Stewardship Nature Reserves BOLAND Platbos Nature Reserve
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Freshwater Fishes
WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE state oF BIODIVERSITY 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction 2 Chapter 2 Methods 17 Chapter 3 Freshwater fishes 18 Chapter 4 Amphibians 36 Chapter 5 Reptiles 55 Chapter 6 Mammals 75 Chapter 7 Avifauna 89 Chapter 8 Flora & Vegetation 112 Chapter 9 Land and Protected Areas 139 Chapter 10 Status of River Health 159 Cover page photographs by Andrew Turner (CapeNature), Roger Bills (SAIAB) & Wicus Leeuwner. ISBN 978-0-620-39289-1 SCIENTIFIC SERVICES 2 Western Cape Province State of Biodiversity 2007 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Andrew Turner [email protected] 1 “We live at a historic moment, a time in which the world’s biological diversity is being rapidly destroyed. The present geological period has more species than any other, yet the current rate of extinction of species is greater now than at any time in the past. Ecosystems and communities are being degraded and destroyed, and species are being driven to extinction. The species that persist are losing genetic variation as the number of individuals in populations shrinks, unique populations and subspecies are destroyed, and remaining populations become increasingly isolated from one another. The cause of this loss of biological diversity at all levels is the range of human activity that alters and destroys natural habitats to suit human needs.” (Primack, 2002). CapeNature launched its State of Biodiversity Programme (SoBP) to assess and monitor the state of biodiversity in the Western Cape in 1999. This programme delivered its first report in 2002 and these reports are updated every five years. The current report (2007) reports on the changes to the state of vertebrate biodiversity and land under conservation usage. -
Tulbagh Renosterveld Project Report
BP TULBAGH RENOSTERVELD PROJECT Introduction The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is the smallest and richest floral kingdom of the world. In an area of approximately 90 000km² there are over 9 000 plant species found (Goldblatt & Manning 2000). The CFR is recognized as one of the 33 global biodiversity hotspots (Myers, 1990) and has recently received World Heritage Status. In 2002 the Cape Action Plan for the Environment (CAPE) programme identified the lowlands of the CFR as 100% irreplaceable, meaning that to achieve conservation targets all lowland fragments would have to be conserved and no further loss of habitat should be allowed. Renosterveld , an asteraceous shrubland that predominantly occurs in the lowland areas of the CFR, is the most threatened vegetation type in South Africa . Only five percent of this highly fragmented vegetation type still remains (Von Hase et al 2003). Most of these Renosterveld fragments occur on privately owned land making it the least represented vegetation type in the South African Protected Areas network. More importantly, because of the fragmented nature of Renosterveld it has a high proportion of plants that are threatened with extinction. The Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) project, which works with civil society groups in the CFR to update information on threatened plants, has identified the Tulbagh valley as a high priority for conservation action. This is due to the relatively large amount of Renosterveld that remains in the valley and the high amount of plant endemism. The CAPE program has also identified areas in need of fine scale plans and the Tulbagh area falls within one of these: The Upper Breede River planning domain. -
South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020
Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 A Tropical Birding set departure tour South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger Main Tour: 10th – 24th January 2020 Eastern Endemics and Drakensberg Extension: 24th January – 1st February 2020 Tour Leader: Emma Juxon All photographs in this report were taken by Emma Juxon, species depicted in photographs are named in BOLD RED Gurney’s Sugarbird seen on our day exploring the Sani Pass during the Drakensberg Extension www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 Introduction South Africa has it all, from mind-blowing wildlife to incredible scenery to fantastic people and cultures, not to mention the delicious food! This tour really gives clients a wonderful insight into life in this fantastic and varied country. We cover a huge area of the country, taking us through many different habitats and thus allowing us the opportunity to enjoy large species numbers. This tour follows our tried and tested route through the rugged Western Cape and along the south coast into the Garden Route. From there we move inland to the arid landscapes of the Karoo and Tankwa Karoo before hopping across country via airplane to Johannesburg and exploring the world-famous Kruger National Park. Then back to Johannesburg before winding our way through the mid-altitude grasslands of Wakkerstroom to Zululand, visiting Mkhuze Game Reserve, the St. Lucia estuary, the montane forests of Eshowe and oNgoye and the agricultural lands of Howick and Underberg. A final adventurous ascent takes us into the striking high- altitude vistas of Lesotho before winding our way back down to the tropical Indian Ocean shores of Durban. -
Fire Management
FACT SHEET The Landowner’s Guide to FIRE MANAGEMENT eriodic natural fires have always occurred in fynbos and probably in renosterveld systems too. Many plants actually need fires to reproduce and ensure their long-term survival. The Pchallenge now is to use fire in a fragmented and highly modified modern landscape to ensure the survival of all plant and animal species that live in the landscape. Although fynbos is a fire-adapted system, just one or two inappropriate fires at the wrong time of year or wrong frequency, can cause the local extinction of many species. The most important use of fire for conservation management is to maintain viable populations of all existing plant and animal species. The use of fire to achieve other management objectives should always take this into account. These may include: reduction in fuel load to prevent unmanageable wildfires, the control of invasive alien plants, increase in water yield from catchments, promoting desirable plants for the flower picking industry, or improving grazing. Principles of Fire Management Frequency can contain a high proportion of grasses, which are fast- growing and highly flammable, renosterveld can be The interval between fires should largely be deter- burned more frequently than fynbos, possibly every mined by the growth rate of existing plants. No fire three to 10 years. However, renosterveld is far less should be permitted in fynbos until at least 50% dependent on fire than fynbos. of the population of the slowest-maturing species in an area have flowered for at least Light is important for bulb flowering and the germina- three successive seasons. -
A Fine-Scale Conservation Plan for Cape Lowlands Renosterveld: Technical Report
A Fine-Scale Conservation Plan for Cape Lowlands Renosterveld: Technical Report MAIN REPORT September 2003 Amrei von Hase Mathieu Rouget Kristal Maze Nick Helme Report No. CCU 2/03 Cape Conservation Unit Botanical Society of South Africa Pvt Bag X 10 7735 Claremont www.botanicalsociety.org.za/ccu Key Partners and Sponsors of the Cape Lowlands Renosterveld Project TABLE MOUNTAIN FUND 2 Acknowledgements Many individuals and organizations have contributed generously to the Cape Lowlands Renosterveld Project to whom the Botanical Society and the project team are greatly indebted. We express our appreciation to you in this section and in addition have provided acknowledgement to others in sections of this report where their contribution was relevant. We are particularly indebted to our key project partners, the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (WCNCB), for putting their full support behind the project from its inception as well as their many contributions to the project. In Scientific Services we especially thank the late Chris Burgers, Helen de Klerk, Ernst Baard, Annelise le Roux, Guy Palmer and Andrew Turner for their guidance in the project planning and initiation stages, particularly on data and GIS matters. We are tremendously grateful to Chris who generously and infectiously shared with us his wealth of knowledge about the lowlands. In Operations we express our appreciation to the business unit managers, extension officers and regional ecologists who played a vital role particularly in shaping the final products of the project. We are especially grateful to Anton Wolfaardt and Chris Martens. Wendy Paisley of the Cape Conservation Unit (CCU) of the Botanical Society provided invaluable administrative and organizational support to the project. -
Biodiversity Working for People and the Environment
biodiversitybusiness BIODIVERSITY WORKING FOR PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT Innovative business and biodiversity projects are currently underway in the Cape Floristic Region – involving creative partnerships between agricultural producers, industry associations, retailers, communities and conservationists, working together to conserve valuable biodiversity. This brochure presents case studies from the 2006 C.A.P.E. Partners' Conference and developments to 2008. The conference focused in part on the theme of "Biodiversity Business". At the conference key stakeholders presented examples of businesses, both big and small, that have a material impact on biodiversity* or benefit directly from the biodiversity of the Cape Floristic Region, helping to develop participants' understanding of the complex dynamics of biodiversity-based business. *Biodiversity refers to all the genes, species, ecosystems and processes that allow life to persist over time. When biodiversity is intact, species and ecosystems are resilient, enabling them to adapt to environmental changes including global climate change. When biodiversity is lost, nature responds unpredictably, making it difficult for growers to plan production and protect natural resources. BIODIVERSITY OF THE CAPE FLORISTIC REGION Stretching from the Cederberg in the north-west, around the Western Cape coast and into the Eastern Cape up to the Nelson Mandela Metropole, the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is world famous for its dramatic and varied land- and seascapes and its astonishing diversity of plant and animal life. As one of only six floral kingdoms in the world and with 9 600 recorded plant species, 70% of them found nowhere else on the planet, the CFR is a biodiversity hotspot. Under increasing pressure from human development, it is also one of the world's 25 most threatened hotspots. -
DISTRIBUTION and POPULATION STRUCTURE of Avicennia Marina (FORSSK.) VIERH in RELATION to the ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENT ALONG the RED SEA COAST of EGYPT
Ekológia (Bratislava) - Journal of the Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 48–53, 2021 doi:10.2478/eko-2021-0006 DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF Avicennia marina (FORSSK.) VIERH IN RELATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENT ALONG THE RED SEA COAST OF EGYPT RAMADAN A. SHAWKY Plant Ecology and Ranges Department, Desert Research Center; 1 Mathaf El-Matariya st., Cairo, Egypt; e-mail: [email protected] Received: 22 August 2020 / Accepted: 4 November 2020 Abstract Shawky R.A.: Distribution and population structure of Avicennia marina (Forssk.) vierh in relation to the environmental gradient along the Red Sea Coast of Egypt. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 48–53, 2021. This paper presents an assessment of changes in Avicennia marina population along the Egyptian coasts of the Red Sea. A retrospective analysis of the mangrove cover and distribution was carried out. The populations in Sharm El-Bahary and wadi El-Gimal lack at least one or more volume class stages, while all volume classes are represented in the last two populations occurring in wadi Al-Qu’lan and Sharm El-Madfa’a. The relationships between the individual diameter and canopy volume of A. marina population are simply linear. Strong correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.92) for the population of Sharm El-Bahry and the weak correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.63) for the population of wadi El-Gimal. On the other hand, the relationships between the individual heights and canopy volume of A. marina population are simply linear. Strong correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.72) for the population of Sharm El-Bahry and the weak correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.46) for the population of wadi El-Gimal. -
Know Your National Parks
KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS 1 KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS Our Parks, Our Heritage Table of contents Minister’s Foreword 4 CEO’s Foreword 5 Northern Region 8 Marakele National Park 8 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 10 Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage site 11 Arid Region 12 Augrabies Falls National Park 12 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 13 Mokala National Park 14 Namaqua National Park 15 /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park 16 Cape Region 18 Table Mountain National Park 18 Bontebok National Park 19 Agulhas National Park 20 West Coast National Park 21 Tankwa-Karoo National Park 22 Frontier Region 23 Addo Elephant National Park 23 Karoo National Park 24 DID YOU Camdeboo National Park 25 KNOW? Mountain Zebra National Park 26 Marakele National Park is Garden Route National Park 27 found in the heart of Waterberg Mountains.The name Marakele Kruger National Park 28 is a Tswana name, which Vision means a ‘place of sanctuary’. A sustainable National Park System connecting society Fun and games 29 About SA National Parks Week 31 Mission To develop, expand, manage and promote a system of sustainable national parks that represent biodiversity and heritage assets, through innovation and best practice for the just and equitable benefit of current and future generation. 2 3 KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS Minister’s Foreword CEO’s Foreword We are blessed to live in a country like ours, which has areas by all should be encouraged through a variety of The staging of SA National Parks Week first took place been hailed as a miracle in respect of our transition to a programmes. -
Temperate Indigenous Grassland Gains in South Africa: Lessons Being Learned in a Developing Country
PARKS 2014 Vol 20.1105 TEMPERATE INDIGENOUS GRASSLAND GAINS IN SOUTH AFRICA: LESSONS BEING LEARNED IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY Clinton Carbutt*1 and Greg Martindale1 * Corresponding author: [email protected] 1 Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, PO Box 13053, Cascades, 3202, South Africa ABSTRACT The fragile state of temperate indigenous grasslands globally has galvanised action in the form of the Temperate Grasslands Conservation Initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas. However, despite this initiative raising the profile of temperate grassland conservation on the global conservation agenda, one still requires country-based interventions at the hands of local conservation authorities, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to improve protection levels on the ground. To this end we report on progress made with temperate indigenous grassland conservation in South Africa since 2006, a landmark heralding the birth of biodiversity stewardship in our temperate grassland biome. Since then an additional 124,983 ha of temperate grassland have been brought under formal protection with a further 96,641 ha in the declaration process, most of which should be secured by the end of 2014. We also discuss the driving forces underpinning these gains - namely the National Protected Area Expansion Strategy, the Grasslands Programme of the South African National Biodiversity Institute, provincial biodiversity stewardship units and funding channelled through the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund into civil society to augment the state’s contribution. Given the clear benefits derived from each intervention, we encourage other relevant countries with temperate indigenous grasslands to develop similar structures in the quest to safeguard representative, viable samples of one of the world’s great terrestrial biomes. -
Botanical Assessment-N2 Arrestor Bed Sir Lowrys Pass Rev
Botanical Assessment for the proposed Arrestor Bed on the N2 National Highway at Sir Lowry’s Pass, City of Cape Town, Western Cape Province Report by Dr David J. McDonald Bergwind Botanical Surveys & Tours CC. 14A Thomson Road, Claremont, 7708 Tel: 021-671-4056 Fax: 086-517-3806 Report prepared for Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd August 2015 Botanical Assessment: Arrestor Bed, N2 Highway, Sir Lowry’s Pass EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The botanical assessment reported here was commissioned to support the environmental authorization process required for the proposed construction of an arrestor bed on the south side of the N2 National Highway at the base of Sir Lowry’s Pass, near Somerset West, Western Cape Province. Only one alternative layout was investigated and assessed. The study area is found in the transition zone or ecotone between Boland Granite Fynbos and Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos. Both are regarded as Vulnerable on a national conservation scale. The arrestor bed site would cover less than 0.5 ha and most of the vegetation found is natural. There are small clusters of woody invasive aliens as well as invasive grasses, notably Kikuyu grass. These plant species should be controlled prior to commencement of construction. Although there would be complete loss of natural fynbos vegetation on the site the impact assessment indicates that since the area is small and linear the overall direct impact of the arrestor bed in the construction and operational phases would be Minor negative . On-site mitigation to accommodate the loss of the fynbos vegetation would not be possible but other mitigation measures to avoid disturbance impacts beyond the footprint should be implemented. -
Towards Ecological Restoration Strategies for Penisula Shale
Towards ecological restoration strategies for Peninsula Shale Renosterveld: testing the effects of disturbance-intervention treatments on seed germination on Devil’s Peak, Cape Town by Penelope Anne Waller Dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science at the University of Cape Town, Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town University of Cape Town Supervisor: Dr Pippin Anderson Co-supervisor: Dr Pat Holmes September 2013 The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town D eclarationeclarationeclaration I, the undersigned, know the meaning of plagiarism and declare that all of the work in the document, save for that which is properly acknowledged, is my own. University of Cape Town Signature: _____________________________ Date: ____________________________ i AAbstractbstractAbstract The ecological restoration of Peninsula Shale Renosterveld is essential to redress its conservation- target shortfall. The ecosystem is Critically Endangered and, along with all other renosterveld types in the Cape lowlands, declared ‘totally irreplaceable’. Further to conserving all extant remnants, ecological restoration is required to play a critical part in securing biodiversity and to meeting conservation targets. Remnants of Peninsula Shale Renosterveld are situated either side of the Cape Town city bowl and, despite formal protection, areas of the ecosystem are degraded and require restoration intervention. -
Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot Program for Consolidation
Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot Program for Consolidation September 2009 The only arid ecosystem to be recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, the Succulent Karoo, covering parts of southwestern South Africa and southern Namibia, is characterized by its diverse and endemic flora, especially succulents and bulbs. The hotspot is home to 6,356 plant species, 40 percent of which are endemic or unique to the region. In addition to its floral diversity, the hotspot is a center of diversity for reptiles and invertebrates and also supports a variety of mammals and endemic birds. As detailed in the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) ecosystem profile for this hotspot,1 local and global awareness of the significance and value of the Succulent Karoo has been low. Most of the region’s 100,000 square kilometers are used for communal or commercial grazing, with other human impacts – mining, agriculture, ostrich farming, illegal collection of fauna and flora, and anthropogenic climate change – adding to the pressure on biodiversity. CEPF is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation. The CEPF strategy for this hotspot was created based on the results of the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Plan (SKEP), which included a comprehensive and participatory process to develop a 20-year conservation and development strategy for the region. SKEP, now the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Program, developed an overarching framework for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the hotspot.