Mapesu Private Game Reserve

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Mapesu Private Game Reserve is a nature area in Limpopo, South Africa, near the town of Musina. It adjoins Mapungubwe National Park and shares a 12.5 km border to the north. The main entrance is about 7 km east of Mapungubwe’s entrance. Established in 2014, the reserve covers about 125 square kilometres (12,500 hectares).

Environment and vegetation
Mapesu sits in the Savanna bioregion, mainly in Mopane Bushveld. The landscape includes undulating plains with open woodland and shrubland, dominated by mopane trees on clay soils and other species on hills and sandy areas. The reserve contains 13 distinct vegetation communities and a variety of trees, including large baobabs.

Birds and wildlife
383 bird species have been recorded in Mapesu, with even more in the surrounding region. The area has many raptors, cuckoo species in summer, and wetlands around a dam that supports birds like little bittern, knob-billed duck, and kingfishers.

Mammals include many savanna species such as blue wildebeest, zebra, impala, kudu, giraffe, warthog, and buffalo. Predators like leopard, hyenas, caracal, and serval are present, along with smaller animals and primates.

Big Five and conservation
Mapesu is a Big Five reserve, where you can see elephant, buffalo, leopard, white rhinoceros, and lion with a guided game drive. In 2017, cheetah were introduced as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s metapopulation project, and there were plans to release African wild dogs in 2019.

Reptiles and other fauna
Several snake species live here, including black mamba and puff adder, along with lizards such as rock monitor and water monitor. The reserve’s diverse habitats support a wide range of wildlife.