The Umgeni Bird Park at Riverside has a collection of over 3 000 exotic birds and indigenous birds representing over 500 species, as well as beautiful palms, cycads and other tropical plants. Numerous ponds, home to many waterfowl and flamingos, give the park an air of tranquillity and relaxation.
The Park is considered as one of the top three in the world. It was built in a disused quarry of about 4ha that had become a dump for building material and other refuse. Development started during 1983 and the first phase opened in January 1984. The development and running of the park is totally by private funding and no subsidies are received from any source. A large part of the bird food is used to feed hundreds of wild birds that visit the park daily.
