Helderberg Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Helderberg Nature Reserve is a nature reserve
in Cape Town
, South Africa
.
This nature reserve
is located on the southern slopes of the Helderberg mountains. Its 398 ha consist mostly of “Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
” (an incredibly species-rich vegetation type) with smaller patches of “Boland Granite Fynbos
” and “Southern Afrotemperate Forest
”. Altogether about 600 species of plant have been recorded here, including a wide range of Proteas
. Particularly prominent plants include the Pincushion Proteas
(Leucospermum
sp.), Cone Bushes
(Leucadendron
sp.), Sugar Bushes
(Protea
sp.), Heaths
(Erica
sp.) and the Waboom tree (Protea nitida
).
Animals that can be found here include a group of tame Bontebok
(Damaliscus pygargus), Grey Duiker, Cape Grysbok, Steenbok
, Mongoose
, Angulate
and Padloper tortoises
and over 170 species of bird
.
The reserve hosts outdoor music concerts in the summer, and has a café, picnic area, gift shop, Environmental Education Centre and museum displays.
Index: Fynbos - habitats and species.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, 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...
.
This nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
is located on the southern slopes of the Helderberg mountains. Its 398 ha consist mostly of “Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos is a critically endangered vegetation type occurring in the far south of the Western Cape, South Africa. This type of mountain fynbos contains an extremely high number of threatened species and a great number of the plants that occur here can be found nowhere else on earth...
” (an incredibly species-rich vegetation type) with smaller patches of “Boland Granite Fynbos
Boland Granite Fynbos
Boland Granite Fynbos is a vulnerable Fynbos vegetation type that occurs in the Western Cape, South Africa.Located in the “Boland” region of the Western Cape, to the north-east of the city of Cape Town, this fynbos has 23 known endemic species that occur nowhere else...
” and “Southern Afrotemperate Forest
Southern Afrotemperate Forest
Southern Afrotemperate Forest is a kind of tall, shady, multi-layered indigenous South African forest.This is the main forest-type in the south-western part of South Africa, naturally extending from the Cape Peninsula in the west, as far as Port Elizabeth in the east...
”. Altogether about 600 species of plant have been recorded here, including a wide range of Proteas
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
. Particularly prominent plants include the Pincushion Proteas
Leucospermum
Leucospermum is a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, native to Zimbabwe and South Africa, where they occupy a variety of habitats, including scrub, forest, and mountain slopes.They are evergreen shrubs growing to 0.5-5 m tall...
(Leucospermum
Leucospermum
Leucospermum is a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, native to Zimbabwe and South Africa, where they occupy a variety of habitats, including scrub, forest, and mountain slopes.They are evergreen shrubs growing to 0.5-5 m tall...
sp.), Cone Bushes
Leucadendron
Leucadendron is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, endemic to South Africa, where they are a prominent part of the fynbos ecoregion and vegetation type.-Description:...
(Leucadendron
Leucadendron
Leucadendron is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, endemic to South Africa, where they are a prominent part of the fynbos ecoregion and vegetation type.-Description:...
sp.), Sugar Bushes
Protea
Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes.-Etymology:...
(Protea
Protea
Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes.-Etymology:...
sp.), Heaths
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
(Erica
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
sp.) and the Waboom tree (Protea nitida
Protea nitida
Protea nitida is a large, slow-growing Protea endemic to South Africa. It is one of the few Proteas that grow into trees, and the only one that has usable timber.-Appearance:...
).
Animals that can be found here include a group of tame 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...
(Damaliscus pygargus), Grey Duiker, Cape Grysbok, Steenbok
Steenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
, Mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
, Angulate
Chersina angulata
The Bowsprit tortoise , also known as the Angulate tortoise or Rooipens, is a species of tortoise found in dry areas and scrub forest in South Africa. This tortoise in the only known member of the genus Chersina....
and Padloper tortoises
Homopus
Homopus is a genus of tiny tortoises in the Testudinidae family. As a group, they are commonly known as "Cape tortoises" or "padlopers" , and include the smallest tortoises in the world....
and over 170 species of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
.
The reserve hosts outdoor music concerts in the summer, and has a café, picnic area, gift shop, Environmental Education Centre and museum displays.
See also
- Biodiversity of Cape TownBiodiversity of Cape Town- Floristic region :The city of Cape Town lies within the Cape Floristic Kingdom . - Vegetation types :...
- List of nature reserves in Cape Town
- Kogelberg Sandstone FynbosKogelberg Sandstone FynbosKogelberg Sandstone Fynbos is a critically endangered vegetation type occurring in the far south of the Western Cape, South Africa. This type of mountain fynbos contains an extremely high number of threatened species and a great number of the plants that occur here can be found nowhere else on earth...
- Boland Granite FynbosBoland Granite FynbosBoland Granite Fynbos is a vulnerable Fynbos vegetation type that occurs in the Western Cape, South Africa.Located in the “Boland” region of the Western Cape, to the north-east of the city of Cape Town, this fynbos has 23 known endemic species that occur nowhere else...
Index: Fynbos - habitats and species.
- Southern Afrotemperate ForestSouthern Afrotemperate ForestSouthern Afrotemperate Forest is a kind of tall, shady, multi-layered indigenous South African forest.This is the main forest-type in the south-western part of South Africa, naturally extending from the Cape Peninsula in the west, as far as Port Elizabeth in the east...