Timbavati Game Reserve
| Timbavati Game Reserve | |
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African leopard at Tanda Tula Camp
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 Location in Mpumalanga province
Location of Mpumalanga in South Africa
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| Location | Mpumalanga, South Africa |
| Nearest city | Nelspruit |
| Coordinates | 24°20′07″S 31°20′38″E / 24.33528°S 31.34389°ECoordinates: 24°20′07″S 31°20′38″E / 24.33528°S 31.34389°E |
| Area | 53,392 hectares (533.92 km2) |
| Established | 1956 |
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The Timbavati Game Reserve is located at the border line between Hoedspruit in (Limpopo) and Acornhoek in (Mpumalanga), north of the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve on the western edge of Kruger National Park. Geographically and politically, Timbavati is located in Mpumalanga Province. In Xitsonga, the name 'Timbavati' means "the place where something sacred came down to Earth from the Heavens," and refers to the rare white lions of Timbavati.
The reserve was established in 1956 by like-minded game farmers with the creation of the Timbavati Association. The association has 50 members and covers 53,392 hectares (533.92 km2). Timbavati is part of Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) and the fences separating Timbavati from the other member reserves in the APNR and from the Kruger National Park has been removed. Wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, elephants and other species, roam freely between these reserves. Ngala (meaning 'lion' in Tsonga) and Motswari game reserves have been amalgamated into Timbavati.
The area of Timbavati was occupied by the Tsonga people for centuries until the advert of colonization, the colonial Government evicted the Tsonga people from this land and dumped them in villages around Acornhoek outside Bushbuckridge. This land is currently under claim by the Tsonga people and the Government of South Africa has accepted that the land was wrongfully taken away from the Tsonga people. If the land claim is successful, then the Tsonga people will get their land back in a Government ceremony. The Tsonga people, who occupied the lands for generations, have protected these beautiful creatures (White Lion) for centuries and did not kill them as they (the Tsonga) regarded them (the White lion) sacred. The killing and hunting of White lion happened after the Tsonga people have been evicted from Timbavati. Commercial hunting of White lion started when South Africa was colonized, the Tsonga people, who previously had authority over Timbavati, are currently helpless to stop the Killing of their Sacred White Lion.
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Wikipedia