Makuleke

Makuleke is a community in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, located in the northern part of Kruger National Park. It refers both to the community of people and the specific geographical area they traditionally occupy.

The Makuleke people were forcibly removed from their ancestral land in 1969 to make way for the expansion of Kruger National Park. Following a lengthy legal battle after the end of apartheid, the Makuleke community successfully claimed restitution of their land in 1996. This landmark settlement allowed the community to co-manage their land within the park boundaries, focusing on ecotourism initiatives and sustainable resource management.

The Makuleke Contractual Park, as the area is sometimes referred to, is a unique example of community-based conservation within a national park setting. It demonstrates a collaborative approach to conservation, integrating the traditional knowledge and socio-economic needs of the local community with the goals of biodiversity protection and tourism development. The community benefits from revenue generated through ecotourism ventures, which are managed to ensure sustainable development and benefit distribution within the Makuleke community.

The landscape of the Makuleke region is diverse, encompassing riverine forests, floodplains, mopane woodlands, and rocky outcrops, contributing to a rich biodiversity. This includes a variety of mammal species, birds, and reptiles, attracting tourists interested in wildlife viewing and wilderness experiences. The area is also of significant cultural and historical importance, holding evidence of early human occupation and traditional Makuleke practices.