H I N O C E R O S M OVI N G TH R O U G H ACAC IA VE LD
OFF G R I D DESIG N
Lapalala has developed an off grid design and
aesthetics theme for the custodian lodges.
The 12 bed custodian lodge sites will be located
in carefully selected locations on each respective
1,450 hectare land portion.
The sites will be made up of a combination of
landscapes ranging from elevated view sites, river
sites and others located in interesting wildlife areas.
North Gate
BUFFALO PAN
MOHLATSE PLAINS
ELAND PLAINS
Pa
la
la
Ri
“Of what avail are forty freedoms
without a blank spot on the map”
~Aldo Leopold
n
WATERBERG
KGOKONG PAN
TSHUKUDU FIG
ver
SELOUS
SUNBIRD
n
KINGS POOL
TAMBOTIE
Main Gate
Map Legend
Custodian site
Munadu
Rapids
KGOKONG VIEW
WILDERNESS
AREA
Commercial lodge site
Head Quarters
ROAN PLAINS
MUNADU
Rapula
Rock
MARULA
BONWA PHALA
Lapalala Wilderness
MELORA
LEPOTEDI
School
Places of historic
interest
RUNDGRENS
REST
MELOTE
ve
r
R
ala
FOUNDERS CAMP
COMMERCIAL LODGE SITE
Pal
West Gate
Game drive route
MODUMELA
i
Melora Iron
Age Site
Entrance gate
Main road
Ransomes
1923
Paperbark
Plains
KWENA
WILDERNESS TRACK
Perennial river system
n
gR
ive
r
HEAD QUARTERS
Kubu Dam
SOUTH AFRICA
Zimbabwe
Mo
Botswana
que
Mpumalanga
North West Gauteng Swaziland
Namibia
Free State
BURKEA
Place of the
Big Sky
zambi
Limpopo
MOLOPE
Airstrip
Kg
n
DRAGONFLY
Special Species
Breeding Centre
ok
on
Drainage lines
THOLO
Rock Art
BUSHMANS PAINTINGS
KOLOBE
THAKADU PLAINS
KwazuluNatal
ELEPHANT POOLS
Sacred Lake
Lesotho
Northern
Cape
Eastern
Cape
Western
Cape
South Gate
Scale
0
K
I
L
O
M
E
T
5
R
E
S
Lapalala
Wilderness
School
TH E LAPALALA LEGACY
Clive Walker was born in 1936 and his
illustrious career has spanned over 5 decades
with a focus on environmental education and
wildlife conservation.
He founded Educational Wildlife Expeditions in
1975 and produced one of his most successful
books “Signs of the Wild” in the late 80s and has
penned a number of books since.
In 1985 Clive was elected Chairman of the
Wilderness Trust of South Africa, he founded
the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and cofounded the Rhino and Elephant foundation and
African Rhino Owners Association.
Clive Walker will be dedicating a new Lapalala
Wilderness book to the memory of Dale ‘Rapula’
Parker with whom Clive had worked on the
establishment of Lapalala Wilderness since its
inception 31 years ago.
Clive Walker and Lapalala founder Dale ‘Rapula’ Parker
A N I N V I TAT I O N TO PA R T I C I PAT E I N T H E L A PA L A L A L E G A C Y
“Lapalala Wilderness represents one of the
last true wildlife areas in southern Africa.
Dale Parker and I shared a dream which we
achieved in his lifetime with the support of all
of our Lapalala staff.
To conserve an area of high biological diversity,
a remarkable river system and landscapes of
astonishing beauty.
The responsibility of this exciting legacy
into the future now lies with Duncan Parker,
Gianni Ravazzotti and its future Custodians.”
Dr George Hughes of the then Natal
Parks Board, right, congratulates the
late Dale Parker on being the first
private black rhino owner in Africa in
1990. Clive Walker in the centre looks
on approvingly.
Fo r m o re i nfo rm at i o n o n
LAPALALA WI LDE R N ESS & LAPALALA CUSTODIANSH I P PROG RAM M E
www.lapalala.com
Contact Peter Anderson
|
peter@awpsa.co.za
|
+27 829002024
|
+27 116562041
Photography by Dana Allen, Lapalala & Peter Anderson © Lapalala Wilderness & Anderson Wildlife Properties