Gondwana Game Reserve
Encyclopedia
Gondwana Game Reserve is a game reserve situated near the town of Mossel Bay
in the Western Cape
of South Africa
, a malaria-free area.
Gondwana is the first authentic free-roaming Big Five
Reserve in the Western Cape, situated on 11 000 ha of fynbos
and proteas. Owners, Mark and Wendy Rutherfoord, started Gondwana six years ago, transforming a series of cattle and sheep farms into an 11,000-hectare safari destination. The terrain, restored to its natural beauty, consists of open grassland, undulating valleys, indigenous Fynbos and now herds of wildlife. Gondwana has re-introduced endangered species like the Cape Mountain Zebra
and Black Rhinoceros
and has a high diversity of antelope species such as Eland
, Gemsbok
, Red Hartebeest
, Bontebok
, and Springbok
.
Gondwana is also introduced cheetah
onto the reserve. They were sourced from an expansive reserve in the Karoo
where they were free roaming and born in the wild. This is the result of Gondwana’s continued conservation efforts to utilize its habitat to help sustain endangered species, and the cheetah
introduction contributes to increasing their genetic diversity in South Africa. Gondwana plays home to not only the free roaming Big 5 but also to Black Rhino, over 10 varieties of antelope, more than the Kruger Park, and hundreds of head of general game.
http://www.gondwanagr.co.za/category/visit/9
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...
in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, a malaria-free area.
Gondwana is the first authentic free-roaming Big Five
Big Five game
The phrase Big Five game was coined by white hunters and refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. The term is still used in most tourist and wildlife guides that discuss African wildlife safaris. The collection consists of the lion, African elephant, cape buffalo,...
Reserve in the Western Cape, situated on 11 000 ha of fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
and proteas. Owners, Mark and Wendy Rutherfoord, started Gondwana six years ago, transforming a series of cattle and sheep farms into an 11,000-hectare safari destination. The terrain, restored to its natural beauty, consists of open grassland, undulating valleys, indigenous Fynbos and now herds of wildlife. Gondwana has re-introduced endangered species like the Cape Mountain Zebra
Cape Mountain Zebra
Cape mountain zebra, Equus zebra zebra, is a subspecies of the Mountain zebra found in the Western and Eastern Cape in South Africa. They mainly eat grass but if little food is left they will eat bushes...
and Black Rhinoceros
Black Rhinoceros
The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros , is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola...
and has a high diversity of antelope species such as Eland
Taurotragus
Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland...
, Gemsbok
Gemsbok
The gemsbok or gemsbuck is a large antelope in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid regions of southern Africa, but formerly some authorities included the East African Oryx as a subspecies...
, Red Hartebeest
Red Hartebeest
The Red Hartebeest is a species of even-toed ungulate in the Bovidae family. It is found in Southern Africa. There are more than 130,000 individuals left. The Red Hartebeest is closely related to the Tsessebe and the Topi....
, Bontebok
Bontebok
The Bontebok is an antelope found in South Africa and Lesotho. The Bontebok has two subspecies; the endangered Bontebok , occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the Blesbok occurring in the highveld.The Bontebok stands 80 to 100 cm at the shoulder and...
, and Springbok
Springbok
Springbok can have the following meanings:* Springbok , a small antelope inhabiting southern and western Africa.* South Africa national rugby union team, known as the Springboks....
.
Gondwana is also introduced cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
onto the reserve. They were sourced from an expansive reserve in the Karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
where they were free roaming and born in the wild. This is the result of Gondwana’s continued conservation efforts to utilize its habitat to help sustain endangered species, and the cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
introduction contributes to increasing their genetic diversity in South Africa. Gondwana plays home to not only the free roaming Big 5 but also to Black Rhino, over 10 varieties of antelope, more than the Kruger Park, and hundreds of head of general game.
http://www.gondwanagr.co.za/category/visit/9