Pilanesberg - Information

Information & Discussions on Planesberg
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Mel
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Pilanesberg - Information

Post by Mel »

AnnS wrote:Some people asked for information on Pilanesberg and I found some websites.

About Pilanesberg: http://www.pilanesberg-game-reserve.co. ... index.html

Accommodation: http://www.pilanesberg-game-reserve.co. ... index.html

Specie lists: http://www.pilanesberg-game-reserve.co. ... index.html

Map: http://pilanesberggamereserve.com/index.html


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Re: Pilanesberg - Information

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Amoli
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Re: Pilanesberg - Information

Post by Amoli »

I might have shared this with you before.. but here goes again.

According to history :

With Bophuthatswana (Bop) having been an independent homeland, the Park was proclaimed by the then local black government. 52 farmers were bought out and moved. The town of Pilanesberg was flattened and all that remains is the old Magistrates Court - now called the Pilanesberg Centre

My grandfather was one of the farmers - and I believe some of you also had family there.
What is exciting to me is that for the first time I have been able to get a map of the original farm and the exact location within Pilansberg. I believe the road still runs past the original farm house.
Myself and friends are booked to visit Pilansberg at end January, and then I will return 'home' after ?? years.

It fills me with anticipation and excitement. I do realise that it will never look the same - but I do have a vivid imagination. I will take along my drawing book and pencil and spend time capturing my childhood memories.

...... and I'll take along the Kleenex... :lol:


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Re: Pilanesberg - Information

Post by JoeKing »

My X's Grandfather also owned a farm that was bought to start Pilanesberg, her grandmother used to work at the magistrates building


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Amoli
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Post by Amoli »

Wow Joekin -

Most of those farmers were good friends with each other also,
as they relied on one another,
their only transport being cart and horses.


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Re: Pilanesberg - Information

Post by JoeKing »

Was the Gouws (spelling) family.

Daughters names were Elize, Desire and....?


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Amoli
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Post by Amoli »

I will enquire with the elder cousins, Joekin.

My gramps was 'du Toit'.

- seven generations back from France (some useless information and you don't have to pay for it) :lol:


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Post by Richprins »

The 150,000-acre Pilanesberg National Park is centered on the caldera of an extinct volcano dating back 1.3 billion years that may well have once been Africa's highest peak. Concentric rings of mountains surround a lake filled with crocodiles and hippos. Open grassland, rocky crags, and densely forested gorges provide ideal habitats for a wide range of plains and woodland game, including rare brown hyenas, sables, and gemsbok. Since the introduction of lions in 1993, Pilanesberg (pronounced pee-luns-berg) can boast the Big Five. One of the best places in the country to see rhinos, it's also a bird-watcher's paradise, with a vast range of grassland species, waterbirds, and birds of prey. You can drive around the park in your own vehicle or join guided safaris with Pilanesberg Mankwe Safaris. The entertainment and resort complex of Sun City is nearby.


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
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Flutterby
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Re: Pilanesberg - Information

Post by Flutterby »

Operation Genesis - Pilanesberg National Park
Travel Writer: EcoTravel Africa

The idea of a national park at Pilanesberg dates back to a report by Potchefstroom University in 1969 recommending that the area be developed as a recreation resort and nature reserve. This idea was also mooted by a number of other politicians in the ensuing years.


In 1976, Southern Sun expressed an interest in developing a hotel and ca-sino complex in the area immediately surrounding Mankwe Dam as the proximity of a large body of water would provide distinct advantages for such a development. However, the negative impact of such a project on nature conservation objectives led to the complex being developed on its present site.

In 1979 the Pilanesberg National Park was established and some 6000 animals were re-introduced in a project named Operation Genesis which captured the attention of wildlife bodies throughout the world due to the size of the operation and the unique Pilanesberg landscape.

A total of R1.5 million was spent on constructing the game fence surrounding the park, R1.8 million on purchase of game for re-introduction, R1 million on workshops and staff housing and R4 million on development of the Manyane complex.

As game re-introduction commenced prior to the completion of the fence surrounding the park, 1200 hectares surrounding the Quarantine Dam (now in the Extensive Education Area, adjacent to Manyane) was used as a holding area for newly introduced animals during Operation Genesis. However, this area quickly became too small for the number of animals and grazing soon became depleted and the veld severely damaged.

Over 200 animals - including eland and waterbuck - died as a result.
Until the late 1980's, the number of animals was kept at around 50% of the park maximum carrying capacity but has more recently been allowed to increase significantly.

The re-introduction of lion to Pilanesberg was started in late 1993 and by early 1994 nineteen of these predatory animals had been released into the park. The current lion population is around 43. In 1995, serval and a further six cheetah were released and in June 1999 wild dogs were re-introduced thanks to generous sponsorship from a number of organisations including FoPS.

In Africa, no other game reserves of comparable size are within such easy reach of a major tourism market and international gateway.

Today, Pilanesberg National Park accommodates virtually every mammal of southern Africa including the Big Five.

Achaeology:

Stone Age Achaeological Sites -- Stone Age hunter-gatherers were active in the area. Middle Stone Age artifacts are found all over the Park, thus indicating that people were in the area between 200 000 and 40 000 years ago.

Iron Age Achaeological Sites -- Ethnographic research and documents indicate that the Bakgatla ba ga Kgafela (part of the Tswana linguistic group) have been living in the vicinity of Pilanesberg since the latter half of the eighteenth century. Pilanesberg is named after a chief, Pilane, who ruled between 1825 and 1850. It is interesting to note that when they first arrived, another group, the baTlhako, were in the area and demanded tribute from the Bakgatla people. Today the Bakgatla people live in Saulspoort along the northern border of the Park.


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Re: Pilanesberg - Information

Post by flehman »

Interesting article. I wonder how many predators were introduced as the Lions were? Assume leopards were already there. Caracals? Hyenas?? Servals were introduced?

Were Rhinos introduced as Ellies were? Hippos?

Hehe, would love to know what Pilanesberg was like at the start!


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