Ongoye Forest

Background

Ongoye Forest is situated on a granite ridge, inland from the town of Mtunzini in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa covering an area of 4000 hectares.

Coordinates: 28°50′48″S 31°43′56″E / 28.84667°S 31.73222°E

Google map

Highlights

• The Zulu king Mpande is the first known person to have afforded protection to Ongoye Forest in the 1800s.
• Commercial logging occurred in the forest between 1909 and 1924
• The area became an official conservation area in 1992

Vegetation

The vegetation in Ongoye Forest includes; Natal olinia, Natal palm-nut, Giant Umzimbeet, Forest Mangosteen, Forest Waterberry, Giant Pock Ironwood, Zulu Bead-string, Natal Krantz Ash, Natal White Stinkwood and the Pondo Fig

Wildlife

The wildlife in the forest includes; Woodward`s barbet, crowned eagle, yellow streaked bulbul, spotted thrush, Red Bush Squirrel, Dwarf Chamaeleons, Butterfly (Euryphura achlys) and Ongoye Centipede and Bronze-naped Pigeon.

Activities

• Bird watching
• Camping
• Agriculture
• Trail walks