Palmiet Nature Reserve

Last updated
Palmiet Nature Reserve
South Africa KwaZulu-Natal relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Coordinates 29°49′14″S30°55′53″E / 29.820423°S 30.9314459°E / -29.820423; 30.9314459
Area90 ha (220 acres)
Established1972
Governing body Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality

Palmiet Nature Reserve is located in Westville, a town located ten kilometres from Durban, South Africa. The reserve is made up of a wide variety of natural habitats ranging from forests to grassland. [1] Hundreds of bird species have been recorded [2] and the tree list is extensive. There are a number of self-guided trails that include river crossings. [3] The diversity seen in the Palmiet Nature Reserve has been extensively threatened by human activity and invasive species, leading to the need for more pronounced guidelines on how to protect and reserve the area. [4]

Contents

Igwalagwala Cliff, found in the reserve, is a site of archaeological significance as it has evidence of prehistoric human habitation. [3]

Geography

Palmiet Nature Reserve spans across 90 hectares (220 acres) of land, containing over 10 km of trails for tourists to explore. [4] The reserve is located just 10 km from Durban, South Africa, which is the third most populous city in South Africa as well as in close proximity to the Indian Ocean. [4]

The reserve has an annual high temperature of about 29 °C (84 °F) and an annual low temperature of about 11 °C (52 °F). [5] Annual precipitation reaches a high of 4.3 inches and a low of 0.7 inches. [5] The precipitation and temperature remains consistently high except for the months of May to August, where it is seen that both drop. [5]

The Palmiet River is 26 km long, with only 6 km cutting through the Palmiet Nature Reserve. Due to its close proximity to Durban, the Palmiet River has been increasingly affected and prone to flooding due to human activity. [4] The creation of roads and shopping centres has led to increased drainage into the river, and therefore more flooding in the reserve. [4]

The area is presumed to have been formed over thousands of years of erosion and development. [4] The granite-like rocks seen all over the reserve are the creation of magma that rose to the surface in prehistoric times, forming these layers of rocks from sediment already deposited in the area. [4] The reserve is in close proximity to the coast and the Indian Ocean, which has seen rising sea levels over the years. The Palmiet River in the reserve has cut into the plains as a result of rising sea levels and is seen this way today. [4]

History

The Palmiet Nature Reserve has a history dating back to its formation during prehistoric time, but a more recent history of about 200 years. [6] The reserve was found to have a large amount of the plant Palmiet present in the area, which led to the name Palmiet Nature Reserve at its founding in September 1972. [4] Recent archeological evidence of the area has found an abundance of iron tools and artefacts dating back about a thousand years, suggesting the inhabitance of those who lived during the Stone Age. [4] The first German families who migrated to the area were very familiar with the Palmiet Valley, using this path to travel to church or visit other German settlers nearby. [6] The use of this path in turn became the starting point of the trail that leads into the nature reserve of Palmiet Valley. [6] The reserve itself is now home to a diverse number of wildlife species and habitats, including but not limited to hundreds of bird species, hundreds of tree species, as well as an abundance of reptiles and mammals. [4] The preservation and care-taking of the reserve is extremely important to maintain the biodiversity seen in this area.

Species Interactions

The Palmiet Nature Reserve is home to thousands of different species, which promotes an abundance of species interactions such as predation and competition. [4] Snakes are commonly seen in the nature reserve, and have been observed as the main predator in the region with species including the common or rhombic night adder. [4] The snakes exert a level of control over the populations of small mammals, frogs, birds, and other reptiles as well by using them all as a food source. [4] Water monitors, which are aquatic lizards, also exert control over all neighbouring species besides snakes. [4] They use small mammals, birds, other reptiles, invertebrates and more as a food source. [4] Competition is seen for resources among the species, specifically interactions seen between differing bird species for fish in the river. [4]

Environmental Concerns

Human activities have caused reason for concern over the maintenance of biodiversity in the nature reserve. The mammals specifically seen in the region have been largely affected by human involvement and activities in the area. Years ago, humans were prone to poaching and developing urban structures in the area, which ultimately led to massive habitat destruction and the direct killing of mammals in the reserve. [4] Recently, the area has been officially proclaimed as a reserve which has provided extra levels of protection for the survival of species including the cape clawless otter, water mongoose, and the vervet monkeys. [4] Limiting or decreasing the biodiversity of Palmiet would lead to the dysfunctioning of the ecosystems seen in the area, so establishing the Palmiet Nature Reserve has a huge impact on preserving the wildlife and diversity.

Even following the establishment of Palmiet Valley as a nature reserve, human activities have continued to negatively affect the region. The reserve has more recently become home to a diverse number of invasive species, brought by human involvement in harvesting and farming as well as inside packing material from the Second World War. [4] These invasive species include Chromolaena odorata, which is the biggest threat to native wildlife of the region, Lantana camara, Bugweed and Syringa. [4] These species have the ability to massively and quickly spread their seeds and overpopulate the areas, posing a massive threat to the ecosystems of the reserve. Visitors and employees are informed to attempt to kill these species upon sight of them. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macquarie Marshes</span> Wetland in Australia

The Macquarie Marshes comprise the wetlands associated with the floodplains of the Macquarie River and its tributaries, in northern New South Wales, Australia. The Macquarie River and the marshes eventually drain into the Darling River. The marshes are important as a breeding site for waterbirds, especially in the aftermath of major floods.

India is home to a large variety of wildlife. It is a biodiversity hotspot with various ecosystems ranging from the Himalayas in the north to the evergreen rain forests in the south, the sands of the west to the marshy mangroves of the east. India lies within the Indomalayan realm and is the home to about 7.6% of mammal, 14.7% of amphibian, 6% of bird, 6.2% of reptilian, and 6.2% of flowering plant species. India's forests contain about 500 species of mammals and more than 1300 bird species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Karnataka</span>

The state of Karnataka in South India has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. It has a recorded forest area of 38,720 km2 which constitutes 22% of the geographical area of the state. These forests support 25% of the elephant population and 20% of the tiger population of India. Many regions of Karnataka are still unexplored and new species of flora and fauna are still found. The mountains of the Western Ghats in the western region of Karnataka are a biodiversity hotspot. Two sub-clusters of the Western Ghats, Talacauvery and Kudremukh, are on a tentative list of sites that could be designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The Bandipur and Nagarahole national parks which fall outside these subclusters were included in the Nilgiri biosphere reserve in 1986, a UNESCO designation. In the Biligiriranga Hills the Eastern Ghats meet the Western Ghats. The state bird and state animal of Karnataka are Indian roller and the Indian elephant. The state tree and state flower are sandalwood and lotus. Karnataka is home to 524 tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Mozambique</span> Flora and fauna of Mozambique

The wildlife of Mozambique consists of the flora and fauna of this country in southeastern Africa. Mozambique has a range of different habitat types and an ecologically rich and diverse wildlife. This includes 236 species of mammal, 740 species of bird and 5,692 species of vascular plant. The Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot, with significantly high levels of biodiversity, stretches from the southern tip of Mozambique into northeastern South Africa.

The wildlife of Mauritius consists of its flora and fauna. Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. Due to its isolation, it has a relatively low diversity of wildlife; however, a high proportion of these are endemic species occurring nowhere else in the world. Many of these are now threatened with extinction because of human activities including habitat destruction and the introduction of non-native species. Some have already become extinct, most famously the dodo which disappeared in the 17th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Zambia</span>

The wildlife of Zambia refers to the natural flora and fauna of Zambia. This article provides an overview, and outline of the main wildlife areas or regions, and compact lists of animals focusing on prevalence and distribution in the country rather than on taxonomy. More specialized articles on particular groups are linked from here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Niger</span>

The wildlife of Niger is composed of its flora and fauna. The protected areas in the country total about 8.5 million hectares, which is 6.6 percent of the land area of the country, a figure which is expected to eventually reach the 11‑percent target fixed by the IUCN with the addition of more areas under the reserve category. Conservation of wildlife is ensured by laws and regulations enacted by the government of Niger, which has enforced a permanent ban on hunting so that animals such as lions, hippos and giraffes are safe in the wild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve</span>

JayamangaliBlackbuck Conservation Reserve is Tumkur district's only notified protected area. It neighbours Maidenahalli, a small village in Madhugiri Taluk, at the north-eastern tip of Tumkur district of Karnataka state, India. This area is a part of the plains of Deccan plateau and borders Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is a 798-acre (3.23 km2) patch of grassland with Eucalyptus and Acacia auriculiformis. It has the largest contiguous population of blackbuck in Karnataka, apart from Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bundala National Park</span> National park in Sri Lanka

Bundala National Park is an internationally important wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka. Bundala harbors 197 species of birds, the highlight being the greater flamingo, which migrate in large flocks. Bundala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and redesignated to a national park on 4 January 1993. In 1991 Bundala became the first wetland to be declared as a Ramsar site in Sri Lanka. In 2005 the national park was designated as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, the fourth biosphere reserve in Sri Lanka. The national park is situated 245 kilometres (152 mi) southeast of Colombo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Cyprus</span> Cyprus flora and fauna

The wildlife of Cyprus includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. Cyprus has a rich flora and a diverse fauna albeit with relatively few mammals. Like most modern countries, the natural habitats in Cyprus have been steadily disappearing, currently retaining only 20% of its original habitat due to rapid urbanization, usage of forests for commercial purposes, tourism and various other reasons. One of the features of Cyprus' habitats is the wild and sharp differences in elevations and habitats on the island as well as climate, all of which supply a diverse habitat for an array of fauna and flora. Terra Cypria was established as a trust in 1992 to conserve the Cypriot environment and its biodiversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Singapore</span> Native fauna and flora of Singapore

The wildlife of Singapore is surprisingly diverse despite its rapid urbanisation. The majority of fauna that still remains on the island exists in various nature reserves such as the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Peru</span>

Peru has some of the greatest biodiversity in the world. It belongs to the select group of mega diverse countries because of the presence of the Andes, Amazon rainforest, and the Pacific Ocean. It has the fourth-most tropical forests of any country and the ninth-most forest area. The country is ranked among the five countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world according to various studies.

Glencairn Wetland is a small 20-hectare (49-acre) reserve on the Cape Peninsula, in the southern areas of Greater Cape Town, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Tanzania</span>

Tanzania contains some 20 percent of the species of Africa's large mammal population, found across its reserves, conservation areas, marine parks, and 17 national parks, spread over an area of more than 42,000 square kilometres (16,000 sq mi) and forming approximately 38 percent of the country's territory. Wildlife resources of Tanzania are described as "without parallel in Africa" and "the prime game viewing country". Serengeti National Park, the country's second largest national park area at 14,763 square kilometres (5,700 sq mi), is located in northern Tanzania and is famous for its extensive migratory herds of wildebeests and zebra while also having the reputation as one of the great natural wonders of the world. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, established in 1959, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and inhabited by the Maasai people. Its Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact caldera in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of Vietnam</span>

Many areas of Vietnam are under protection. While the national reserves cover small areas of scientific significance with restricted access, the national parks also cover wetlands of Ramsar designated areas and BirdLife International inscribed bird areas. The largest of the national parks initially covered were the Cúc Phương National Park, the Cát Tiên National Park, and the Côn Đảo National Park which to start with were forest areas cum reserves or prohibited areas. The objective for creating national parks was to allow access to the reserved areas as a part of ecotourism and cultural needs with full attention to the basic approach of conservation of natural environmental resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charcoal Tank Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Charcoal Tank Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve in the central western region of New South Wales, Australia. The 86.4-hectare (213-acre) reserve is situated 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of West Wyalong and may be accessed via the Newell Highway and The Charcoal Tank Road. The reserve is an important refuge for native flora and fauna in a highly fragmented landscape, one in which the majority of the original vegetation has been removed.

The wildlife of Bahrain is the flora and fauna of the archipelago of Bahrain, and is more varied than might be expected of this small group of islands in the Persian Gulf. Apart from a strip of the north and west of the main island, where crops such as potatoes are grown with irrigation, the land is arid. With a very hot dry summer, a mild winter, and brackish groundwater, the plants need adaptations in order to survive. Nevertheless, 196 species of higher plant have been recorded here, as well as about seventeen species of terrestrial mammals, many birds and reptiles, and many migratory birds visit the islands in autumn and spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Turkmenistan</span> Fauna and flora

The wildlife of Turkmenistan is the flora and fauna of Turkmenistan, and the natural habitats in which they live. Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia to the east of the Caspian Sea. Two thirds of the country is hot dry plains and desert, and the rest is more mountainous. Very little rain falls in summer and the chief precipitation occurs in the southern part of the country in the winter and spring. The Caspian coast has milder winters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Spain</span>

The wildlife of Spain includes the diverse flora and fauna of Spain. The country located at the south of France has two long coastlines, one on the north on the Cantabrian Sea, another on the East and South East on the Mediterranean Sea, and a smaller one on the west and south west on the Atlantic Ocean, its territory includes a big part of the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and two enclaves in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla. The country has many endemic species, especially those restricted to the island groups, and mainly because of the rich geography and the different climate zones, Spain is one of the countries in Europe with the greatest biodiversity.

References

  1. ↑ "Palmiet Nature Reserve | Durban". Show Me. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  2. ↑ Herman B. (August 2012). "Palmiet Nature Reserve Birds". Palmiet Nature Reserve. Archived from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Palmiet Nature Reserve". SA-Venues.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-27. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "Palmiet Nature Reserve". www.palmiet.za.net. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  5. 1 2 3 "Durban climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Durban water temperature - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  6. 1 2 3 "Palmiet Nature Reserve – An Amazing History!". I Love Durban. 2015-04-23. Retrieved 2021-05-09.

Coordinates: 29°49′47.5″S30°55′55″E / 29.829861°S 30.93194°E / -29.829861; 30.93194


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.