Mpenjati Nature Reserve and the adjacent Trafalgar Marine Protected Area, lie between Port Edward and Margate in southern KwaZulu Natal and the MPA is one of the smallest in the country stretching along the coast for 4,8 kilometers and out to sea for only 500 meters. Despite its small size the scenic beauty of the coastline, estuary and coastal vegetation is hard to beat. On the estuary, African fish eagles and ospreys hunt and at sunset, thousands of ghost crabs emerge from the sandy beach in search of food that is being washed ashore by the breaking waves. The crab’s scurry around continuously throughout the night, only disappearing underground again as the sun rises.
The MPA is best known for the fossilized Cretaceous trees which are embedded in the rocks and these can best be seen at low tide in the intertidal rocks near the Trafalgar access. Trafalgar also protects sandy seabed, seaweed covered rocky reefs, intertidal rocks, sandy beach, coastal fore-dunes, dune forest, estuary and salt marsh and as a result, no other protected area in KwaZulu-Natal has such a diversity of habitats in such a small area.
Access to the reserve is via the village of Trafalgar or on foot through the Mpenjati Reserve. It offers a peaceful enclave in the busy South Coast.
For more information please do visit Marine Protected Areas South Africa and also please help spread the news in support of our MPAs.