Itala Game Reserve
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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 1800's 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.
External links
- KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government homepage (http://www.kwazulunatal.gov.za/)
- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (previous known as Natal Parks Board) (http://www.kznwildlife.com/)
- SANParks (http://www.parks-sa.co.za/)