​Wildlife & Animals – Balule NR

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip lives in South Africa and has authored many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.

Philip lives in South Africa and has authored many Africa guidebooks, including the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.

Philip is the author of many Africa guidebooks, including the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.

Philip is author of the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.

Balule NR shares open borders with Kruger Park and is, therefore, part of a huge ecosystem and home to all major safari animals – including the Big Five. The Olifants River attracts an abundance of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, waterbuck and giraffe. Lion are often nearby. Leopard and cheetah are also present but less easy to see.

Abundant
Common
Occasional
Rare
None
ElephantCommon
GiraffeCommon
HippoCommon
BuffaloCommon
ZebraCommon
WildebeestCommon
White RhinoOccasional
Black RhinoOccasional
LionOccasional
LeopardRare
CheetahRare
HyenaCommon
Wild DogRare

Wildlife Highlights

The reserve has an impressive hippo and crocodile population. The former can be found wallowing in the river during the day, and the latter can usually be spotted on the riverbanks. Civet and honey badger are just two of the rarer creatures sometimes encountered.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The dry months of June to September make up the prime time for wildlife viewing in Balule. In particular, the period from August to September (the end of the Dry season) is a recommended time for a visit as temperatures rise and animals concentrate around the Olifants River after the dry spell.

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