Ohlanga River

The Ohlanga River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which empties into the Indian Ocean just north of Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, north of Durban. The name comes from the Zulu word for "reed" ^[1], and has extensive reed beds at its mouth ^[2]. The river has also been called the Umhlanga or Mhlanga River in the past.

Umhlanga Conservancy

At the river's mouth, there is a lagoon, surrounded by the Umhlanga Conservancy. This area includes a 26 hectare nature reserve (the Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve) ^[3], and a waste treatment works which is publicly accessible ^[2]. This area contains bushbuck, blue and grey duiker, and numerous birds, including the southernmost occurrence of crested guineafowl ^[3].

Huberta, the hippopotamus

Huberta, the celebrity hippopotamus, stopped at the river on her way down the coast from the St. Lucia Estuary to the Eastern Cape. An attempt was made to capture her while she was there.

External links

• KZN Wildlife page on the Umhlanga Lagoon nature reserve
• South African Birding page on bird species in the Umhlanga Conservancy
• Satellite view of the river

References

1. ^ Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, About Durban, retrieved September 2006
2. ^ ^{a b} South African Birding, Umhlanga Conservancy, retrieved September 2006
3. ^ ^{a b} KZN Wildlife,Umhlanga Lagoon, retrieved September 2006

Coordinates: 29°42′S 31°06′E / 29.7°S 31.1°E / -29.7; 31.1