Helderberg Nature Reserve

Helderberg Nature Reserve (Western Cape)

Helderberg Nature Reserve is a 398-hectare (980-acre) nature reserve in Somerset West, South Africa.^[1]

This nature reserve is located on the southern slopes of the Helderberg mountains. Its 398 ha consist mostly of “Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos” (a highly 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).^[2]

Animals that can be found here include the Cape leopard, caracal, grey duiker, Cape grysbok, steenbok, mongoose, angulate and padloper tortoises and over 170 species of bird.

The reserve has a picnic area, gift shop, Environmental Education Centre and museum displays.^[3]

• 
  King protea in Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
• 
  Indigenous Southern Afrotemperate Forest
• 
  Flowering Watsonia geophyte
• 
  Phylica pubescens
• 
  Leucospermum cordifolium
• 
  Angulate tortoise

See also

• Biodiversity of Cape Town
• List of nature reserves in Cape Town
• Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
• Boland Granite Fynbos
• Index: Fynbos - habitats and species.
• Southern Afrotemperate Forest

External links

• The Helderberg Nature Reserve
• Helderberg Nature Reserve

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helderberg Nature Reserve.