South Africa’s Kruger National Park celebrated its 100th anniversary on May 31, 2026, marking a century of wildlife conservation, scientific research, and ecotourism. Officials, conservationists, and visitors gathered at Skukuza Rest Camp to honor the country’s flagship national park, which protects roughly 19,485 square kilometers (7,576 square miles) of wilderness and some of Africa’s most iconic animals, including lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo.
While Kruger officially became a national park in 1926, its roots stretch back to 1898, when the South African Republic established the Sabie Game Reserve to protect wildlife threatened by hunting and environmental pressures. In 1902, James Stevenson-Hamilton became the reserve’s first warden and spent decades fighting poaching and championing the creation of a vast protected landscape. His efforts helped shape what would become one of the world’s most celebrated conservation success stories.
On May 31, 1926, South Africa’s National Parks Act united the Sabie and Shingwedzi Game Reserves to form Kruger National Park, the country’s first national park. Named after former president Paul Kruger, the park opened to visitors the following year and quickly grew into a major destination for wildlife tourism.
Today, Kruger stretches across the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Home to more large mammal species than any other protected area in Africa, it shelters hundreds of bird, reptile, and plant species alongside the famous Big Five. In 2002, the park expanded its conservation impact by becoming part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which connects protected areas across South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Over the past century, Kruger has served as a hub for wildlife research, conservation innovation, and sustainable tourism. During the centenary celebration, South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, highlighted four pillars that have shaped the park’s success: conservation, science, tourism, and community involvement.
That commitment to local communities took center stage just days before the anniversary. On May 29, government officials and South African National Parks signed a Beneficiation Scheme Framework Agreement with seven neighboring communities. The initiative aims to create long-term economic opportunities linked to the park’s natural resources and tourism industry.
As Kruger enters its second century, the celebration served not only as a tribute to its past but also as a reminder of the responsibility to protect its future. After 100 years of safeguarding wildlife and inspiring visitors from around the world, the park remains one of Africa’s most important conservation landscapes and a symbol of what long-term environmental stewardship can achieve.
For 100 years, Kruger National Park has safeguarded some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife across nearly 7,500 square miles of protected wilderness.
As the park enters its second century, conservation leaders hope to build on its legacy of protecting wildlife, advancing research, and supporting neighboring communities.
Kruger National Park: Website
Sources: Iconic Kruger National Park Celebrates 100th Year of Protecting African Wildlife, Including the Big 5; Kruger at 100: Celebrating a Legacy of Life, Hope and Conservation; Kruger National Park celebrates 100 years of conservation!
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