User:Salitje/Kruger National Park in the 1970s

The Kruger National Park in the 1970s

1970

 * January 18 – A crocodile catches an employee of the Skukuza Post Office, Marius Meyer, at a popular Sabie River fishing spot close to Skukuza Rest Camp.
 * March 13 – The chief biologist, Dr U. de V. Pienaar, succeeds A.M. Brynard as Nature Conservator.
 * July 10 – A train accident kills 19 buffaloes near Bume, south of Skukuza.

1971

 * May 17 – Black rhinos re-introduced to the Park. The species became extinct in the Park during the 1940s.

1972

 * February 1 – Commercial Airways commences a daily air service from Johannesburg's Rand Airport to Skukuza.

1973

 * March 21 – The Paul Kruger Entrance Gate near Skukuza opens for tourist traffic.
 * June – Construction of the Kanniedood Dam near Shingwedzi starts.
 * October 23 – Scientists discover a new frog species, the knocking sand frog (Tomopterna krugerensis) around the Machayi and Mathlakuza Pans near Pafuri.

1974

 * December – Park authorities re-introduce carnivore control in selected areas.

1976

 * March – The new Frelimo government in Mozambique closes the Pafuri border post.

1978

 * July 3 – The first wilderness trail, the Wolhuter Trail near Malelane Camp, opens.

1979

 * August 13 – A group of 8 yellow-billed oxpeckers (Buphagus africanus) seen north of Shingwedzi Rest Camp. This was the first sighting of this species in South Africa after extinction due to the 1896 rinderpest epidemic.
 * November 19 – The second wilderness trail, the Olifants Trail, opens.