Ongoye Forest

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Ongoye Forest

A large stem of Encephalartos woodii at the Durban Botanic Gardens once endemic to Ongoye Forest
Conservation status
Extinct in the Wild (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification

Ongoye Forest is also known as Ngoye Forest or Ngoya Forest. It is situated on a granite ridge; inland from the town of Mtunzini in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

History

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.

Significance

This ancient Coastal Scarp Forest is home to rare and endemic species. It was home to the giant Wood's Cycad (Encephalartos woodii) which has been extinct in the wild since the early 1900s.

It is home to an endemic subspecies of Red Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus palliatus ornatus), the endemic Woodward's Barbet (Stactolaema olivacea woodwardi), two undescribed Dwarf Chamaeleons similar to the Qudeni Dwarf Chamaeleon (Bradypodion nemorale)^[1] and the rare Forest Green Butterfly (Euryphura achlys) and Ongoye Centipede (Cormocephalus grandulosis).

This forest is an important breeding area for the Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon (Columba delegorguei) and home to the endangered Spotted Ground Thrush (Zoothera guttata). At least 165 species of birds have been identified in the area.^[2]

Rare trees include Giant Umzimbeet (Millettia sutherlandia), Forest Mangosteen (Garcinia gerrardii), Forest Waterberry (Syzygium gerrardii), Giant Pock Ironwood (Chionanthus peglerae), Zulu Bead-string (Alchornea hirtella), Natal Krantz Ash (Atalaya natalensis), Natal White Stinkwood (Celtis mildbraedii) and the Pondo Fig (Ficus bizane).

References

↑ Tolley, K. and Burger, M. 2007. Chameleons of Southern Africa. pp 73 & 85
↑ Birds in Reserves, ADU

Bibliography

Pooley, E. (1993). The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei, - ISBN 0-620-17697-0.
Pooley, T. and Player, I. (1995). KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Destinations. ISBN 1-86812-487-8.

External links

v t e Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Parks

Individual Parks	Amatigulu Nature Reserve Beachwood Mangroves Blinkwater Nature Reserve Bluff Nature Reserve Chelmsford Nature Reserve Dlinza Forest Emakhosini Ophathe Heritage Park Enseleni Nature Reserve Entumeni Forest Harold Johnson Nature Reserve Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park Impendle Nature Reserve Ithala Game Reserve Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve Krantzkloof Nature Reserve Midmar Dam Nature Reserve Mpenjati Nature Reserve Ndumo Game Reserve Nkandla Forest North Park Nature Reserve Ongoye Forest Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve Phongolo Nature Reserve Skyline Nature Reserve Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve Tembe Elephant Park Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve Umlalazi Nature Reserve Umtamvuna Nature Reserve Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve Wagendrift Nature Reserve Weenen Game Reserve Queen Elizabeth Park Nature Reserve

uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park	Cathedral Peak Cobham Reserve Garden Castle Highmoor Nature Reserve Himeville Nature Reserve Lotheni Reserve Mkhomazi Reserve Monks Cowl Nature Reserve Mount Currie Nature Reserve Royal Natal National Park

iSimangaliso Wetland Park	Cape Vidal State Forest Coastal Forest Reserve False Bay Park Eastern Shores State Forest Mapelane Nature Reserve Nyalazi State Forest Maputaland Marine Reserve Mkhuze Game Reserve Lake Sibayi Freshwater Reserve Sodwana Bay National Park Sodwana State Forest St Lucia Game Reserve St Lucia Park St Lucia Marine Reserve uMkhuze Game Reserve

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

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