The eMalangeni Peat Swamp Forest

This blog is to bring to you the rich and varied natural wonders and local human traditions that can be found in and around the eMalangeni Peat Swamp forest immediately south of lake Amanzimnyama at Kosi Bay. 

The Gorgeous Bush-shrike  Telophorus quadricolor is another of the forest birds that are more often heard than seen but if one has some patience these birds will appear as if by magic out of the undergrowth.

The eMalangeni coastal peat swamp forest with a total area of 880 ha  occurs adjacent to the Siyadla / aManzimnyama river, immediately south of lake aManzimnyama is the largest peat swamp forest in South Africa, it is also the main source of fresh water for the Kosi Bay Lake System.  Coastal peat swamp forests are fresh water forested wetlands that are established on peat soils in close proximity to the Indian Ocean on the north east coast of South Africa. In South Africa Coastal peat swamps forests are highly threatened ecosystems, being the second rarest forest type in the whole country and only occur in isolated patches from the Mozambique border to just south of the Msikaba River in the Eastern Cape. The coastal peat swamp forests on the flat coastal plain of Maputaland which include the eMalangeni coastal peat swamp forest represent seventy five percent of all the swamp forest found in South Africa. 

The traditional Pont made of the leaves of the Raphia Palm belonging to the local community that is used to cross the aManzimnyama River in the heart of the eMalangeni Forest

As previously stated the eMalangeni peat swamp forest is an extensive swamp forest in the Kosi Bay system. Being the largest swamp forests in the country and due to the rarity of this forest type, it adds considerable importance to the Kosi system. Common tree species include the giant raffia palm Raphia australis, Syzygium cordatum, Ficus trichopoda, Englerophytum natalense, Voacanga thouarsii and Rauvolfia caffra as large trees, with Rapanea melanophleos, Myrica serrata and Halleria lucida as sub-canopy. On the forest margins one can find Sphedamnocarpus pruriens.

 On the forest margins one can find Sphedamnocarpus pruriens

Ferns and other plants such as the reed like liana Flagellaria guineensis. The extensive groves of raffia palms in the forest support the largest population of breeding Palm-nut Vultures Gypohierax angolensis in South Africa. The ferns, Microsorum scolopendria, Stenochlaena tenuifolia and Nephrolepis biserrata as well as Zamioculcas zamiifolia, 

Zamioculcas zamiifolia the very popular indoor plant growing in its natural habitat in the eMalangeni forest at Kosi Bay South Africa

Sansevieria concinna, Scadoxus multiflorus, Coleotrype natalensis, Drimiopsis maculata, Smilax anceps and many other plants cover the forest floor. The trees are covered in epiphytes such as the fern Microsorum punctatum and orchids such as Cyrtorchis arcuata, Aerangis mystacidii and Polystachya concreta, commonly known as the Yellow Helmet Orchid

The epiphytic fern Microsorum punctatum growing in the eMalangeni Forest at Kosi Bay

On the forest margins and adjoining grasslands many colourful flowering plants can be seen.

The Kosi Bay System

Kosi Bay in South Africa is a complex estuary-linked lake system that stretches from the Mozambique border in the north, to Lake Amanzimnyama, in the south, that has been transformed into circular bays and lagoons containing fresh or brackish water, separated from one another by low beach barriers. 

Traditional boat made from Raphia palm leaves on the shore of Lake aManzimnyama

The system comprises four roughly circular, interconnected lakes being Makhawulani, Mpungwini, Nhlange and aManzimnyama, a broad channel leading to an estuary that opens to the Indian Ocean, and three extensive areas of swamp. Two principal rivers, Siyadla and Nswamanzi, feed into it. This is also the only system in South Africa in which five species of mangrove are found.

The aManzimnyama river the flows throught the eMalangeni Forest into lake aManzimnyama

 The climate is subtropical, with maximum temperatures varying between 23 °C and 30 °C. Rainfall averages between 670 and 1,100 mm p.a. and falls mostly in October–March.

Birds

The bird life of the Kosi system is essentially forest associated and is prolific, the list of 247 species for approximately 85 are water or estuary associated. Amongst the wetland and water associated species some are rare, such as the white winged Flufftail and the Whitebacked Night Heron, Gorsachius leuconotus. 

A photo of a Crested Guineafowl (Guttera pucherani) taken in the eMalangeni Forest Kosi Bay Complex South Africa

The largest colony of Palm-nut Vultures Gypohierax angolensis in South Africa is to be found in this forest. Several bird species at Kosi area the most southerly limits of their distribution and are not encountered elsewhere in South Africa such as the Livingstone’s Turaco, Tauraco livingstonii.

Orchids

There is a fairly large number of orchid species both epiphytes such as Aerangis mystacidii and Cyrtorchis arcuata as well as terrestrial orchids such as Oeceoclades lonchophylla are to be found in the eMalangeni forest. There a number of tropical African orchid species found in this forest marks the South limit of their occurrence.

The epiphytic orchid Cyrtorchis arcuata growing in the eMalangeni Forest at Kosi Bay

Animals

Hippo, crocodiles, monkeys, bush pig, bush buck and many others are be encountered in the forest.

Local Human Traditions.

Zulu, Tonga people of the Tembe Tribe and a people known as the amagonde speaking a language isigonde which is fast dying out and is now only spoke by a few older people have been living next to the the eMalangeni Swamp Forest for centuries. These peoples relied heavily on the eMalangeni coastal peat swamp forest as a source of fresh drinking water and as the only available productive land for cultivating crops. The inclined swamp forest valley slopes facilitate easy drainage of the peat and resulted in traditional cultivation techniques of cutting drainage ditches and constructing raised beds. This gradient of hydrological modification enabled the gardening of a wide variety of crops, with bananas Musa xparadisiaca and amadumbe Colocasia esculenta being the most common.

A traditional grain storage hut at eMalangeni

Traditionally the light and durable wood of the endemic Raphia australis palms has been a very important component in the livelihood of the local peoples, the collection of fallen rachi is used for construction material for houses as well as canoes and rafts to cross the aManzimnyama river. 

In time I will research and publish on this blog many of the very rich local traditions of the people who live here.

A traditional hut in the eMalangeni forest at Kosi Bay

As time goes on I will post many features on the plants, birds, animals and insects found in and around this magnificent forest.

Guided excursions that offer far more scientific knowledge and interesting facts in regards to the plants birds animals and other creatures encountered in the forest than the usual guided can be conducted in English, Zulu and German into the eMalangeni Swamp Forest and surrounding area including the nearby Tembe Elephant Park can be arranged and tailored to the individual needs of the client/s no matter at which establishment one will be staying at while at Kosi Bay. Please visit one of my websites for contact details.

Michael Hickman

28.03.21

please visit my websites 

www.ecoman.co.za 

www.hlem.co.za 

as well as my other blogs at

http://luthulienvironment.blogspot.com/ 

http://ecomandurban.blogspot.com/

http://ecoman.co.za/projects/emalangeni.html

https://www.hlem.co.za/emalangeni.html