Kriek Wildlife Group - Full Wildlife Service

The Kriek Wildlife Group isn’t just a game-farm — it’s a full-service wildlife enterprise rooted in decades of experience, conservation, and family dedication. The Kriek Wildlife Group website describes a broad offering: wildlife and farm sales, wildlife consultations, veterinary and capture services, farm property sales, and eco-tourism through their private reserve Mattanu.

At the heart of KWG is true expertise: their team — Dr. Johan Kriek (Wildlife veterinarian), Jacques Kriek (Marketing & sales) & Johann Kriek (Helicopter pilot & sales) — offers wildlife capture and veterinary services including chemical immobilization (darting), aerial vaccination, monitoring and census by helicopter. In fact, they claim to have successfully darted over 60,000 animals.

Beyond veterinary care, KWG offers wildlife consulting: advising on habitat, animal handling and movement, nutrition (minerals, deficiencies), disease control — helping conserve biodiversity and maintain healthy herds.

They also assist clients in the acquisition or sale of farmland — whether wildlife, livestock or crop farms — across Central South Africa, Northern Cape, Free State, North West, and Kalahari regions.

Finally, the family behind KWG runs a private reserve and tourism lodge: Mattanu Private Game Reserve, offering immersive safari experiences, making their mission about conservation, enjoyment of nature, and sustainable wildlife practices.

What Wildlife They Offer

On the “Wildlife Sales” section of their website, KWG lists a very wide variety of species available for sale or auction — underlining their focus on genetic diversity and suitable stock for game farms. Animals include: Cape Buffalo, Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Livingstone Eland, various Oryx types (Red, Golden, Saddleback, etc.), Blue and Golden Wildebeest, Impala (including Black Impala), Tsessebe, Waterbuck, Giraffe, Burchell’s Zebra, Red Hartebeest, Kudu, Ostrich, and more.

For example, their herd of Livingstone Eland — one of Africa’s largest antelopes — is offered as breeding stock or trophy bulls, and is promoted for good genetics, adaptability to dry climate, and relatively frequent calving intervals, making them an attractive investment for game-farmers.

The Annual Wildlife Auction: What It Is

Each year, KWG hosts an auction — a major event for wildlife sales, trading, and acquisition of breeding stock, facilitated by both live and remote bidders. The 2026 auction, is scheduled for 11 April 2026 at 11:00 (live auction) with a timed (online) auction starting on 9 April 2026.

The auction catalogue will again reflect a broad species inventory — making the auction an important marketplace for ranchers, conservancies, or wildlife-farmers looking to buy or upgrade their herds.

In addition to the sale of wildlife, KWG’s structure (veterinary, transport, consulting, farm-sales) means buyers have access to support services; for example, relocation, veterinary care, advice on habitat, and farm-management support — making it more than a simple “sale.”

From Game Farming to Eco-Tourism: The Mattanu Legacy

An important part of KWG’s identity is rooted in conservation and eco-tourism, embodied in Mattanu Private Game Reserve. Established in 1991 by Dr Johan Kriek and his family, the reserve began as a breeding ground for rare species such as roan and sable antelope — later expanding to disease-free buffalo, and other species.

Mattanu spans about 4,700 hectares and hosts more than 36 species and roughly 900 animals today, making it both a conservation hub and an immersive safari destination.

Since 2006, the reserve has operated as an eco-tourism lodge — offering luxury safari tents, cabins, camping, guided game drives (even helicopter safaris or fly-in aircraft & glider tours), and an opportunity for guests to experience wildlife, nature, and hospitality combined.

This dual role — conservation & tourism — reflects KWG’s broader mission: not only providing wildlife services and sales, but preserving biodiversity, promoting ethical wildlife management, and making wild-space accessible for people to appreciate (and hopefully understand) the value of wildlife in South Africa.

Why KWG Matters (And What to Keep in Mind)

• Integrated approach: KWG isn’t just about auctions or sales — they combine veterinary expertise, wildlife-capture and relocation, consulting, farm-sales, and even tourism. That level of vertical integration means clients get more than animals; they get support, advice, and infrastructure.

• Conservation & genetic diversity: By offering a variety of species (some rare or less common) and promoting healthy breeding stock, KWG can help maintain genetic diversity in game farms and private reserves — which is valuable for long-term sustainability.

• Accessibility & flexibility: Their services — from capturing/relocation via helicopter, to consulting and farm-sales — make it easier for landowners or new reserve owners to establish or expand wildlife holdings, even if they don’t have prior experience.

• Conservation meets tourism: Through Mattanu, KWG shows that wildlife operations don’t have to be purely commercial — there can be a balance between conservation, sustainable management, and eco-tourism, offering an alternative to purely for-profit wildlife trade.

At the same time, given the commercial and business aspects of wildlife sales, auctions and relocations, it remains important for participants or interested parties to consider ethical wildlife practices, long-term welfare of animals, habitat suitability, and responsible game-farm management. Contact the Kriek Wildife Group team today!