*2.1. Study Area*

This study was conducted at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, which covers 900 km<sup>2</sup> and extends between 28◦00 S and 28◦26 S, and 31◦43 E and 32◦09 E in the northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Figure 1). The reserve was established in 1895 and is managed by Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (EKZN Wildlife). The landscape undulates with an altitude ranging from approximately 50 to 500 m.a.s.l. and comprises a mixture of soil types resulting from topographic and climatic heterogeneity [33]. The terrain of the study area on the right side of Figure 1 was plotted using the Global Multi-resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010 data set. The version of this data is the Breakline Emphasis, 7.5 arc-s, and is archived as USGS/GMTED2010 in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) JavaScript platform. Land cover classification was also performed in the GEE environment so as to show the types of vegetation cover in the HiP.

**Figure 1.** The study area showing the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in the north-eastern part of South Africa.

There are two main rivers that pass through this nature park, namely the Black and White Umfolozi. The entire area of the park is fenced and borders on populated rural communities. Vegetation varies from semi-deciduous forests in the north of Hluhluwe to open savanna woodlands in the southern iMfolozi. Much of the area is dominated by woodland savanna interspersed with shrub thicket [34]. The northern part of the park has hilly terrain and is dominated by forest. The climate is subtropical with summer rainfall. It receives a mean annual rainfall ranging from 700 to 985 mm, much of it occurring between October and March [35]. The park supports approximately 1200 plant species, including 300 tree and 150 grass species.
