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The Dlinza Forest is a subtropical forest or Coastal Scarp Forest in Eshowe, Zululand, South Africa, one of five natural forests running in a 100 km line running northwest from the coast.[1] Others are the Ongoye, Entumeni, Nkandla and Qudeni Forests. They are the most important forests in southern Africa from the aspect of unique biodiversity. It contains rare birds,[2] chameleons,[3] snails,[3] butterflies,[4] moths,[3] frogs[3] and beetles.[4] Dlinza is the home of more than 65 species of birds,[2] including the endangered spotted ground thrush which breeds here,[5] rare Delegorgue's pigeon,[6] magnificent purple-crested turaco[7] and Narina trogon.[8]
The name Dlinza is derived from Zulu meaning a gravelike place of meditation after the peaceful setting. Occasional church services are held here and every 3 years a nativity play, written by Selwyn Moberley in 1953, is staged in the forest.[9]
First of its kind in Southern Africa, the boardwalk winds through the forest canopy and ends up on a tower overlooking the Dlinza Forest. The Boardwalk takes you 125 metres through the forest understory to a 20 metre high viewing platform which emerges above the canopy of trees.[10]