Page 40 - SilverLakes_Issue 4_2022

NATURE

THE SABIE RIVER

By James Clarke, photographs by Mary Broadley

The most biologically diverse river in southern Africa.

here’s a river in Mpumalanga, a mere of river on the planet. The Amazon has elephant, black rhino, Cape buffalo, lion,
230km long, that is unique – unique nothing to compare with the Sabie’s wildlife and leopard. In addition, there are 19
Tnot just in South Africa, but in the in and out of the water. species of antelope plus a bewildering
world as well. variety of smaller mammals.
Almost half the river’s length is in Kruger
It is called the Sabie and it rises 2 000 or so Park. The Sabie-Sand River Basin (the Sand River
metres up in Mpumalanga’s Drakensberg merges with the Sabie in the park) covers
Escarpment. It then drops rapidly down Its species of fish alone total 47. Its frog 7 000 square kilometres, including the
to the Lowveld after racing through the life is also remarkable and so is its variety Sabi Sands Game Reserve and four smaller
small but wildly growing town of Sabie of birds. I’d guess at more than 400 species reserves on the Kruger National Park’s
and, 50km on, through Hazyview and into of birds, including what birders nowadays western flank.
Kruger National Park. From there, it crosses try to spot – the ‘Big Six’. These are the
into Mozambique, to be swallowed up by lappet-faced vulture, the ground hornbill, A big concern is what is happening west of
the Inkomati River, which empties into the Pel’s fishing owl, the saddle-billed stork, the these reserves.
Indian Ocean. martial eagle and the Kori bustard.
The town of Sabie has allowed its sewerage
Biologically, considering the Sabie’s modest Its variety of mammals is a world wonder plant to deteriorate and pollute the river.
length, it is probably the richest stretch and includes the original ‘Big Five’ – Hazyview is becoming overwhelmed by

Along the Sabie – the best place in South Africa to see lions Water dikkop at bird-rich Panic Dam in the Sabie-Sand basin

38 | INTRAMUROS MAY 2022