Bontebok National Park
Encyclopedia
Bontebok National Park is a species-specific national park
in South Africa
. It was established in 1961 to ensure the preservation of the bontebok
. It is the smallest of South Africa's national parks, covering an area of 27.86 km² The park is part of the Cape Floristic Region
, which is a World Heritage Site
.
The park is located 6 km south of Swellendam, in the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains.
It is bordered to the south by the Breede River
.
s. They are listed as vulnerable in Appendix II of the International Trade in Endangered Species Red List. They are endemic
to the Cape Floral area, and once roamed the region in large numbers. European settlement and hunting brought the animal to near extinction by the early 19th century. A relict
population was protected on private farmland. In 1931, seventeen members of this population were translocated to the first Bontebok National Park. In the 1960s, half of the population died from worm
infestations, copper
deficiency and related syndromes. In 1961, 61 members of the surviving population were translocated to the current Bontebok National Park. The worldwide bontebok population of 2,500-3,000 individuals are all derived from this population.
However, there are only about 200 bontebok in the park, as this is the maximum number a park of its size can support without inflicting serious damage to plant life. Over the years the park's surplus stock has been translocated to other nature reserves and private owners with suitable habitats.
veld
type and the coastal renosterveld, one of the largest remaining "renosterveld islands", which contains several plant species that are found nowhere else in the world. In total, the park has nearly 500 grasses and other plant species.
Other indigenous species at the park include the clawless otter
, Stanley's bustard
and the blue crane
(South Africa's national bird). Rheboks, Cape Grysboks, duiker
s, red hartebeest
s and mountain zebra
s can also be found there. There are over 200 bird species.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in 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...
. It was established in 1961 to ensure the preservation of the 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...
. It is the smallest of South Africa's national parks, covering an area of 27.86 km² The park is part of the Cape Floristic Region
Cape floristic region
The Cape Floristic Region is a floristic region located near the southern tip of South Africa. It is the only floristic region of the Cape Floristic Kingdom, and includes only one floristic province, known as the Cape Floristic Province.The Cape Floristic Region, the smallest of the six recognised...
, which is a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
The park is located 6 km south of Swellendam, in the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains.
It is bordered to the south by the Breede River
Breede River
The Breede River , is a river in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Travelling inland north from Cape Town, the river runs in a west to east direction, the surrounding western mountains thus forming the first continental divide experienced by European settlers in the 18th century...
.
The bontebok
Bonteboks are rare, unusually marked antelopeAntelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
s. They are listed as vulnerable in Appendix II of the International Trade in Endangered Species Red List. They are endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the Cape Floral area, and once roamed the region in large numbers. European settlement and hunting brought the animal to near extinction by the early 19th century. A relict
Relict
A relict is a surviving remnant of a natural phenomenon.* In biology a relict is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now occurs at only one or a few small areas....
population was protected on private farmland. In 1931, seventeen members of this population were translocated to the first Bontebok National Park. In the 1960s, half of the population died from worm
Parasitic worm
Parasitic worms or helminths are a division of eukaryoticparasites that, unlike external parasites such as lice and fleas, live inside their host. They are worm-like organisms that live and feed off living hosts, receiving nourishment and protection while disrupting their hosts' nutrient...
infestations, copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
deficiency and related syndromes. In 1961, 61 members of the surviving population were translocated to the current Bontebok National Park. The worldwide bontebok population of 2,500-3,000 individuals are all derived from this population.
However, there are only about 200 bontebok in the park, as this is the maximum number a park of its size can support without inflicting serious damage to plant life. Over the years the park's surplus stock has been translocated to other nature reserves and private owners with suitable habitats.
Other species found in the park
Other conservation at the park includes the protection of the endangered fynbosFynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
veld
Veld
The term Veld refers primarily to the wide open rural spaces of South Africa or southern Africa and in particular to certain flatter areas or districts covered in grass or low scrub...
type and the coastal renosterveld, one of the largest remaining "renosterveld islands", which contains several plant species that are found nowhere else in the world. In total, the park has nearly 500 grasses and other plant species.
Other indigenous species at the park include the clawless otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
, Stanley's bustard
Bustard
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World...
and the blue crane
Blue Crane
The Blue Crane , also known as the Stanley Crane and the Paradise Crane, is the national bird of South Africa. It is a tall, ground-dwelling bird, but is fairly small by the standards of the crane family. It is 100–120 cm tall and weighs 4.0–6.2 kg...
(South Africa's national bird). Rheboks, Cape Grysboks, duiker
Duiker
A duiker is any of about 21 small to medium-sized antelope species from the subfamily Cephalophinae native to Sub-Saharan Africa.Duikers are shy and elusive creatures with a fondness for dense cover; most are forest dwellers and even the species living in more open areas are quick to disappear...
s, red hartebeest
Hartebeest
The hartebeest is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is one of the three species classified in the genus Alcelaphus....
s and mountain zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
s can also be found there. There are over 200 bird species.