South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal has got a new Nature Reserve!

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the provincial agency mandated to carry out biodiversity conservation and associated activities in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal Province, has announced a major milestone in its efforts to protect endangered wildlife. The formal declaration of the iNkonjane Nature Reserve by MEC Rev. Musa Zondi brings renewed hope for some of the country's most threatened species, particularly the critically endangered Blue Swallow.
Located adjacent to the iMpendle Nature Reserve, which currently has 4 (13%) of the country’s estimated 30 remaining breeding pairs of Blue Swallows, the iNkonjane Nature Reserve secures a vital foraging habitat for this small but critically important population of swallows.
The new reserve is also a sanctuary for the critically endangered Pennington’s protea butterfly, a species found only in the greater Mkhomazi River valley. This butterfly relies exclusively on the common sugarbush protea to complete its life cycle.
The iNkonjane Nature Reserve also conserves valuable portions of Southern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland and patches of Eastern Mistbelt Forest, both under mounting pressure from afforestation, agriculture, and development. These ecosystems support several other threatened species, including the endangered oribi antelope, endangered mountain reedbuck, and near threatened grey rhebok.

Managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the 181.7-hectare iNkonjane Nature Reserve and the neighboring iMpendle Nature Reserve are located in the KwaZulu-Midlands. The two Nature Reserves will operate as a single, unfenced conservation area. This approach allows for the free movement of wildlife and more comprehensive ecosystem management, contributing to greater ecological resilience in the face of climate change and habitat loss.
While iNkonjane Nature Reserve is not yet open to the public, visitors are encouraged to explore the nearby iMpendle Nature Reserve. Managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the iMpendle Nature Reserve offers unique birdwatching opportunities and scenic nature trails that showcase the region’s rich biodiversity.