Weenen Game Reserve

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Weenen Game Reserve
South Africa KwaZulu-Natal relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of the reserve in KwaZulu-Natal
Location KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nearest city Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Coordinates 28°50′06″S29°59′47″E / 28.83500°S 29.99648°E / -28.83500; 29.99648 Coordinates: 28°50′06″S29°59′47″E / 28.83500°S 29.99648°E / -28.83500; 29.99648
Area 5,009 ha (19.34 sq mi)
Established 1975
Governing body Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

This 5,000-ha protected area is administered by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and covers an area of typical inland KwaZulu-Natal acacia savanna with occasional thickets. The reserve offers extensive game-viewing facilities, guided walks, environmental education, and three picnic sites.

The protected areas of South Africa include national parks and marine protected areas managed by the national government, public nature reserves managed by provincial and local governments, and private nature reserves managed by private landowners. Most protected areas are intended for the conservation of flora and fauna. National parks are maintained by South African National Parks (SANParks). A number of national parks have been incorporated in transfrontier conservation areas.

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.

KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu and Natal Province were merged. It is located in the southeast of the country, enjoying a long shoreline beside the Indian Ocean and sharing borders with three other provinces and the countries of Mozambique, Eswatini and Lesotho. Its capital is Pietermaritzburg and its largest city is Durban. It is the 2nd most populous province in South Africa, with slightly fewer residents than Gauteng.

Contents

History

Before 1948 the land was used as a labour tenant farm with subsistence crop and livestock farming. Inappropriate practices resulted in severe soil erosion, and in 1948 the farm was expropriated by the Department of Agriculture. This department successfully implemented extensive soil and wetland reclamation measures, including the construction of retaining walls, gabions, rock packs and brush packs and the restriction of grazing. In 1975 the area was proclaimed a nature reserve. [1]

Soil erosion washing or blowing away of the top layer of soil

Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, one form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, air (wind), plants, animals, and humans. In accordance with these agents, erosion is sometimes divided into water erosion, glacial erosion, snow erosion, wind (aeolean) erosion, zoogenic erosion, and anthropogenic erosion. Soil erosion may be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at an alarming rate causing a serious loss of topsoil. The loss of soil from farmland may be reflected in reduced crop production potential, lower surface water quality and damaged drainage networks.

Vegetation

Vegetation types include Dry Tall Grassveld, Mixed Thornveld and Valley Bushveld. The Dry Tall Grassveld is generally sparse, dominated by Hyparrhenia hirta and encroached by woody species. Vachellia karroo , Vachellia nilotica , Euclea crispa , Euclea racemosa , Olea europaea , Ozoroa paniculosa , Premna mooiensis and Vitex rehmannii are found in the Mixed Thornveld. [1]

<i>Hyparrhenia hirta</i> species of plant

Hyparrhenia hirta is a species of grass known by the common names common thatching grass and Coolatai grass. It is native to much of Africa and Eurasia, and it is known on other continents as an introduced species. In eastern Australia it is a tenacious noxious weed. In South Africa, where it is native, it is very common and one of the most widely used thatching grasses. It is also used for grazing livestock and weaving mats and baskets.

<i>Vachellia karroo</i> species of plant

Vachellia karroo, commonly known as the Sweet thorn, is a species of acacia, native to southern Africa from southern Angola east to Mozambique, and south to South Africa.

<i>Vachellia nilotica</i> species of plant

Vachellia nilotica is a tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. It is also a Weed of National Significance and is an invasive species of significant concern in Australia.

Rangelands are managed through the strategic use of fire and the control of herbivore numbers; blue wildebeest, impala and warthog were intentionally excluded when the reserve was stocked because their grazing habits can cause soil erosion. [1]

Blue wildebeest species of mammal

The blue wildebeest, also called the common wildebeest, white-bearded wildebeest, or brindled gnu, is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeests. It is placed in the genus Connochaetes and family Bovidae, and has a close taxonomic relationship with the black wildebeest. The blue wildebeest is known to have five subspecies. This broad-shouldered antelope has a muscular, front-heavy appearance, with a distinctive, robust muzzle. Young blue wildebeest are born tawny brown, and begin to take on their adult colouration at the age of 2 months. The adults' hues range from a deep slate or bluish gray to light gray or even grayish brown. Both sexes possess a pair of large curved horns.

Impala A medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa

The impala is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of the genus Aepyceros, it was first described to European audiences by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the common impala, and the larger and darker black-faced impala. The impala reaches 70–92 centimetres at the shoulder and weighs 40–76 kg (88–168 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 centimetres long.

Fauna

Weenen Game Reserve supports mammals such as black rhinoceros, giraffe, kudu, eland, white rhinoceros, red hartebeest, and zebra; impala and warthog (originally from neighbouring properties) have established populations in the reserve. Other mammal species include hyaena, jackal, bushbuck, reedbuck, steenbok and porcupine. More than 230 species of birds have been recorded. [1]

Black rhinoceros species of mammal

The black rhinoceros or hook-lipped rhinoceros is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Although the rhinoceros is referred to as black, its colors vary from brown to grey.

Giraffe Tall African ungulate

The giraffe (Giraffa) is a genus of African even-toed ungulate mammals, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. Taxonomic classifications of one to eight extant giraffe species have been described, based upon research into the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements of Giraffa, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature currently recognises only one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, the type species, with nine subspecies. Seven other species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils.

Kudu common name, for mammals

The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:

Facilities

The game reserve has a small two-bedroom cottage with barbeque facilities and its own trail and waterhole. There are 12 caravan and camping sites, three picnic sites and two hides at waterholes. A guided walk of 8 km can be taken.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Breebaart, L.; O'Connor, T.G.; Hughes, J.C.; Morris, C.D.; Rushworth, I.A. (2001). "The effects of topo-edaphic variables and cultivation on the woody vegetation of Weenen Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal". African Journal of Range and Forage Science. 18 (2–3): 75–91. doi:10.2989/10220110109485760.


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