The Karkloof Forest is situated in the Karkloof Nature Reserve, 22 km north of Howick

Howick, KwaZulu-Natal

Howick is a town located in the uMgungundlovu District of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The town is 1050 m above sea level, and about 88 kilometres from the port city of Durban. It enjoys warm summers and cool dry winters. A snappy chill descends upon Howick when snow falls on the nearby...

, KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

.

This is a large (936ha) Mistbelt Forest containing Yellowwoods (Afrocarpus falcatus

Afrocarpus falcatus

Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood and False Yellowwood Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood and False Yellowwood Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood and False Yellowwood (formerly also Outeniqua...

, Podocarpus latifolius

Podocarpus latifolius

Podocarpus latifolius is a large evergreen tree up to 35 m high and 3 m trunk diameter, in the conifer family Podocarpaceae; it is the type species of the genus Podocarpus....

and Podocarpus henkelii

Podocarpus henkelii

Podocarpus henkelii is a South African species of conifer in the Podocarpaceae family. It is grown ornamentally in gardens for its strikingly neat, attractive form and its elegant, drooping foliage....

) and Stinkwood (Ocotea bullata

Ocotea bullata

Ocotea bullata is a species of flowering tree in the family Lauraceae, native to South Africa. It produces very fine and valuable timber which, along with Yellowood, was much sought after to make traditional furniture. Due to over-exploitation it is now a protected species. Other names for it are...

).

Wildlife includes Samango monkey, Blue Duiker

Blue Duiker

Blue Duiker is a small forest dwelling duiker found in the Central Africa and southern South Africa.Blue Duikers stand around 35 centimetres tall at the shoulder and weigh 4 kilograms.They are the smallest of the antelope family. Blue Duikers have a brown coat with a slight blue tinge – hence...

 and Bushbuck

Bushbuck

The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland. Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck, is in fact a complex of two geographically and phenotypically...

. Crowned Eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) breed here, and the endangered Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus robustus) occurs here.

Endemics to the area include a subspecies of Crested Guineafowl (Guttera edouardi symonsi), and a Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion

Bradypodion

Bradypodion is one of six genera of chameleons within the "true" or "typical" chameleons . They are native to southern Africa, and are sometimes collectively called South African dwarf chameleons...

 sp.) which is related to the Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon

Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon

The Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon , also known under the longer common name of KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon, is a chameleon native to woodland habitat in the Midlands area of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.Its length is 19 cm . They have bulbous scales of varying colors...

 and the Black-headed Dwarf Chameleon.

Other birds found here include Knysna Turaco (Tauraco corythaix), Forest Canary (Crithagra scotops), White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata), Orange Ground-Thrush (Zoothera gurneyi), Red-throated Wryneck (Jynx ruficollis), Golden-tailed Woodpecker (Campethera abingoni) and Martial Eagles (Polemaetus bellicosus).