Mkhambathi Nature Reserve

Mkhambathi Nature Reserve
Mkhambathi Nature Reserve
	Brunia trygyna, a species on the brink of extinction. Only remaining plant (front right) in the Mkhambathi Nature Reserve.
Location	Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Nearest city	Flagstaff; Port Edward; Port St Johns;
Coordinates	31°18′22″S 29°59′5″E / 31.30611°S 29.98472°E
Area	7,720 hectares (19,100 acres)
Established	2009
Website	Mkambati Nature Reserve - Wild Coast

The Pondoland Marine Protected Area, off the coast of the park

Mkhambathi Nature Reserve (or Mkambati Nature Reserve)^[1] is a protected area at Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is 7,720 hectares (19,100 acres), with the Pondoland Marine Protected Area off its coastal edge. The reserve is located in the Pondoland Centre of Plant Endemism and the greater Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Hotspot, and is covered in open grassland, dotted with patches of indigenous forest, swamp forests and flanked by the forested ravines of the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers.^[2] ^[3]

Biodiversity

Amphibians

Amphibians occur in the coastal region of the reserve.

Birds

The reserve has a large colony (400–800 individuals) of Cape vulture (a threatened species).^[4]

Mammals^[5]

Reptiles

Natal black snake

Vegetation

There is an abundance of endemic plants found in the Pondoland landscape of the reserve, including the endemic false water-berry, Rhynchocalyx lawsonioides. The Pondo palm is only found in this region, growing along the banks of the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers. Gurney's sugarbird can be found in protea bushes. Broad-tailed warblers can be found in marshland.

Threats

The endemic plants in the reserve face threats from fire as a consequence of poaching game, and of pervading invasive alien plants like:^[4]

Gallery

Brunsvigia grandiflora
Watsonia pillansii
Protea afra
Brunia trygyna. A species on the brink of extinction. The only remaining plant in the Mkhambathi Nature Reserve.

References

^ "Mkambati".
^ "mkhambathi-nature-reserve". Retrieved 28 October 2015.
^ "Mkambati Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape".
^ ^a ^b "Mkhambathi Nature Reserve". BirdLife South Africa. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
^ "Mkambathi Nature Reserve | EC Parks And Tourism Agency". bookonline.ecpta.co.za. Retrieved 5 June 2022.

[1] "Mkambati".

[2] "mkhambathi-nature-reserve". Retrieved 28 October 2015.

[3] "Mkambati Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape".

[:0-4] "Mkhambathi Nature Reserve". BirdLife South Africa. Retrieved 5 June 2022.

[5] "Mkambathi Nature Reserve | EC Parks And Tourism Agency". bookonline.ecpta.co.za. Retrieved 5 June 2022.

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v t e Eastern Cape Parks
National Parks	Camdeboo National Park Addo Elephant National Park Mountain Zebra National Park Garden Route National Park Knysna National Lake Area (Western Cape) Tsitsikamma National Park (Eastern Cape) Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area Wilderness National Park (Western Cape)
Mega Parks	Greater Addo Elephant National Park Addo Elephant National Park Woody Cape Nature Reserve Addo Elephant National Park Marine Protected Area Bird Island St. Croix Island, Algoa Bay Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve
Parks managed by Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency	Commando Drift Nature Reserve Dwesa Nature Reserve Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area East London Coast Nature Reserve Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve Great Fish River Nature Reserve Hluleka Nature Reserve Hluleka Marine Protected Area Mkhambathi Nature Reserve Pondoland Marine Protected Area Mpofu Nature Reserve Oviston Nature Reserve Silaka Nature Reserve Thomas Baines Nature Reserve Tsolwana Nature Reserve
Private and other parks	Buffelspruit Nature Reserve Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve Kwandwe Private Game Reserve Samara Private Game Reserve Shamwari Game Reserve
Marine protected areas	Addo Elephant National Park Marine Protected Area Amathole Marine Protected Area Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area Hluleka Marine Protected Area Pondoland Marine Protected Area Sardinia Bay Marine Protected Area Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area