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The Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, conserves 668 ha Note: This source records the surface area as 535 ha in 1989. of the Molweni (Zulu: 'mutual greetings') and Nkutu River gorges that incise the sandstone Kloof plateau in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The reserve conserves coastal scarp forest, sourveld grassland, a cliff face biotope, and aquatic environments along its rivers. Scarp forest is a threatened forest type, protected by South Africa's forests act of 1998, while the grassland is classified as KwaZulu-Natal sandstone sourveld, the most threatened terrestrial habitat in the Durban metropole. The reserve was established in 1950 and was augmented by land donations as late as 1999.
Setting The reserve is situated at 140 to 520 m.a.s.l, and borders on suburbs, informal settlements, and in some of the catchment areas, on privately owned conservancies. The Kloof conservancy manages the Ronald's Kloof stream project, which effectively adds 5 ha to the reserve. The Springside and Iphithi Nature Reserves, in addition to the Everton conservancy and Overock community reserve, conserve natural remnants of the Nkutu, Molweni and Iphithi rivers' upper catchment.
The forested Molweni gorge divides the residential suburbs of Kloof and Forest Hills, and is intersected by Kloof Falls Road. This road provides access to the main Kloof Falls picnic site, from where walking trails diverge in both the upstream and downstream directions. The Molweni and Nkutu rivers converge to join 1 km outside the reserve, and some 2 km from the Umgeni. The reserve and conservancies are included in Durban's open space system, D’MOSS.
The reserve is situated on Natal group sandstone of the Cambrian to Ordovician periods, some 490 million years old, and artifacts recovered from its rock shelters indicate that it was once inhabited by early Iron Age people.
Wildlife
Some 25 amphibian, 255 bird, 50 mammal, 36 reptile, 150 butterfly and 274 tree species have been recorded in the Gorge or its vicinity. The natural vegetation is under pressure from numerous invasive species, while some tree species are vulnerable to muti-collecting practices in the greater Durban area.
Mammals
Blue duiker and bushbuck were released into the reserve in 1970 and 1971. Red duiker, then regionally extinct, was also introduced but did not persist, while the introduced baboons had to be eradicated after causing a nuisance to nearby residents. Common duikerAffirmed by camera trap, 2013, University of KwaZulu-Natal occurs and the last brown greater galagos of the Durban metropole are resident. Small carnivores include water, slender, white-tailed, Egyptian and banded mongoose, Cape genet, caracalAffirmed by camera trap: and water monitor. Its rocky grassland areas offer protection to the Natal red rock hare, a species with declining numbers.
Birds Some 255 bird species have been recorded in the reserve. The three pairs of crowned eagles that nest in the reserve prey on dassies, monkeys and hadeda ibis. Wahlberg's eagle, lanner and peregrine falcons all nest in the lower gorge. Secretive birds like broadbill, grey cuckooshrike, Narina trogon, emerald cuckoo and wood-owl all occur, but are more likely to be heard than seen. Winter migrants include chorister robin-chat, white-starred robin, yellow-throated warbler and the rare spotted ground-thrush. Trumpeter and crowned hornbills are numerous and conspicuous. Knysna turaco (subsp. corythaix) is not found elsewhere in the Durban metropole, and occurs alongside the more numerous purple-crested turaco. Late summer seed of broad-leaved setaria attract green twinspot, grey waxbill, swee waxbill and red-backed mannikin. Plain-backed pipit is regularly present after grassland burns, while bat hawk has been noted at dusk.South African Birdnet, 2006-2009, D.A. Bishop, C. Mitchell