The African Kingdom

South Africa, central region of the Kruger Park. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, on the border between South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, is considered "the world's greatest animal kingdom." It is a "Peace Park", a protected, cross-border, area, which includes the boundaries of three African states. The Park joins some of the most recognized wildlife areas in Southern Africa into a vast conservation zone of approximately 35.000 square kilometres. This forms only the first phase of creating a bigger Transfrontier Conservation Area, measuring almost 100.000 square kilometres. The creation of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a process that would expand Kruger National Park's aim to re-establish “historical animal migration routes and other ecosystem functions disrupted by fences and incompatible legislation, thereby biodiversity conservation on a regional basis across international boundaries. With a mosaic of land uses, diverse management plans and man-made barriers to wildlife movement, the southern African region represents a challenging and fragile environment where rich resources and ecosystems adjacent to each other are separated by international borders. The rural communities occupying these remote areas have often been marginalized by national development processes, resulting in low education levels, poor sanitation, unsustainable subsistence livelihood strategies and high unemployment rates. As second goal of the Transfrontier park, uplifting the rural communities lives will in turn further contribute towards biodiversity and ecosystem conservation by proving evidence of the economic and social advantages that can be achieved through wildlife conservation.

A stretch of road near the village Mtomeni within the African Ivory Route. The African Ivory Route is part of more than 3,6 million hectares of national parks, nature reserves and game farms stretching across the Limpopo Province. This wild land, bordering Botswana, Zimbabwe and the northern reaches of the Kruger National Park, is a land of prehistoric secrets and rich archaeological sites.Thousands of years ago, elephant migratory routes criss-crossed the paths of ivory, gold and slave merchants.

South Africa, elephants in the north region of the Kruger Park, near the camp of Punda Maria. Elephants are an essential presence for the African environment. They directly influence forest composition and density, and can alter the broader landscape. In the savannas, they reduce bush cover to create an environment favorable to a mix of browsing and grazing animals. The seeds of many plant species are dependent on passing through an elephant's digestive tract before they can germinate. It is calculated that at least a third of tree species in central African forests rely on elephants in this way for distribution of seeds.

South Africa, north region of the Kruger Park, a view of the Letaba River. The Letaba River (meaning "sandy river") starts at the confluence of the Great Letaba and Little Letaba Rivers, and then continue its journey until it becomes a tributary of the Olifants River (Elephants river) in the foothills of the Lebombo Mountains, near South Africa's border with Mozambique. What was once known as South Africa's Northern Province was renamed Limpopo Province in 2002. The creation of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a process that would expand Kruger National Park'€™s aim to re-establish historical animal migration routes and other ecosystem functions disrupted by fences and international boundaries.

The village of Beleni is situated near the banks of the Little Letaba River, on a land belonging to the Mahumani traditional community. Baleni's economy is strongly dependent on traditional salt-mining. For well over a thousand years women have excavated salt along the banks of the Little Letaba River and the local ladies still making salt from the crystals that are deposited near the sacred Soutini spring. To the local women salt makers, the warm water, the rising bubbles and the sulphurous smell that emanates from the swamp are all signs that bind Baleni with the spiritual world. Because of this, salt making is governed by several taboos and prerequisites to ensure a successful and productive process. A spirit medium determines the specific day on which production will start, and on the established day the salt makers will place libations and small offerings at the foot of a dead Combretum imberde (leadwood) tree on the edge of the swamp.

Mozambique. A small village near Pafuri, at the border with the famous Crooks Corner. The road to Crook's Corner passes under majestic fig trees, jackalberries and a forest of fever trees. This is the spot where the Limpopo and Luvuvhu rivers and the three countries, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique, meet. In the 1900s this area was a safe-haven for gun runners, poachers, fugitives and anyone else dodging the law. The rural communities occupying these remote areas have often been marginalized by national development processes, resulting in low education levels, poor sanitation, unsustainable subsistence livelihood strategies and high unemployment rates.

Zimbabwe, Gonarezhou National Park, near the village Swimuwini. A portrait of Vuma Sibanda, when not in school he takes care of the family's cattle. "Gonarezhou" meaning "Place of many Elephants", is the portion of the Transfrontier Park that belonging to Zimbabwe. Here the communities still live in the park and dedicate themselves to subsistence agricolture and pastoralism. The rural communities occupying these remote areas have often been marginalized by national development processes, resulting in low education levels, poor sanitation, unsustainable subsistence livelihood strategies and high unemployment rates.

South Africa, a region in the far north of the Kruger Park, near Punda Maria. A vast area of savanna just burned. Smoke columns at the horizon indicate the progress of the fire.

South Africa, south region of the Kruger Park, Fayi Loop, near Pretoriuskop. At dawn a leopard cub comes out of a cave hidden in the rocks. Leopards are such secretive creatures that estimates of the size of leopard populations can vary wildly, with scientific estimates in South Africa varying from 2,390 animals to 23,472 animals in the country.

South Africa, south region of the Kruger Park. Three lionesses resting in the shade of the trees in the vicinity of the Sabie River. About 30,000-35,000 African lions remain in the wild today. Numbers have plummeted by around 30% in the past 20 years, and over 40% of their key populations are in decline. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies them as "vulnerable" on its red list. According to a study of 2012, The Greater Limpopo lion area, largely defined by the Kruger National Park, but containing areas within neighbouring Mozambique and Zimbabwe is estimated to host 2,311 lions in 150,347 square kilometres.

South Africa, central region of the Kruger Park. On the road between Skukuza and Satara a rhinoceros walking in a clearing. South Africa is considered as the primary custodian of Africa’s rhinos. With 18,796 white rhinos and 1,916 black rhinos as of last estimates at the end of 2010, this represents approximately 93% and 40% of the total white and black rhino populations respectively. The Country is battling a rhino poaching crisis, with over 1,000 animals slaughtered for their horns in 2014, around 700 of them in the Kruger National Park. According to the last statistics released by the government, 1,020 rhino had been killed in the country by 20 November last year – already a record-high even without December’s numbers included. Deaths could begin to exceed births as early as next year if current poaching rates continue to increase as they have done in South Africa over the last two years.

Mozambique. A small village near Pafuri, at the border with the famous Crooks Corner. The road to Crook's Corner passes under majestic fig trees, jackalberries and a forest of fever trees. This is the spot where the Limpopo and Luvuvhu rivers and the three countries, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique, meet. In the 1900s this area was a safe-haven for gun runners, poachers, fugitives and anyone else dodging the law. The rural communities occupying these remote areas have often been marginalized by national development processes, resulting in low education levels, poor sanitation, unsustainable subsistence livelihood strategies and high unemployment rates.

Night in the Village of Beleni. The Milky Way as seen through the tree branches that overhang the village. The village of Baleni is situated near the banks of the Little Letaba River, on a land belonging to the Mahumani traditional community. Baleni is an environment where nature and spiritualism have a rich integration. To the local women salt makers, the warm water, the rising bubbles and the sulphurous smell that emanates from the swamp are all signs that bind Baleni with the spiritual world.