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What
Terrestrial Resource does the Durban
Metropolitan Area (DMA) have?
A
hundred and fifty years
ago the foreshore area of Durban was a lush
subtropical lagoon fringed with extensive
mangrove swamps. Behind this, the low lying
areas were covered with extensive freshwater
wetlands supporting a wide variety of fauna,
including hippo. The old dunes rising steeply
beyond supported dense, mature coastal forest
grading into valley bushveld. Being located in a
Biogeographic Transition
Zone
, the
DMA is historically a biologically rich area.
|
Terrestrial Biodiversity |
| Plant
Species |
3 000 |
| Bird
Species |
+350 |
| Mammal
Species |
67 |
| Snake
Species |
36 |
| Lizard
& Skink Species |
21 |
The
DMA's landscape
has since been
dramatically altered by construction, building, roads,
agriculture and other forms of land use.
This has impacted on virtually all natural habitats.
There has been significant degradation of
the DMA's terrestrial resource base.
All the larger species of mammal which naturally
occurred in the area, such as elephant and
hippo are now locally
extinct.
Approximately a third (33%) of the land in the Durban Metropolitan Area could be potentially
included within the Durban Metropolitan Open Space System
(D'MOSS
). Many important conservation and recreation areas
are preserved and linked as part of the D'MOSS. As a result,
the DMA still hosts a wide range of plant, bird, mammal and
reptile species.
What biologically important
habitats remain?
The preservation of the DMA's
rich biodiversity is largely dependent on the continued health
of a range of important habitat types. The current status of
important habitats in Durban is shown below.
|
Habitat type
|
Land Cover |
Status |
E.G. of Remaining
areas |
|
Grassland |
Grasslands |
Largely transformed in Durban. Few areas
remain |
Newlands, Bluff, Treasure Beach, Stainbank Nature
Reserve, Marianhill, Stockville Valley, Ufudu Plateau,
Nwabi Plateau, Matabetule
Plateau. |
|
Mangrove swamps |
Floodplains/ Estuaries |
Were once prevalent along the coastline and harbour
area. Now largely destroyed |
Beachwood Nature Reserve, Bayhead,
Isipingo |
|
Dune and Coastal Forest |
Forests |
Were once prevalent along the coastline. Now largely
destroyed |
Burman Bush, Stainbank Nature Reserve, Seaton Park,
Pigeon Valley |
|
Valley Bushveld |
Forests |
Typically occupies dry inland river valleys. Poorly
studied. |
Shongweni Resource Reserve, Matabetule, Mzinyati,
Nwabi |
|
Wetlands |
Ephemeral water bodies/ Floodplains/
Estuaries |
Largely destroyed. Only small areas
remain. |
Bluff Nature Reserve, Happy
Valley |
|
Cliff and scarp vegetation |
Forests
(Riverine) |
Largely protected due to inaccessibility. Poorly
studied. |
Clermont, Reservoir Hills, Umlaas Valley,
Krantzkloof |
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