SCHOTIA GAME RESERVE

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Schotia Game Reserve is the oldest private game reserve in the Eastern Cape of  South Africa. It is owned, managed and run 'hands on' by the Bean family, who are now in their sixth generation and have owned the original farm, Orlando, since the early 1800's. I have been extremely lucky to have visited them several times over the past few years.

Schotia is home to a wide variety of free-roaming animals including rhino, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, hippo, crocodile and various other antelope and bird species. 

Schotia was also the first reserve in the Cape Province to have free roaming lions and in July 2023 they introduced a very special new male lion and 2 females to their reserve. These new lions show almost identical features as the once roaming Cape Lion, which was declared extinct in 1858. The Cape Lion was known for his magnificent mane stretching along his flanks all the way to his belly. With the introduction of these new lions to Schotia, it is hoped that they now have the ultimate genetics to breed a lion that shows the best Cape Lion characteristics - and the exciting news is that earlier this year there were 3 cubs born to the 2 females. 🧡🧡🧡

 We were lucky to see all of the free-roaming animal species, including the magnificent lions, up VERY close. 

We hope you enjoy the photos. 😊 

PLEASE DON'T SCROLL DOWN ANY FURTHER IF YOU WILL FIND THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS DISTRESSING

On our last morning at Schotia we were witness to the lions killing a baby giraffe. It was both amazing and horrific at the same time... but nature can be cruel, and lions need to eat especially as they had 3 cubs to feed.