IMPENDLE NATURE RESERVE - OVERVIEW
The most popular activities are birding and picnicking. From the mid 19th century farmers settled here to breed livestock for meat and dairy products. Parts of the forest were vigorously exploited to produce building material primarily from yellowwood (podocarpus spp) on a commercial basis.

The lower slopes and flats adjacent to the Umkomazi river were used to grow mielies and other crops and vegetables. In 1983 this land was expropriated from the farmers and was administrated by the now defunct Department of Development Aid and the South African Development Trust Corporation.

Due to its conservation potential it was then handed to Natal Provincial Administration. When the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service (KZN Wildlife) was formed in 1994 with the amalgamation of the Natal Parks Board and the KwaZulu Directorate Of Nature Conservation, its administration was transferred to that body.

Most common animals to be seen in the reserve are common reedbuck, mountain reedbuck, grey duiker, vervet monkey and bushbuck. Rare animals that occur in the reserve are oribi, serval and blue duiker. Other animals that can be seen are the Natal red rock rabbit, caracal, genet, Cape clawless otter and rock hyrax.

Impendle is one of the few remaining breeding areas in KwaZulu-Natal of the rare blue swallow. Other birds which may be seen in the reserve are bald ibis, crowned and marshall eagle, wattled crane, ground hornbill, secretary bird, Stanleys bustard, Cape white-eye, sombre bulbul, bou bou strike, cape canary, olive bush shrike, collard sunbird, Cape batis, Cape robin, chorister robin and jackal buzzard.

The reserve may be visited by prior arrangement by phoning the Officer-in-Charge on 033 9969613.