Maputaland: Kosi Bay Tourism: Nature
"Isimangaliso" the name for the World Heritage site translate to land of "miracle and wonders". This describes Maputaland perfectly.
This is not "Big Game" country, although the area possesses its own "Big Five": Leatherback Turtle, Palmnut Vulture, Butanes Skink, Lion Fish and Zululand Cycad.
We do have the world's fastest reptile, the world's biggest fish, the world's biggest land animal, the world's smallest antelope, the world's ....the list continues.
Two interesting antelope occur - common Reedbuck in marshes and grasslands and Red Duiker in forest patches. Hippo are found in fresh-water lakes. Whales and Dolphins are sometimes seen offshore. Birding is good and a number of typical coastal species occur - Green Twinspot, Green Coucal, Grey Waxbill, Purplecrested and Livingstone's Louries, Natal Robin and jewel-like emerald Cuckoo in forests, Pinkthroated Longclaw and Rufonsbellied Heron in marshy areas. Various waders frequent the shoreline. The lakes and channels between lakes provide excellent birding. Kosi Bay is host for a large variety of water birds. Bird species in the area include the African Fish Eagle, Flamingoes, Palm-nut Vulture, White-backed Night-heron, and various kingfisher species.
The kosi system is characterised by grassland, interspersed with lakes, pans, streams, marshes and swamps. The swamp forests found in this area are the largest in the country.
Where the Kosi lakes mouth into the Indian Ocean you will find a reef in the estuary which is excellent for snorkelling.
Geographical History
Kosi Bay is not a bay at all and actually comprises four lakes. The reason why it is called Kosi is due to a mistake made by surveyors. A certain Captain William Owen, who was sent to survey the southeast coast of Africa, was told by locals of a river called the Mkuze. When he arrived at the area that the Kosi Bay lakes are situated in, he thought he had found the Mkuze River. Not being able to understand the local language all that well, he proceeded to call the estuary "Kosi". Eons ago this flat country must have been lakes as far as the eye could see.
