How was Kruger in the 50s-60s ?

[Duke Ellieton]

micmic, Stevenson Hamilton estimated 100 000 head of game in 1925. There were two breeding herds of elephant around Letaba, some nyala at Pafuri, few impala between Skukuza and Satara. A herd of buffalo that survived the rinderpest and occasional giraffe,sable and roan. Zebra, widebesst and waterbuck were common.

Today just impala exceed 100 000. I guess we have to go back way past 1925 to find a greater variety of game than we have today. Around 1870 you had the "gold rush" in the lowveld and hunting for the pot was rife.

The first organized expeditions to cross the lowveld were those led by Hans van rensburg and Louis Trichardt circa 1836

My guess would be around 1820/30

[micmic]

I have received the film mentioned above, and I thing it could have been mostly shot in Kruger. There's also a review in Amazon which suggests that only the elephant attack scene was filmed in Kenya. Indeed, in that scene the surroundings look East-African. But in the rest of the movie I would say the environment reminds more of Kruger.

A hint may be given by the Landrovers' registration numbers which have 5-digis and no letters, but maybe they were fake. From what I found out, during the 50s vehicles in both Kenya and South Africa did have letters too. But maybe the plate numbers for the park vehicles were different ?

[Meandering Mouse]

Duke, you possibly have a point.

The ivory trade was brutal and decimated the animals. It was also thought that the wild animals were responsible for the Tsetse fly, so there was a period of wholesale slaughter when animals were piled high and left to rot. An absolute animal holocast.

Another problem was the erection of fences which halted the natural migration. Many animals died of starvation and thirst.

[moose1]

Hi Micmic,

Altho This Topic doesn't go back as far as your query there are some interesting threads and info in there.

Have you seen the topic with the pics from the old days?

I posted this on the Old Pics Of Kruger site but it may be worth repeating here !!

Greetings all !! I'm new on the forum and am finding my way around. Forgive me !! I posted some info on "Trips to KNP" and have only now found this section on Old Photos. I may have some photos which go back to the 1950s and a bit later. My grandfather had 8 mm movies of KNP in the late 40s(you cant believe how the old Fords with their biscuit thin tyres got around ) and 16 mm movies from the 50s and 60s but most were destroyed in a flood some years ago But I may still have some pics of KNP in the 60s and 70s --- there are a few pics of Rabelais camp maybe 50 years ago and also of Nwanedzi camp which was only 20 odd years ago. Will have a search when I return from KNP as a bit busy in next week visiting JHB from western cape --- and then from 10 May till 21 May will be in KNP !!!! The lions seemed a lot bigger in those days

[Albert]

There were no Berg-en-Dal, no Afsaal, no Phabeni gate, and no Kruger gate. But there was a place called Ngonyamene, which was reserved for 'Non Whites'. Balule was also just for "Non Whites'

On my oldest map which dates back to the late 30's, there is no Olifants camp and no Lower Sabie. From Satara you traveled to The Gorge and then to Letaba. Barberton with 1447 residents was double the size of Nelspruit who had 660 residents. Places like Welkom and Secunda did not exist.

Rooies, I also have a Kruger map dated 1934. I will try to get around to scanning the map and posting it on the forums.

[Rooies]

There were no Berg-en-Dal, no Afsaal, no Phabeni gate, and no Kruger gate. But there was a place called Ngonyamene, which was reserved for 'Non Whites'. Balule was also just for "Non Whites'

On my oldest map which dates back to the late 30's, there is no Olifants camp and no Lower Sabie. From Satara you traveled to The Gorge and then to Letaba. Barberton with 1447 residents was double the size of Nelspruit who had 660 residents. Places like Welkom and Secunda did not exist.

Rooies, I also have a Kruger map dated 1934. I will try to get around to scanning the map and posting it on the forums.

Unfortunately my map is too big to scan. It measures 3m high x 2m wide. It is called "The Union of South Africa including the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Southern and Northern Rhodesia"

[nsmnsi]

Have a look at this post. I'm a newbie and so I didn't post this on the "Kruger 50s - 60s" board...

Hope you find it interesting!

viewtopic.php?style=2&f=67&t=63354

[micmic]

Recently I noticed that many Wild Kingdom episodes have been uploaded on Youtube. Wild Kingdom was a wildife series aired in USA from 1963 to 1988 (and revived later). I found several episodes that have been filmed in Kruger (and other SA parks). For example, in the episode titled Hippo we watch a hippo capture operation taking place in Olifants.

[Meandering Mouse]

Oh my goodness, what a blast from the past.

Fantastic footage and it felt like I was settling down to watch a news reel from my childhood. Can you imagine having a dressed chimp in the studio now a days. It would have every animal rights group up in arms. Fascinating

[micmic]

In the episode Guns that save wildlife we watch a couple of operations in private South African reserves, but also an innoculation against anthrax of Roan antelopes with a helicopter inside Kruger.

[Grantmissy]

I find these threads on historical Kruger fascinating. I often wonder what was available in the Parks Shops to buy in those years or did everyone bring the groceries from home? I guess logistics was more challenging in those years than what it is today including cold storage for perishables? Perhaps that is where all the dried and tinned foods come from – rusks, droë wors, koekies, biltong and bully bief

[Bush Baptist]

The shops were far smaller and not as well stocked as they are today.

I remember when reception AND the shop fitted into the building at Skuk where only the shop is now.

We also got tins of braised buffalo. Delicious.

[Stampajane]

Yes I remember the tinned buffalo. We loved it and always stocked up to bring some home.

[Grantmissy]

I saw images of canned elephant meat. On the can it says braised elephant meat with gravy – the brand name on the can is Bushveld. On the can label is a picture of a man sitting next to a fire with a buffalo looking on. In those years those canned meats were probably lunch for some Kruger visitors at the picnic spots. In 2013 Low-GI bread with lettuce, tomato and fat free cheese is perhaps more popular.