Conservation Win Some, Lose Some

CONSERVATION win some, LOSE some TEXT ODETTE CURTIS As transformed landscapes go, the southern Cape’s Overberg is up there at the top of the list, its natural renosterveld vegetation replaced by vast expanses of pasture and crops. It’s not all bad news for birds, but there’s not much good news either. Odette Curtis, director of the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust, takes stock. > PETER RYAN 48 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBERJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 2017 RENOSTERVELD 49 ODETTE CURTIS (2) above A Cape Grass- THE ROLLING hills of the Over- rhino, Cape buffalo and serval, Professor Muthama Muasya, said them over a short period. This is THE WINNERS bird on Oedera squar- berg’s lowlands once teemed the near-extinction of others such to me, ‘In a changing landscape because the majority of the ‘wow’ The ‘winners’ Professor Muasya rosa, a common daisy with life: large herds of antelope as bontebok and the demise of en- there are winners and losers.’ species found in renosterveld are talked about are those bird spe- shrub in renosterveld. roamed the undulating plains of tire species such as the blue buck. Nothing could be more true for bulbs; dormant for most of the cies that have managed to ex- renosterveld that covered these Unlike the indigenous and no- the Overberg ‘wheatbelt’ of the year, they make a bold appear- pand their natural range and/or previous spread It is fertile lowlands. Then came the madic Khoi-Khoi, the settlers Western Cape, a region identi- ance just once in a 12-month increase their local population estimated that no European settlers, who made needed to mould the landscape fied as an Important Bird and cycle. There are two peak sea- size as a result of the changed more than 1000 breed- quick work of eliminating the to fit their sedentary lifestyle of Biodiversity Area (IBA) by Bird- sons when this otherwise ‘grey’ landscape. One that has bene- ing pairs of the endan- larger mammals and caused the keeping livestock and growing Life South Africa yet severely habitat is splashed with colour: in fited most from the conversion of gered and endemic destruction of local populations crops, which led to the systematic transformed from what it was in autumn, when the striking pink renosterveld shrubland into more Black Harrier remain. of some species such as black removal of the natural vegetation its natural state. This landscape or red lilies appear; and in spring, open habitats is the Blue Crane, and its replacement with pasture contains many birds that have when a plethora of irises (and our national bird. The grassland and cropland. In the past 50–100 benefited from the broad-scale, other families) burst into bloom, and Karoo habitats where this Remnants of Renosterveld in the Overberg years, with the advent of mechan- irreversible effects of expanding revealing a whole new world of much-admired species used to ical machinery, this habitat trans- monocultures – and others that natural wonder. reside have been altered by af- T formation reached new heights have been less fortunate, but are Appreciating this world means forestation, monocultures and PETER RYAN and today more than 95 per cent still hanging on, quite literally quite literally getting down on overgrazing, resulting in a de- these areas, where they have fared above The Karoo of the Overberg’s inland lowland for dear life, within the islands of hands and knees to see the ex- cline in the availability of breed- exceptionally well – but only af- Korhaan is one of the habitat has been converted for ag- natu ral vegetation that persist. traordinary diversity of life har- ing and feeding opportunities for ter farmers stopped persecuting ‘winners’ in the trans- riculture. Ninety-five per cent. Let Renosterveld has been very un- boured in this under-valued but it. The plus side for cranes is that them thanks to the efforts of the formed landscapes of Hermanus Cape Infanta that figure sink in a little before lucky in that it has always been Critically Endangered biodiver- the landscape-scale conversion of Overberg Crane Group. Most the Overberg. you read further. considered the ‘ugly sister’ of fyn- sity hotspot. And it’s a hotspot renosterveld shrubland into crop- farmers in the Overberg are now In a rather depressing conver- bos. While fynbos shows off her that is not in any way restricted land and artificial pasture has cre- justifiably proud of their Blue top Landscapes that sation about the impacts of severe pretty flowers throughout most to plants. Renosterveld is a habi- ated perfect habitat for them in Crane populations. were once renosterveld Agulhas Renosterveld remaining habitat loss and fragmentation of the year, renosterveld hides tat that is full of surprises, with the Overberg and Swartland. This There are several other species are most startling in and the degradation of natural most of hers and then goes bal- several rare and endemic birds has led to a significant increase that are winners in the Overberg summer, stripped bare INDIAN OCEAN Renosterveld original extent ecosystems, a very wise friend, listic in spring, exposing most of among them. in the number of Blue Cranes in but may not be doing so well > after harvest. 50 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 RENOSTERVELD 51 Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve still comprises rolling hills of intact renosterveld, a rare sight in the severely transformed Overberg wheatbelt. WESSEL WESSELS 52 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 RENOSTERVELD 53 ODETTE CURTIS (3) PETER RYAN above A Southern in other parts of their range. For surmised that their population as Cape Sparrows and Yellow and Double-collared Sun- example, the large and striking size has increased in the modified Southern Red bishops have also PETER RYAN bird on the Vulnerable Denham’s Bustard makes use of landscapes of the Western Cape. thrived in these ‘new’ habitats, Chasmanthe bicolor. cropland at certain times, being The Secretarybird is another as have species that are able to These species tend to be of high renosterveld essentially make no regularly encountered in pasture African species of conservation take advantage of the more open conservation concern. use of the surrounding agricultural above, right Yellow and on cropped land, yet seldom concern, yet it has also adapted cropland and the intermittent One of the most important is matrix. Karoo Scrub Robin (one of Bishops are common in fields with growing crops. The to man-altered environments in fence posts and fences, including the Black Harrier, an endemic, the most common birds in renos- along renosterveld bustards favour natural fynbos the Overberg, where it forages in Capped Wheatear, African Stone- Endangered and strikingly beau- terveld), Cape Grassbird, Yellow watercourses. and renosterveld habitats in their cropland and even occasionally chat, African Pipit, Cape Long- tiful raptor with an estimated and White-throated canaries, Ka- breeding season, but on average breeds at the top of alien trees. claw, Cloud and Zitting cisticolas, population of fewer than 2000 roo Prinia, Grey-backed Cisticola below The Agulhas (over the course of an entire year) The shy and elusive Karoo Kor- Common Quail and Large-billed individuals. Research has shown and Cape Bunting are among these Long-billed Lark is an their use of artificial habitats ex- haan has apparently also extend- and Red-capped larks. that this species breeds only in the species. endemic species able ceeds their use of natural vegeta- ed its range into the Overberg And of course there are many largest and most connected pieces Although the Cape Vulture is to utilise both natural tion. While they are threatened and Agulhas Plain region due to raptors that are able to make use of of renosterveld and that while it able to make use of the revamped and transformed by habitat loss in the grassland its ability to adapt to agricultural cropland. These tend to be the pole- may forage in cropland, it is en- lowlands for foraging, it has nev- landscapes. components of their range, it is habitats. It is now regularly en- hunting, rodent-focused species tirely dependent on natural habi- ertheless been a loser in this land- countered in the eastern regions such as the buzzards (Jackal and tat for building its ground-nests scape. Today only one colony of the Overberg wheatbelt, al- Steppe) and Spotted Eagle-Owl; and raising its young. There is no persists in the Western Cape: at though its cousin the Southern the scavengers such as the Yellow- doubt that this species has lost Potberg within De Hoop Nature Black Korhaan has not fared so billed Kite; and occasionally the very large sections of breeding Reserve. In the past these wide- well. pursuit-hunting Lanners and Per- habitat within its natural range. ranging birds of prey had access Several other more common egrines that take advantage of the The same goes for the Southern to an extensive landscape of natu- species – the likes of Helmeted high numbers of Speckled Pigeons Black Korhaan, whose Overberg ral habitat that held an abundance to the new landscape by breed- above A bluebottle Guineafowl, Spur-winged Goose, on open cropped land. populations have plummeted in of food. Ironically, though, this ing on cliffs in a protected area fly pollinates the bulb Egyptian Goose and Hadeda the past decade. Almost certainly, particular colony is the only one and foraging in the surrounding Wurmbea variabilis. Ibis – have moved into the West- THE LOSERS this species is entirely depend- in the country that is healthy and transformed matrix. ern Cape’s fertile lowlands over The ‘losers’ in this landscape are ent on remnants of renosterveld growing – a circumstance due It may lack the large, showy top The Near Threat- the past few decades, mostly as the birds that can make only lim- within the wheatbelt for both for- primarily to the goodwill of farm- proteas and the ericas that char- ened Blue Crane has a result of habitat transforma- ited use of the transformed ma- aging and breeding.

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