Eastern Cape Parks

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Eastern Cape Parks are the national parks, marine protected areas, nature reserves and other nature conservation areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) is the governmental organisation responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in the Eastern Cape, based in East London. [1]

Contents

National Parks situated in the Eastern Cape

Mega Parks in the making, predominantly in the Eastern Cape

Parks managed by Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency

Natural Heritage Sites

Private and Other Parks

Forest Reserves

See also

Related Research Articles

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is a governmental organisation responsible for maintaining wildlife conservation areas and biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Their headquarters is in Queen Elizabeth Park situated on the northern slopes of Pietermaritzburg, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial capital. Prior to 1994, it was known as the Natal Parks Board.

Addo Elephant National Park Diverse wildlife conservation park near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Addo Elephant National Park is a diverse wildlife conservation park situated close to Port Elizabeth in South Africa and is one of the country's 20 national parks. It currently ranks third in size after Kruger National Park and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

South Luangwa National Park

South Luangwa National Park in eastern Zambia, the southernmost of three national parks in the valley of the Luangwa River. It, is a world-renowned wildlife haven. It is simply know to locals simply as "the South Park."Concentrations of game along the meandering Luangwa River and its lagoons are amongst the most intense in Africa. The river teems with hippo and crocodile and provides a lifeline for one of the greatest diversities of habitat and wildlife, supporting more than 60 species of mammals and over 400 species of birds.It marks the end of the Great Rift Valley.

Ndumo Game Reserve

Ndumo Game Reserve is a small South African game reserve located in the far northeast district of KwaZulu-Natal known as Maputaland. It is situated on the border with Mozambique where the Pongola River joins the Great Usutu River. It is adjacent to the Tembe Elephant Park. Ndumo is relatively remote, being over 400 kilometres (250 mi) from Durban. The town of Mkuze is 110 kilometres (68 mi) away.

KwaZulu–Cape coastal forest mosaic Subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of South Africa

The Kwazulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic is a subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of South Africa. It covers an area of 17,800 square kilometers (6,900 sq mi) in South Africa's Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

Cape Floristic Region Smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world

The Cape Floristic Region is a floristic region located near the southern tip of South Africa. It is the only floristic region of the Cape Floristic Kingdom, and includes only one floristic province, known as the Cape Floristic Province.

Timbavati Game Reserve

The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is located at the border line between Hoedspruit and Acornhoek, north of the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve on the western edge of Kruger National Park. Geographically and politically, Timbavati is located in Mpumalanga Province. In Xitsonga, the name 'Timbavati' means "the place where something sacred came down to Earth from the Heavens", and refers to the rare white lions of Timbavati.

Sundays River Valley Local Municipality Local municipality in Eastern Cape, South Africa

Sundays River Valley Local Municipality is a local municipality in Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It has a total population of nearly 70,000 people. This area is one of the key production areas for citrus in South Africa. It also encompasses the Addo Elephant National Park and other significant areas of nature conservation.

Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve Protected area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve is a protected area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Dwesa Nature Reserve Nature reserve in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa that is managed by Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency. The park has an area of 5,450 hectares. The Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area, that has been added to the park has an area of 19,293 hectares.

Mpofu Nature Reserve Nature reserve in the Amatole district of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Mpofu Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in the Amatole district of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa that is managed by Eastern Cape Parks.

The Greater Addo Elephant National Park is a megapark in the making, and consists of the following parks:

Albany thickets Afrotropic terrestrial ecoregion of dense woodland in South Africa

The Albany thickets is an ecoregion of dense woodland in southern South Africa, which is concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape.

Knysna elephants

The Knysna elephants were the relicts of once substantial herds of African bush elephant in the Outeniqua/Tsitsikamma region of southernmost South Africa, which as of 2021, have been reduced to a lone adult female. The elephant herds roamed the southern tip of Africa into the 1800s and 1900s, when contact with European farmers and hunters led to their decimation. It is conjectured that about 1,000 elephants historically roamed the Outeniqua/Tsitsikamma area. A 2006 DNA analysis of dung samples revealed the presence of at least 5 cows and possibly some bulls and calves, moving within an area of 121,000 hectares of forest managed by SANParks – the only unfenced elephant group in South Africa. By 2019 however, researchers realised that a mature female at the Knysna Forest was the last to survive.

The marine protected areas of South Africa are in an area of coastline or ocean within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Republic of South Africa that is protected in terms of specific legislation for the benefit of the environment and the people who live in and use it. An MPA is a place where marine life can thrive under less pressure than unprotected areas. They are like underwater parks, and this healthy environment can benefit neighbouring areas.

The following index is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the protected areas of South Africa:

Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area Coastal marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa

The Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area is an inshore conservation region in the Eastern Cape province in the territorial waters of South Africa

Hluleka Marine Protected Area Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa

The Hluleka Marine Protected Area is an inshore conservation region in the territorial waters of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

Amathole Marine Protected Area Marine conservation area in the Eastern Cape in South Africa

The Amathole Marine Protected Area is an inshore conservation region in the territorial waters of South Africa, near East London on the coast of the Eastern Cape.

References

  1. "Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA)". provincialgovernment.co.za. Retrieved 21 July 2021.