Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...
Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ... Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...
Northern Cape PSDF Volume 2 December 2011 Map C.9: Centres of Endemism in the Northern Cape (Source: Department of Environmental Affairs). C.3.2 FAUNA In the mid and late 1800s, travellers witnessed game migrations numbering millions across the Northern Cape, especially close to the Orange River. One account recalls a herd taking three days to pass through a small town. Springbok were by far the most numerous species involved in these migrations but were also joined by Wildebeest, Blesbok, Eland etc (WWF, 2008). Today a large variety of game species is still found throughout the Northern Cape. Big game animals like Black Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Giraffe and Eland along with numerous species of plains game occur mainly in protected areas and on game farms. The critically endangered and endemic Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) is found in limited habitats in the southern Karoo). It is regarded as one of the world’s rarest mammals with an estimated adult population of less than 250. In August 2003, the Riverine Rabbit Program (EWT‐RRP) was established to co‐ordinate all conservation efforts of this species and its habitat. The Northern Cape, especially the Kalahari, is a primary bird habitat. Raptors that occur include Black Eagle (Aquila verreauxii), Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax), Black‐breasted Snake Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis), Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus), Pale Chnating Goshawk (Melierax canorus), Rock Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and Pygmy Falcon (Polihierax semitorquantus), etc. Office of the Premier & Department of Rural Development & Land Reform 32 Dennis Moss Partnership
Northern Cape PSDF Volume 2 C.3.3 PROTECTED NATURE AREAS December 2011 The Northern Cape includes the Richtersveld Botanical and Landscape World Heritage Site which has been inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site under the World Heritage Convention. The World Heritage Site sits in the heart of the Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot ‐ an ecosystem with approximately 4 850 succulent plants, 40% to 60% of which are endemic to the area. The Province furthermore includes the Orange River Mouth Ramsar Site which focuses on the conservation of the riverine and estuarine ecosystem of the Orange River. The formally protected areas in the Northern Cape currently represent an area of approximately 14 000 km². This area represents 3.8% of the total area of the Province. This area constitutes 2 transfrontier conservation areas established in terms of international protocols and agreements (i.e. the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Richtersveld/Ai‐Ais Transfrontier Part), 5 national parks, and 6 provincial reserves (refer to the table below and Map C.10). Table C.2: Northern Cape national and provincial protected areas (Source: Department of Environmental Affairs). NORTHERN CAPE PROTECTED AREAS AREA (KM²) Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (South Africa) 9 591 Richterveld National Park 1 610 Tankwa Karoo National Park 800 Namaqua National Park 686 Augrabies FallsNational Park 554 Mokala National Park 196 Goegap Nature Reserve 148 Doornkloof Nature Reserve 119 Nababiep Nature Reserve 109 Rolfontein Nature Reserve 81 Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve 47 Witsand Nature Reserve 32 Total Area Formally Protected 13 973 It is estimated that approximately 16.5% of South Africa’s land cover has been transformed, and a further 10% degraded (Wynberg, 2002). Sensitive arid habitat such as the Succulent Karoo Biome of the Northern Cape Province is particularly prone to degradation as a result of overgrazing, alien invasive species and mining (CEPF, 2003). The aridity of the climate precludes rapid recovery of degraded areas. When examining veld degradation in terms of severity and rate of degradation, the Northern Cape emerged as the third most degraded Province in South Africa, after the Limpopo Province and KwaZulu‐Natal (Hoffman and Ashwell, 2001). Office of the Premier & Department of Rural Development & Land Reform 33 Dennis Moss Partnership
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<strong>Northern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong> PSDF<br />
<strong>Volume</strong> 2<br />
December 2011<br />
Map C.9: Centres of Endemism in the <strong>Northern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong> (Source: Department of Environmental<br />
Affairs).<br />
C.3.2 FAUNA<br />
In the mid and late 1800s, travellers witnessed game migrations numbering millions across<br />
the <strong>Northern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong>, especially close to the Orange River. One account recalls a herd taking<br />
three days to pass through a small town. Springbok were by far the most numerous species<br />
involved in these migrations but were also joined by Wildebeest, Blesbok, Eland etc (WWF,<br />
2008). Today a large variety of game species is still found throughout the <strong>Northern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong>. Big<br />
game animals like Black Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Giraffe and Eland along with numerous species<br />
of plains game occur mainly in protected areas and on game farms.<br />
<strong>The</strong> critically endangered and endemic Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) is found in<br />
limited habitats in the southern Karoo). It is regarded as one of the world’s rarest mammals<br />
with an estimated adult population of less than 250. In August 2003, the Riverine Rabbit<br />
Program (EWT‐RRP) was established to co‐ordinate all conservation efforts of this species<br />
and its habitat.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Northern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong>, especially the Kalahari, is a primary bird habitat. Raptors that occur<br />
include Black Eagle (Aquila verreauxii), Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax), Black‐breasted Snake<br />
Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis), Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus), Pale Chnating Goshawk<br />
(Melierax canorus), Rock Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and Pygmy Falcon (Polihierax<br />
semitorquantus), etc.<br />
Office of the Premier &<br />
Department of Rural <strong>Development</strong> & Land Reform<br />
32<br />
Dennis Moss Partnership