Know Your National Parks
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Waterberg Biosphere Reserve 2001 - 2012
WATERBERG BIOSPHERE RESERVE 2001 - 2012 APPLICATION FOR EXPANSION OF RESERVE TO UNESCO MAB COMMISSION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY September 2012 1 INTRODUCTION Some years ago renowned conservationist Clive Walker predicted that the Waterberg would yet emerge as one of the most important and significant conservation areas in South Africa. With a great potential for tourism, game ranching, hunting and environmental awareness, together with the richness and abundance of biodiversity in both plant and animal life, the Waterberg is an incredibly important area for conservation in the South African context. Recent conservation plans at both the provincial and national levels recognise the importance of the Waterberg Mountain Complex ecosystem and with this support the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve’s next step to ensure good governance of the area is to expand the current biosphere to include all of the Waterberg Mountain Complex to provide ecosystem and land use planning integrity. A biosphere reserve is a designated area of importance that falls outside the confined protected areas network such as provincial game reserves and national parks. It is also an area where people live and work. The area can include villages, towns, farming and agriculture, tourism, hunting, businesses and services. The main aim of the biosphere reserve is to ensure that while people utilise the area for their livelihoods and produce a strong economy, negative impacts on the environment and the area‟s reputation as a tourism destination are kept to a minimum and ecosystems remain intact and in good health. There are specific criteria that an area must have to qualify for biosphere reserve status. -
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. -
South Africa 3Rd to 22Nd September 2015 (20 Days)
Hollyhead & Savage Trip Report South Africa 3rd to 22nd September 2015 (20 days) Female Cheetah with cubs and Impala kill by Heinz Ortmann Trip Report compiled by Tour Leader: Heinz Ortmann Trip Report Hollyhead & Savage Private South Africa September 2015 2 Tour Summary A fantastic twenty day journey that began in the beautiful Overberg region and fynbos of the Western Cape, included the Wakkerstroom grasslands, coastal dune forest of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, the Baobab-studded hills of Mapungubwe National Park and ended along a stretch of road searching for Kalahari specials north of Pretoria amongst many others. We experienced a wide variety of habitats and incredible birds and mammals. An impressive 400-plus birds and close to 50 mammal species were found on this trip. This, combined with visiting little-known parts of South Africa such as Magoebaskloof and Mapungubwe National Park, made this tour special as well as one with many unforgettable experiences and memories for the participants. Our journey started out from Cape Town International Airport at around lunchtime on a glorious sunny early-spring day. Our journey for the first day took us eastwards through the Overberg region and onto the Agulhas plains where we spent the next two nights. The farmlands in these parts appear largely barren and consist of single crop fields and yet host a surprising number of special, localised and endemic species. Our afternoon’s travels through these parts allowed us views of several more common and widespread species such as Egyptian and Spur-winged Geese, raptors like Jackal Buzzard, Rock Kestrel and Yellow-billed Kite, Speckled Pigeons, Capped Wheatear, Pied Starling, the ever present Pied and Cape Crow, White-necked Raven and Pin-tailed Whydah, almost in full breeding plumage. -
Resource Partitioning Between Black-Backed Jackal and Brown Hyaena in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa
Ramnanan et al. Jackal and hyaena in South Africa Copyright © 2016 by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group. ISSN 1478-2677 Research report Resource partitioning between black-backed jackal and brown hyaena in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa Rivona Ramnanan1, Michelle Thorn1, Craig J. Tambling2 and Michael J. Somers 1, 3* 1 Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. 2 Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa. 3 Centre for Invasion Biology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. Email: [email protected] * Correspondence author Keywords: apex predators, dietary niche, human modification, resource partitioning. Abstract Understanding resource partitioning by predators is important for understanding coexistence patterns, with this becoming more relevant as historical food webs are altered through human impacts. Using scat analysis, we investigated the diet overlap of two sympatric meso-carnviores, the black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas and brown hyaena Hyaena brunnea, in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa. Scats (n = 30 jackal, 42 brown hyaena) were collected in April 2012 from game and livestock farms. When comparing main prey categories (medium-large mam- mal, small mammal, fruit, invertebrate, reptile, and bird) we found little difference in diets, with both carnivores con- suming predominantly medium-large mammals (10-100kg). Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus was the most commonly consumed large mammal species for both predators. Jackal and brown hyaena had, on average, 1.3 and 1.4 main prey categories per scat respectively which resulted in diet diversities of 3.9 for jackal and 2.5 for brown hyaena. -
Field Notes from Africa
Field Notes from Africa by Geoff Hammerson, November 2012 Africa! Few place names are evocative on so many levels and for such diverse reasons. Africa hosts Earth’s most spectacular megafauna, and the southern part of the continent, though temperate rather than tropical, has an extraordinarily rich and unique flora. Africa is the “cradle of humankind” and home to our closest living primate relatives. Indigenous peoples in arid southern Africa have learned to live in one of Earth’s most extreme environments. For early sea-going explorers, Africa was both an obstacle and a port of call, and later the continent proved to be a treasure-trove of diamonds, gold, and other natural resources. Sadly, Africa is also a land of human starvation, deadly disease, and genocide, and grotesque slaughter of wildlife to satisfy the superstitions and greed of people on other continents. It was a target for slave traders and a prize for imperialists. Until as recently as 1994, South Africa was a nation where basic human rights and opportunities were Our experience was greatly enhanced by the truly apportioned according to the melanin content of exceptional quality and efforts of our South African one’s skin. Africa’s exploitative and racist history guide, Patrick Cardwell, who was frequently and has made it a cauldron of political and social superbly assisted behind the scenes by Marie- turmoil. Given this mixture of alluring and Louise Cardwell. Patrick’s knowledge and repugnant characteristics, many potential visitors experience repeatedly put us in the right place at to Africa first pause and carefully consider the just the right time. -
Namaqua National Park Park Management Plan
Namaqua National Park Park Management Plan For the period 2013 - 2023 Section 1: Authorisation This management plan is hereby internally accepted and authorised as required for managing the Namaqua National Park in terms of Sections 39 and 41 of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003). NNP MP 2012 - 2023 – i Mr Bernard van Lente Date: 01 November 2012 Park Manager: Namaqua National Park Mr Dries Engelbrecht Date: 01 November 2012 Regional General Manager: Arid Cluster Mr Paul Daphne Date: 01 November 2012 Managing Executive: Parks Dr David Mabunda Chief Executive: SANParks Date: 05 June 2013 NAMAQUA NATIONAL PARK – MANAGEMET PLAN – MANAGEMET PLAN NAMAQUA NATIONAL PARK Mr K.D. Dlamini Date:10 June 2013 Chair: SANParks Board Approved by the Minister of Water and Environment Affairs Mrs B.E. E. Molewa, MP Date: 05 September 2013 Minister of Water and Environment Affairs NNP MP 2012 - 2023 – ii Table of contents No. Index Page 1 Section 1: Authorisations i Table of contents iii Glossary v Acronyms and abbreviations vi Lists of figures, tables and appendices vii Executive summary viii Section 2: Legal status 1 2 Introduction 1 2.1 Name of the area 1 2.2 Location 1 2.3 History of establishment 1 2.4 Contractual agreements 1 2.5 Total area 1 2.6 Highest point 2 2.7 Municipal areas in which the park falls 2 2.8 International, national and provincial listings 2 2.9 Biophysical and socio-economic description 2 2.9.1 Climate 2 2.9.2 Topography 2 2.9.3 Geology and soils 3 2.9.4 Biodiversity 4 2.9.5 Palaeontology, -
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. -
Recognition and Management of Ecological Refugees: a Case Study of the Cape Mountain Zebra
Biological Conservation 203 (2016) 207–215 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Biological Conservation journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/bioc Recognition and management of ecological refugees: A case study of the Cape mountain zebra Jessica MD Lea a,b,⁎, Graham IH Kerley c, Halszka Hrabar c,TomJBarryd, Susanne Shultz a a Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK b Chester Zoo, Caughall Road, Upton-by-Chester CH2 1LH, UK c Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 77000, NMMU, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa d Gamka Mountain Nature Reserve, Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, Oudtshoorn 6620, South Africa article info abstract Article history: Anthropogenic activities have led to long-term range contraction in many species, creating isolated populations Received 19 February 2016 in ecologically marginal and suboptimal habitats. ‘Refugee’ species have a current distribution completely re- Received in revised form 6 September 2016 stricted to suboptimal habitat. However, it is likely that many species are partial refugees, where one or more Accepted 17 September 2016 populations are managed in ecologically unsuitable habitat. Here, we develop a framework to assess potential Available online xxxx refugee populations in marginal habitats using a model species: the Cape mountain zebra. We assessed habitat quality by the abundance and palatability of grass and diet quality using proximate nutrient and element analysis. Keywords: Refugee species High grass abundance was associated with higher population growth rates and zebra density and less skewed Gap species adult sex ratios. Furthermore, faecal nutrient and dietary element quality was also positively associated with Conservation management grass abundance. -
An Ecological Study of the Plant Communities in the Proposed Highveld Published: 26 Apr
An ecological study of the plant communities in the proposed Highveld National Park Original Research An ecologicAl study of the plAnt communities in the proposed highveld nAtionAl pArk, in the peri-urbAn AreA of potchefstroom, south AfricA Authors: Mahlomola E. Daemane1 ABSTRACT Sarel S. Cilliers2 The proposed Highveld National Park (HNP) is an area of high conservation value in South Hugo Bezuidenhout1 Africa, covering approximately 0.03% of the endangered Grassland Biome. The park is situated immediately adjacent to the town of Potchefstroom in the North-West Province. The objective of Affiliations: this study was to identify, classify, describe and map the plant communities in this park. Vegetation 1Conservation Services sampling was done by means of the Braun-Blanquet method and a total of 88 stratified random Department, South African relevés were sampled. A numerical classification technique (TWINSPAN) was used and the results National Parks, were refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures. The final results of the classification procedure were South Africa presented in the form of phytosociological tables and, thereafter, nine plant communities were described and mapped. A detrended correspondence analysis confirmed the presence of three 2School of Environmental structural vegetation units, namely woodland, shrubland and grassland. Differences in floristic Sciences and composition in the three vegetation units were found to be influenced by environmental factors, Development, North-West such as surface rockiness and altitude. Incidences of harvesting trees for fuel, uncontrolled fires University, South Africa and overgrazing were found to have a significant effect on floristic and structural composition in the HNP. The ecological interpretation derived from this study can therefore be used as a tool for Correspondence to: environmental planning and management of this grassland area. -
Mangrove Kingfisher in South Africa, but the Species Overlap Further North in Mozam- Bique, and Hybridization May Occur (Hanmer 1984A, 1989C)
652 Halcyonidae: kingfishers Habitat: It occurs in summer along the banks of forested rivers and streams, at or near the coast. In winter it occurs in stands of mangroves, along wooded lagoons and even in suburban gardens and parks, presumably while on mi- gration. Elsewhere in Africa it may occur in woodlands further away from water. Movements: The models show that it occurs in the Transkei (mainly Zone 8) in summer and is absent June– August, while it is absent or rarely reported November– March in KwaZulu-Natal, indicating a seasonal movement between the Transkei and KwaZulu-Natal. Berruti et al. (1994a) analysed atlas data to document this movement in more detail. The atlas records for the Transkei confirm earlier reports in which the species was recorded mainly in summer with occasional breeding records (Jonsson 1965; Pike 1966; Quickelberge 1989; Cooper & Swart 1992). In KwaZulu-Natal, it was previously regarded as a breeding species which moved inland to breed, despite the fact that nearly all records are from the coast in winter (Clancey 1964b, 1965d, 1971c; Cyrus & Robson 1980; Maclean 1993b), and there were no breeding records (e.g. Clancey 1965d; Dean 1971). However, it is possible that it used to be a rare breeding species in KwaZulu-Natal (Clancey 1965d). The atlas and other available data clearly show that it is a nonbreeding migrant to KwaZulu-Natal from the Transkei. Clancey (1965d) suggested that most movement took place in March. Berruti et al. (1994a) showed that it apparently did not overwinter in KwaZulu- Natal south of Durban (2931CC), presumably because of the lack of mangroves in this area. -
Game Management Plan for Honingfontein Game Farm
HONINGFONTEIN GAME FARM GUIDELINES FOR THE INTRODUCTION & MANAGEMENT OF INDIGENOUS AND EXTRALIMITAL WILDLIFE PREPARED FOR Mr. Gerhardus Wendt SEPTEMBER 2019 - updated October 2020 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES – KEN COETZEE 4 CHESTNUT STREET, HEATHER PARK GEORGE, 6529 TEL / FAX: 044 – 8708472 www.conservationmanagementservices.co.za CONTENTS 1. Introduction and objectives .................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………… 1 1.2 Objectives of the plan …………………………………………………………….. 2 2. Description of the habitat ....................................................................................... 3 2.1 Vegetation description ..................................................................................... 3 A. Albertinia sand fynbos ............................................................................... 3 B. Canca limestone fynbos ............................................................................ 5 C. Eastern Ruens shale renosterveld……… …………………………………….. 6 D. Transformed pasture areas……..………………………………………………..7 2.2 Habitat condition and capability ....................................................................... 8 2.3 Conservation status ......................................................................................... 9 3. Wildlife management ............................................................................................. 10 3.1 Already introduced species ............................................................................ -
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.