Tourists who provoke animals will be kicked out – SANParks

Tourists who provoke animals in South Africa’s national parks will be escorted off the park, with possible criminal action against them, SANParks has said. The authority’s comments follow the publication of a video showing a lioness being provoked by a radio-controlled car in the Kruger National Park.  

The video, which was uploaded online by Lowveld Media on March 24, depicts a remote-controlled car being steered towards the lioness with surrounding vehicles present.

When contacted by Tourism Update, Wanda Mkutshulwa, SANParks Head of Communications, described the behaviour as stupid.


Mkutshulwa pointed out that people often linked the KNP with incidents that might have happened at a neighbouring game farm. However, Benno Stander, Online Editor of Lowveld Media, confirmed that the incident did in fact occur in the KNP. “The person who sent the video to us is a well-known person and a source of ours but he’s currently doing work in Kruger National Park, so he opted to remain anonymous,” said Stander.

Spokesman for the KNP, William Mabasa, told the Lowvelder: “This is a serious violation of the rules of the Kruger and against the spirit and nature of all the rules in the park.

“The animals get scared and stressed, but they are also curious and might want to inspect the object, eat it and then perhaps choke on it and die. They might also run away and that is unfair to the other visitors who are viewing the animals,” Mabasa said.

Mkutshulwa said that anyone who was found to be engaging in such behaviour would be escorted by game rangers out of the park and, if necessary, criminal action against them would be taken.

You can view the incident by clicking here.