Skukuza Research Station (SSLI Campus)

The Skukuza Research Station is situated in the world-renowned Kruger National Park in northern-eastern South Africa. The station, known locally as the SSLI Campus, was officially opened in 2017 as a multi-institution biological field station focused on supporting field-based training, advancing ecological research in savanna systems, and providing a platform for skills exchange between visiting researchers and conservation managers.

Researchers and students at the station can gain valuable insights from its sub-tropical savanna environment. Given the size of the Kruger National Park (spanning over 2 million hectares), its diverse faunal and floral communities, and its rich history of research-driven decision-making,  the station offers an ideal setting for a wide range of ecological research and conservation management training.

Our research focuses mostly on functional trait ecology, the ecology of ephemeral water bodies and disease ecology in small vertebrates. Our long-term monitoring programs are coordinated by local biodiversity experts and provide a research and training platform for early career scientists and conservation practitioners.