UKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Protected area with ancient rock art and high biodiversity.
The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park is a protected area in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, covering 2,428.13 km² (938 sq mi). It is part of the Maloti-Drakensberg Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site first declared on 30 November 2000, and includes Royal Natal National Park and part of the Drakensberg escarpment, the highest elevations in southern Africa.
Quick Facts
- Location
- KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Area
- 2429.13 km2
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The park covers part of the Drakensberg escarpment, a formation with the highest elevations in southern Africa. It is described by UNESCO as having 'exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic buttresses, incisive dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts.' The site's diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, especially birds and plants. The park also contains many caves and rock-shelters with the largest and most concentrated group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara; this rock art is attributed to the San people and is generally dated to between about 3,000 and 200 years ago.
Reader's Guide
The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park is significant as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that combines exceptional natural beauty with a rich cultural heritage of ancient rock art. Its high level of endemism among vertebrates and invertebrates, particularly birds and plants, underscores its conservation importance. The park is also listed under the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International Importance. Adjacent to it is the Cathkin Estates Conservation and Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest privately owned game park in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg region. Wilderness areas within the park include Mkhomazi, Upper Mkhomazi, Mlambonja, Mdedelelo, and Mzimkhulu. Plans to boost tourism include a cable car project by the KZN Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs Department. The park's legacy lies in its role as a refuge for endemic species and a repository of some of the oldest known parietal art in sub-Saharan Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park?
It is a 2,428 km² protected area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, stretching along the Drakensberg escarpment. It forms the South African half of the transboundary Maloti-Drakensberg Park and encompasses Royal Natal National Park.
What makes uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park so special?
The park shelters the densest and largest collection of prehistoric rock paintings found anywhere south of the Sahara. It also harbours an unusually high number of bird and plant species that exist nowhere else on the planet.
When did uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park receive its World Heritage designation?
UNESCO inscribed the Maloti-Drakensberg Park on the World Heritage List on 30 November 2000, bringing the South African section under that protection. The area also holds Ramsar Wetland of International Importance status.
What do the names uKhahlamba and Drakensberg actually mean?
"uKhahlamba" is a Zulu phrase meaning "barrier of spears," describing the park's serrated, blade-like mountain ridges. "Drakensberg" is Dutch for "dragon mountains," a label European settlers applied to the same dramatic peaks.
What is uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park known for in terms of wildlife?
The park is celebrated for its high endemism among birds and plants, with many species restricted to these high-elevation habitats. Its Ramsar designation further underscores the ecological importance of the wetland areas within the park.
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