DOCSLIB.ORG

A Preliminary Ecoregion Classification System For

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Preliminary Ecoregion Classification System For ECOREGION 1: LIMPOPO PLAIN Table 1: Main attributes of the Limpopo Plain Ecoregion. Main Attributes Limpopo Plain Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; Low Relief; (dominant types in bold) (Primary) Plains; moderate relief; Lowlands; Hills and Mountains; moderate and high relief; Closed hills; Mountains; moderate and high relief (limited) Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Mopane Bushveld; Sweet Bushveld; Mixed Bushveld; (Primary) Waterberg Moist Mountain Bushveld; Clay Thorn Bushveld; Kalahari Plains Thorn Bushveld Altitude (m a.m.s.l) (Secondary) 300-1100 (1100-1300 limited) MAP (mm) (modifying) 200 to 600 Coefficient of Variation (%) of annual 25 to 40 precipitation Rainfall concentration index 60 to >65 Rainfall seasonality Early to mid summer Mean annual temp. (°C) 18 to >22 Mean daily max. temp. (°C): February 26 to 32 Mean daily max. temp. (°C): July 20 to >24 Mean daily min. temp. (°C): February 16 to >20 Mean daily min. temp. (°C): July 2 to >10 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for <5 to 60 (60-100 limited) quaternary catchment Main Attributes Limpopo Plain 1.01 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; low relief; Plains; moderate relief; Lowlands, Hills and Mountains; moderate and high relief Terrain Morphology Plains; Slightly undulating plains; Slightly irregular plains; Extremely irregular plains (almost hilly) Lowlands with hills Vegetation types (dominant types in Mopane Bushveld bold) (Primary) Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 100 to 900 MAP (mm) 200 to 400 Coefficient of variation (% of annual 30 to 39 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index >65 Rainfall seasonality Early to mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 20 to >22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 28 to 32 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 20 to 26 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 18 to >20 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 4 to >10 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for <5 to 10 (10 to 40 limited) quaternary catchment Main Attributes Limpopo Plain 1.02 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; low relief; Plains; moderate relief; Lowlands, Hills and Mountains; moderate and high relief; Closed Hills, Mountains; moderate and high relief. Terrain Morphology Plains; Slightly undulating plains; Slightly irregular plains; extremely irregular plains (almost hilly) (limited); Moderately undulating plains; Lowlands with parallel hills; Lowlands with mountains; High mountains Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) (Primary) SWEET BUSHVELD Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 500 to 1300 MAP (mm) 300 to 500 Coefficient of variation (% of annual 25 to 39 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index 60 to >65 Rainfall seasonality Early to mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 18 to 22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 24 to 32 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 18 to 24 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 16 to 19 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 2 to 7 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for <5 to 40; (40 to 60; 80 to 100 limited) quaternary catchment 2 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 Main Attributes Limpopo Plain 1.03 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; low relief; Plains; moderate relief; Lowlands, Hills and Mountains; moderate and high relief (limited) Terrain Morphology Plains; Slightly undulating plains; Slightly irregular plains Lowlands with parallel hills Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Mixed Bushveld; Waterberg Moist Mountain Bushveld; Kalahari (Primary) Plains Thorn Bushveld Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 700 to 1300 MAP (mm) 300 to 600 Coefficient of variation (% of annual 25 to 34 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index 60 to >65 Rainfall seasonality Early to mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 18 to 22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 28 to 32 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 18 to 24 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 16 to 19 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 2 to 5 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for <5 to 60 quaternary catchment Main Attributes Limpopo Plain 1.04 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; low relief; Lowlands, hills and Mountains; moderate and high relief Terrain Morphology Plains Lowlands with parallel hills Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Clay Thorn Bushveld (Primary) Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 700 to 1100 MAP (mm) 300 to 500 Coefficient of variation (% of annual 25 to 34 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index 60 to >65 3 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 Main Attributes Limpopo Plain 1.03 Rainfall seasonality Early to mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 18 to 22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 30 to 32 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 20 to 24 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 16 to 19 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 2 to 3 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for (10 to 20 very limited); 20 to 40 quaternary catchment 4 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 ECOREGION 2: SOUTPANSBERG Table 2: Main attributes of the Soutpansberg Ecoregion. Main Attributes Soutpansberg Terrain Morphology: Broad division (dominant Plains; Low Relief; (limited) types in bold) (Primary) Plains; Moderate Relief; (very limited) Lowlands; Hills and Mountains; Moderate and High Relief; Closed Hills; Mountains; Moderate and High Relief; Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Sour Lowveld Bushveld; Soutpansberg Arid Mountain (Primary) Bushveld; Mopane Bushveld (very limited) Patches AfroMontane Forest. Altitude (m a.m.s.l) (secondary) 300-1700 MAP (mm) (modifying) 200 to 1000 Coefficient of Variation (% of annual <20 to 40 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index 55 to >65 Rainfall seasonality Mid summer Mean annual temp. (°C) 16 to >22 Mean daily max. temp. (°C): February 22 to 32 Mean daily max. temp. (°C): July 16 to >24 Mean daily min. temp. (°C): February 14 to >20 Mean daily min temp. (°C): July 4 to >10 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for <5 to 200; >250 (limited) quaternary catchment Main Attributes Soutpansberg 2.01 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; low relief; Lowlands, Hills and Mountains; moderate and high relief; Closed Hills, Mountains; moderate and high relief Terrain Morphology Slightly undulating plains; Lowlands with mountains High Mountains Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Soutpansberg Arid Mountain Bushveld 5 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 (Primary) Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 700 to 1700 MAP (mm) 300 to 500 Coefficient of variation (% of annual 25 to 34 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index >65 Rainfall seasonality Mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 16 to 22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 24 to 30 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 16 to 22 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 14 to 19 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 4 to 7 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for <5 (limited) to 40 quaternary catchment Main Attributes Soutpansberg 2.02 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; low relief; Plains; moderate relief; Lowlands, Hills and Mountains; moderate and high relief Terrain Morphology Plains; Slightly undulating plains Extremely irregular plains (low hills) and pans Lowlands with hills Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Soutpansberg Arid Mountain Bushveld (primary) Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 300 to 900 (900 to 1700 limited) MAP (mm) 200 to 500 Coefficient of variation (% of annual 25 to 39 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index 60 to >65 Rainfall seasonality Mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 16 to >22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 24 to 32 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 18 to 26 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 18 to >20 6 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 4 to >10 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for <5 (limited) to 40 quaternary catchment Main Attributes Soutpansberg 2.03 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Plains; low relief; Closed hills, Mountains; moderate and high relief Terrain Morphology (Primary) Slightly undulating plains; Low mountains Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Soutpansberg Arid Mountain Bushveld (Primary) Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 300 to 1500 MAP (mm) 300 to 700 Coefficient of variation (% of annual 20 to 34 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index 60 to >65 Rainfall seasonality Mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 16 to 22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 22 to 32 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 16 to 24 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 14 to 19 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 4 to 9 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for 5 to 10; 20 to 100; (80 to 100 limited); 150 to 200 (limited) quaternary catchment Main Attributes Soutpansberg 2.04 Terrain Morphology: Broad division Closed Hills, Mountains; moderate and high relief Terrain Morphology Low mountains Vegetation types (dominant types in bold) Soutpansberg Arid Mountain Bushveld (limited); Sour (primary) Lowveld Bushveld; Patches Mopane Shrubveld Patches Afromontane forest Altitude (m a.m.s.l.) 300 to 1500 MAP (mm) 300 to 1000 7 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 Main Attributes Soutpansberg 2.03 Coefficient of variation (% of annual <20 to 34 precipitation) Rainfall concentration index 55 to >65 Rainfall seasonality Mid summer Mean annual temp (°C) 16 to >22 Mean daily max temp (°C) February 22 to 32 Mean daily max temp (°C) July 16 to 26 Mean daily min temp (°C) February 14 to >20 Mean daily min temp (°C) July 4 to >10 Median annual simulated runoff (mm) for 5-10 (limited); 20 to 200; >250 (limited) quaternary catchment 8 Draft: Resource Quality Information Services, Roodeplaat Dam - 2008 ECOREGION 3: LOWVELD Table 3: Main attributes of the
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Comparison of Extent and Transformation of South Africa's
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by South East Academic Libraries System (SEALS) Research in Action South African Journal of Science 97, May/June 2001 179 remote sensing applications in South Comparison of extent and Africa. This is a hierarchical framework designed to suit South African conditions, transformation of South Africa’s and incorporates known land-cover types that can be identified in a consistent woodland biome from two national and repetitive manner from high- resolution satellite imagery such as Land- databases sat TM and SPOT.The ‘natural’vegetation classes are based on broad, structural M.W. Thompsona*, E.R. Vinka, D.H.K. Fairbanksb,c, A. Ballancea types only, and are not intended to be and C.M. Shackletona,d equivalent to a floristic or ecological vege- tation classification. It is important to understand that a HE RECENT COMPLETION OF THE SOUTH Fairbanks et al.5 combination of both the NLC database’s TAfrican National Land-Cover Database This paper compares the distribution ‘Woodland’ and ‘Thicket, Bushland, and the Vegetation Map of South Africa, and location of woodland and bushveld- Bush-Clump & Tall Fynbos’ land-cover Swaziland and Lesotho, allows for the first type vegetation categories defined within classes were used in the comparison with time a comparison to be made on a national scale between the current and potential the NLC data, and the equivalent the DEAT defined ‘Savanna Biome’. The distribution of ‘natural’ vegetation resources. ‘Savanna Biome’ class defined within the inclusion of the NLC’s ‘Thicket, Bushland This article compares the distribution and DEAT’s ‘VegetationMap’ data.
    [Show full text]
  • National Forests Act: List of Protected Tree Species
    6 No. 37037 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 22 NOVEMBER 2013 GOVERNMENT NOTICES GOEWERMENTSKENNISGEWINGS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES DEPARTEMENT VAN LANDBOU, BOSBOU EN VISSERYE No. 877 22 November 2013 NOTICE OFOF THETHE LISTLIST OFOF PROTECTEDPROTECTED TREE TREE SPECIES SPECIES UNDER UNDER THE THE NATIONAL NATIONAL FORESTS ACT, 19981998 (ACT(ACT NO No. 84 84 OF OF 1998) 1998) By virtue of powers vested in me under Section 15(3) of the National Forests Act, 1998, I, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries hereby publish a list of all protected trees belonging to a particular species under Section 12(1) (d) set out in Schedule below. The effect of this declaration is that in terms of Section 15(1) of the National Forests Act, 1998, no person may cut, disturb, damage or destroy any protected tree or possess, collect, remove, transport, export, purchase, sell, donate or in any other manner acquire or dispose of any protected tree or any forest product derived from a protected tree, except under a licence or exemption granted by the Minister to an applicant and subject to such period and conditions as may be stipulated. Contravention of this declaration is regarded as a first category offence that may result in a person who is found guilty of being sentenced to a fine or imprisonment for a period up to three years, or to both a fine and imprisonment. SCHEDULE A / BYLAE A Botanical Name English Other Common Names National Common Afrikaans (A), Northern SothoTree Names (NS),SouthernSotho (S),Number Tswana (T), Venda (V), Xhosa (X), Zulu (Z) Acacia erioloba Camel thorn Kameeldoring (A) / Mogohlo (NS) / 168 Mogotlho (T) Acacia haematoxylon Grey camel thorn Vaalkameeldoring (A) / Mokholo (T) 169 Adansonia digitata Baobab Kremetart (A) /Seboi (NS)/ Mowana 467 (T) Afzelia quanzensis Pod mahogany Peulmahonie (A) / Mutokota (V) / 207 lnkehli (Z) Balanites subsp.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparative Wood Anatomy of Afromontane and Bushveld Species from Swaziland, Southern Africa
    IAWA Bulletin n.s., Vol. 11 (4), 1990: 319-336 COMPARATIVE WOOD ANATOMY OF AFROMONTANE AND BUSHVELD SPECIES FROM SWAZILAND, SOUTHERN AFRICA by J. A. B. Prior 1 and P. E. Gasson 2 1 Department of Biology, Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, London SW7 2BB, U.K. and 2Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3DS, U.K. Summary The habit, specific gravity and wood anat­ of the archaeological research, uses all the omy of 43 Afromontane and 50 Bushveld well preserved, qualitative anatomical charac­ species from Swaziland are compared, using ters apparent in the charred modem samples qualitative features from SEM photographs in an anatomical comparison between the of charred samples. Woods with solitary ves­ two selected assemblages of trees and shrubs sels, scalariform perforation plates and fibres growing in areas of contrasting floristic com­ with distinctly bordered pits are more com­ position. Some of the woods are described in mon in the Afromontane species, whereas Kromhout (1975), others are of little com­ homocellular rays and prismatic crystals of mercial importance and have not previously calcium oxalate are more common in woods been investigated. Few ecological trends in from the Bushveld. wood anatomical features have previously Key words: Swaziland, Afromontane, Bush­ been published for southern Africa. veld, archaeological charcoal, SEM, eco­ The site of Sibebe Hill in northwest Swazi­ logical anatomy. land (26° 15' S, 31° 10' E) (Price Williams 1981), lies at an altitude of 1400 m, amidst a Introduction dramatic series of granite domes in the Afro­ Swaziland, one of the smallest African montane forest belt (White 1978).
    [Show full text]
  • National Forests Act: List of Protected Tree Species
    6 No.33566 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 23 SEPTEMBER 2010 GOVERNMENT NOTICES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORSTRY AND FISHERIES No. 835 23 September 2010 NOTICE OF THE LIST OF PROTECTED TREE SPECIES UNDER THE NATIONAL FORESTS ACT, 1998 (ACT NO 84 OF 1998) By virtue of powers vested in me under Section 15(3) of the National Forests Act, 1998, I, Tina Joemat-Pe1tersson, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries hereby publish a list of all protected trees belonging to a particular species under Section 12(1) (d) set out in Schedule below. The effect of this declaration is that in terms of Section 15(1) of the National Forests Act, 1998, no person may cut, disturb, damage or destroy any protected tree or possess, collect, remove, transport, export, purchase, sell, donate or in any other manner acquire or dispose of any protected tree or any forest product derived from a protected tree, except under a licence or exemption granted by the Minister to an applicant and SUbject to such period and conditions as may be stipulated. Contravention of this declaration is regarded as a first category offence that may result in a person who is found guilty of being sentenced to a fine or imprisonment for a period up to three years, or to both a fine and imprisonment. SCHEDULE A I BYLAE A Botanical Name english Other Common Names National Common Afrikaans (A), Northern Sotho Tree Names (NS), Southern Sotho (S), Number Tswana (1), Venda (V), Xhosa 00. Zulu (Z) Acacia eri%ba Camel thorn . Kameeldoring (A) / Mogohlo (NS) / 168 Moa6tlh6 m· Acacia haematoxvlon Grev camel thorn Vaalkameeldoring CA) / Mokholo m 169 Adansonia digitata Baobab Kremetart (A) /Saboi (NS)/ Mowana 467 m Afzelia quanzensis Pod mahogany Peulmahonie (A) / Mutokota M / 207 Inkahli (Z) Ba/anites subsp.
    [Show full text]
  • The Greater Addo National Park, South Africa: Biodiversity Conservation As the Basis for a Healthy Ecosystem and Human Development Opportunities
    CHAPTER 39 The Greater Addo National Park, South Africa: Biodiversity Conservation as the Basis for a Healthy Ecosystem and Human Development Opportunities Graham I. H. Kerley, André F. Boshoff, and Michael H. Knight INTRODUCTION The recognition that ecosystem health is strongly linked to human welfare, and that many ecosystems have been heavily degraded under human domination — resulting in reduced capacity to support human populations — is a dominant feature of the environmental debate (e.g., Rapport et al., 1998). This has led to a search for ecosystem management strategies to maintain ecosystem health, ranging from water pollution management to disease control and sustainable resource utilization. To some extent this process has been hampered by the inability to look beyond con- ventional management strategies in order to recognize and develop new opportunities for extracting resources from ecosystems, while maintaining these systems in a healthy and functional state. This deficit is particularly apparent in rangeland ecosystems that traditionally have been used for domestic herbivore production through pastoralism, despite considerable evidence of the threats to ecosystem health that this strategy imposes (e.g., Fleischner, 1994). We present here the background of ecosystem degradation and loss of ecosystem resources due to pastoralism in the Eastern Cape Province (hereafter “Eastern Cape”) in South Africa (Figure 39.1), an area of spectacular biodiver- sity, and assess the consequences of alternate management strategies. We show how an initiative to address these problems, based on the recognition that biodiversity conservation yields tangible human development opportunities that include the full range of ecosystem services, is developing. DESERTIFICATION OF THE THICKET BIOME The Thicket Biome, one of the seven terrestrial biomes in South Africa (Low and Rebelo, 1996), is largely confined to the hot, dry valleys of the Eastern Cape, hence its alternative name of Valley Bushveld (Acocks, 1975).
    [Show full text]
  • ADDENDUM I Priority Areas for Conserving South African Vegetation
    ADDENDUM I Priority areas for conserving South African vegetation: a coarse-filter approach 185 Addendum l. South African Conservation Areas Priority areas for conserving South African vegetation: a coarse-filter approach B. Reyers", D.H.K. Fairbanks', A.S. van Jaarsveldi.1 and M. Thompson' I Conservation Planning Unit Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria, 0002 South Africa 2 Centre for Environmental Studies University of Pretoria Pretoria, 0002 , Environmentek, CSIR, PO Box 395 Pretoria, 000 I • Corresponding author (Tel) +27-12-4204396 (Fax) +27- 12-4203210 Email: [email protected] Keywords: Coarse-filter, biodiversity conservation, land-cover, vegetation types, road-effects Running title: South African conservation areas In Press: Diversity & Distributions 186 Addendum I. South African Conscrvation Areas Abstract South Africa has an important responsibility to global biodiversity conservation, but a largely inadequate conservation area network for addressing this responsibility. This study employs a coarse-fi lter approach based on 68 potential vegetation units to identify areas that arc largely transformed, degraded or impacted on by road-effects. The assessment highlights broad vegetation types that face high biodiversity losses currently or in the near future due to human impacts. Most vegetation types contain large tracts of natural vegetation, with little degradation, transformation or impacts from road networks. Regions in the grasslands, fynbos and forest biomes are worst affected. V cry few of the vegetation types arc adequately protected according to the IUCN's 10% protected area conservation target, with the fynbos and savanna biomes containing a few vegetation types that do achieve this arbitrary goal.
    [Show full text]
  • Threatened Ecosystems in South Africa: Descriptions and Maps
    Threatened Ecosystems in South Africa: Descriptions and Maps DRAFT May 2009 South African National Biodiversity Institute Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Contents List of tables .............................................................................................................................. vii List of figures............................................................................................................................. vii 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 8 2 Criteria for identifying threatened ecosystems............................................................... 10 3 Summary of listed ecosystems ........................................................................................ 12 4 Descriptions and individual maps of threatened ecosystems ...................................... 14 4.1 Explanation of descriptions ........................................................................................................ 14 4.2 Listed threatened ecosystems ................................................................................................... 16 4.2.1 Critically Endangered (CR) ................................................................................................................ 16 1. Atlantis Sand Fynbos (FFd 4) .......................................................................................................................... 16 2. Blesbokspruit Highveld Grassland
    [Show full text]
  • Geophysical Modelling of the Molopo Farms Complex in Southern Botswana
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by NERC Open Research Archive GEOPHYSICAL MODELLING OF THE MOLOPO FARMS COMPLEX IN SOUTHERN BOTSWANA: IMPLICATIONS FOR ITS EMPLACEMENT WITHIN THE ~2 GA LARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCES OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA A.S.D. WALKER British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG12 5GG e-mail: [email protected] R.M. KEY British Geological Survey, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH9 3LA e-mail: [email protected] G. POULIQUEN Geosoft Europe Limited, Wallingford, United Kingdom, OX10 0AD e-mail: [email protected] G. GUNN British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG12 5GG e-mail: [email protected] J. SHARROCK Gondwana Ventures (Pty) Limited, P.O. Box 20241, Francistown, Botswana e-mail: [email protected] I. McGEORGE MSA Geoservices, P.O. Box 2258, Gaborone, Botswana email: [email protected] M. KOKETSO Department of Geological Survey, Private Bag 14, Lobatse, Botswana e-mail: [email protected] J. FARR Wellfield Consulting Services (Pty) Limited, P.O. Box 1502, Gaborone, Botswana e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The Molopo Farms Complex is an extremely poorly exposed, major, ultramafic-mafic layered intrusion straddling the southern border of Botswana with South Africa. It lies within the south-western part of the ~2.0 Ga large igneous province of southern and central Africa that includes the better known Bushveld Complex. Integrated interpretation of regional gravity data and new high-resolution airborne magnetic data have constrained the geometry of the Molopo Farms Complex in southern Botswana as a strongly faulted, polyphase intrusion compartmentalised by regional ductile shear zones.
    [Show full text]
  • Kruger National Park
    Kruger National Park The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1989 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park is nearly 2 million hectares is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies. Truly the flagship of the South African National Parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 114 reptiles, 34 amphibians, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Man’s interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries is very evident in the Kruger National Park – from bushman rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Thulamela and Masorini. These treasures represent the cultures, persons and events that played a role in the history of the Kruger National Park and are conserved along with the park’s natural assets. Attractions and Activities There are so many creatures to see and sightings of rare species can be the highlight of your trip! Keep up to date with the movements of the wildlife in the Kruger National Park by consulting the sightings map at reception, it is updated daily! Five things to seek: The Big Five: Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, Lion and Rhino The Little Five: Elephant Shrew, Buffalo Weaver, Leopard Tortoise, Ant Lion and Rhino Beetle Birding Big Six: Kori Bustard, Ground Hornbill, Lappet-faced Vulture, Martial Eagle, Pel’s Fishing Owl and Saddle-bill Stork Five Trees: Fever Tree, Baobab, Knob Thorn, Marula and Mopane Natural / Cultural Features: Jock of the Bushveld Route, Letaba Elephant Museum, Masorini Ruins, Albasini Ruins, Stevenson Hamilton Memorial Library and Thulamela (a late Iron Age stone walled site) Activities include morning and afternoon nature walks, morning and night game drives, bush braais, 4x4 and eco- trails, wilderness hiking trails and backpack hiking trails.
    [Show full text]
  • KRUGER NATIONAL PARK © Lonelyplanetpublications Atmosphere All-Enveloping
    © Lonely Planet Publications 464 Kruger National Park Almost as much as Nelson Mandela and the Springboks, Kruger is one of South Africa’s national symbols, and for many visitors, it is the ‘must-see’ wildlife destination in the country. Little wonder: in an area the size of Wales, enough elephants wander around to populate a major city, giraffes nibble on acacia trees, hippos wallow in the rivers, leopards prowl through the night and a multitude of birds sing, fly and roost. Kruger is one of the world’s most famed protected areas – known for its size, conserva- tion history, wildlife diversity and ease of access. It’s a place where the drama of life and death plays out daily, with up-close, action-packed sightings of wildlife almost guaranteed. One morning you may spot lions feasting on a kill, and the next a newborn impala strug- gling to take its first steps. Kruger is also South Africa’s most visited park, with over one million visitors annually and an extensive network of sealed roads and comfortable camps. For those who prefer roughing it, there are 4WD tracks and hiking trails. Yet, even when you stick to the tarmac, the sounds and scents of the bush are never far away. And, if you avoid weekends and holidays, or stay in the north and on gravel roads, it’s easy to travel for an hour or more without seeing another vehicle. KRUGER NATIONAL PARK KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Southern Kruger is the most popular section, with the highest animal concentrations and easiest access.
    [Show full text]
  • Elephantulus Intufi – Bushveld Sengi
    Elephantulus intufi – Bushveld Sengi Assessment Rationale The Bushveld Sengi occurs along the northern reaches of the assessment region. The regions and habitats in which this species occurs are not generally impacted greatly by human activities, except for locally intense grazing, such as the “Bushmanland” area of South Africa. It is not known whether this species is adversely impacted by heavy grazing, but given what is known about sengi life history it probably is less influenced by this land use than many other small mammals. This species occupies quite arid habitats with considerable natural variation in environmental conditions that probably results in frequent Galen Rathbun (c) California Academy of Sciences changes in population numbers, which are natural. This is an edge of range species within the assessment region, with an extensive habitat throughout the rest of its range. Regional Red List status (2016) Least Concern Thus, we retain the Least Concern listing. National Red List status (2004) Data Deficient Regional population effects: Continuous distribution with Reasons for change None rest of African range. Global Red List status (2015) Least Concern TOPS listing (NEMBA) None Distribution The species occurs in southwestern Angola, Namibia CITES listing None (excluding the coastal Namib Desert), Botswana and Endemic No northern South Africa (Corbet & Hanks 1968; Skinner & Chimimba 2005). Within the assessment region, this Bushveld is used to indicate the type of habitat in species occurs along the northwestern border of South which this species lives, as opposed to others Africa in the Kalahari habitats. In the North West Province, which are associated with a rocky habitat.
    [Show full text]
  • Grassland Ecosystem Guidelines Landscape Interpretation for Planners and Managers Citation: SANBI
    Grassland Ecosystem Guidelines Landscape interpretation for planners and managers Citation: SANBI. 2013. Grasslands Ecosystem Guidelines: landscape interpretation for planners and managers. Compiled by Cadman, M., de Villiers, C., Lechmere-Oertel, R. and D. McCulloch. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. 139 pages. ISBN: 978-1-919976-88-4 Production management by: Aimee Ginsburg Design by: Ideaology: Design. Advertising. Digital Pty LTD Printed by: Typo Colour Specialists cc Paper: Printed on environmentally friendly Triple Green Print Silk recycled paper Copyright: © South African National Biodiversity Institute Grasslands Programme. 2013. Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Photo credits: Grateful thanks go to the many people and organisations whose photographs bring life to the pages of this report. Cover: Steve Germishuizen Inside: Jocelyn Adamson, Bill Bainbridge, De Beers, Cobus Botha, Mark Botha, Angus Burns, John Burrows, Mike Cadman, Peter Chadwick, Elna de Beer, John Dini, Freyni du Toit, Peter Farrington, Albert Froneman, Claire Fulton, Steve Germishuizen, Aimee Ginsburg, Graham Grieve, Lisle Gwynn, Peta Hardy, Kyle Harris, Dominic Henry, Dave Hoare, iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, Isabel Johnson, Steve
    [Show full text]