Ithala Game Reserve

Infobox_protected_area | name = Itala Game Reserve
iucn_category =


caption = Ithala Game Reserve
locator_x = 250
locator_y = 135
location = KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
nearest_city = Durban, South Africa
lat_degrees =
lat_minutes =
lat_seconds =
lat_direction =
long_degrees =
long_minutes =
long_seconds =
long_direction =
area = 290 km²
established = 1973
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

Itala Game Reserve, 290 km² of rugged, mountainous thornveld in northern KwaZulu-Natal, about 400 km north of Durban. It is one of the youngest game parks in South Africa. The altitude varies from 400 m (Pongola River) to 1450 m (Ngotshe Mountains), so there is a great variation of terrain which extends over lowveld and densely vegetated river valleys to high-lying grassland plateaus, ridges and cliff faces.

All the big game species have been re-established with the exception of lion.

History

* In the late 1800s land was given by King Dinizulu to white farmers.
* In 1973 the then Natal Parks Board started buying up farms in this area to make up this Reserve.

Trivia

* There are two abandoned gold mines found at Itala.

See also

* List of conservation areas of South Africa

References

External links

* [http://www.kwazulunatal.gov.za/ KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government homepage]
* [http://www.kznwildlife.com/ Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (previous known as Natal Parks Board)]
* [http://www.sanparks.org/ South African National Parks Official Site]