Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park

The uKhahlamba -Drakensberg Park ( isiZulu uKhahlamba = " barrier of spears " ) is a national park in the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. In November 2000, the park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The park is managed by the provincial authority Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

Geography

The park covers an area of ​​2428 km ². It is located in the province of KwaZulu -Natal and forms a 180 km long and up to 20 km wide strip along the border with the Kingdom of Lesotho. Other components of the uKhahlamba -Drakensberg Park are the areas lying separately Royal Natal National Park and Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve further north.

The park has towering rock formations and is crossed by a well-developed network of hiking paths. Basaltcast, vertical mountain towering pillars, bastions of golden-brown sandstone and sculpted arches, caves, pillars and rock ponds dominate the landscape. The chain of the Drakensberg in uKhahlamba -Drakensberg Park covers more than 3,000 meters high peaks like Mafadi, the Giant's Castle, Cathedral Peak, the Monk's Cowl, the Champagne Castle and the Njesuthi. The mountain slopes are partially designated as nature reserves, which can accommodate up to 30,000 rock paintings in about 600 caves that were created by the San people over a period of 4000 years. In this region arise from most of the major rivers of the province of KwaZulu -Natal. They form deep gorges and valleys. The only road link through the park to Lesotho is the route via the Sani Pass.

Flora and Fauna

There are a variety of endemic plant species, including sugar bushes. In the spring of litter in the lowlands carpets of wildflowers the park, including Watsonia species.

Among the bird species include Cape Vulture ( Gyps coprotheres ) and bearded vultures ( Gypaetus barbatus). Many in the park -based vertebrates and invertebrates are endemic. Continue to live in the park bushbuck, duiker, eland and baboons.

History

Development of the protection concept

1903, the Government of the Colony of Natal decided to establish a nature reserve in the Drakensberg. 1905, a clear demarcation of the scope was proclaimed. ^ 1916, the Royal Natal National Park was established. Since the 1950s, various conservation areas have been designated in the Drakensberg, Kamberg Nature Reserve as 1951, 1953, the Nature Reserve de Lotheni and 1967 Vergelegen. Here, the water protection was continued. 1973 were added to the protected areas Mdedelelo and Mkomazi.

Maloti Drakensberg Trans- boundary World Heritage

(: Maloti - Drakensberg - Transboundary conservation area about ) Founded in June 2001, the Maloti -Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area. This connects the uKhahlamba -Drakensberg Park with the Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho. He is based on the claim of a Peace Park (Trans Frontier Conservation Area / TFCA ). The twelve -kilometer border can be crossed on foot. Since 2013, both the National Park together as Maloti Drakensberg Trans- boundary World Heritage Site in UNESCO's World Heritage List are listed. The entire park is now 2493 km ² in size, with 65 square kilometers of the area on the terrain of Lesotho omitted.

" ... Exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic buttresses, incisive dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts ... the site 's diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, Especially birds and plants ... [and it] therefore contains many caves and rock- shelters with the large largest and most Concentrated group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara. - ... Exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic pillars, incisive dramatic cuts, and golden sandstone ramparts ... The diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and endangered species, especially birds and plants ... [ and it ] contains many caves and rock niches with the largest and densest group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara. "

Parts of the Drakensberg mountain range are reported for protection of paramount importance as total reserves, as well as for tourist purposes besides as wildlife sanctuaries. According to the Ramsar Convention, the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park is listed as Protected the List of Ramsar wetlands of international, importance. Private property rights stops at smaller area of ​​the parts Cathkin Estates Conservation and Wildlife Sanctuary.