List of protected areas of South Africa explained

The protected areas of South Africa include national parks and marine protected areas managed by the national government, public nature reserves managed by provincial and local governments, and private nature reserves managed by private landowners. Most protected areas are intended for the conservation of flora and fauna. National parks are maintained by South African National Parks (SANParks).^[1] A number of national parks have been incorporated in transfrontier conservation areas.

Protected areas may also be protected for their value and importance as historical, cultural heritage or scientific sites. More information on these can be found in the list of heritage sites in South Africa.

Special Nature Reserves

Special nature reserves are highly protected areas from which all people and human activities are excluded, except for conservation and scientific research. The Prince Edward Islands, which are South African territories in the Southern Ocean, have been declared as a special nature reserve.^{[2] [3]}

National Parks

See main article: South African National Parks. The following are the national parks of South Africa:^[4]

• • • • • • • • • (shared with Botswana)
      • (visitors not allowed)
        • • • (shared with Namibia)

Transfrontier conservation areas

South Africa is involved in the following transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs), also known as "peace parks".

• – includes the Richtersveld in South Africa and the Fish River Canyon and Ai-Ais Hot Springs in Namibia
• – includes Kruger National Park and parks in Mozambique and Zimbabwe
• – includes the former Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and Gemsbok National Park and Mabuasehube Game Reserve in Botswana
• – includes Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve, uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and Royal Natal National Park in South Africa, and Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho
• – Mapungubwe National Park in South Africa, Northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana, and Tuli Circle Safari Area in Zimbabwe
• – including Phongolo Nature Reserve in South Africa and various farms in Swaziland
• – including Songimvelo Game Reserve in South Africa and Malolotja Nature Reserve in Swaziland
• – including Ndumo Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa, Maputo Special Reserve in Mozambique, and Usuthu Gorge Conservancy in Swaziland.

The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area, involving South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland, is planned to be formed from the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Nsubane Pongola, Songimvelo-Malolotja and Usuthu-Tembe-Futi TFCAs.

Marine Protected Areas

See main article: Marine protected areas of South Africa.

• (Eastern Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (Eastern Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (KwaZulu-Natal)
  • • (Western Cape)
• (Eastern Cape)
  • (Western Cape)
  • (Western Cape)
• (Eastern Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (Eastern Cape)
• (KwaZulu-Natal)
• (Western Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (Western Cape)

• (Western Cape)

• (Southern Ocean)
• (Northern Cape)
• (Northern Cape)
• (Northern Cape)
• (KwaZulu-Natal)
• (Eastern Cape)
• (Prince Edward Islands)
• (KwaZulu-Natal)
• (Western Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (Eastern Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (Western Cape)
  • (Western Cape)
• (Western Cape)
• (Eastern Cape)
• (Eastern Cape)
• (KwaZulu-Natal)
• (Western Cape)

Ramsar Sites

See main article: List of Ramsar sites in South Africa. There are 30 designated Ramsar sites in South Africa:

World Heritage Sites

See also: World Heritage Site.

World heritage sites in South Africa are protected by the World Heritage Convention Act (Act 49 of 1999). These include:

• Fossil Hominid sites and environs of:
  • • • • • • Protected Areas
  • Cultural Landscape
• Cultural and Botanical Landscape
  • uKhahlamba/ Park

Eastern Cape

See main article: Eastern Cape Parks.

National Parks situated in the Eastern Cape

See main article: South African National Parks.

• • , (Eastern Cape), also see Greater Addo Elephant National Park below
  • , also see Garden Route National Park below

Mega Parks in the making, predominantly in the Eastern Cape

• • • (Western Cape)
  • (Western Cape)
    • • • , (Eastern Cape).
  • , (Eastern Cape).
  • , (Eastern Cape).
    • • • • • • • , (Western Cape)

Parks Managed by Eastern Cape Parks

• • • • • • (consists of 12 smaller reserves)
            • • • • (accessed through the Kwelera National Botanical Garden)

Private and Other Parks

• Aberdeen Nature Reserve
• Alexandria Coast Reserve
• Amakhala Game Reserve
• Amalinda Nature Reserve
  • • see Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve
      • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Mierhoopplaat)
• see Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve
  • • • • • • • • Kuzuko Private Game Reserve^[5]
  • Kwantu Private Game Reserve
    • • • • Mbumbazi Nature Reserve
            • • • ^[6]

Forest Reserves

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • , part of the Tsitsikamma National Park

Protected Areas

• • • • ^[7]

Free State

See main article: Free State Parks.

National Parks

See main article: South African National Parks.

Private and Other Parks

• around the Welbedacht Dam.
  • formerly known as Hendrik Verwoerd Dam Nature Reserve, only on the Free State side of the Gariep Dam, the park on the Eastern Cape side of the dam is called the Oviston Nature Reserve.
• around the Kalkfontein Dam.
  • • • • around the Vanderkloof Dam.
  • around the Bloemhof Dam (Free State) side only, the park on the North West is called the Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve.
  • near Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve
• around the Sterkfontein Dam.
• around the Krugersdrift Dam.
• , also at the Gariep Dam, on the other side of the Orange River is the Oviston Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape.
• around the Allemanskraal Dam.

Gauteng

GDACE Parks

See main article: Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs.

Other parks and private reserves

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (The Cradle)

Bishop Bird, Rooihuiskraal, Centuion

KwaZulu-Natal

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

See main article: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

• previously known as Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, including
  • ,
  • ,
  • ,
    • (the town is not part of the park)
  • ,
  • ,
  • ,
    • • ,
  • ,
  • ,
  • ,
  • ,
  • ,
  • and
  • .
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • see also Cathedral Peak (South Africa)
  • see also Cathedral Peak (South Africa)
    • • • • see also Giant's Castle
  • see also Giant's Castle

Private and Other Parks

• • • • • • • • • • , also see Dhlinza Forest

Natural Heritage Sites

Limpopo

National Parks

See main article: South African National Parks.

Provincial Parks

See main article: Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board.

Private and Other Parks

• in the Greater Kruger National Park
  • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Motswari Game Reserve
    • Ngala Game Reserve
      • . See Mpumalanga, province.
  • Private Game Reserve
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .
                                      • region, Kruger NP
                            • Philip Herd Nature Reserve

Mpumalanga

National Parks

See main article: South African National Parks.

Provincial Parks

See main article: Mpumalanga Parks Board.

• • (mostly in Mpumalanga, small section in Limpopo)

Private and Other Parks

• • • • • • • Lionspruit, part of

Northern Cape

National Parks

See main article: South African National Parks.

Private and Other Parks

North West

National Parks

See main article: South African National Parks.

Provincial Parks

See main article: North West Parks and Tourism Board.

Protected Areas

• • ^[8]

Private and Other Parks

Western Cape

National Parks

See main article: South African National Parks.

Provincial Parks

See main article: CapeNature.

Garden Route and Little Karoo

Private and other Reserves

• • • • • • • • • • for the rest see Eastern Cape.

Forests

• • • (Petrus Brand)
• Reserve (Goldfield)
• Area
  • • Reserve
• Reserve
  • Reserve
• (Kruisfontein)

Mountain Catchment Areas

• Mountain Catchment Area
  • Mountain Catchment Area
• Mountain Catchment Area
• Mountain Catchment Area
• Mountain Catchment Area
• Mountain Catchment Area
• East Mountain Catchment Area
• Mountain Catchment Area

External links

• National Park
• South African National Parks (SANParks)
• National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Bill (39 of 2003)
• World Heritage Convention Act (49 of 1999)
• National Heritage Resources Act (25 of 1999)
• Astronomy Geographic Advantage Bill (61 of 2007)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Biodiversity & ecosystems. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (South Africa). 1 July 2009.
2. Web site: Cooper. John. Antarctica and Islands – Background Research Paper produced for the South Africa Environment Outlook report on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. 5 October 2010. June 2006. 6. https://web.archive.org/web/20160514005347/http://soer.deat.gov.za/dm_documents/Antarctica_and_Islands_-_Background_Paper_1DXK5.pdf. 14 May 2016. dead.
3. Book: 1993 United Nations list of national parks and protected areas. 1993. World Conservation Monitoring Centre, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Commission on Natural Parks and Protected Areas, United Nations Environment Programme. 2-8317-0190-2. 173.
4. Web site: SANParks – South African National Parks (A-Z) . South African National Parks. 4 January 2010.
5. Web site: Kuzuko Lodge, Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
6. Web site: Pumba Private Game Reserve Eastern Cape Safari. 2021-11-04. www.pumbagamereserve.co.za.
7. Web site: Mountain Zebra-Camdeboo Protected Environment .
8. National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 Section 12