The Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve is now almost completely encircled by fossil fuel hunters eyeing the region’s rich mineral pickings, primarily coal.

Over the past few years, several relatively unknown mining companies have applied for prospecting rights close to the 130-year-old wildlife sanctuary in KwaZulu-Natal, but mainly outside the 5km wide “no-go mining zone’ declared by the park custodians, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

More recently, however, some prospectors have extended their ambitions right up to the park’s boundary fence. Now, with the exception of the northern and southern tips, the reserve has been ringed by wall-to-wall mining and prospecting claims although some of these have subsequently been withdrawn.