Widely regarded as an indicator species, Umdloti’s booming African oystercatcher colony is evidence of a surprisingly healthy coastal eco system. In the wake of the 2021 UPL chemical spill that decimated the nearby uMhlanga estuary and lead to extensive beach closures, followed by the Biblical scale dumping of sewage and other harmful materials into the ocean, courtesy of the catastrophic 2022 floods, these are certainly unexpected glad tidings. Since the first two African oystercatchers (Haematopus moquini) were spotted in Umdloti about five years ago, the village’s environmentally conscious community has been following their every move with keen interest.
Their numbers have been steadily increasing year by year with resident Mark Smith counting 12 birds during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, and Trish Dahl and Janine Trollope recently posting photos showing 21 of these near threatened beauties rendezvousing on the beach. Scientists offer a variety of possible explanations for this. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife animal scientist, Brent Coverdale, attributed their increase to the beach driving ban implemented in 2002 and the spread of exotic mussels. Offering a local perspective, the Oceanographic Research Institute’s Dr Ryan Daly credits Umdloti’s no-take zone where fishing or harvesting of any marine life, except pelagic fish, is prohibited.
Daly, an Umdloti resident, said although the protected forest and beach at Peace Cottage played their part, the real benefit lay in the no-take zone between first and sixth avenue that has created a healthy rocky shore eco system that has in turn become an important habitat for the oystercatchers. Confined mostly to the shoreline, their daily cycle is in perfect harmony with the tide as they feed and forage during low tide, primarily on mollusks and mussels in the inter-tidal zone.
Even their nesting practices are tide dependent as they lay their eggs in minimalistic nests just above the spring high tide level, but still below the dune vegetation, safe from predators such as mongooses. The local oystercatchers are evidently a nice bunch and kind to visitors, as two years ago they hosted a vagrant Eurasian oystercatcher that popped in for a visit. News of the esteemed guest caused quite a stir with birders and photographers from across the globe booking out every available room in Umdloti to catch a glimpse of this globally near-threatened species.
