Fauna

There are Nature Reserves in each of the four major ecological zones in the country: the highveld; middleveld; lowveld; and Lubombo. These are living museums, islands of the past that accommodate Swaziland''s wild animals and indigenous plants, they also offer visitors an opportunity to see them. There is a major difference between Swaziland''s reserves and those in South Africa: in Swaziland the few reserves that do have dangerous animals like lion and rhino keep them in large fenced enclosures allowing visitors to roam free on hiking trails over thousands of hectares of beautiful scenery.

Of course wild animals and birds are not limited exclusively to the reserves, but they certainly offer the best chances of seeing them. The highveld reserve of Malolotja offers large numbers of antelope like blesbuck, some of the giant eland which was sacred to the Bushmen and herds of zebra in dramatic mountain landscapes. Middleveld reserves like Phophonyane and Mantenga have excellent birdwatching in the riverine forests whilst Mlilwane has animals that are not shy, offering a good chance for visitors to get a close view and detailed photos. The lowveld reserves of Hlane, Mbuluzi, Mlawula and Nisela are close to the classic view of African wildlife - arid landscapes with scattered trees and dense forest with large herds of antelope and prolific birdlife. Complete species cjhecklists are available through the accompanying link.