Ilanda Wilds

Coordinates: 30°03′05″S 30°52′02″E / 30.05139°S 30.86722°E / -30.05139; 30.86722
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ilanda Wilds Nature Reserve
Marshland and riparian forest in the reserve
LocationAmanzimtoti, South Africa
Coordinates30°03′05″S 30°52′02″E / 30.05139°S 30.86722°E / -30.05139; 30.86722
Area20 ha (49 acres)
Established1965, February 1969[1]
Governing bodyAmanzimtoti town council

Ilanda Wilds is a nature reserve along the aManzimtoti River in the town of Amanzimtoti, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.[2][3] This small area of land (20 ha [49 acres][2]) contains various habitat types, ranging from steep rocky slopes to various riverine habitats, forest and small patches of grassland.[3]

History

A portion of Ilanda Wilds was a quarry site.[3] Once the site was abandoned, it was decided by the former Wildlife Society of South Africa (now WESSA) to be rehabilitated as a nature reserve to protect the wide diversity of plants in the area and was proclaimed in the 1960s (1965[2]) after interaction between local residents (including Charles and Ann Swart), the Wildlife Society and the Local Council of Amanzimtoti.[3][4] According to Colleen Gill:

"concern about the rapid reduction of
indigenous vegetation in 1965 resulted in the formation of the Flora and Fauna preservation committee. This subsequently affiliated with the Wild Life Protection and Conservation Society (now known as Wildlife and Environment Society of SA)."[5]

With the help of "a handful of enthusiasts" and the assistance of

isiZulu: "So, the water is sweet"). It was decided by local council members to place the memorial in Ilanda Wilds, as this was a convenient place next to the river,[4] even though no one knows the actual site where King Shaka rested and drank the water.[4][6] During the late 1980s and early 1990s Ilanda Wilds reached its peak of development with well maintained paths, bridges and ablution facilities.[6] However the increasing crime situation in South Africa during the 1990s did not leave Ilanda Wilds untouched, and theft from motor vehicles that were left unattended at Ilanda Wilds became commonplace.[4][6][7] The ablution facilities were also continuously vandalized[6][7] and it was decided to demolish them.[7]
According to Keith Walters who was in charge of maintaining Ilanda Wilds:

Euphorbias on the cliffs
A section of the abandoned quarry site
"I soon realised that society had changed and respectable people no longer wanted to wander and enjoy the reserve [due to] the real threat of criminal elements. Any money that was spent on repairing infrastructure e.g. bridges, fences, ablutions or signage was wasted as these were stolen, or vandalised."[7]

And:

"I also instructed the tourism office not to recommend the area in any brochures due to negative publicity we got from vehicle break-ins, debaucherous behaviour of members of the public, incidents of theft and the poor condition of the reserve infrastructure."[7]

In 2009 a committee was set up by members of the local community under the guidance of Jomo Sibisi.

inyangas defaced it with muti out of revenge for being chastised for debarking local trees for medicinal use.[6][8] Other intentions of some members of the committee were to develop a motorbike track in the reserve, a concrete boating slip-way, and a restaurant on top of the cliffs.[6] Some alien plant control was allegedly encouraged by Mr. Sibisi, but in the process some indigenous vegetation in the form of large Dalbergia obovata specimens were mistaken for invasive Pereskia aculeata and cut and poisoned, resulting in rapid growth of the real Pereskia.[6] The committee collapsed in late 2009 due to a lack of support from the community[6] and a lack of support and feedback from the municipality.[9] The field ranger was redeployed in mid-2010 to Silverglen Nature Reserve.[9] A herd of 29 cattle were subsequently free to overgraze the floodplain areas, despite appeals to the metro police, the municipality and the cow herder.[6] Sangomas and inyangas freely use the area to collect muti and to conduct ceremonies involving placing muti in the river, vomiting in the river, and slaughtering chickens and goats in the reserve and spreading the remains around where they are left to rot.[6]
One inyanga claimed:

"Now that this man (Jomo Sibisi) who bought the place has run away - the municipality says we are free to do what we want here."

It has since emerged that Ilanda Wilds is not an official Nature Reserve and is (in 2010) not on the list of nature reserves to be proclaimed by Ethekwini Municipality.[9] The area is instead zoned in part as "Coastal Bush" and in part as "Public Open Space" by the municipality:[10][11]

"To my knowledge this reserve was never proclaimed in terms of the Protected Areas Act, but is rather just a municipal reserve."[12]

During 2010, a local group entitled Friends of Amanzimtoti Green Areas has been undertaking to keep an eye on Ilanda Wilds to report on the problems there and to encourage the municipality to take better care of the area for its rich biodiversity, with the intention to have Ilanda Wilds proclaimed an official nature reserve, and to have it as the center of a conservancy.[10][11] According to Sibusiso Mkhwanazi (Manager of Natural Resources at Ethekwini):

"We will have a meeting early January 2011 to discuss management issues for Ilanda Nature Reserve."[13]

Etymology

The name Ilanda Wilds stems from the isiZulu word for cattle egret (iLanda)[3] and English 'Wilds' meaning "wild area".[4] It has been proposed that the correct spelling should be eLanda Wilds[8] meaning "Place of the Cattle Egret; wild area". The cattle egret was chosen as a symbol as these birds used to roost in large numbers in the reeds and trees along the banks of the river.[3][4]

Conservation Significance

The large Celtis mildbraedii at Ilanda Wilds

Ilanda Wilds was declared "An Area of Conservation Significance" by KZN Wildlife in the 1990s, and a certificate was issued in this respect.[7] The area has a high biodiversity and many habitat types for such a small area.[3][4][14]

Ilanda Wilds is the site of the southernmost natural specimen of the Natal white stinkwood (Celtis mildbraedii).[15][16] This species of tree is uncommon and at one stage was classified as the rarest tree species in South Africa.[15] The tree at Ilanda Wilds miraculously survived the mining operations and was already a large specimen when the reserve was proclaimed, and may be over 100 years old.[4] Ilanda Wilds contains around 120 species of trees and shrubs, including two large Fluted Milkwoods.[6][17][18]

The reserve is also an important wintering site for the

Cape clawless otters are also resident in Ilanda Wilds.[14][17]

Wildlife

Species of Amanzimtoti River and Ilanda Wilds:

Vertebrates

Mammals

Thryonomys swinderianus), vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops pygerythrus).[14] There are also several smaller mammal species such as bats, rodents and shrews.[14]

Birds

A small selection of the species recorded: Reed cormorant (

Amblyospiza albifrons).[14]

Reptiles

Eastern green mamba (

Bradypodion melanocephalum).[14]

  • Chamaeleo dilepis at Ilanda Wilds
    Chamaeleo dilepis
     at Ilanda Wilds
  • Bradypodion melanocephalum at Ilanda Wilds
    Bradypodion melanocephalum
     at Ilanda Wilds
  • Lycodonomorphus rufulus at Ilanda Wilds
    Lycodonomorphus rufulus
     at Ilanda Wilds
  • Varanus niloticus at Ilanda Wilds
    Varanus niloticus
     at Ilanda Wilds

Frogs

Phrynobatrachus natalensis).[14]

Fish

Burrowing goby (

Anguilla mossambica).[14]

Invertebrates

Butterflies

A butterfly census is underway at Ilanda Wilds (2010). Some of the species recorded so far can be seen in the pictures below:

  • Sarangesa motozi
    Sarangesa motozi
  • Telchinia encedon
    Telchinia encedon
  • Netrobalane canopus
    Netrobalane canopus

Crustaceans

The

Natal river crab
, swimming crabs and shrimps are found in Ilanda Wilds.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ilanda Wilds.
  1. ^ "Area 1: Ilanda Wilds ('White Bird' Wilds)". The Toti Wilds Eco Club. January 2011. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  2. ^
    ISBN 1-86812-487-8
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Swart, C. Ilanda wilds - our own natural garden: South Coast Sun: 13 October 1974.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Swart, C. (2009)
  5. ^ a b c d e Gill, C. Interest Shown in Ilanda Wilds: South Coast Sun: 26 November 2010.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Purves, M. (2010)
  7. ^ a b c d e f Walters, K. (2010).
  8. ^ a b c d e Sibisi, J (2009).
  9. ^ a b c Ilanda Wilds left out in the Cold: South Coast Sun: 19 November 2010.
  10. ^ a b "Wessa KZN News Dec 2010" (PDF). www.wessa.org.za. Retrieved 21 December 2010.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ a b Green, D. (2010)
  12. ^ Douwes, E. (2010)
  13. ^ Mkhwanazi, S. (2010).
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Purves, M.(2009)
  15. ^ a b Bodenstein, J. (2009)
  16. ^ Blake, B. (2009)
  17. ^ a b c Blake, B.(2010)
  18. ^ Why Ilanda Wilds must be protected: South Coast Sun: 19 November 2010.
  19. ^ a b c d Mfeka, M(2010)
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