Marloth Park is at once a town and nature conservancy, shared equally by man and beast; as well it should since it borders on the Kruger National Park in a bend of the Crocodile River where a residential development has little claim. The advantage to staying in Marloth Park, aside from the incredible beauty of the area, is being able to sight animals just across the river from inside the town. An added bonus is a restriction to which Marloth Park has agreed, which governs their infringing the natural movement of game from the Kruger Park in any way. .
Marloth Park has an abundance of game and birds as well as various lookout areas next to the Crocodile River. Elephant are frequent visitors to the river areas. Although Marloth Park has no resident Elephants, they can be viewed while bathing in the Crocodile River.
Hence around 40 percent of the town’s land area is dedicated to parkland that shares plant, animal and bird species found in the southern part of the Kruger Park. If this perfect picture hasn’t already attracted you to Marloth Park,
then the fact that the town is only an hour’s drive from the Mozambique coastal resorts certainly will.
The town is little more than a garage and a couple of shops - The Trading Post and The Bush Centre - that cater for essentials.
Resident game include:
Impala, Kudu, Giraffe, Waterbuck, Zebra, Crocodile, Warthog etc.
In Marloth Park is a separate nature reserve, Lionspruit, where game, including Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard are kept.
Various predators like lion and leopard can be seen from time to time.
Kruger National Park:
The Kruger National Park is one of the world’s largest and most famous nature reserves. It stretches more than 320 km along South Africa's border with Mozambique. It covers almost 20 000 Km² -- that makes it a quarter the size of KwaZulu-Natal, as big as Wales or the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. Hence, an extended trip is recommended in order to enjoy the vast area and scope of wildlife to be enjoyed!
The Kruger National Park was founded by President Paul Kruger, who set aside two specific areas to be proclaimed as game reserve, where no hunting of the animals by man would be permitted. It took him more than 4 years to win approval for the reserves. The park is a monument to his foresight in protecting our wildlife heritage.
Activities
Night drives with experienced guides are highly recommended as they allow a tourist to witness the lives of the park's nocturnal creatures.
4x4 adventure trails and guided wilderness walking trails are available and a ‘must’ for the more adventurous.
Bush dining adventures can be arranged and is a most enjoyable uniquely African experience. There are also several restaurants at the various camps to cater for all tastes.
Among the many activities available to visitors to the park are: sleepover hides, where visitors are able to spend an evening in the bush while enjoying the safety and comfort of a hide. The hides are equipped with beds and other basic needs are catered for.
Wildlife
With thousands species, there is an abundance of wildlife to be seen in the Kruger National Park. For a wildlife enthusiast or a specialist, the sheer range of variety is every visitors dream. Kruger is well known for its 'Big Five', namely: elephant; lion; leopard; buffalo and rhino and the lesser known 'Little Five': elephant shrew; ant-lion; leopard tortoise; buffalo weaver and rhino beetle. The regions 'Big Six' in birding are the: martial eagle; kori bustard; ground hornbill; Pel's fishing owl' lappet-faced vulture and the saddle-billed stork.
One will find interesting associations like; blue wildebeest often graze with zebras, and peculiar animals such as the giraffes, with their extremely long necks making them the tallest animals to be seen. Although they are generally shy and gentle creatures, a kick from a giraffe's powerful legs can kill a lion.
Predators
The most popular animal attraction is the famous African lion. Spotting a lion, either at a distance, or really close-up, is a fantastic experience never to be forgotten! They may be difficult to spot between the grass and bushveld during the dry winter months. Therefore, it is worth your while to grab your binoculars and take your time ‘scanning’ the bush for a sighting.
The other cat member of the 'Big Five' is the leopard, an elusive animal during the daylight hours. The best chance of spotting one is at sunrise or sunset. An experienced guide will be able to find the leopard among the soft light, or in trees where their spotted markings fit in perfectly with the dappled shadows of the leaves. The graceful cheetah is also a rare sight.
Other predators such as wild dogs, hyenas and the African honey badger can often be seen.
The Heavyweights
The King of the mammals is definitely the majestic elephant. The apparent gentle nature of this huge animal can be deceiving, as elephants can rampage, causing huge amounts of destruction when they are angered or feel threatened. With proper caution for their temperament, viewing elephants is a thrilling sight. Their sheer size and splendour has a profound effect. From near extinction, white rhinos have become a common sight
Antelope
Antelope that inhabit the park include; impala -- there are many herds in all areas -- kudu, the sable antelope, the roan antelope, steenbok, the mountain reedbuck and the tiny klipspringer, plus many others. The Eland is the largest of the antelope, standing at a height of 2, 5 m and weighing up to 800 kg.
Birdlife
There is a rich and varied bird life in the park, with about 500 species, some of which are permanent residents, while about half of them are seasonal migrants.
The Parks birdlife ranges from the biggest bird in the world, the ostrich, down to the tiny waxbills. Species of loerie, the purple-crested being the most brilliantly coloured, sunbirds, scarlet breasted rollers, starlings, weavers, yellow and red billed hornbills, and many other birds are found. Birding enthusiasts are well catered for!
Among the water birds are cranes, egrets, storks, kingfishers and darts. The raptors include the fish eagle, brown snake eagle, gymnogene, the Cape vulture and the martial eagles
