The Umtiza Nature Reserve is one of two forest nature reserves in the greater

East London Coast Nature Reserve East London Coast Nature Reserve is a protected area in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa that is managed by Eastern Cape Parks. It covers an area of 3,424 hectares and incorporates 12 smaller nature reserves and protected areas. The main rea ...

. It is named after '' Umtiza listeriana'', a rare and protected

legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...

found within the reserve. The Buffalo River borders the northern part of the reserve, and includes the remaining Umtiza Forest on the southern banks of the river. The Buffalo Pass traverses the entirety of the reserve and the surrounding Controlled Forest Area.

History

The Fort Grey State forest which is found south of the current reserve, was proclaimed a protected forest prior to the

Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa (; , ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day South Africa, Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the British Cape Colony, Cape, Colony of Natal, Natal, Tra ...

. In 2020, an area of surrounding the reserve, which include the Grey Dell and Fort Grey forest areas, and private farmland, were declared a Controlled Forest Area to prevent deforestation and rehabilitate the remaining Umtiza Forest.

Biodiversity

A variety of wildlife is found within the reserve.

Birds

There are 30-40 bird species in the reserve, including: * African dusky flycatcher *

African finfoot The African finfoot or Peter’s finfoot (''Podica senegalensis'') is an aquatic bird from the family Heliornithidae (the finfoots and sungrebe). The species lives in the rivers and lakes of western, central, and southern Africa. Description T ...

Brown scrub robin The brown scrub robin (''Tychaedon signata'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Eswatini, Mozambique and, South Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical dry or moist forest A forest is an ecosystem charact ...

Knysna woodpecker The Knysna woodpecker (''Campethera notata'') is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical mois ...

Narina trogon __NOTOC__ The Narina trogon (''Apaloderma narina'') is a largely green and red, medium-sized (32–34 cm long), bird of the family Trogonidae. It is native to forests and woodlands of the Afrotropics. Though it is the most widespread and cat ...

* Lemon dove * Yellow-throated woodland warbler

Mammals

Samango monkeys along with

bushbuck Bushbuck is a common name that may refer to one of the following African antelopes: *Cape bushbuck The Cape bushbuck (''Tragelaphus sylvaticus''), also known as imbabala is a common, medium-sized bushland-dwelling, and a widespread species of ant ...

common duiker The common duiker (''Sylvicapra grimmia''), also known as the gray duiker or bush duiker, is a small antelope and the only member of the genus ''Sylvicapra''. This species is found everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the Horn of ...

blue duiker The blue duiker (''Philantomba monticola'') is a small antelope found in central, southern and eastern Africa. It is the smallest species of duiker. The species was first described by Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg in 1789. 12 subspe ...

, tree dassies and

porcupines Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp Spine (zoology), spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two Family (biology), families of animals: the Old World porcupines of the family Hystricidae, and the New ...

can be found in the reserve.

Vegetation

The reserve is one of the last refuges of the vulnerable Umtiza listeriana.

References