Drakensberg
Encyclopedia
The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range
in Southern Africa
, rising to 3482 metres (11,423.9 ft) in height. In Zulu
, it is referred to as uKhahlamba ("barrier of spears"), and in Sesotho as Maluti
(also spelled Maloti). Its geological history lends it a distinctive character amongst the mountain ranges of the world. Geologically, the range resembles the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia.
, mudstone
and sandstone
, now known as the Karoo Supergroup
, over the ancient primary rock. When Gondwanaland began to break up 200 million years ago, the resultant forces caused the extrusion of magma
, known as Drakensberg lava, through fissures and cracks in the Earth's surface. In the Drakensberg region it capped the sedimentary rock
formations with layers of solid basalt
up to 1400 m thick. Weathering reduced the range's size, and caused the plateau to recede. In modern times, continued erosion
has exposed some of the underlying sediment.
lower down, resulting in a combination of steep-sided blocks and pinnacles.
zones. Many of the primary minerals within the basalts have been subjected to varying degrees of deuteric alteration which has led to the formation of clay
, as well as chlorite
and zeolite
to a lesser extent. Some interstitial glass has also broken down to form clay. These secondary minerals, together with zeolites which occur notably as amygdaloidal fillings, mean that many of the basalts break down rapidly on exposure. The breakdown results from the expansion which occurs when the clay minerals swell on absorption of water.
, at 3482 metres (11,423.9 ft). Other notable peaks include Mafadi
at 3,450 m, Makoaneng at 3,416 m, Njesuthi
at 3,408 m, Champagne Castle
at 3,377 m, Giant's Castle
at 3,315 m, Ben Macdhui
at 3,001 m, and Popple Peak
at 3331m, all of these are in the area bordering on Lesotho
. Another popular area for hikers is Cathedral Peak
. North of Lesotho the range becomes lower and less rugged until entering Mpumalanga where the quartzite mountains of the Transvaal Drakensberg are loftier and more broken and form the eastern rim of the Transvaal Basin, the Blyde River Canyon
lying within this stretch. The geology of this section is the same as and continuous with that of the Magaliesberg
.
. These steep slopes are the most southerly high mountains in Africa, and being further from the equator provide cooler habitats at lower elevations than most mountain ranges on the continent. The high rainfall generates many mountain streams and rivers, including the sources of the Orange River
, southern Africa's longest, and the Tugela River
. These mountains also have the world's second-highest waterfall, the Tugela Falls
(Thukela Falls), which has a total drop of 947 metres. The rivers that run from the Drakensberg are an essential resource for South Africa's economy, providing water for the industrial provinces of Mpumalanga
and Gauteng
, which contains the city of Johannesburg
. The climate is wet and cool at the high altitudes, which experience snowfall in winter.
Meanwhile the grassy lower slopes (from 1,800 to 2,500 m) of the Drakensberg in Swaziland
, South Africa and Lesotho constitute the Drakensberg Montane Grassland, Woodland, and Forest.
The flora of the high alti-montane grasslands is mainly tussock grass, creeping plants, and small shrubs such as erica
s. These include the rare Spiral Aloe (Aloe polyphylla
), which as its name suggests has leaves with a spiral shape.
Meanwhile the lower slopes are mainly grassland but are also home to conifers, which are rare in Africa, the species of conifer found in the Drakensberg is Podocarpus
. The grassland itself is of interest as it contains a great number of endemic plants. Grasses found here include oat grass Monocymbium ceresiiforme, Diheteropogon
filifolius, Sporobolus
centrifugus, caterpillar grass (Harpochloa falx), Cymbopogon
dieterlenii, and Eulalia villosa.
(Anthus hoeschi), while another six are found mainly here: Bush Blackcap
(Lioptilus nigricapillus), Buff-streaked Chat
(Oenanthe bifasciata), Rudd's Lark
(Heteromirafra ruddi), Drakensberg Rockjumper (Chaetops aurantius), Yellow-breasted Pipit
(Anthus chloris), and Drakensberg Siskin
(Serinus symonsi). The endangered Cape Vulture
and Lesser Kestrel
are two of the birds of prey that hunt in the mountains. Mammals include Klipspringer
(Oreotragus oreotragus), Eland
(Taurotragus oryx) and Mountain Reedbuck
(Redunca fulvorufula). Other endemic species include three frogs found in the mountain streams, Drakensberg River Frog, (Amietia dracomontana), Phofung River Frog (Amietia vertebralis) and Maluti River Frog Frog (Amietia umbraculata). Fish are found in the many rivers and streams including the Maluti Redfin (Pseudobarbus quathlambae), which was thought to be extinct but has been found in the Senqunyane River
in Lesotho.
.
(which was nurtured here when facing extinction) and the Black Wildebeest
(Connochaetes gnou, which only thrives in protected areas and game reserves). The area is home to large herds of grazing and antelopes such as Eland
(Taurotragus oryx), Reedbuck
(Redunca arundinum), Mountain Reedbuck
(Redunca fulvorufula), Grey Rhebok
(Pelea capreolus), and even some Oribi
(Ourebia ourebi). Endemic species include a large number of chameleon
s and other reptiles. There is one endemic frog, Forest Rain Frog (Breviceps sylvestris), and four more that are found mainly in these mountains; Long-toed Tree Frog (Leptopelis xenodactylus), Plaintive Rain Frog (Breviceps maculatus), Rough Rain Frog (Breviceps verrucosus), and Poynton's Caco (Cacosternum poyntoni).
in the Drakensberg is developing, with a variety of hiking trails
, hotels and resorts appearing on the slopes. Most of the higher South African parts of the range have been designated as game reserve
s or wilderness areas. Of these the UKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park
was listed by UNESCO
in 2000 as a World Heritage site. The park is also in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (under the Ramsar Convention
). The Royal Natal National Park
, which contains some of the higher peaks, is part of this large park complex. Adjacent to the Drakensberg National Park is Cathkin Estates Conservation and Wildlife Sanctuary which spans 1044HA of virgin grassland and represents the largest privately owned game park in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg region. Across the border in Lesotho an area is protected as the Sehlabathebe National Park
.
The grassland of the lower slopes meanwhile has been greatly affected by agriculture, especially overgrazing. Original grassland and forest has nearly all disappeared and more protection is needed, though the Giant's Castle
reserve is a haven for the Eland
and also is a breeding ground for the Bearded Vulture.
South Africa; Ladysmith
, the large town Newcastle
, the former Zulu
capital Ulundi
, the coal-mining centre Dundee
and Ixopo
; and further south Matatiele and Barkly East
in Eastern Cape Province South Africa; plus all of Lesotho, whose capital is Maseru
. The hilly landscape extends north from the Drakensberg as Swaziland
, whose capital is Mbabane
.
. The Drakensberg has between 35000 and 40000 works of bushmen art and is the largest collection of such work in the world. Some 20,000 individual rock paintings have been recorded at 500 different caves and overhanging sites between the Drakensberg Royal Natal National Park and Bushman's Neck. Due to the materials used in their production, these paintings are difficult to date, but there is anthropological evidence, including many hunting implements, that the bushmen people existed in the Drakensberg at least 40,000 years ago, and possibly over 100,000 years ago. According to countryroads.co.za, "[i]n Ndedema Gorge in the Central Drakensberg 3,900 paintings have been recorded at 17 sites. One of them, Sebaayeni Cave, contains 1 146 individual paintings." Southafrica.info indicates that though "the oldest painting on a rock shelter wall in the Drakensberg dates back about 2400 years", "paint chips at least a thousand years older have also been found." The site also indicates that "[t]he rock art of the Drakensberg is the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in Africa south of the Sahara, and is outstanding both in quality and diversity of subject."
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
, rising to 3482 metres (11,423.9 ft) in height. In Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
, it is referred to as uKhahlamba ("barrier of spears"), and in Sesotho as Maluti
Maluti
Maluti is a small town near Shikaripara in Dumka District of Jharkhand, India. The place has 72 old temples. It was built under the Baj Basanta dynasty. The 72 temples are edifices to the kings of the Pala Dynasty. They portray various scenes from Hindu mythology including the Ramayana and the...
(also spelled Maloti). Its geological history lends it a distinctive character amongst the mountain ranges of the world. Geologically, the range resembles the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia.
Geological origins
During the Pre-Cambrian Era, volcanic eruptions in the area resulted in lava covering large sections of the Southern African sub-continent. In the Palaeozoic Era, wind and water deposited thick layers of shaleShale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
, mudstone
Mudstone
Mudstone is a fine grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to 0.0625 mm with individual grains too small to be distinguished without a microscope. With increased pressure over time the platey clay minerals may become aligned, with the...
and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, now known as the Karoo Supergroup
Karoo Supergroup
The Karoo Supergroup is the largest stratigraphic unit in Southern Africa, covering almost two thirds of the present land surface, including central Cape Province, almost all of Orange Free State, western Natal, much of south-east Transvaal, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi...
, over the ancient primary rock. When Gondwanaland began to break up 200 million years ago, the resultant forces caused the extrusion of magma
Magma
Magma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
, known as Drakensberg lava, through fissures and cracks in the Earth's surface. In the Drakensberg region it capped the sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
formations with layers of solid basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
up to 1400 m thick. Weathering reduced the range's size, and caused the plateau to recede. In modern times, continued erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
has exposed some of the underlying sediment.
Appearance
The mountains are capped by a layer of basalt approximately 1,400 meters thick, with sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
lower down, resulting in a combination of steep-sided blocks and pinnacles.
Composition
The majority of the range is basalt, as a result of continental upheaval and volcanic activity in the Pre-Cambrian era. Many of the lava flows are characterized by amygdaloidalAmygdule
Amygdules or amygdales form when the gas bubbles or vesicles in volcanic lava are infilled with a secondary mineral such as calcite, quartz, chlorite or one of the zeolites. Amygdules usually form after the rock has been emplaced, and are often associated with low-temperature alteration. Amygdules...
zones. Many of the primary minerals within the basalts have been subjected to varying degrees of deuteric alteration which has led to the formation of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, as well as chlorite
Chlorite
The chlorite ion is ClO2−. A chlorite is a compound that contains this group,with chlorine in oxidation state +3. Chlorites are also known as salts of chlorous acid.-Oxidation states:...
and zeolite
Zeolite
Zeolites are microporous, aluminosilicate minerals commonly used as commercial adsorbents. The term zeolite was originally coined in 1756 by Swedish mineralogist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, who observed that upon rapidly heating the material stilbite, it produced large amounts of steam from water that...
to a lesser extent. Some interstitial glass has also broken down to form clay. These secondary minerals, together with zeolites which occur notably as amygdaloidal fillings, mean that many of the basalts break down rapidly on exposure. The breakdown results from the expansion which occurs when the clay minerals swell on absorption of water.
Highest peaks
The highest peak is Thabana NtlenyanaThabana Ntlenyana
Thabana Ntlenyana, which literally means "Beautiful little mountain" in Sesotho, is the highest point in Lesotho and the highest mountain in southern Africa. It is situated on the ridge of the Drakensberg mountains near Sani Pass.-External links:* *...
, at 3482 metres (11,423.9 ft). Other notable peaks include Mafadi
Mafadi
Mafadi is a peak on the border of South Africa and Lesotho. At a height of , it is the highest mountain in South Africa, but is lower than Thabana Ntlenyana, the highest peak in Lesotho which is, at , the highest point in Southern Africa...
at 3,450 m, Makoaneng at 3,416 m, Njesuthi
Njesuthi
Njesuthi is one of the highest mountains in the Drakensberg mountain range at . It is located on the border between Lesotho and the South African province KwaZulu-Natal. Also on the border is the taller Mafadi peak.-External links:* *...
at 3,408 m, Champagne Castle
Champagne Castle
Champagne Castle is a mountain in the central Drakensberg range, and is the second highest peak in South Africa. It contains a series of subsidiary peaks, amongst them, Cathkin Peak , Sterkhorn, Mount Memory, Monk's Cowl and Dragon's Back....
at 3,377 m, Giant's Castle
Giant's Castle
Giant's Castle is a mountain peak in the southern African Drakensberg in KwaZulu Natal. Giants Castle offers visitors to the regions hiking opportunities with panoramic views. The Nature Reserve offers secluded accommodation, bushman rock art with easy access for everyone and about the best base to...
at 3,315 m, Ben Macdhui
Ben Macdhui (South Africa)
Ben Macdhui is a mountain in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It was named after Ben Macdhui in Scotland. It is the highest peak entirely within the Eastern Cape; KwaDuma is higher, but it lies on the border with Lesotho....
at 3,001 m, and Popple Peak
Popple Peak
Popple Peak is a Khulu on the border between South Africa and Lesotho - it is on the watershed that forms the border between the two countries...
at 3331m, all of these are in the area bordering on Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
. Another popular area for hikers is Cathedral Peak
Cathedral Peak (South Africa)
Cathedral Peak is a free standing mountain in the Natal Drakensberg. The mountain is also known as Mponjwana by the local Amangwane people....
. North of Lesotho the range becomes lower and less rugged until entering Mpumalanga where the quartzite mountains of the Transvaal Drakensberg are loftier and more broken and form the eastern rim of the Transvaal Basin, the Blyde River Canyon
Blyde River Canyon
The Blyde River Canyon is a significant natural feature of South Africa, located in Mpumalanga, and forming the northern part of the Drakensberg escarpment. It is in length and is, on average, around deep. The Dam itself, when full, is at an altitude of 665m . The Canyon consists mostly of red...
lying within this stretch. The geology of this section is the same as and continuous with that of the Magaliesberg
Magaliesberg
The Magaliesberg is a mountain range extending from Pretoria in the north of the Gauteng Province to a point south of Pilanesberg, in the North West Province, South Africa...
.
Ecology
The high treeless peaks of the Drakensberg (from 2,500 m upwards) have been described by the World Wildlife Fund as the Drakensberg alti-montane grasslands and woodlands ecoregionEcoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
. These steep slopes are the most southerly high mountains in Africa, and being further from the equator provide cooler habitats at lower elevations than most mountain ranges on the continent. The high rainfall generates many mountain streams and rivers, including the sources of the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
, southern Africa's longest, and the Tugela River
Tugela River
The Tugela River is the largest river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The river originates in the Drakensberg Mountains, Mont-aux-Sources, and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls...
. These mountains also have the world's second-highest waterfall, the Tugela Falls
Tugela Falls
Tugela Falls is the world's second highest waterfall. The total drop in five free-leaping falls is . They are located in the Drakensberg in the Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, Republic of South Africa. They are easily viewed after a heavy rain from the main travel road into...
(Thukela Falls), which has a total drop of 947 metres. The rivers that run from the Drakensberg are an essential resource for South Africa's economy, providing water for the industrial provinces of Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
and Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
, which contains the city of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. The climate is wet and cool at the high altitudes, which experience snowfall in winter.
Meanwhile the grassy lower slopes (from 1,800 to 2,500 m) of the Drakensberg in Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
, South Africa and Lesotho constitute the Drakensberg Montane Grassland, Woodland, and Forest.
Flora
The mountains are rich in plant life, including a large number of species listed in the Red Data Book of threatened plants, with 119 species listed as globally endangered" and "of the 2 153 plant species in the park, a remarkable 98 are endemic or near-endemic".The flora of the high alti-montane grasslands is mainly tussock grass, creeping plants, and small shrubs such as erica
Erica
Erica ,the heaths or heathers, is a genus of approximately 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. The English common names "heath" and "heather" are shared by some closely related genera of similar appearance....
s. These include the rare Spiral Aloe (Aloe polyphylla
Aloe polyphylla
Aloe polyphylla, or Spiral Aloe, is a species in the genus Aloe. Native to Lesotho, from the Drakensberg mountains, this aloe is well known for its strikingly symmetrical, five-pointed spiral growth habit....
), which as its name suggests has leaves with a spiral shape.
Meanwhile the lower slopes are mainly grassland but are also home to conifers, which are rare in Africa, the species of conifer found in the Drakensberg is Podocarpus
Podocarpus
Podocarpus is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. The 105 species of Podocarpus are evergreen shrubs or trees from 1-25 m in height...
. The grassland itself is of interest as it contains a great number of endemic plants. Grasses found here include oat grass Monocymbium ceresiiforme, Diheteropogon
Diheteropogon
Diheteropogon is a genus of grass in the Poaceae family.- External links :*...
filifolius, Sporobolus
Sporobolus
Sporobolus is a genus of grasses in the family Poaceae. They are usually called dropseed grasses or sacaton grasses. They are typical prairie and savanna plants, and they occur in other types of open habitat in warmer climates....
centrifugus, caterpillar grass (Harpochloa falx), Cymbopogon
Cymbopogon
Cymbopogon is a genus of about 55 species of grasses, native to warm temperate and tropical regions of the Old World and Oceania. It is a tall perennial grass...
dieterlenii, and Eulalia villosa.
Fauna
The Drakenberg area is "home to 299 recorded bird species," making up "37% of all non-marine avian species in southern Africa."Fauna of the high peaks
There is one bird that is endemic to the high peaks, the Mountain PipitMountain Pipit
The Mountain Pipit is a species of bird in the Motacillidae family.It is found in Lesotho, South Africa, possibly Botswana, possibly Democratic Republic of the Congo, possibly Namibia, and possibly Zambia....
(Anthus hoeschi), while another six are found mainly here: Bush Blackcap
Bush Blackcap
The Bush Blackcap is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Lioptilus.It is found in South Africa and Swaziland....
(Lioptilus nigricapillus), Buff-streaked Chat
Buff-streaked Chat
The Buff-streaked Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.-References:...
(Oenanthe bifasciata), Rudd's Lark
Rudd's Lark
The Rudd's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is endemic to South Africa.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
(Heteromirafra ruddi), Drakensberg Rockjumper (Chaetops aurantius), Yellow-breasted Pipit
Yellow-breasted Pipit
The Yellow-breasted Pipit is a species of bird in the Motacillidae family.It is found in Lesotho and South Africa.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, arable land, and pastureland....
(Anthus chloris), and Drakensberg Siskin
Drakensberg Siskin
The Drakensberg Siskin, Serinus symonsi, is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is an endemic resident breeder in the eastern Cape Province Transkei and western Natal in South Africa, and in Lesotho...
(Serinus symonsi). The endangered Cape Vulture
Cape Vulture
The Cape Griffon or Cape Vulture , also known as Kolbe's Vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is endemic to southern Africa, and is found mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and in some parts of northern Namibia...
and Lesser Kestrel
Lesser Kestrel
The Lesser Kestrel is a small falcon. This species breeds from the Mediterranean across southern central Asia to China and Mongolia. It is a summer migrant, wintering in Africa and Pakistan and sometimes even to India and Iraq. It is rare north of its breeding range, and declining in its European...
are two of the birds of prey that hunt in the mountains. Mammals include Klipspringer
Klipspringer
The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...
(Oreotragus oreotragus), Eland
Common Eland
The common eland , also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is the largest antelope in the African continent...
(Taurotragus oryx) and Mountain Reedbuck
Mountain Reedbuck
The Mountain Reedbuck is an antelope found in mountainous areas of much of Sub-Saharan Africa.The Mountain Reedbuck averages 75 cm at the shoulder, and weighs around 30 kg. It has a grey coat with a white underbelly and reddish-brown head and shoulders...
(Redunca fulvorufula). Other endemic species include three frogs found in the mountain streams, Drakensberg River Frog, (Amietia dracomontana), Phofung River Frog (Amietia vertebralis) and Maluti River Frog Frog (Amietia umbraculata). Fish are found in the many rivers and streams including the Maluti Redfin (Pseudobarbus quathlambae), which was thought to be extinct but has been found in the Senqunyane River
Senqunyane River
The Senqunyane River is a river of central Lesotho. rises in the Maluti Mountains in the country's northwest, flowing south for 120 kilometres before joining the Senqu River in the country's southwest.-References:...
in Lesotho.
.
Fauna of the lower slopes
The lower slopes of the Drakensberg support much wildlife, perhaps most importantly the rare Southern White RhinocerosWhite Rhinoceros
The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...
(which was nurtured here when facing extinction) and the Black Wildebeest
Black Wildebeest
The Black Wildebeest or White-tailed Gnu is one of two wildebeest species. The natural populations of this species, endemic to the southern part of Africa, have been almost completely exterminated, but the species has been reintroduced widely, both in private areas and nature reserves throughout...
(Connochaetes gnou, which only thrives in protected areas and game reserves). The area is home to large herds of grazing and antelopes such as Eland
Common Eland
The common eland , also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is the largest antelope in the African continent...
(Taurotragus oryx), Reedbuck
Reedbuck
Reedbuck is a common name for African antelopes from the genus Redunca. These species are:* Southern Reedbuck, Redunca arundinum* Mountain Reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula* Bohor Reedbuck, Redunca redunca...
(Redunca arundinum), Mountain Reedbuck
Mountain Reedbuck
The Mountain Reedbuck is an antelope found in mountainous areas of much of Sub-Saharan Africa.The Mountain Reedbuck averages 75 cm at the shoulder, and weighs around 30 kg. It has a grey coat with a white underbelly and reddish-brown head and shoulders...
(Redunca fulvorufula), Grey Rhebok
Grey Rhebok
The Grey Rhebok or Grey Rhebuck is a species of antelope endemic to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland....
(Pelea capreolus), and even some Oribi
Oribi
Oribi are graceful slender-legged, long-necked small antelope found in grassland almost throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.-Description:...
(Ourebia ourebi). Endemic species include a large number of chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
s and other reptiles. There is one endemic frog, Forest Rain Frog (Breviceps sylvestris), and four more that are found mainly in these mountains; Long-toed Tree Frog (Leptopelis xenodactylus), Plaintive Rain Frog (Breviceps maculatus), Rough Rain Frog (Breviceps verrucosus), and Poynton's Caco (Cacosternum poyntoni).
Conservation
The high slopes are hard to reach so the environment is fairly undamaged. However, tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
in the Drakensberg is developing, with a variety of hiking trails
Drakensberg hiking
Hiking in the Natal Drakensberg is a popular activity for outdoor South Africans. The escarpment allows one to hike on a cliff of roughly 1000m high that stretches for 240 km from Sentinel Buttress in the North to Bushman's Neck in the South...
, hotels and resorts appearing on the slopes. Most of the higher South African parts of the range have been designated as game reserve
Game reserve
A game reserve is an area of land set aside for maintenance of wildlife for tourism or hunting purposes. Many game reserves are located in Africa. Most are open to the public, and tourists commonly take sightseeing safaris or hunt wild game....
s or wilderness areas. Of these the UKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park
UKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park
The uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park is a World Heritage Site in Southern Africa, covering of area. The park spans parts of both South Africa, in its KwaZulu-Natal province, and Lesotho...
was listed by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 2000 as a World Heritage site. The park is also in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (under the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
). The Royal Natal National Park
Royal Natal National Park
The Royal Natal National Park is located in the KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa and forms part of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site...
, which contains some of the higher peaks, is part of this large park complex. Adjacent to the Drakensberg National Park is Cathkin Estates Conservation and Wildlife Sanctuary which spans 1044HA of virgin grassland and represents the largest privately owned game park in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg region. Across the border in Lesotho an area is protected as the Sehlabathebe National Park
Sehlabathebe National Park
The Sehlabathebe National Park is located in the Maloti Mountains in Qacha's Nek District, Lesotho, and is part of the larger Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area. Home to both striking biological diversity as well as important cultural heritage, the park was first established on May...
.
The grassland of the lower slopes meanwhile has been greatly affected by agriculture, especially overgrazing. Original grassland and forest has nearly all disappeared and more protection is needed, though the Giant's Castle
Giant's Castle
Giant's Castle is a mountain peak in the southern African Drakensberg in KwaZulu Natal. Giants Castle offers visitors to the regions hiking opportunities with panoramic views. The Nature Reserve offers secluded accommodation, bushman rock art with easy access for everyone and about the best base to...
reserve is a haven for the Eland
Common Eland
The common eland , also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is the largest antelope in the African continent...
and also is a breeding ground for the Bearded Vulture.
Urban areas
Towns and cities in the Drakensberg area include: in KwaZulu-NatalKwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
South Africa; Ladysmith
Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal
Ladysmith is a city in the Uthukela District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is north-west of Durban and south of Johannesburg. Important industries in the area include food processing, textile and tyre production...
, the large town Newcastle
Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal
Newcastle is the third largest city and urban center in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Newcastle is located in the North West corner of the province along the Ncandu River and is moderately industrial....
, the former Zulu
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
capital Ulundi
Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal
Ulundi is a town in the Zululand District Municipality. At one time the capital of Zululand in South Africa and later the capital of the Bantustan of KwaZulu, Ulundi now lies in KwaZulu-Natal Province . The town now includes an airport, a five-star hotel, and some museums amongst its sights...
, the coal-mining centre Dundee
Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal
The coal mining town of Dundee is situated in a valley of the Biggarsberg mountains in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa . It is part of the Endumeni Local Municipality, Umzinyathi District. It is rich in coal deposits...
and Ixopo
Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal
Ixopo is a town situated on a tributary of the Mkhomazi River in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and forms part of an important sugar farming, and forestry area. Ixopo was surveyed in 1878 and was initially called Stuartstown...
; and further south Matatiele and Barkly East
Barkly East
Barkly East is a town in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, seat of the Ukhahlamba District Municipality, and 80 miles by rail E.S.E. of Aliwal North, lying in the mountainous area just south of Lesotho. The town lies at the southern tip of the Drakensberg on the Langkloofspruit, a tributary of...
in Eastern Cape Province South Africa; plus all of Lesotho, whose capital is Maseru
Maseru
Maseru is the capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, bordering South Africa, Maseru is Lesotho's only sizable city, with a population of approximately 227,880 . The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the...
. The hilly landscape extends north from the Drakensberg as Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
, whose capital is Mbabane
Mbabane
-References:...
.
Bushmen cave paintings
Caves are frequent in the more easily eroded sandstone, and many have rock paintings by the BushmenBushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
. The Drakensberg has between 35000 and 40000 works of bushmen art and is the largest collection of such work in the world. Some 20,000 individual rock paintings have been recorded at 500 different caves and overhanging sites between the Drakensberg Royal Natal National Park and Bushman's Neck. Due to the materials used in their production, these paintings are difficult to date, but there is anthropological evidence, including many hunting implements, that the bushmen people existed in the Drakensberg at least 40,000 years ago, and possibly over 100,000 years ago. According to countryroads.co.za, "[i]n Ndedema Gorge in the Central Drakensberg 3,900 paintings have been recorded at 17 sites. One of them, Sebaayeni Cave, contains 1 146 individual paintings." Southafrica.info indicates that though "the oldest painting on a rock shelter wall in the Drakensberg dates back about 2400 years", "paint chips at least a thousand years older have also been found." The site also indicates that "[t]he rock art of the Drakensberg is the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in Africa south of the Sahara, and is outstanding both in quality and diversity of subject."
External links
- KZN Drakensberg Homepage - Official Website for the KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg.
- Cathkin Estates Conservation and Wildlife Sanctuary - the largest privately owned game park in the Drakensberg.
- Nature - Drakensberg: Barrier of Spears - PBS Nature episode covering the eland (largest member of antelope family) of the Drakensberg.
- Drakensberg alti-montane grasslands and woodlands ecoregion report
- Drakensberg hiking trails
- Drakensberg Express - Your Express guide for the Drakensberg.