Exploring Nature's Treasures in Sodwana Bay, iSimangaliso Wetland Park March 27th, 2023

Exploring Nature's Treasures in Sodwana Bay, iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Sodwana Bay National Park features the most southern coral reefs in Africa and an exceptional climate. Sodwana Bay is one of the top sport diving locations in the world. This South African Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal contains a number of popular dive sites with an abundance of underwater seascapes, marine flora and fauna, corals, magnificent overhangs, drop-offs, and mushroom rocks. The spectacular night dives make this a must-visit location for scuba diving enthusiasts. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park contains Sodwana Bay National Park.

South Africa's first World Heritage Site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park was nominated for its exceptional natural beauty, ecological processes, and biodiversity. It comprises 3320 square kilometers and 230 kilometers of shoreline! In the province of KwaZulu-Natal, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is responsible for biodiversity conservation and related activities. The organization's principal goal is biodiversity protection, which includes the management of more than 120 protected sites, including two World Heritage Sites: Maloti-Drakensberg Park and Isimangaliso Wetland Park.

It has been demonstrated that the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Administration Model is effective, as ecotourism operations offer financial support for conservation efforts. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's (Ezemvelo) mandate is drawn from the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Management Act (Act No.9 of 1997), which directs the management of protected areas and nature conservation in the province. Included in this are the creation and promotion of ecotourism amenities within protected areas. Ezemvelo, with its headquarters in Pietermaritzburg's Queen Elizabeth Park, the provincial capital, oversees more than 120 protected areas and is the leader in sustainable biodiversity protection. It has recently widened its goal to become more relevant to communities close to their parks, notably through employment creation and the sustainable gathering of natural resources. The organization as a whole is the result of a merger between two conservation bodies: the former Natal Parks Board, which was established in 1947 and has colonial antecedents, and the former KwaZulu Directorate of Nature Conservation, which was established in 1972 to manage the nature conservation needs of KwaZulu's "homeland." Following the 1994 Democratic elections, the two groups negotiated a merger that resulted in the founding of the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Board, which today conducts its whole operation as KwaZulu-Natal Conservation Services.

Article Courtesy of www.sahistory.org.za/place/sodwana-bay-national-park