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No, not yet, but I have asked someone at SANParks HO, who has a sound knowledge on the history of SANParks to please see if they could find out for us.

DB!

Hopefully my bit may help.

The National Parks Board in 1930; decided that a badge be designed and issued to Board members and Game Rangers, so that they could be recognised by members of the public.

Many designs were subsequently put forwarded and the Kudu head was selected. Button hole sized badges were minted and issued to Board members only.

The design accepted was a realistic Kudu head white with black lineage on a dark green background, framed in black and gold in the shape of a shield, with a golden coloured ribbon with the words "CUSTOS NATURAE" emblazoned in black below.

In 1955 the Board decided to register the Kudu head emblem, the National Parks Board corporate logo, with the Heraldry Board. The badge would be issued to officers of the Board, and displayed on Board property.

Uniforms were proposed and implemented during 1960. An issue cost about R60.00 for which an allowance of R20.00 was paid for the original purchase therof and then R10.00 per annum for the upkeep.

During Juine 1960 the Board approved that all officials coming into contact with the public, would be issued with a bar indicating the officials name on a green background. Two sets of shoulder epaulettes would be provided the first year and thereafter one set per annum. Rangers would also be issued with badges inscribed "Ranger/Veldwagter".

During 1963 it was decided that a formal uniform which included a beret and a tunic, be issued to Heads of Departments and Sections as well as Game Rangers.

TheNational Parks Board flag was designd in 1962 on which the Kudu emblem was to be displayed. The official flag was to be flown at al National Parks and Rest Camps.

The Board in June 1984 resolved that" the registered design of the Board's emblem be noted, as well as the fact that a realistic as opposed to the heraldic Kudu head be used as the official emblem"'.

During the mid 1980s it was felt that the realistic Kudu head that served as the Board's emblem, was no longer in line with modern heraldic trends. A stylised Kudu head was approved by the Board in March 1988.

The National flag would also be flown with the National Parks Board flag at all entrance gates to Parks and Rest Camps.

Park emblems were designed for each National Park. The Lion's head submitted by Messrs. C Cheney and M Landman of the Trails Section was approved for the Kruger Park in 1993.

The park emblems were only to appear on letterheads, while the Corporate Emblem (Kudu head) was used for uniforms and the Board's flag.

Thank you gmlsmit! I think this answers the question.

as ever, our expert researcher

gmlsmit, I'm astounded!
Thank you for all the time you are putting into bringing us these lovely historical posts!

thank you gmlsmit - very informative and detailed. you have a vast knowledge of the history - do you have the history of the knp collection i wonder?

Thanks all for the kind words.
I have been reading up, collecting and making notes since 1958.
I have a few shelves stacked with data.

Thanks Glmsmit!!

I have had a response from Joep Stevens at SANParks HO:

The above two letterheads are very special.
I will support the statement that Mrs. Hilda Stevenson-Hamilton had been involved in the design. She was a remarkable artist.
These two are real Africana. Trasures of the past.

Thank you gmlsmit for the detailed history of the evolution of the kudu kop.

Thank you gmlsmit!
And thanks DB for posting those images, very special indeed!

That is a lifetime's research that you have done, please carry on with your writing as this is too valuable waste and with your writing flair it makes for most enjoyable edutainment

its always good to learn from other people. thank you.

I think is because of how the animal itself carries itself, noticed how brave and beautiful it is. It hardly roams in groups, mostly two or three of them linger around the parks but the physical shape is usually fit and honestly i have never seen a dirty kudu b4.

Oh yeah Impala horns do twirl around too but i bet they didnt use it because Impalas are lions daily bread.