LionExpose

LionExpose LionExpose 🇿🇦 investigates & exposes wildlife exploitation & ongoing human rights abuse in CONservation. We advocate for transparency & truth.

Rhino, Lions, Elephants, & other wildlife are largely exploited for profit.

08/06/2026

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK 🇿🇦

UNDER PRESSURE

2026 floods recovery may cost Kruger R900 million

As we South Africans celebrate a century of the Kruger National Park, the reality on the ground is raw.

Kruger is facing one of the toughest tests in its history. In January 2026, devastating floods rampaged through the park, tearing up roads, smashing bridges, shutting down tourism facilities, and hammering critical infrastructure across 2.2 million hectares. As if that wasn’t enough, March brought more flooding to the central and northern regions, cutting off access to several camps.

The scale of the damage is staggering. Recovery costs are unofficially estimated at R900 million. Full restoration will require years of sustained effort.

But the story isn’t just about destruction. The floods left behind a layer of nutrient-rich silt, setting off a “green flush” of thick, high-quality grass. Suddenly, the plains are alive with thriving zebra, wildebeest, impala, and the predators that follow. Nature wasted no time adapting.

We caught up with John van Dyk, General Manager of Operations for the SANParks Honorary Rangers (SHR). The Honorary Rangers are one of Kruger’s most important secret weapons, working side by side with park management, they spot priority needs and channel donor funding into action. This is hands-on support, fast-tracked to where it matters most.

What the floods exposed was the ageing parts of Kruger’s infrastructure that were already under pressure and, in many cases, still undergoing repairs from the 2023 floods, which we saw firsthand. The ageing roads, bridges, and tourism camps were pushed beyond their limits, forcing SANParks to plan a large-scale, complete rebuild in several areas rather than routine maintenance repairs.

The SANParks Honorary Rangers Kruger Flood 2026 Fund has raised R3.9 million to date. Of that amount, R600,000 is being allocated directly to Project Watchdog, the K9 anti-poaching initiative. Project Watchdog has highly trained canines who work alongside field rangers, forming a vital part of Kruger’s frontline anti-poaching capability. Parts of this operational network were also affected. Kennels and essential field support systems sustained damage (attached video). One of the Project Watchdog kennel bases had just undergone renovations, and now it will need to be redone again. The Project Watchdog K9 unit depends on constant readiness and rapid deployment. These special canines and their handlers are top priorities, extremely well cared for, and fully operational.

How does SHR Kruger Flood 2026 Fund work? 100% of all public donations received through this specific fund are dedicated to flood response and infrastructure recovery work within Kruger National Park. The SHR absorbs all transaction, management, and internal operational overheads through their general, pre-existing volunteer budgets. No administrative cuts or "management fees" are extracted from the disaster fund.

Rather than handing over raw cash to external state departments, the SHR uses the funds to directly purchase, procure, or fund items explicitly listed on the Kruger National Park technical recovery wish list. To donate to this fund, visit the SANParks Honorary Rangers website, or go to this story on our website, where we have included the link.

The official state-backed initiative, managed directly by the South African National Parks (SANParks) in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), is the Kruger Recovery Fund. To donate to this fund, go to the official SANParks website.

Kruger is more than a world-famous wildlife destination. For so many of us, these camps are our second home. We grew up in them. Kruger National Park is the beating heart of the region and a major contributor to our overall national economy.

Kruger National Park needs unified crucial support now more than ever.

© LionExpose

SANParks Honorary Rangers continue to provide meaningful support to SANParks as custodians and stewards of our National Treasures!

We encourage you to read the first part of this ongoing series on the LionExpose website or scroll back on Facebook



03/06/2026

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Two arrested in Mozambique for murder of two Kruger National Park tourists

June 3, 2026

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, has confirmed the arrest of two suspects in Mozambique in connection with the brutal murder of two South African tourists.

The bodies of Dina and Ernst Marais were discovered nearly two weeks ago near a river area in the northern section of the Kruger National Park after a search operation was launched when the couple failed to return to their camp.

The suspects reportedly confessed to the crimes, and the vehicle belonging to Mr and Mrs Marais has been recovered.

“South Africa will now start the formal extradition process to get the suspects to South Africa to stand trial for this heinous crime,” the Minister said on Wednesday.

Aucamp has called on law enforcement to ensure the suspects are brought back to the country to account for their crimes.

“I have engaged with my colleagues in the Departments of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and Justice to emphasise the importance of securing the suspects’ return to South Africa to face the full might of the law. We said that these criminals would be apprehended, and that is exactly what has happened,” he said.

Aucamp expressed his appreciation to the dedicated personnel at the South African National Parks (SANParks), South African Police Service (SAPS), Mozambican authorities, and conservation partners for their exceptional commitment and cooperation, which were instrumental in achieving this outcome.

The arrests are the result of effective cross-border cooperation between the following entities:

Serviço Nacional de Investigação Criminal (SERNIC), Mozambique’s agency responsible for investigating serious and organised crime;
The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC); and
Kruger National Park Ranger Services, led by the Regional Ranger for the Nxanatseni (Far North) Region, together with rangers from the Pafuri Section.
The Minister reiterated that criminal activity will not be tolerated in South Africa’s national parks and called on communities and law enforcement agencies to continue working together to safeguard these protected areas.

“While the Marais family has suffered a devastating loss, I hope that these arrests will provide some measure of comfort to them as they continue to navigate this difficult journey,” Aucamp said.

SA Gov News ZA

moving media content
©️LionExpose





31/05/2026

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK 🇿🇦

Some of you read our story, "Kruger National Park Floods – The Aftermath".

We had parked under a tree to get a signal so we could catch up with SANParks Honorary Rangers General Manager of Operations, Mr. John Van Dyk, who took a brief break from Kruger.
We have spoken again with John and are busy writing an update which will be out this week.

As Kruger celebrates its centenary, it stands battered but strong.

We hope our fellow South Africans and foreign supporters will grasp the true scale of the flood damage and the crisis the flood left in its wake.

We encourage everyone to stand with the officials and volunteer organisations behind the scenes as they face the greatest challenges in the Park's history.

"This is the place my mom asked me to scatter her ashes, and the ashes she kept of my sister. I did it, with help from Kruger, into the wind over the mighty Letaba.
This park is my heritage. It holds my blood. I was also in Kruger for 14 days during the 2023 floods. Kruger staff, rangers, pilots, and all the volunteers worked 24/7. During respites the animals just lay wherever they could, exhausted. It was so sad, but the spirit of Ubuntu was amazing."

Going through our photos from Kruger during 2023 floods, a reminder that Kruger is to many of us, a second home, as South Africans, we are resilient.

We must stand stronger to ensure its survival.

©️LionExpose




21/05/2026

FOLLOWING THE BUSH TELEGRAPH 🇿🇦

Where we go, how we do it and why

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.

We generally had a plan, but in reality, we just grab our bags, laptop and move out.

We use really basic equipment and travel light (We sometimes need to move fast). No fancy, bulky, expensive equipment, just an old, well-used Canon Powershot and a Y9 cellphone.

Our vehicles play the main role, blending into our environment is crucial.

We were provided with an adapted hunting vehicle for part of this road trip, which proved to be as tough and resilient as a tank.
We put it through its paces.

As we followed the Bush Telegraph, things changed, and we headed off to sniff things out. We often ended up on the side of the road, networking within our communities, looking for a spot to crash for the night. We bought our supplies at local markets and spaza shops.
There are also amazing chicken takeaways in most of these areas.

We headed to North Zululand, moving east along the borders of Eswatini and Mozambique, into the coastal bush.
We ended the trip by moving inland to skirt the spectacular mountains in the land of “Famo,” Lesotho.

In total we covered many kilometres, much of it off-road in bush and rugged terrain. Locals and adrenaline junkies will know the deep, sticky red mud and deceptive white sand.
We actually relied a lot on our compass. In the intense heat, the terrain became confusing and repetitive, our sense of direction was gone, baby, gone; signals got lost, and batteries overheated. We also spent many hours walking in humid temperatures between 32 and 38 degrees.

One of our team ended up with three black, infested tick bites, but, being literally immune to tick bite fever, only relented and saw a doctor when the bites were throbbing. Thanks to the amazing and totally eccentric Bush Doctor we found in Matubatuba, the team stayed on track with no delays.

The hospitality and community support left us more motivated than ever.

We will continue grassroots initiatives dedicated to uncovering powerful truths about conservation: the good, the bad, the ugly, as well as human rights abuse in the sector.

Our role is to amplify these issues, raise critical awareness, and shed light on the challenges the everyday heroes face working to protect our heritage.

What makes these trips so special is that sometimes, after hours of heat, exhaustion, or stress from our observations, we can find a spot and park off, just to breathe.

When we follow our instincts and find a herd of elephants, a crash of rhinos, or a troop of baboons in a place where no one else is around, that’s when we sit back, smile, and say...

This is why we do what we do.

It’s worth it.

©️LionExpose

20/05/2026

1050 ELEPHANTS 🇿🇦

Kwa-Zulu Natal

A quick look at one of two almost identical young calves.
We watched them for hours at Hluhluwe iMfolozi.

Kwa-Zulu Natals regional park management company Ezemvelo submitted a bizarre proposal to remove 940 out of "1050 elephants" from these protected spaces.

uNdlovu omkhulu is a chant inspired by our majestic elephants, the great giants of the land.

©️LionExpose





16/05/2026

RHINO KILLER "BIG JOE"

SHOT DEAD

Mkhuhlu "Land of Blood"
🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

Big Joe Nyalungu has been shot dead at Mkhuhlu, Mpumalanga.

Today, Big Joe did not escape death, his killers and "competitors" got him with a bullet in the head.

Big Joe was lying flat on his back staring at heaven.

A failed assassination attempt took place at his business last week on the 8th May when he was shot in the leg and shoulder. His attacker walked up to him and shot him twice before fleeing. Big Joe was treated in hospital and released last Sunday.

The bush telegraph reported last year in March that Big Joe was shot at while attending a funeral by a "relative" allegedly wrestling control of his bloody empire.

Despite being arrested multiple times, Big Joe “Untouchable” remained free. His arrests included charges related to illegal rhino hunting, possession of rhino horn, involvement in the 2010 murder of Willey Shipalane alongside his brother Selby Nyalungu, as well as possession of explosives and tax evasion.

Big Joe was expected to appear in court in July 2026.

NOTE.
The original investigating officer in the Shipalane murder case, Lt Col Leroy Bruwer, was gunned down outside Nelspruit in 2020. Col Bruwer was also involved in the high profile case of Rhino Killer Petros Mabuza 'Mr Big" who was shot dead in 2021.

©️LionExpose











10/05/2026

KwaZulu Natal 🇿🇦

FIVE SUSPECTED RHINO POACHERS SHOT DEAD

Blood Rhino

On Saturday, 9th May, a shoot-out took place between the SAPS and suspected Rhino killers on the way to poach.
The gun battle ensued when the suspects approached a roadblock set up earlier on the route. Five suspects were killed.

No SAPS were injured.

These alleged killers never got to their destination to kill rhino.

A hunting rifle, a silencer and handguns + ammo were seized.

The P453 road leads from Hluhluwe town to Memorial Gate.
The R618 is a route used to approach the Nyalazi Gate of HiP (Hluhluwe iMfolozi) and runs through Matubatuba on one side and through Nongoma near Ulundi on the other.

Well done to the intelligence and our South African Police.

©️LionExpose











07/05/2026

BABOONS 🇿🇦

Drakensberg uKhahlamba,

Our iconic "Barrier of spears" or "Dragon Mountains" is the home of one of the worlds most captivating primates and one of our favorite animals.

We were really worn out, so after spotting these guys we decided to park off and join them.

More than thirty Baboons seemed to be lightly grabbing at the air while moving slowly in a jagged line through the grass.
We approached stealthily crouched down, as we got close we saw they were grabbing little seeds getting blown loose from the tips of the grass.

It was a fantastic time as they relaxed and let us hang out with them.

Later they left up into the Berg.

©️LionExpose

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