the reserve covers 958 hectares, of which half consists of permanent marshes, pools, and swamps. the other half is covered in reeds, grass, and shrubbery. mist and clouds are prevalent and lightning strikes more often than anywhere else in the country. rainfall from 800 to 1,000 mm/yr is normal, mostly falling in the summer. this is the source of the umgeni river which supplies durban and pietermaritzburg through the midmar dam, albert falls dam, nagle dam, and inanda dam. in 1987, the natal parks board took possession of the area to protect the wattled crane, and in 2013, the park became a ramsar site. due to good cooperation with neighboring farmers, the latter can graze their cattle and sheep at select times on the reserve's grasslands. poachers and invasive plants present a problem. the wattled crane and the black-backed jackal remain threatened.