A Family's Vision: Bringing Lions and Cheetahs Back to South Africa's Great Karoo Through Rewilding

Once a vast home to lions and cheetahs, South Africa's Great Karoo was transformed by farming, fences, and hunting. By the 1840s, lions had disappeared, and by the 1870s, cheetahs followed suit.

The land now part of Samara Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape was once dominated by livestock farming. However, in 1997, the family allowed nature to reclaim thousands of acres. After 25 years of thoughtful rewilding, both lions and cheetahs have not only returned but are thriving.

The incredible success of reintroducing these iconic big cats is largely attributed to Mark and Sarah Tompkins' unwavering vision.

Over five years, the couple acquired 11 farms spanning 27,000 hectares (67,000 acres) with the aim of restoring the land. Isabelle Tompkins, their eldest daughter and the business development manager at Samara, explains, 'This area wasn’t wild anymore; all migrating animals and the predators that accompanied them were excluded.'

The family’s ambitious dream began with small, humble steps, starting with a closer look at the land beneath their feet. When they purchased it, much of the land was overgrazed, with eroded gullies and barren patches. By removing fences and livestock, the rewilding effort began from the very ground up.

Although the region is semi-arid, Isabelle notes, 'There’s an astonishing diversity of life here, especially endemic plants.' In fact, five out of South Africa’s nine plant habitats can be found within the boundaries of Samara.

As the years passed, the region’s plant life began to thrive once again. Forests, grasslands, rivers, and mountains stretch across the reserve, offering homes and grazing for herbivores—around 20 species of antelope—and megaherbivores like elephants. Isabelle reflects, 'Step by step, we’ve been reintroducing the elements that would have once defined this ecosystem.'

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With a steady supply of prey, it became possible to reintroduce top predators. In 2003, cheetahs were brought back to the region after an absence of 130 years. Of the first three individuals, female Sibella became an iconic figure at Samara. After surviving a brutal attack by hunting dogs and humans at age two, Sibella underwent life-saving surgery and rehabilitation before being released at Samara. Over her lifetime, she would give birth to 20 cubs, raising all but one to adulthood before passing away of natural causes in 2015.

With a cheetah population that has grown significantly, Samara has become a source for translocating individuals to other reserves and national parks through the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project. In exchange, new cheetahs are brought to Samara, helping to ensure genetic diversity within the population.

The King Returns

With cheetah territories securely established, the time was ripe for the reintroduction of lions—an important milestone for both Samara and the greater Great Karoo region.

In January 2019, male Titus and female Sikelele were introduced, followed shortly by female Sheba. Just two years later, Sikelele has birthed two litters, and Sheba one. The reserve's first cubs are now sometimes seen hunting independently, according to the Tompkins.

'As apex predators, lions were always going to make a significant impact,' says Tompkins.

The reintroduction of lions has altered the dynamics at Samara. More carcasses are available for jackals to scavenge, which has led to fewer springboks being preyed upon, allowing their numbers to rise. Meanwhile, black wildebeest have been producing more offspring, possibly in response to the predation pressure from lions, the Tompkins observe.

The rewilding program at Samara has been so successful that even the leopard has returned on its own. Known for their ability to leap over fences, a large male was spotted inside the reserve in April 2021 and was frequently captured on camera traps in the months that followed. 'This is incredibly exciting, as it shows that the conditions are right for its survival again,' said Isabelle and Sarah Tompkins in an email.

'We can’t afford to be anything less than ambitious about this,' says Tompkins.

Samara Private Nature Reserve funds its rewilding efforts through tourism. Visitors can stay in luxury lodges, camp under the stars, and enjoy safaris and cheetah tracking experiences, with all profits reinvested into the reserve's conservation initiatives.

Perhaps Samara’s most ambitious project extends beyond its own borders. The reserve is working on a long-term plan to establish a land corridor that will connect Camdeboo National Park and Mountain Zebra National Park in the Karoo. This will restore historic migration routes and further rewild large areas of land.

According to the Tompkins, this corridor has the potential to become 'the last great mega-reserve in South Africa,' covering a vast 1.3 million acres (over 526,000 hectares). As one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots, the initiative will depend on voluntary agreements with private landowners to manage the land sustainably, rather than through government land acquisitions.

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Thinking big has always been at the heart of Samara’s mission, but the urgency has only increased due to the United Nations' Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. The initiative emphasizes that restoring just 15% of degraded land in key areas could prevent up to 60% of predicted species extinctions, while also delivering substantial climate and socio-economic benefits.

'We’re running out of time,' says Isabelle, referring to the UN’s ambitious restoration goals. 'This is why the work is so urgent. It has to happen—we can’t afford to be anything less than ambitious.'

Despite the urgency, Isabelle remains hopeful. 'I believe if people focus on what they can control and make a difference in their own sphere, positive change will follow,' she says. 'Our sphere just happens to be 27,000 hectares.'