Coal and goods trains have caused a devastating trail of death and suffering within South African wildlife reserves, particularly in northern KwaZulu-Natal, as they rush southwards toward Richards Bay’s port. Incidents last Friday alone resulted in the loss of two rhinos, a giraffe, a wildebeest, and multiple impalas.
One Transnet locomotive collided with a group of four white rhinos in the Phongolo Nature Reserve on August 18, killing two and severely injuring another. The fate of the fourth rhino remains unknown. On the same day, a wildebeest and several impalas were struck in the adjoining Phongola Game Reserve, while one giraffe had to be euthanized after suffering a severe injury, possibly inflicted by another train.
In light of these tragic events, the managers of Phongola Private Reserve are urging Transnet to ensure that locomotive drivers reduce their speed while passing through the reserve. A decade ago, an agreement had been established between the reserve and Transnet, stipulating that trains would slow down to 40km/h to minimize wildlife casualties. However, it appears that train drivers have been disregarding this speed limit along a 20km section that cuts through the reserve, leading to an alarming increase in animal casualties.
Last week, a staff member estimated that a locomotive was traveling at least 70km/h while passing through the reserve. Video evidence supports the claim that some Transnet drivers are not adhering to the agreed-upon speed limit. Phongola reserve personnel estimate that around a dozen trains pass through the area each day, including several during the night.
The railway track connecting Mpumalanga to Richards Bay passes through Swaziland’s Phongola area and Hluhluwe. Musa Mntambo, a spokesperson for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, confirmed that two white rhinos were killed, one was seriously injured, and another remains missing following the train collision in Phongolo Nature Reserve on Friday. Ezemvelo is currently investigating the incident, and they cannot yet comment on whether high speed played a role.
Photographs of the incident indicate that the animals may not have been able to escape from the track quickly due to steep embankments or metal railings flanking both sides of the bridge. However, photographs shared by Kemp Landman, a spokesperson for Phongola Private Reserve, showcase a wide range of other wildlife killed on the adjacent tracks over the past year. Among the casualties were impalas, known for their ability to outrun cheetahs in open terrain. Landman reports that on Friday alone, they discovered five or six impalas lying scattered and broken next to the rail track.
In response to the ongoing wildlife carnage, Phongola Private Reserve is urging Transnet to instruct its drivers to slow down along this short section of the route. Landman acknowledges that Transnet has a responsibility to deliver cargo to its customers, but emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the protection of wildlife within the reserve.
While Landman cannot confirm allegations that Transnet drivers have been under pressure to speed up coal export deliveries to Richards Bay over the past year due to increased coal prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, various sources highlight the surge in road-haul trucks transporting coal from Mpumalanga. This increase has resulted in traffic congestion in Richards Bay and along adjacent sections of the N2 highway.
Cases like these further emphasize the global challenge faced by conservationists in curbing wildlife deaths caused by linear transport networks. As more transport corridors are fenced off, finding solutions to reduce casualties or enable animals to move more freely has become a priority for conservation managers. Researchers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal have documented a significant number of wild animals killed along various roads passing through protected areas.
Efforts to mitigate the impact of transportation infrastructure on wildlife have been undertaken before. The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) initiated a project aimed at reducing wildlife deaths along a railway line within Balule Nature Reserve, located in the Greater Kruger National Park. The project tackled a railway line stretching 45km from Hoedspruit to Phalaborwa, which posed a significant threat to local wildlife populations.
Since 2011, over 500 fatal wildlife-train collisions occurred on this line, resulting in the deaths of endangered species such as black rhinos, elephants, wild dogs, hippos, cheetahs, lions, giraffes, and white-backed vultures. This issue gained widespread attention at the inaugural African Conference for Linear Infrastructure and Ecology in 2019, where experts highlighted the need for solutions as Africa faces numerous development projects, including power lines, roads, railways, pipelines, and ports.
As efforts continue to address the impact of transportation systems on wildlife, it is imperative that measures are taken to protect vulnerable species and ensure the sustainability of South Africa’s precious wildlife reserves.
Keywords: South Africa, wildlife reserves, coal trains, goods trains, Transnet, Phongolo Nature Reserve, Rhinos, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Impalas, Wildlife casualties, Speed limits, Phongola Game Reserve, Coal prices, Ukraine, Mpumalanga, Richards Bay, Linear transport networks, Hluhluwe, Balule Nature Reserve, Endangered Wildlife Trust, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Conservation managers.
