Madikwe Game Reserve is situated in the North West Province and is bordered by Botswana to the north, the Dwarsberg Mountains to the south and the Marico river to the east. In 1992, Madikwe Game Reserve was chosen as the site of Operation Phoenix; this government sponsored game relocation programme was the largest ever seen in Africa and involved re-introducing and conserving flora and wildlife, which had long since disappeared from the region. Ten thousand animals of twenty seven major species, including wild dog, cheetah, lion, white and black rhino, buffalo and elephant, have been re-introduced to the Reserve over a six year period with animals coming from various reserves and breeding centres. The once cultivated land has long since returned to nature.