List of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Protected Areas

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (officially the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Board) manages over 120 protected areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. ^[1] The organisation was formed through the merger of the former Natal Parks Board (established 1947) and the KwaZulu Directorate of Nature Conservation (established 1972) following the democratic elections of 1994. ^[2] This list organises the protected areas by geographic region.

World Heritage Sites

Maloti-Drakensberg Park

Main article: uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park

The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site forming part of the transboundary Maloti-Drakensberg Park shared with Lesotho. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List on 29 November 2000 under both natural and cultural criteria, becoming South Africa's first mixed World Heritage Site. ^[3] The park comprises multiple component reserves along the Drakensberg escarpment, covering 242,813 hectares and containing over 600 rock art sites with an estimated 35,000 individual San paintings. ^[4]

Maloti-Drakensberg Park components

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Bushman's Nek	29°51′00″S29°06′00″E / 29.8500°S 29.1000°E / -29.8500; 29.1000			Lesotho border post
Cathedral Peak	29°03′00″S29°13′00″E / 29.0500°S 29.2167°E / -29.0500; 29.2167	35,000		Didima Camp
Cobham	29°38′00″S29°21′00″E / 29.6333°S 29.3500°E / -29.6333; 29.3500	52,000		Southern Drakensberg
Garden Castle	29°45′00″S29°14′00″E / 29.7500°S 29.2333°E / -29.7500; 29.2333			Rhino Peak access
Giant's Castle	29°13′00″S29°23′00″E / 29.2167°S 29.3833°E / -29.2167; 29.3833	34,638	1903	Lammergeier hide
Highmoor	29°23′00″S29°32′00″E / 29.3833°S 29.5333°E / -29.3833; 29.5333	15,000		High-altitude wetlands
Himeville	29°33′00″S29°31′00″E / 29.5500°S 29.5167°E / -29.5500; 29.5167			Small municipal reserve
Injisuthi	29°11′00″S29°25′00″E / 29.1833°S 29.4167°E / -29.1833; 29.4167			Battle Cave rock art
Kamberg	29°22′00″S29°23′00″E / 29.3667°S 29.3833°E / -29.3667; 29.3833			Game Pass Shelter rock art
Lotheni	29°27′00″S29°28′00″E / 29.4500°S 29.4667°E / -29.4500; 29.4667			Trout fishing
Monks Cowl	29°02′00″S29°22′00″E / 29.0333°S 29.3667°E / -29.0333; 29.3667			Champagne Castle access
Royal Natal	28°41′00″S28°57′00″E / 28.6833°S 28.9500°E / -28.6833; 28.9500	8,094	1916	The Amphitheatre
Rugged Glen	28°48′00″S29°01′00″E / 28.8000°S 29.0167°E / -28.8000; 29.0167			Adjacent to Royal Natal
uMkhomazi	29°35′00″S29°30′00″E / 29.5833°S 29.5000°E / -29.5833; 29.5000			Wilderness area
Vergelegen	29°31′00″S29°37′00″E / 29.5167°S 29.6167°E / -29.5167; 29.6167			Remote wilderness

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Main article: iSimangaliso Wetland Park

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park was declared South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site on 1 December 1999. ^[5] The park encompasses 239,566 hectares of diverse ecosystems including coral reefs, beaches, coastal dunes, lake systems, swamps, and wetlands. ^[6] It contains four Ramsar wetland sites and is managed by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. ^[7] The word isimangaliso means "a miracle" or "something wondrous" in Zulu. ^[8]

iSimangaliso Wetland Park sections

Section	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Notes
Cape Vidal	28°23′00″S32°25′00″E / 28.3833°S 32.4167°E / -28.3833; 32.4167		Snorkelling, fishing
Charters Creek	28°22′00″S32°05′00″E / 28.3667°S 32.0833°E / -28.3667; 32.0833		Western shore bush camp
Eastern Shores	28°00′00″S32°21′00″E / 28.0000°S 32.3500°E / -28.0000; 32.3500		Mission Rocks
False Bay	28°10′00″S32°03′00″E / 28.1667°S 32.0500°E / -28.1667; 32.0500		Ramsar site since 2015
Fani's Island	28°21′00″S32°08′00″E / 28.3500°S 32.1333°E / -28.3500; 32.1333		Boat access only
Kosi Bay	26°55′00″S32°49′00″E / 26.9167°S 32.8167°E / -26.9167; 32.8167		Traditional fish traps
Maphelane	28°32′00″S32°27′00″E / 28.5333°S 32.4500°E / -28.5333; 32.4500		World's highest forested dunes
uMkhuze	27°37′00″S32°14′00″E / 27.6167°S 32.2333°E / -27.6167; 32.2333	40,000	Big 5, birding hotspot
Ozabeni	27°20′00″S32°33′00″E / 27.3333°S 32.5500°E / -27.3333; 32.5500		Remote wilderness section
Sodwana Bay	27°33′00″S32°33′00″E / 27.5500°S 32.5500°E / -27.5500; 32.5500		Southernmost coral reefs
St Lucia Estuary	28°23′00″S32°24′00″E / 28.3833°S 32.4000°E / -28.3833; 32.4000		Largest estuarine system in Africa

Major Game Reserves

Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park

Main article: Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park

The Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park is Africa's oldest proclaimed game reserve, established in 1895. ^[9] The park covers approximately 96,000 hectares and is renowned for saving the southern white rhinoceros from extinction through Operation Rhino in the 1950s and 1960s. ^[10] It is the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where all of the Big Five occur and is the flagship park of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. ^[11]

Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park sections

Section	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Hluhluwe	28°03′00″S32°03′00″E / 28.0500°S 32.0500°E / -28.0500; 32.0500	23,067	1895	Northern section [12]
iMfolozi	28°21′00″S31°54′00″E / 28.3500°S 31.9000°E / -28.3500; 31.9000	47,753	1895	Southern section, wilderness trails [12]

Zululand and Maputaland

The northern reaches of KwaZulu-Natal include several significant reserves protecting subtropical ecosystems and supporting communities of African elephant, Nyala, and other wildlife.

Zululand and Maputaland reserves

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Isandlwana	28°21′00″S30°39′00″E / 28.3500°S 30.6500°E / -28.3500; 30.6500			Anglo-Zulu War battlefield heritage site
Ithala	27°30′00″S31°15′00″E / 27.5000°S 31.2500°E / -27.5000; 31.2500	29,653	1972	Mountainous reserve, black & white rhino [13] [14]
Ndumo	26°54′00″S32°19′00″E / 26.9000°S 32.3167°E / -26.9000; 32.3167	10,117	1924	Over 430 bird species [15] [16]
Ophathe	28°18′00″S31°36′00″E / 28.3000°S 31.6000°E / -28.3000; 31.6000	7,500		Big 5 reserve
Phongolo	27°23′00″S31°54′00″E / 27.3833°S 31.9000°E / -27.3833; 31.9000			Pongolapoort Dam surrounds
Tembe	26°51′00″S32°26′00″E / 26.8500°S 32.4333°E / -26.8500; 32.4333	30,000	1983	Largest elephants in South Africa

Coastal Reserves

KwaZulu-Natal's coastline features numerous small to medium-sized reserves protecting coastal forest, mangroves, and dune ecosystems.

Coastal reserves

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Amatikulu	29°07′00″S31°27′00″E / 29.1167°S 31.4500°E / -29.1167; 31.4500	2,020	1922	Coastal forest, reedbuck
Beachwood Mangroves	29°47′00″S31°03′00″E / 29.7833°S 31.0500°E / -29.7833; 31.0500	76	1951	Mangrove ecosystem
Bluff	29°55′00″S31°00′00″E / 29.9167°S 31.0000°E / -29.9167; 31.0000	45		Durban coastal forest
Harold Johnson	29°13′00″S31°28′00″E / 29.2167°S 31.4667°E / -29.2167; 31.4667	100	1956	Tugela River mouth
Mpenjati	30°58′00″S30°17′00″E / 30.9667°S 30.2833°E / -30.9667; 30.2833	66	1988	South Coast, Blue Flag beach
Skyline	29°51′00″S31°03′00″E / 29.8500°S 31.0500°E / -29.8500; 31.0500	90	1979	Coastal grassland
Umhlanga Lagoon	29°44′00″S31°05′00″E / 29.7333°S 31.0833°E / -29.7333; 31.0833	26	1971	Coastal forest & mangroves
Umlalazi	28°57′00″S31°46′00″E / 28.9500°S 31.7667°E / -28.9500; 31.7667	1,028	1948	Mangrove boardwalk, raffia palms

South Coast

The South Coast region features dramatic landscapes including the Oribi Gorge and Umtamvuna river gorges.

South Coast reserves

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Oribi Gorge	30°43′00″S30°16′00″E / 30.7167°S 30.2667°E / -30.7167; 30.2667	1,837	1950	Deep gorge, oribi, samango monkey
Umtamvuna	31°04′00″S30°10′00″E / 31.0667°S 30.1667°E / -31.0667; 30.1667	3,257	1971	Pondoland endemic centre
Vernon Crookes	30°17′00″S30°36′00″E / 30.2833°S 30.6000°E / -30.2833; 30.6000	2,189	1973	Coastal scarp forest

Durban Metropolitan

Several reserves are located within or adjacent to the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, providing green spaces and biodiversity conservation within the urban environment.

Durban Metropolitan reserves

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Kenneth Stainbank	29°54′00″S30°53′00″E / 29.9000°S 30.8833°E / -29.9000; 30.8833	253	1966	Zebra, impala, bushbuck
Krantzkloof	29°47′00″S30°49′00″E / 29.7833°S 30.8167°E / -29.7833; 30.8167	600	1950	Krantzkloof Gorge trails
North Park	29°46′00″S30°51′00″E / 29.7667°S 30.8500°E / -29.7667; 30.8500	52		Urban nature reserve

Midlands and Interior

The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and interior regions feature grassland, wetland, and mistbelt forest reserves at higher elevations.

Midlands and Interior reserves

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Chelmsford	27°57′00″S30°08′00″E / 27.9500°S 30.1333°E / -27.9500; 30.1333	6,053	1979	Chelmsford Dam, wildebeest
Enseleni	28°40′00″S32°00′00″E / 28.6667°S 32.0000°E / -28.6667; 32.0000	293		Swamp forest
Impendle	29°38′00″S29°40′00″E / 29.6333°S 29.6667°E / -29.6333; 29.6667	5,029		Montane grassland
Midmar	29°31′00″S30°12′00″E / 29.5167°S 30.2000°E / -29.5167; 30.2000	1,013	1965	Midmar Dam recreation
Moor Park	29°27′00″S30°07′00″E / 29.4500°S 30.1167°E / -29.4500; 30.1167	203		Mistbelt grassland
Mount Currie	30°33′00″S29°27′00″E / 30.5500°S 29.4500°E / -30.5500; 29.4500	1,857	1976	Highland grassland
Ntsikeni	30°03′00″S29°35′00″E / 30.0500°S 29.5833°E / -30.0500; 29.5833	9,287		Wattled crane, wetland
Queen Elizabeth Park	29°35′00″S30°17′00″E / 29.5833°S 30.2833°E / -29.5833; 30.2833	93	1971	Near Pietermaritzburg, zebra
Spioenkop	28°42′00″S29°27′00″E / 28.7000°S 29.4500°E / -28.7000; 29.4500	5,700	1975	Anglo-Boer War battlefield, rhino
Vryheid Hill	27°45′00″S30°47′00″E / 27.7500°S 30.7833°E / -27.7500; 30.7833	300		Town nature reserve
Wagendrift	28°54′00″S29°51′00″E / 28.9000°S 29.8500°E / -28.9000; 29.8500	1,893		Wagendrift Dam
Weenen	28°51′00″S30°05′00″E / 28.8500°S 30.0833°E / -28.8500; 30.0833	4,904	1975	Black & white rhino, buffalo

Forest Reserves

KwaZulu-Natal contains significant patches of indigenous forest, including rare scarp and mist-belt forests.

Forest reserves

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Bulwer Forest Complex	29°44′00″S29°45′00″E / 29.7333°S 29.7500°E / -29.7333; 29.7500			Southern KZN mistbelt
Dlinza	28°53′00″S31°27′00″E / 28.8833°S 31.4500°E / -28.8833; 31.4500	250		Aerial boardwalk, spotted thrush
Entumeni	28°54′00″S31°20′00″E / 28.9000°S 31.3333°E / -28.9000; 31.3333	560	1910	Rare trees, samango monkey
Hlathikhulu	29°03′00″S31°16′00″E / 29.0500°S 31.2667°E / -29.0500; 31.2667	1,655		Scarp forest
Karkloof	29°21′00″S30°17′00″E / 29.3500°S 30.2833°E / -29.3500; 30.2833	1,900		Blue duiker, samango monkey
Nkandla	28°44′00″S31°08′00″E / 28.7333°S 31.1333°E / -28.7333; 31.1333	1,500		Mistbelt & scarp forest
Ongoye	28°49′00″S31°42′00″E / 28.8167°S 31.7000°E / -28.8167; 31.7000	4,000		Green barbet endemic

Other Protected Areas

Additional reserves managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife:

Other protected areas

Reserve	Coordinates	Area (ha)	Established	Notes
Blinkwater	28°29′00″S29°39′00″E / 28.4833°S 29.6500°E / -28.4833; 29.6500	2,800		Grassland reserve
Coleford	29°54′00″S29°43′00″E / 29.9000°S 29.7167°E / -29.9000; 29.7167	1,293		Wetland, oribi
Mbumbazi	29°30′00″S30°48′00″E / 29.5000°S 30.8000°E / -29.5000; 30.8000			Valley bushveld
Ncandu	27°32′00″S29°54′00″E / 27.5333°S 29.9000°E / -27.5333; 29.9000	800		Highveld grassland
Sileza	27°15′00″S31°53′00″E / 27.2500°S 31.8833°E / -27.2500; 31.8833	800		Sand forest
uMngeni Vlei	29°30′00″S30°00′00″E / 29.5000°S 30.0000°E / -29.5000; 30.0000	876		Wetland, wattled crane

See also

• Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
• Protected areas of South Africa
• South African National Parks
• List of protected areas of South Africa

References

1. "Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife". Open Africa. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
2. "About Us". Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
3. "Maloti-Drakensberg Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
4. "uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park". South African History Online. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
5. "iSimangaliso Wetland Park". Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
6. "iSimangaliso Wetland Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
7. "iSimangaliso Wetland Park – World Heritage Datasheet". UNEP-WCMC. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
8. "About iSimangaliso Wetland Park". iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
9. "Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) Conservation". Wildlife ACT. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
10. "Big Five Safari In Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park". Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge. 28 May 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
11. "Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park". SA Venues. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
12. "Hluhluwe and Umfolozi Game Reserves". South African History Online. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
13. "Ithala Game Reserve". Where to Stay. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
14. "Ithala Game Reserve". African Sky. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
15. "Ndumu Game Reserve". Encyclopædia Britannica. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
16. "Ndumo Game Reserve". BirdLife South Africa. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2024.

External links

• Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife official website
• iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority
• SANBI Biodiversity Statistics
• Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment