Eshowe is the oldest town of European settlement in Zululand, historically also known as Eziqwaqweni, Ekowe or kwaMondi. Eshowe's name is said to be inspired by the sound of wind blowing through the more than 4 km² of the indigenous Dlinza Forest, the most important and striking feature of the town. Although the name is most likely to be derived from the Zulu word for the Xysmalobium shrubs, showe or shongwe.
The Dlinza Forest is a subtropical forest or Coastal Scarp Forest in Eshowe, Zululand, South Africa, one of five natural forests running in a 100 km line running northwest from the coast. Others are the Ongoye, Entumeni, Nkandla and Qudeni Forests. They are the most important forests in southern Africa from the aspect of unique biodiversity. It contains rare birds, chameleons, snails, butterflies, moths, frogs and beetles. Dlinza is the home of more than 65 species of birds, including the endangered spotted ground thrush which breeds here, rare Delegorgue's pigeon, magnificent purple-crested turaco and Narina trogon.
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The São Tomé shrew is a white-toothed shrew about 3.0 in (7.6 cm) long found only on São Tomé Island, São Tomé and Príncipe. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss and a restricted range. It was discovered in 1886. The population continues to decrease, making these animals rare. It is found only on São Tomé Island, a small island that is actually a shield volcano that rises out of the Atlantic Ocean.
A genet is a member of the genus Genetta, which consists of 17 species of small African carnivorans. The common genet is the only genet present in Europe and occurs in the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and France.
The dwarf brocket, or chunyi, is a small species of deer native to the Andean highlands in western Bolivia and southeastern Peru, where it is found in forest and páramo. Its pelage is reddish-brown with dark grey foreparts and neck. The underparts are lighter brown, and the muzzle short and thick. It weighs around 11 kg.
Leptopelis broadleyi is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae of uncertain status. The Amphibian Species of the World, the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, and the African Amphibians do not recognize it, but instead consider it synonym with Leptopelis argenteus. However, the AmphibiaWeb recognizes it as a valid species.
The Kern Plateau salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae, endemic to California, in Tulare and Inyo, and Kern Counties in the western United States.
Jackson's shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland or montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest.
The Ugandan lowland shrew or Moon shrew, is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Kenya and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical swamps and montane forests.
The Mount Cameroon forest shrew or arrogant shrew, is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to Cameroon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
The greater forest shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae found in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
Trachycystis is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.
Trachycystis haygarthi is a species of very small, air-breathing, land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Charopidae.
Trachycystis placenta is a species of very small, air-breathing, land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Charopidae.
Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve, is located just outside Eshowe, in the KwaZulu-Natal, province of South Africa. This nature reserve is about 250 Ha in area.
