The Hluhluwe and Umfolozi reserves were founded in 1895 and are the oldest such sanctuaries in Africa. It was here that the world acclaimed operation Rhino was introduced in the 1960’s.

The reserves, then the final bastions of the white rhino in Africa, successfully captured and translocated these pre-historic creatures to sanctuaries in South Africa and other parts of the world. The result of this operation was that the population of the white rhino in South Africa grew from around 500 in 1960 to its current carrying capacity of nearly 6000.

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, now a single game park, has today focused its efforts on saving the endangered black rhino, whose numbers in Africa have dwindled from 14 000 to a mere 2 550 over the past ten years. At least a fifth of the world population of black and white rhino are found in the park.