Tsolwana Nature Reserve is a 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...

 in Eastern Cape Province, 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...

 that is managed by Eastern Cape Parks

Eastern Cape Parks

Eastern Cape parks is a governmental organisation responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.- National Parks situated in the Eastern Cape :* Camdeboo National Park...

.

It is located along the northern slopes of the Winterberg Mountains

Winterberg, Eastern Cape

The Great Winterberg is an extensive east-west mountain range lying immediately north of the small towns of Bedford, Adelaide and Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Elevation on average is about 1800 metres above sea-level. The Great Winterberg Peak north of Adelaide rises to 2371...

 at the edge of 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...

. Its western boundary is formed by the upper Black Kei River

Black Kei River

Black Kei River, , originates southwest of Queenstown, and eventually joins the White Kei River, to become the Great Kei River...

. It is situated between Cradock

Cradock, Eastern Cape

Cradock is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, by rail northeast of Port Elizabeth. The town is the administrative seat of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape. The estimated population...

 and Queenstown

Queenstown, Eastern Cape

Queenstown, named after Queen Victoria, is a town in the middle of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, roughly half way in between the towns of Cathcart and Sterkstroom. It is currently the commercial, administrative, and educational centre of the prosperous surrounding farming district...

 and near Tarkastad

Tarkastad

Tarkastad is a small Karoo town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Tarkastad is on a plain to the north of the Winterberg mountain range...

.

The reserve's name originates from the Xhosa

Xhosa

The Xhosa people are speakers of Bantu languages living in south-east South Africa, and in the last two centuries throughout the southern and central-southern parts of the country....

 word for "spike", due to the presence of the cone-shaped hill, Spitskop.

Environment

The reserve is mostly made up of grassy plains and acacia thornveld. The reserve is home to many animals, including the white rhino, giraffe

Giraffe

The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...

, 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...

, blesbok

Blesbok

The Blesbok or Blesbuck is an antelope with a distinctive white face and forehead. Its white face is the origin of its name, because bles is the Afrikaans word for bald...

, 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...

, Cape Mountain zebra, 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....

. This variety of animals makes it a poular site for game viewing.