A Bird Told Me
Durban is full of hidden gems that we often take for granted, places that can tell an interesting story like the Umgeni River Bird Park.
Dr Alan Abrey lived in Durban as a young boy and visited an old quarry site which was used to contain water. When they started to plan for a bird park he remembered this location and decided that that will be the perfect spot. After a year of extensive land filling, landscaping and aviary construction the Umgeni River Bird Park was opened in April 1984.
As soon as you walk through the gates of the park a feeling of calm will come over you, and you will forget that you are actually only 10 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The park is situated in 3.5 hectares of lush tropical landscaping with rock faces and huge waterfalls, one as high as 30m. The park is home to more than 800 birds and almost 200 species from around the world. Visitors are also able to get a glimpse of bird species that are the only representatives of their kind in Africa.
The breeding programme of the park involves breeding with 17 of the 24 threatened bird species in its collection. Visitors can watch through a viewing window as dedicated staff feed young chicks around the clock. Umgeni River Bird Park is also involved with a project of breeding and releasing Wattled Crane near Dullstroom. The crane chicks are hand-reared with the use of a glove puppet, so that they do not grow up thinking they are people. As they get older, a “crane mom” will wear a crane suit for up to eight hours a day to coach the chicks on dangers such as dogs and people to ensure that they can cope in the wild.
When last did you act like a tourist in your own city? This is the perfect place to start. The park is open from 9am to 5pm every day of the year, except Christmas day. Don’t miss the free-flight bird show that features birds from all over the world. The tranquil oasis of the Umgeni River Bird Park is waiting to be explored.
Source: Umgeni River Bird Park
eThekwini Municipality