Koffylaagte Game Lodge

Cem Kumral, the owner of Koffylaagte is well aware that he could generate bigger revenues from industrious farming activities with domestic animals than he can with a private game reserve.  However, Cem takes pride and pleasure from making his 1800 hectares a pristine conservation area.

Koffylaagte Game Lodge currently has breeding programmes for disease free Cape Buffalo, White Rhino, Giraffe, some elusive antelope species such as Nyala and Waterbuck , as well as endangered plants including cycads and elephant foot yam, which are found in their natural state on the reserve.

As there are no large predators on the reserve, the game population is managed carefully in a sustainable way to preserve the natural habitat, fauna and flora in a healthy balance. The lodge also utilizes game meat for selling biltong and divine venison dishes that the chef serves guests in the restaurant.

Wildlife Breeding Programmes

Foreword by the Owner:

Owner: Cem Kumral

Our vision is  ‘to protect and improve nature while creating wealth, employment and social upliftment through wildlife breeding and organic farming initiatives’ ..

Koffylaagte also entered into an agreement with ‘Juwi Renewable Energies (PTY) Ltd’ during the first half of 2014, to support the ‘wolf’ wind farming project and is committed to playing an active role in bridging the sustainable green energy production and the economic and social development of the local community.   Further initiatives include wildlife breeding and olive plantations to meet this objective.

Our Breeding Programmes:

   Cape Buffalo:

‘”Cheeky” – our prize Bull (September 2014)

Cheeky’s Measurements (12 Sept 2014 )

Greatest width of horns: 108cm (42,5 inch)

Tip to Tip: 189,5cm (74,6 inch)

Width of bosses: 34,5cm – 34,7cm (13,58 inch – 13,66 inch)

Historic / Genetic Data;

Cheeky’s teeth (Vet: Raul Strydom) – (September 2014)

Age: 10 years old

Origin: Kbusi Safaris – Purchased by Koffylaagte August 2010

Micro Chip no: 4 A 4 4 5 8 2 6 4 1

Medical history  / Blood line: Excellent health, disease free, clean medical record, no injury – East African blood line

Productivity: 4 years at Koffylaagte,  5 calves born from 2 cows in 4 years, one cow pregnant 5 months.

Cheeky’s eldest off spring (24 December 2011)

Cheeky’s 1st born – ( 28 August 2014 – 3 years, 8 months old)

Measurements (12 Sept 2014 )

Greatest width of horns: 84cm (33,07 inch)

Inside width:70,5cm (27,8 inch)

Tip to Tip: 183,5cm (72,24 inch)

Width of each bosses: 30,5cm – 30,0cm (13,58 inch – 13,66 inch)

Circumference of the testicles: 41cm (16,1inch)

Cheeky’s 2nd Son – ( 28 August 2014 – 3 years, 5 months old)

Measurements: Not measured yet.

Health: Excellent

Cheeky’s 3rd Son – (12 September 2014 – 1 year, 7 months old)

Measurements: Not measured yet.

Health: Excellent

Pregnant Cow with Bull Calf – New Cows Bought from Warn Rippon – Buffalo Creet, Grahamstown, August 2014

White Rhinos:

‘Joy’, the new member of the Koffylaagte Family.

Pride and Joy – during their introduction

Those all important veterinary controls

Our bull ‘Pride’ and his partner ‘Justice’ were poached in October 2013.   Against all odds, Pride lived up to his name, and survived, despite being dehorned, but Justice died on the spot.

Thanks to the ‘Poached Rhino Org.’ a charitable organisation who helped us raise funds and thanks to the support of the Nature Conservation, we now have Joy, his new companion, and we are back to our breeding initiative again, despite losing a year.  Both Rhinoceros are  dehorned and will remain that way as part of our protection protocol, along with CCTV control, various alarms and tracking devices installed.

Moonlight Boma

A first of its kind Rhino conservation initiative developed at Koffylaagte..we call it ‘ a moonlight boma’..This is a controllable and yet comfortably sized enclosure adjacent to the main lodge where the rhinos are fed their daily supplementary feeding. They freely access the boma, except during the full moon where they are kept in an armed enclosure with CCTV cameras. Rhinos are diurnal animals, hence active during the day and sleep at night, however they continue grazing during full moon periods, especially if they still hungry..This makes them especially vulnerable to being poached more than any other period, as their unusual movement and visibility in the moonlight creates an opportunity poachers.   Increasing the evening supplement and keeping the rhinos in an enclosure offers them a peaceful sleep and much desired security.

Joy nibbling on lucerne in the ‘moonlight boma’

Eland:

Koffylaagte’s Cape Eland

Koffylaagte has built-up a mean stock of 85 Cape Eland and has plans to introduce exotic Livingstone Eland bulls to transform the value in its successful breeding initiative.

Giraffe:

Koffylaagte’s stunning giraffe

Koffylaage’s Giraffe

 Koffylaagte first introduced Giraffe in 2009 with two males and two females. Unfortunately one male was found with a broken leg soon after and had to be put down. The surviving male and two females adapted well and formed a successful breeding ‘partnership’, reaching a total of 9 giraffe by September 2014.

Horses:

Koffylaagte breeds fine Boer Perd horses, suitable for the Karoo veld. All horses are sired by a fine stallion called ‘Big Boy’.. Offering horseback safari rides in our tranquil setting, surrounded by wildlife, fauna and Karoo flora,  is one of the most enjoyable recreations we have at Koffylaagte.