SKUKUZA, South Africa, June 1 (Xinhua) -- As dawn breaks over the vast savannah of northeastern South Africa, herds of elephants move across the grassland while impalas scatter into the golden light. Safari vehicles carrying international visitors pause quietly along dusty roads for the next glimpse of wildlife.
For a century, scenes like these have defined Kruger National Park, one of Africa's largest and most celebrated protected areas. On Saturday, the park marked its 100th anniversary, reflecting on a legacy of conservation, scientific research and tourism while looking ahead to the next century.
Stretching nearly two million hectares across the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the park is home to more than 300 tree species and over 140 mammal species and 500 bird species, including the iconic "Big Five," namely lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo.
Beyond its ecological significance, the park has become a symbol of South Africa's natural heritage and one of the country's most important tourism assets.
Addressing the centenary celebration held at Skukuza Rest Camp on Saturday evening under the theme "Our Heritage, Our Future," Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp said Kruger's first century had been built on conservation, scientific research and tourism, while its second century would add a fourth pillar -- community participation.
The minister traced the park's origins from the Sabie Game Reserve, established in 1898 to curb uncontrolled hunting, to South Africa's first formally designated national park under the National Parks Act in 1926, and ultimately to one of the world's most renowned conservation destinations today.
"The event calls not only for reflection and celebration but also demands clarity -- clarity about where we come from and where we are going," said Aucamp.
Echoing Aucamp, Chief Executive Officer of South African National Parks (SANParks) Hapiloe Sello described conservation as a shared responsibility.
She said the park's future depends not only on protecting biodiversity but also on creating opportunities for communities, supporting livelihoods and strengthening people's connection to the environment.
The celebration also featured an awards ceremony. Aucamp, along with Sello and Kruger National Park Managing Executive Oscar Mthimkhulu, presented certificates of recognition to individuals who have helped shape the park's century-long legacy.
Yet, the anniversary comes as the park faces new challenges. Severe flooding earlier this year caused damage estimated at more than 1 billion rand (about 61.1 million U.S. dollars), affecting roads, bridges and tourism infrastructure across parts of the park.
"What these floods taught us is the resilience of the Kruger family. Over 100 years, there have been lots of successes, lots of failures, lots of hardships and lots of triumphs. But we have always come through, and we will do that for the next 100 years," Aucamp said.
Recovery efforts are now underway, with SANParks working alongside government departments and conservation partners to restore damaged infrastructure and reopen affected areas.
Looking beyond the centenary, Aucamp expressed hope that future generations would continue to experience the wonders that have defined Kruger for a century.
"In 100 to 200 years from now, our grandchildren, great-grandchildren and their descendants will still be able to sit alongside the Sabie River, watch a herd of elephants crossing the river and listen to the roar of a lion at night," he said.
