Ithala Game Reserve
| Ithala Game Reserve | |
|---|---|
 Giraffe amid mountainous terrain in Ithala | |
  Location of the reserve in KwaZulu-Natal | |
| Location | KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| Nearest city | Durban, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 27°32′48″S 31°18′49″E / 27.546705°S 31.313532°E |
| Area | 290 km2 (110 sq mi) |
| Established | 1973 |
| Governing body | Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife |
Ithala Game Reserve is situated in 290 km2 of rugged, mountainous thornveld, about 400 km north of
sourveld
, high-lying grassland plateaus, mountain ridges and cliff faces.
Game
Grazers include
tsessebe, blue wildebeest, eland and reedbuck. With the exception of reedbuck, these species have been observed to produce young seasonally around November to December in Ithala, when ample green forage is available.[1] The browsers include duiker, bushbuck, nyala, kudu and giraffe, which deliver their young at any time of the year.[1]
Reintroductions
All the big game species have been re-established with the exception of lion. Locally extinct red-billed oxpeckers were reintroduced from the Kruger Park, c. 1994, when 175 birds were released.[1]
Plants
This reserve is likely the only place in KwaZulu-Natal where the rare tree Protea comptonii grows.[2]
History
- In the late 1800s land was given by boerfarmers.
- In 1973 the then Natal Parks Board started buying up farms in this area to make up this Reserve.
Trivia
- There are two abandoned gold mines in Ithala.
See also
- List of conservation areas of South Africa
References
- ^ a b c Dames, Koos (2013). Bykans 70 jaar se onthou... pp. 25, 50.
- ^ Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (19 August 2019). "Saddleback Sugarbush". Red List of South African Plants. version 2020.1. South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
External links
- KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government homepage
- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (previous known as Natal Parks Board)
- South African National Parks Official Site
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
