RESTORED PROTECTED PRESERVED WILD
Zuka Private Game Reserve is the cornerstone property of a pioneering land assembly founded by Tara and Jessica Getty in 2001. Today, this progressive rewilding project has thus far expanded to 10,300 hectares of environmentally restored and protected northern Zululand and stands as a beacon of light as to what is possible on our planet.
1990 – The Beginning of the Story
“Caring for wilderness, wildlife and people is multifaceted. There are many models. This is ours.”
~ TARA GETTY ~
“Caring for wilderness, wildlife and people is multifaceted. There are many models. This is ours.”
~ TARA GETTY ~
Where we are
Zuka Private Game Reserve is 10,300 hectares of the Munywana Conservancy, a formal Protected Area bordering a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Zuka Private Game Reserve’s proximity to the Indian Ocean, and the Lebombo Mountains creates dramatic topography with varied geology and soils from the ancient sea bed and historic volcanic activity; in turn supporting an array of habitats and vast biodiversity.
HIGH DRAMA!
Bush life means meeting with the unexpected, and this unusual moment, when African wild dogs pursued a kudu into the water, exemplifies just that!
Our incredible guide @grant_rat captured it perfectly, so all you have to do is be brave and hold your breath until the end!
#Wildogs
#Kudu
#Predator
#Prey
#TheOneThatGotAway
#AnimalKingdom
#Wild
#naturecaptures
#Safari
#ThisIsZuka
Nov 11
PITFALL TRAPS
Ecology is the study of connection – how every living thing interacts, with land, with climate and with each other.
The scientists in our multifaceted ecology venture, Getty Asterism, work passionately to discover and reveal the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystems.
At Zuka, our researchers are looking closely at the little players in the system: the insects.
And specifically, for Pangolins, this research matters. Their wellbeing depends on the diversity and abundance of a variety of insects and, excitingly, our research has the potential to have positive impact far beyond the bounds of Zuka!
#GettyAsterism
#Ecology
#Research
#Scientists
#Insects
#Pangolins
#Ecosystems
#SouthAfrica
#ThisisZuka
Nov 9
SILHOUETTE
Giraffes live in loose social structures - fluid gatherings that form and drift across the landscape. At sunset, their iconic design is captured in silhouette against the burnished African sky.
#Giraffe
#Silhouette
#Sunset
#AfricaSky
#Savanna
#Safari
#WildlifePhotography
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#ThisIsZuka
Nov 5
PRIDE ROCK
This lioness, settled and still but for the occasional narrowing of her eyes, offers us so much.
There is a power in nature that can halt you and silence you.
Perhaps, in this moment, you are being met by the wild with an offering of wisdom - and you are the recipient.
#Lioness
#PrideRock
#Nature
#Stillness
#Wildlife
#Wisdom
#Wilderness
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#GoldenHour
#Inspired
#ThisIsZuka
Nov 3
CHEETAH CUBS
Q: Could they be any cuter?!
A:
#CheetahCubs
#WildlifePhotography
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#ThisIsZuka
#Africa
Oct 31
ANCIENT
Archaelogoical fieldwork within Getty Asterism is led by researchers from the department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology from University of Tübingen and this is so exciting for Zuka, as they uncover stories of early hunters and the Late Stone Age in our province of KwaZulu-Natal!
Their work explores tools that we have discovered here, their usage, how knowledge was exchanged between clans over long distances, as well as migration routes and how this shaped traditions across KZN, Eswatini and Mozambique - so much still undiscovered.
Amazingly, Zuka and our wider Munywana Conservancy, lie within an archaeological hotspot that holds over 80 sites (thus far) from different periods!
Our researchers believe these ancient settlements are directly linked to the diverse biomes of the land due to our position at the southernmost reach of the Lebombo Mountains.
The thinking is, just where the range divides the savanna into eastern and western branches, could mean that the landscape was a guiding corridor, influencing both animals and humans, on their routes and quest for survival, and their evolution.
Just when you thought Zuka was all about the wildlife – how about this hidden life of ages before?!
#GettyAsterism
#AncientWorld
#HumanOrigins
#Archaeology
#Anthropology
#ScientificDiscoveries
#EarlyHumans
#StoneTools
#LebomboMountains
#SavannahBiome
#Land
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#ThisIsZuka
Oct 29
HIPPOPOTAMUS
Hippo spend most of their lives submerged, their sensitive skin and bulk better suited to water than the African sun.
Typically, they leave the safety of water only at night to graze, but on cooler days we might see them emerge!
#Hippo
#HippoCalf
#Semiaquatic
#AfricanMammals
#AnimalBehaviour
#NaturePhotography
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#ThisIsZuka
#Africa
Oct 20
LEOPARD
“….I am here he said.
I am in the grass.
This is my realm.
I am balanced in the fullness of me and, everything else is as it should be.
I am not making it so,
I am here while it is so.”
~ anonymous ~
#Leopard
#AfricanWildlife
#AfricanLandscape
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#ThisIsZuka
Oct 18
TINY SENTINEL
Giraffes will often notice what we cannnot – their height giving them a natural vantage point.
When giraffe stop and stare, and often in unison, it’s a quiet and useful signal to us that there may be a threat or predator in the landscape that should be considered.
This very young calf, about 1.8m high, is learning sentinel behaviour from the get-go!
#Giraffe
#GiraffeCalf
#BushLanguage
#AnimalBehaviour
#AfricanLandscape
#NaturePhotography
#WildlifeConservation
#Savannah
#Wild
#ThisIsZuka
Oct 15
GETTY ASTERISM
Back in 2021, celebrating our first 20 years of rewilding, conservation and preservation, we could begin to understand the possibilities that come from wilderness restoration.
Natural systems work in their own innate wisdom and need to be allowed to do so; reversing the damage that humans and land management practices have created. The restoration and protection of our Zuka wilderness has offered up an abundance of thriving wildlife and the recovery of biodiversity as a result, along with catalysing our deep curiosity in soil and motivation to establish our regenerative farm, Khula Farm!
Throughout this time we have attracted some passionate individuals and give them the opportunity to settle into the reserve and work on ideas, make discoveries, innovate, and sensitively, apply solutions.
Formalising this, Getty Asterism was born. A multifaceted ecology venture and a dedicated department for opportunities and students to research and craft formal scientific projects, Getty Asterism enables ecological innovations and partnerships to come to the fore as the thread that connects land, wildlife and humanity.
gettyasterism.earth
#Rewilding
#Ecology
#SoilHealth
#Regenerative
#Research
#Restoration
#Preservation
#Protection
#Wild
#Land
#Wildlife
#Humanity
#Biodiversity
#GettyAsterism
#ThisIsZuka
Oct 13
WATER
“The sound of water is worth more than all the poets’ words.”
~ Octavio Paz ~
(Poet!)
#Water
#Poetry
#LifeElexir
#Soundscape
#Wildlife
#ElephantDrinking
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#Inspired
#ThisIsZuka
Oct 10
SUCCESS!
The Munywana Conservancy was identified by the African Pangolin Working Group as suitable for the reintroduction of Temminck’s Ground Pangolin.
In 2019 the first animals were reintroduced here on Zuka Private Game Reserve and they are a joy to behold!
These pangolin are retrieved from illegal wildlife poaching and trading situations. They are first attended to by APWG to stabilise and rehabilitate, before reintroduction can be conisdered. This takes time and a team, including a specialist vet to bring them back to a healthy state.
Each pangolin is then fitted with tracking devices (VHF, UHF/GPS or satellite) for the Munyana Conservancy research team to continue monitoring after the release phases. The team check on the general health, foraging sessions, movement patterns and behaviours of the pangolins.
This work has also served as a pilot study and guided the “best practice” model for further reintroduction of Temminick’s Ground Pangolin.
With last records of their presence here dating back to the 1940’s, seeing pangolins safe and thriving in the wild here again is our greatest reward!
#Pangolin
#EndangeredSpecies
#Conservation
#Research
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#SuccessStories
#ThisIsZuka
Oct 7
THANK YOU!
To you all for your support of Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2025!
Wrapping up after the event is this important part: we thank you for playing a role, having a look here, watching and listening, commenting and liking, pushing up, sitting up, walking, running, donating and helping. Thank you for your particpation on event day at Zuka and, in a multitude of ways all over the world!
We have loved organising, filming, creating, fundraising, hosting and sharing!
The icing on this beautiful cake recipe is this: you have given generously and Zuka has raised $96,096.00 to go to the brilliant and multifaceted Oceans Without Borders programme.
Tusk will deploy every dollar along with match funding to this programme. We and the marine rangers are immensely grateful!
Ngiyabonga
Asante sana
Thank you
See you next year!🧡
#ItsAWrap
#WildlifeRangerChallenge
#ForWildlifeRangers
#OceansWithoutBorders
#MarineRangers
#MarineConservation
#Legacy
#ThisIsZuka
Oct 5
WILD DOGS!
African wild dogs have returned to the reserve recently which gets us all excited!
Seeing a pack of this endangered predator is a testament to collective conservation efforts, including the approach outside protected areas.
We hope they will stay for a while!
#WildDog
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#Conservation
#WildlifePhotography
#Safari
#ThisIsZuka
#SouthAfrica
Oct 1
TUSK
We were delighted to host Nick Bubb the CEO of @tusk_org at Zuka last week for Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2025!
This time together and our event day itself reminds us how deeply conservation is a shared endeavour - a sum of many parts - a weave of rangers on the ground with sustainable community development and global advocacy.
Zuka is an ecosystem of creativity, positivity and partnerships that amplifies the beauty and importance of wildlife and wild places; the heart of our natural heritage and our existence on planet Earth.
#WildlifeRangerChallenge
#ZukaPrivateGameReserve
#Tusk
#Defender
#WildImpact
#WildlifeGuardians
#Restored
#Protected
#Preserved
#Wild
#Inspired
#WildFun
#Africa
#ThisIsZuka
#Legacy
Sep 26
RECOVERY PLAN
..after Wildlife Ranger Challenge!
🥾🌾🧡🥾🌾🧡🥾🌾🧡🥾🌾🧡🥾
#WildlifeRangerChallenge
#ForWildlifeRangers
#PostRaceVibes
#Cheetah
#ThisIsZuka
Sep 23
“Courage is the measure of our heartfelt participation with life, with another, with a community, a work; a future.”
~ DAVID WHYTE ~
“Courage is the measure of our heartfelt participation with life, with another, with a community, a work; a future.”