At Tanda Tula, located in the heart of South Africa’s Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, conservation is not just a concept—it’s a way of life. As passionate custodians of this pristine wilderness, we are deeply committed to preserving the rich biodiversity that defines this part of the Greater Kruger National Park. One of the most rewarding aspects of our conservation journey is when our guests express a genuine desire to be part of it. There’s something truly powerful about getting hands-on in the field and contributing directly to wildlife preservation.
Recently, we were privileged to host a group of guests who stepped beyond the traditional game drive experience to actively support two vital conservation projects focused on threatened bird species. First, they partnered with the Southern Ground-Hornbill Research Programme, spearheaded by the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. Then, they joined the vulture nest monitoring project, a crucial initiative in collaboration with the Endangered Wildlife Trust of South Africa.
These immersive, on-the-ground experiences not only provided our guests with a rare opportunity to assist in protecting vulnerable species but also offered a profound understanding of the intricate efforts required to safeguard South Africa’s wild spaces. In this blog, we share more about these extraordinary projects, the meaningful roles our guests played, and how conservation safaris at Tanda Tula are redefining responsible travel in the Greater Kruger region.
Protecting the Southern Ground-Hornbill
The Southern Ground-Hornbill Research Programme, active within the Timbavati Nature Reserve, is led by the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. Established in 2000, the programme aims to deepen our understanding of the breeding ecology and home range dynamics of this unique, cooperatively breeding bird species.
Each year from October to March—during the breeding season—the team monitors all 58 natural and artificial nests across the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) to assess the success of each breeding attempt. The data helps identify what factors contribute to higher breeding success in certain groups. During this period, second-hatched chicks are collected and hand-reared for future wild release through the Mabula Ground-Hornbill Project.
The Mabula Ground-Hornbill Project works to halt and reverse the decline of the Endangered Southern Ground-Hornbill through a multi-pronged approach. This includes education, population monitoring, threat mitigation, conflict resolution between humans and wildlife, and a rearing and reintroduction programme designed to restore the species to its historic range.
As the largest cooperatively breeding bird in the world, the Southern Ground-Hornbill is a ground-dwelling, faunivorous species currently listed as vulnerable. In South Africa, its numbers have declined significantly. Conservation efforts primarily focus on habitat protection and reintroduction, but a deeper understanding of their complex social structures could greatly enhance these strategies. In particular, examining how environmental factors influence reproduction and territorial behaviour will offer valuable insights—especially as the climate continues to change.
This study seeks to explore how individuals within hornbill groups contribute to two critical aspects of survival: defending their territory and successful reproduction—two areas that remain poorly understood.
Contributing to Vulture Conservation
The vulture nest monitoring project, conducted in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust of South Africa, has two main objectives: to track the annual use of permanently marked nests and to assess the impact of elephants on trees used by nesting vultures.
Timbavati hosts the largest vulture nesting colony in the APNR. Given the influence of vegetation and elephant activity, it is crucial to monitor nest numbers to understand and mitigate any negative impacts. Vulture chicks are ringed for identification, and all visitors, guides, and staff are encouraged to report sightings. Some marked birds have even been found as far afield as KwaZulu-Natal and the Kalahari!
To support vultures, a portion of carcasses from Timbavati’s scientifically managed impala culling programme and limited professional hunting activities are left available as a food source. The hope is that this might encourage vultures to remain within protected areas where they are safer. Vultures naturally cover vast distances in search of food, but this wide-ranging behaviour often exposes them to dangerous environments outside reserves.
Hear What the Guests Had to Say:
– Daniela Powers
“Staying at Tanda Tula is always extraordinary. My last visit, however, was extra memorable as our group was treated to a very special backstage experience with Endangered Wildlife Trust, organized by the team at Tanda Tula. On a beautiful late summer morning, we assembled in the field with Gareth Tate, Birds of Prey Project Manager at EWT, and his team of vulture experts. I wasn’t sure if everyone in my travel group would be on board, as, let’s face it, vultures have an image problem. But unjustly so, because when you bother to take a closer look, they are unsung heroes, and actually quite charismatic.
The mission for today was capturing a number of these endangered birds in order to outfit them with GPS tracking devices and mobility sensors. The stage was set in an open field, with a fresh impala carcass encircled by a ring of snares. The idea being that as the day was getting warmer and vultures were beginning to rise on the thermals, they would start to home in on the scent and eventually swoop down to investigate, then conveniently walk into a snare.
The capture team was waiting nearby, ready to quickly approach and retrieve the birds and attach the lightweight solar-powered devices around the pelvis—and then, no worse for wear, these newly equipped “feathered rangers” would be on their way again, sharing valuable data for up to 10 years (the lifespan of the devices) as they roamed up to 250 km per day.
While we kept our gaze skywards to spot birds, Gareth and members of the team enlightened us on the plight of African vultures and various threats responsible for rapidly decimating their populations, the research underway to further our understanding of this under-appreciated species, and the efforts to save them from vanishing.
By early afternoon, two white-backed vultures had been caught and released, the mission a success. Left in awe, everyone in our group has a newfound appreciation for these ecosystem warriors. What a privilege to be able to make a tangible contribution to this important work and to witness it in action. We’ll never forget this day. Thank you, Tanda Tula and Endangered Wildlife Trust!”
– Leonard Stevens
“As an integral part of our safari to the Timbavati Nature Reserve we experienced two animal conservation programs for endangered species: vultures and ground hornbills.
A team from the Endangered Wildlife Trust used an impala carcass as bait to snare two vultures. These birds were measured, blood samples secured, then radio transmitters attached to track them over time. Vultures are indirectly poisoned by poachers looking to obtain lion body parts.
The following day we met with a team from the APNR Ground Hornbill Project. They build large wooden hornbill boxes for nesting and stage them high in trees. Hornbill chicks from these nests are carefully removed (they are huge even as chicks), measured, blood samples taken, and a solar-powered tracking device is attached to one foot. Hornbills are physically challenged by global warming, which is severely harming the ability of eggs to successfully hatch and chicks to mature. Also, finding proper nesting sites in large trees has become difficult with habitat destruction.
Finally, what has been most impressive is the dedication of the people within these organizations. Their commitment to improving the chances of survival and successful breeding is stunning. They are bright, young and devoted to their cause. Most admirable indeed.”
How Did Our Tanda Tula Team Feel?
– Tristan Annan-Reynolds
“Even though we get to work in the bush and are completely immersed in nature daily, it is always nice to sometimes hop out of the driver’s seat and be on the ground, observing and helping out with some hands-on conservation work.
I was fortunate enough to guide a great group that had some very cool activities lined up during their stay with us, and one of those activities was working with the APNR Ground Hornbill Team. I have fortunately been taken out by them before, but it is always such a treat to be able to do it again. On the morning of the group’s departure, we woke even earlier than usual, and after a quick coffee at the bar, the bags were loaded, and we were off to Timbavati HQ, where we would meet up with the APNR team, led by Carrie and Kyle.
Once meeting up with the team, Carrie and Kyle spoke to us about the importance of ground hornbill monitoring and how, through human encroachment and the loss of natural breeding sites, the ground hornbill numbers are threatened. These birds seem to be quite fussy when it comes to finding a suitable tree for them to breed in, as they need a very large natural cavity within the tree due to their size. A cavity that provides enough shelter for both the adult and the chick. One of the ways to combat this issue and promote the breeding of these birds is to use artificial nest boxes put up in trees.
After our introduction talk, all of us hopped back into the game viewer to be escorted to an actual active nesting box with a 75-day-old chick in it (it always amazes me how fast these birds grow… they reach adult size in 60 days and live for 60 years!). After taking some pictures and measurements, they then fitted a brand-new type of tracking device around the leg of the bird. This is very exciting as it has never been done before and will allow the team to accurately monitor the movements of ground hornbills throughout the Greater Kruger region.
A big thank you to APNR, Kyle, and Carrie for taking us along and showing us their work with the ground hornbills.”
– Dale Jackson
“We recently had the privilege to accompany the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) on a vulture capture here at Tanda Tula. It was an incredible experience that was headed up by Dr. Garreth Tate, Programme Manager for the EWT’s Birds of Prey Programme. The EWT, through its Vultures for Africa Programme, is actively engaged in conserving vulture populations within the Greater Kruger National Park. This region has experienced significant vulture declines due to threats like poisoning, habitat loss, and illegal trade.
The key objectives to the EWT’s vulture conservation in Greater Kruger are:
• Monitoring breeding populations
• Responding to wildlife poisoning
• Rescue and rehabilitation
• Research on cultural practices
• Establishing vulture safe zones
On this particular outing, the main research initiatives were ringing of specific birds and DNA sampling. An impala carcass was used to lure the birds in and was then surrounded by small, carefully constructed string traps. The aim being that the vulture lands next to the carcass and gets itself ensnared in the trap. No harm is done to the bird during this process. The researchers are hidden a fair distance away, but once the vulture is caught, they run in and gently capture the bird. We were positioned further back with Gareth and he took us through the nuances of vulture behaviour as soon as the carcass was laid out. Small, subtle changes in wing direction by certain birds such as bateleurs and tawny eagles in the sky alerted vultures in the area to a possible feeding opportunity, and then—he absolutely called it—as two hooded vultures descended from the sky, bringing in vultures from kilometres away. The speed at which surrounding vultures came in was incredible. In a matter of minutes, we had over twenty birds on the carcass and two were then safely captured. Watching the EWT team in action was really something, with blood samples drawn, measurements taken, and rings checked, the birds were safely released.
The knowledge and passion of Gareth and his team was quite something to experience and left a lasting impression on me. The information and awareness gained by our guests was immense, and I can’t recommend this experience enough.”
Making A Difference
These conservation experiences at Tanda Tula highlight a deeper, more meaningful form of safari—one where guests don’t just observe nature, but actively participate in its protection. Whether assisting in the monitoring of endangered Southern Ground-Hornbills or supporting vital vulture research alongside expert conservationists, these immersive encounters foster a profound connection to the land and its wildlife. They offer an opportunity to not only witness the beauty of the Timbavati, but to contribute to its future, just as many guests have experienced through the Conservation Patrol Flights we encourage. At Tanda Tula, we believe that when people are given the chance to engage with conservation on a personal level, it inspires a sense of stewardship that lasts far beyond their stay.
