East London Coast Nature Reserve is a
protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
in
Eastern Cape Province
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in 1994 ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
that is managed by
Eastern Cape Parks
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 resp ...
. It covers an area of 3,424 hectares and incorporates 12 smaller nature reserves and protected areas.
The main reasons for its existence are the preservation of the region's biodiversity, protection of natural vegetation and management of extraterrestrial vegetation.
Parks
The
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
is built up from various disconnected smaller parks, and has a total area of 3,424 hectares. It extends from the
Great Kei River
The Great Kei River is a river in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is formed by the confluence of the Black Kei River and White Kei River, northeast of Cathcart. It flows for and ends in the Great Kei Estuary at the Indian Ocean wi ...
in the east to the
Tyolomnqa River (Chalumna) in the west, along about 250 km of coastline.
East London Coast Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape
/ref> The parks are the following:
Coastal parks
* Cape Morgan Nature Reserve
* Double Mouth Nature Reserve
* Cape Henderson Nature Reserve
* Gulu Nature Reserve
* Kwelera Nature Reserve
The Kwelera Nature Reserve is a coastal forest reserve in the Wild Coast region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Access to the reserve is through the adjacent Kwelera National Botanical Garden, where the reserve now serves as the natural por ...
(accessed through the Kwelera National Botanical Garden
The Kwelera National Botanical Garden is located at the Kwelera Nature Reserve on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape. It lies at the mouth of the Kwelera River. The garden is the 10th national botanical garden established in South Africa ...
)
* Nahoon Nature Reserve
* Gonubie
Gonubie is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Seaside town at the mouth of the Gqunube (Gonubie) River, 21 km north-east of East London. The name is said to be derived from Khoekhoen and to mean 'bramble river', after Royena g ...
* Kidd's Beach
Kidd's Beach is a small coastal resort town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa situated on the Mkhanzi River about 28 kilometres from East London, South Africa. The name "Mkhanzi" is derived from the Xhosa word "umkhanzi", which means "bulrush", ...
* Kayser's Beach
* Chalumna
The Chalumna River ( xh, Tyolomnqa) is a river in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is approximately 78 km long, forming at the confluence of two small rivers, the Qugwala in the West and the Mtyolo in the East. It empties into the Indian ...
* Chintsa West
Chintsa, alternatively rendered Cintsa, is a village in the Wild Coast region of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. It is situated 38 km north-east from East London and 10 km north from Gonubie, at the mouth of the Chintsa River. ...
Inland parks
Among the parks located a little inland are the following:
* Fort Pato Nature Reserve
The Fort Pato Nature Reserve is one of two inland forest reserves in the greater East London Coast Nature Reserve, located in the Wild Coast region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The reserve lies on the southern bank of the Buffalo River n ...
* Umtiza Nature Reserve
The Umtiza Nature Reserve is one of two forest nature reserves in the greater East London Coast Nature Reserve. It is named after '' Umtiza listeriana'', a rare and protected legume found within the reserve. The Buffalo River borders the north ...
See also
* South African National Parks
South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of , over 3% of the total area of South Africa.
Many parks offer ...
* Protected areas of South Africa
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 landow ...
References
External links
Eastern Cape ParksEast London Coast Nature Reserve
{{EasternCape-geo-stub
Nature reserves in South Africa
Eastern Cape Provincial Parks
Protected areas of the Eastern Cape