Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is one of Africa's largest game reserves, located in north-eastern South Africa within Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. The park covers about 19 485 square kilometres and extends roughly 360 km from north to south and 65 km from east to west. It is home to a vast diversity of wildlife, including the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo), and supports significant populations of other mammals, birds, reptiles and plant species. Kruger National Park is a major tourist destination and contributes substantially to South Africa's tourism economy, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The park is managed by South African National Parks (SANParks) and operates under a conservation mandate that balances ecological protection with sustainable tourism. Its western boundary adjoins industrial and mining areas of Mpumalanga, exposing the park to environmental pressures including air and water pollution from coal-fired power stations, mining operations and acid mine drainage. These external impacts have raised concerns about ecosystem health, particularly regarding water quality in rivers flowing through the park. Kruger National Park was proclaimed in 1926, building on the earlier Sabie Game Reserve established in 1898, and has since become an internationally recognised symbol of African wildlife conservation.