About

The Reserve

Big Water Safaris have the exclusive rights to hunt on Laohu Valley Reserve which was established in 2002 when a total of 17 sheep ranches were purchased for conservation purposes. The reserve spans both sides of the Gariep River with more than 38 Km (23 miles) of riverfront and consists of 33000 hectares (83000 acres). It is situated halfway between Philippolis and Colesberg, two small towns in the upper Karoo region. For at least a century these ranches had been used primarily for raising sheep with many areas suffering from severe overgrazing. While it is hard to find a true wilderness area in modern South Africa the clock is slowly turning back on the reserve with biodiversity restored and the introduction of Apex predators like Cheetah.

South China Tiger Project.

The majority of the meat harvested is used to feed a population of endangered

South Chinese Tigers, resident in a 300ha fenced-off area on the reserve.

Central to Laohu Valley Reserve is a project to breed and rewild the endangered South China Tiger (Tigris amoyensis). Laohu Valley Reserve have 20 of these rare felines and as 20 hungry tigers (and they are always hungry) consume a lot of fresh meat, we are constantly busy hunting to keep them suitably fed. The vast majority of animals harvested on the reserve is fed to the tigers. Follow the link below to learn more about the South China Tiger Project. http://www.savechinastigers.org/

Big Water Safaris where hunting supports real conservation.

Where Hunters contribute to saving the world’s most endangered tiger species