James Stevenson-Hamilton

James Stevenson-Hamilton
Born	2 October 1867 Dublin, Ireland
Died	10 December 1957 White River, South Africa
Nationality	Scottish
Other names	Nicknamed Skukuza by the Tsonga people
Occupation	Warden, Kruger National Park

James Stevenson-Hamilton (2 October 1867 – 10 December 1957) served from 1902–1946 as the first warden of South Africa's Sabi Nature Reserve, which was expanded under his watch and became Kruger National Park in 1926. The Tsonga people nicknamed him Skukuza because he has removed them from their historical land which is known today as Skukuza in Southern Kruger. Skukuza Airport is also named in honour of Stevenson-Hamilton, who is regarded as a champion of wildlife Conservation in South Africa.

James Stevenson-Hamilton was born in Dublin, Ireland on 2 October 1867. As the eldest of nine children, he was the legal heir to the family title and home at Fairholm, near Larkhall in Scotland. He was educated at Rugby and Sandhurst and opted for a career in the military. He stationed himself briefly on the banks of the Crocodile River in South Africa, familiarizing himself with the land and animals, but soon moved and settled at Sabi Bridge, which is now called Skukuza.

Serving as part of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoon Guards, "He saw active service with the Inniskillings in Natal in 1888". In 1898, he joined the Cape-to-Cairo expedition under the leadership of Major Alfred St. Hill Gibbons. After they had "Tried to steam up the Zambesi in flat bottomed launches and fought their way well beyond the Kariba Gorge", they had to abandon their boats and explore Barotseland on foot. Stevenson-Hamilton then "trekked across Northern Rhodesia to the Kafue." After the expedition, he returned to the military and fought in the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1901), receiving both the Queen's South Africa Medal and the King's South Africa Medal for his service. He was promoted to Brevet Major in November 1900.

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