The Big Five on our stoep.

Yes, the Big Five are coming to the Loskop Nature Reserve and never have there been more welcome residents to our shores than our lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard.

The trophy game’s arrival will reshape local tourism and blow new life into businesses between Middelburg and Limpopo.

The reserve will expand extensively with the buy-in of neighbouring land owners who believe in WeWild Africa’s vision of growing the reserve to one of the country’s largest reserves, where the Big Five will be roaming free in the very near future.

The bold tourism move will mainly form the fifth pillar of a vibrant Middelburg economy comprising coal, steel, industry, manufacturing, and tourism.

WeWild Africa is spearheading the project after signing a 25-year partnership with the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) to develop the Loskop Nature Reserve into Big Five country.

The announcement comes on the back of an MTPA policy shift on canned lions.

WeWild have successfully released captive cheetahs back into the wild to introduce a different cluster of genetics to the genetic pool of wild cheetahs.

Gentlemen’s agreements with communities around the reserve will culminate in one of the country’s most marketable cross-fence reserves with a conservation-focused business plan.

The historic project was built on a WeWild public-private partnership with the Mpumalanga government, and local businesses are encouraged to become legacy partners. With WeWild’s involvement at the Loskop Nature Reserve, poaching has dropped by 95%, with the reserve providing a sanctuary for animals like rhinos, with black rhinos also on their way.

The 25-year land management agreement will see the 24 000 hectare reserve swell with more than 100 000 hectares.

According to the deal, everything WeWild Africa fixes, they manage, including roads and boreholes.

A capex investment of R23m is needed, and for Middelburg, it’s doable.