ISimangaliso Wetland Park, Nature reserve and World Heritage Site in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a large protected area along South Africa's eastern coast, containing coral reefs, wetlands, forests, and coastal dunes. The area brings together several different habitats that work together as one important ecosystem.
The area was established as a protected reserve starting in 1895 and has been managed since to keep it safe. Preventing mining activities in this region became especially important for maintaining the natural landscape.
The park holds deep significance for the local communities around it, whose ways of living connect closely to the water and land. The relationship between people and nature here reflects practices that have been passed down through generations.
You can explore the area through guided boat tours, game drives, and hiking trails, with the town of St. Lucia as the main entrance. It helps to visit with a guide who can show you the different habitats and wildlife as you move through the park.
Lake St. Lucia at the heart of the park is South Africa's largest estuary and is home to hundreds of hippos and Nile crocodiles. These animals live here in such numbers that you can often spot them from the boat tours.
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