Colchester Zoo’s charity, Action for the Wild is in the process of creating the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve, in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. It is a 5,000 hectare reserve comprised of three farms, Gevonden, Geluk and Vertrek. The reserve encompasses a wide range of habitats from bushveld to mountainous terrain. Historically, numerous mammals inhabited the area, however, due to the way the farmland was managed, many of these native species have disappeared. Action for the Wild aims to address this by translocating species back onto the reserve, helping to secure a future for them.

A number of species inhabit the reserve, including kudu, impala, mountain reedbuck and black-backed jackal and several species have now been released including giraffe, zebra, blesbok, red hartebeest, waterbuck, common reedbuck, nyala and white rhino.

Prickly Pear Plant Control Our UmPhafa coordinator, Doreen, and new game guard, Wanda, have been working on a prickly pear... [Read More]

Burning fire breaks on UmPhafa Mike Wood, UmPhafa's farm manager, constructs fire breaks every year, about a month into winter.... [Read More]

The mission of the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve is to create a sustainable future while maintaining social responsibility and promoting environmental regeneration and conservation.