Tuesday 10 May 2016

My little getaway weekend

 

Stewardship Of The Environment 



By Bonolo Mokwele Meso 


The Road to Kune Moya Nature Reserve 

During  the past worker's day long weekend I had the pleasure of visiting ''home'' , my fathers homeland in the Limpopo province. We were invited to a wedding in Blouberg,we also had the befitting experience of staying at the Kune Moya Blouberg Nature Reserve. Before heading to the North I knew there were a couple of things that were prerequisites for my trip,like my camera and note pad for one. Even though I was heading to  a wedding I personally had a clear agenda from the onset ,I was not really going to be part of the wedding festivities.


So I missed some parts of Mr and Mrs Meso's wedding ceremony because I was getting in touch with mother nature, while the pair tied the knot.Well, at least the bride and groom did not mind, after having to explain to them I  had a big research project for school. This was just the perfect opportunity for me to do research for my  stewardship of the environment assignment,killing two birds with one stone you see.  









 So early in the Morning on Saturday the 30th of April  before the festivities of the day took place, I organised my self a game drive/ nature tour for the better half of the day ,where i gathered much needed information from the wise tour guides.  


Blouberg Nature Reserve is 9348Ha (93,5 km2) of prime wildlife habitat, which harbours the biggest South African breeding colony of Cape Vultures. Fifteen other bird species that are on the IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species are also found on the reserve. The reserve is said to be one of only six provincial nature reserves that is home to a breeding program for Sable Antelope,the reserve also hosts a successful Cape Buffalo breeding program, and is home to lots of other iconic species such as zebra, giraffe, hyaena (both brown and spotted), and so on.










Because of the varying topography, a wide variety of mammal, avian, reptile, amphibian and invertebrate species are present at the reserve.


The most recent game count (2015) revealed a total of 2212 head of game at the reserve, including 20 different mammal species. However, during such game count some more stealthy animals are easily overlooked. Animals found on the reserve include 
buffalo, giraffe, eland, sable, waterbuck, gemsbok, red hartebeest, zebra, kudu, bushbuck, impala, mountain reedbuck, klipspringer, steenbok, duiker, warthog and bushpig. Predators recorded are leopard, cheetah, caracal, brown and spotted hyena and numerous small mammals like civet, red spotted genet, African Wildcat and some mongoose species. The total tally of observed mammal species stands at 34. 


The Blouberg Nature Reserve is said to be one of only six provincial nature reserves that is home to a breeding program for Sable Antelope. Sable Antelope is considered to be rare in South Africa and this species survives mainly in and around protected areas with low population densities of people and cattle. 


The Blouberg Nature Reserve also hosts a successful Cape Buffalo breeding program. The game census of 2012 revealed a healthy population with numbers in excess of 200 disease free individuals. 


The Blouberg Nature Reserve is characterised by a highly heterogeneous landscape, ranging from mountainous terrain with high topographical relief in the south to lower lying plains in the north, whilst also incorporating four vegetation units. As a result, the Blouberg Nature Reserve is well-known for its avifaunal diversity and hosts a wide range of woodland and grassland species, as well as a wide range of waterfowl and other wetland/riparian/floodplain associated species. 

There are currently 
246 verified avian species occurring at the reserve, of which 16 occur on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, namely Bateleur (Vulnerable), Black Stork (Near-threatened), Blue Crane (Vulnerable), Cape Vulture (Vulnerable), Hooded Vulture (Vulnerable), Kori Bustard (Vulnerable), Lanner Falcon (Near-threatened), Lappet-faced Vulture (Vulnerable), Lesser Kestrel (Vulnerable), Martial Eagle (Vulnerable), Peregrine Falcon (Near-threatened), Red-billed Oxpecker (Near-threatened), Saddle-billed Stork (Endangered), Secretarybird (Near-threatened), Tawny Eagle (Vulnerable) and White-backed Vulture (Vulnerable). The level of endemism reflected within the current verified avian species inventory is four endemic and four near-endemic species. The importance of the BNR as a foraging and breeding range for IUCN listed threatened species also extends beyond resident species, with the reserve hosting one paleartic breeding migrant, namely Lesser Kestrel (Vulnerable), and offering habitat that could host another, namely Pallid Harrier (Near-threatened).

Two verified IUCN listed species, namely Martial (Vulnerable) and Tawny (Vulnerable) Eagle, not only have IUCN significance, but are apex predators in their respective ecosystems and would therefore fulfil an ecologically significant role. Similarly, Blouberg Nature Reserve also hosts four verified IUCN listed vulture species, also known to fulfil an ecologically significant role within the respective ecosystem.


The flagship for the reserve is the Cape Vulture. The breeding colony hosts more than 1000 breeding pairs that form the biggest stronghold for this threatened species in Southern Africa

Blouberg is a true magnet for birders.
The Blouberg Nature Reserve furthermore boasts 56 different reptile species (including the endemic Common Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius parvus and two other sub-species that are restricted to this range, namely Platysaurus intermedius inopinus and Waterberg Flat Lizard Platysaurus minor), and 25 amphibian species.

The Lepidopterists Society of South Africa undertook a survey of the 
butterflies of Blouberg Nature Reserve in March 2012 and recorded 64 different species.
Twenty-one bat species have also been recorded in the Blouberg Nature Reserve. 


Going on this nature drive made me realise how ignorant I have been with regards to the amount of species that are threatening or rather on the verge of being extinct. When we think of species that are on the verge of extinction we normally think about the Rhinos and the pouching threatening their existence , but we hardly ever think about the birds and other animals i have previously mentioned. 

As I was on the  tour, the one persistent thought that kept evading my mind was how humans are responsible for causing the changes in the environment that hurt animals and planet species. We take up more space on earth for our homes and cities, in doing so we pollute habitats, we illegally hunt and kill animals. We bring exotic species into habitats which are subsequently detrimental to the environment. All of these activities take resources and habitats away from plants and animals. Human activity often changes or destroys the habitats that plants and animals need to survive. Because human populations are growing so fast animals and plants are disappearing  1000 times faster than they have in the past 100 years.

 I thoroughly enjoyed the nature tour though, I got to learn so much about the reserve and just about the world outside of the city. Getting in touch with Mother nature helped me appreciate what is still left of her. Because, honestly at the rate we humans are going I doubt the forthcoming generations will get to appreciate her, if we do not intensify the programms that are already set in place in educating the masses about conserving nature and working at protecting mother Nature and her other children which are dying at the hands of their siblings (human beings.) 

The Blouberg Nature Reserve is quite fundamental to the Limpopo community and South Africa at large because it helps protect fifteen other bird species that are on the IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. Personally i think there should be more media attention on such reserves with these programs that protect endangered species. Not a week goes by with us not hearing about President Jacob Zuma and his friends the Guptas , if the media could report more on the pressing environmental affairs like they did with politics, people would be more consciously aware and informed  about the endangered spices in South Africa and as a result i think people from all spheres of life would be willing to help protect and help conserve them.  




Sources Consulted : www.blobergreserve.co.za
(accessed  02/05/0215) 


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