Maputaland–Pondoland bushland and thickets

The Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets is one of the ecoregions of South Africa. It consists of the montane shrubland biome.^[1]

Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets
Oribi Gorge
Map of the Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets
Ecology
Realm	Afrotropical
Biome	montane grasslands and shrublands
Borders	Albany thickets Drakensberg montane grasslands, woodlands, and forests Kwazulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic, Nama Karoo
Geography
Area	19,400 km2 (7,500 sq mi)
Countries	South Africa
Conservation
Conservation status	Critical/endangered

Geography

The ecoregion occupies the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains, covering an area of 19,500 square kilometers (7,500 sq mi) in South Africa's Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. It is bounded on the east by the KwaZulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic, which lies in the humid coastal strip along the Indian Ocean; to the west it is bounded by the higher-elevation Drakensberg montane grasslands, woodlands and forests. To the south, it transitions to the drier Albany thickets, which are characterized by more succulent and spiny plants.

Climate

The ecoregion experiences a dry subtropical climate characterised by varying rainfall levels, ranging from 800 mm to 450 mm per year. The majority of rainfall, approximately three-quarters, occurs during the warm summer months between October and March. Frosts are infrequent due to the moderating influence of the nearby Indian Ocean.^{[citation needed]}

Flora

Euphorbias in valley bushveld

The typical vegetation is sclerophyll evergreen shrubs, which form dense, closed canopy thickets up to six meters in height. The ecoregion, which is in a transition between moist and dry, montane and lowland, and temperate and tropical, has a rich diversity of species, although with few endemics. ^{[citation needed]}

Fauna

The ecoregion is home to a variety of animal species, including endangered black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) and white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum).^{[citation needed]}

Protected areas

A 1994 survey found that about 7.5% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas include the Great Fish River Nature Reserve, Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, and Thomas Baines Nature Reserve.^[2]

See also

• Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot – Southern Africa biodiversity hotspot
• Maputaland – Natural region in South Africa in northern KwaZulu-Natal
• EmaMpondweni, also known as Pondoland
• Wild Coast – Section of the coast of the Eastern Cape, South Africa