Rondevlei
Encyclopedia
The Rondevlei Nature Reserve is located in Grassy Park, a suburb
of Cape Town
, South Africa
. The bird
sanctuary
covers approximately 2.2 square kilometres of mostly permanent wetland
and consists of a single large brackish lagoon
. The nature reserve
is among the most important wetlands for birds in South Africa despite being situated directly alongside the heavily polluted Zeekoevlei
. A number of islands on the vlei act as vital breeding
sites. Rondevlei is home to about 230 bird species
, a variety of small mammals and reptiles like caracal
, porcupine
, Cape fox
, grysbuck, steenbuck and mongoose
, as well as a Hippopotamus
population
which was re-introduced in 1981 as a means to control an alien grass
species from South America
, which had covered the shoreline and was threatening to engulf the vlei itself. It boasts unusual and threatened ecosystems like strandveld
, Sand Plains Fynbos
, Cape Lowland Wetland vegetation
and indigenous
Coastal Fynbos vegetation
with unique plants found nowhere else in the world.
In February 2004, a young hippo named Hugo or Houdini escaped from Rondevlei after it was bullied by an older dominant
male and was on the run for 10 months until it was caught in December and moved to an Eastern Cape
private reserve.
, for woodcutting and flower picking. Originally it consisted of the vlei and about one square kilometre of land, which was extended in 1963 and 1987 by adding dunes and seasonal wetlands to the south of the vlei to the reserve. To prevent flooding of the built-up areas, which contained then mainly sub-economic housing, a dam
at the south-eastern end of the vlei was built to permanently lower the level of Rondevlei. The management of the reserve was taken over by the South Peninsula Municipality
in 1997 and it is now part of the City of Cape Town
.
along the shoreline with six bird hides and two large wooden observation towers, a terrarium and aquarium
, as well as the Leonard Gill museum and an environmental
education centre with lecture theater and resource centre.
Besides birdwatching
visitors are offered guided tours, boat cruises, conference facilities and secluded overnight accommodation within the reserve which are organized by a community-based company, Imvubu Nature Tours, which was established in 2002 with the use of poverty relief funds, made available by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
The reserve is open every day of the year (except Christmas Day) from 7:30 to 17:00 (from December to February on Saturdays and Sundays until 19:00).
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, 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...
. The bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
sanctuary
Animal sanctuary
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death...
covers approximately 2.2 square kilometres of mostly permanent wetland
Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland is a critically endangered vegetation type of the Western Cape, South Africa.-Environment:This type of riparian vegetation and its accompanying ecosystem is found in the Western Cape, South Africa, on freshwater floodplains, along the lower stretches of rivers and...
and consists of a single large brackish lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
. The 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...
is among the most important wetlands for birds in South Africa despite being situated directly alongside the heavily polluted Zeekoevlei
Zeekoevlei
Zeekoevlei is a major freshwater lake on the Cape Flats near Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa. The name means "hippopotamus vlei," with "vlei" being afrikaans for "lake", and "zeekoe" being an archaic spelling of the afrikaans for hippopotamus.Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve is based on...
. A number of islands on the vlei act as vital breeding
Mating
In biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation. In social animals, it also includes the raising of their offspring. Copulation is the union of the sex organs of two sexually reproducing animals for insemination and subsequent internal fertilization...
sites. Rondevlei is home to about 230 bird species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, a variety of small mammals and reptiles like caracal
Caracal
The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...
, porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
, Cape fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, grysbuck, steenbuck and mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
, as well as a Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
which was re-introduced in 1981 as a means to control an alien grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
species from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, which had covered the shoreline and was threatening to engulf the vlei itself. It boasts unusual and threatened ecosystems like strandveld
Cape Flats Dune Strandveld
Cape Flats Dune Strandveld is an endangered vegetation type. This is a unique type of Cape Strandveld that is endemic to the coastal areas in Cape Town, including the Cape Flats district. -Habitat:Strandveld means “beach scrub” in the Afrikaans language...
, Sand Plains Fynbos
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos , previously known as Sand Plain Fynbos, is a critically endangered vegetation type that occurs only within the city of Cape Town, including the Cape Flats district. Less than 1% of this unique lowland Fynbos vegetation is conserved.-Description:This is the richest and most...
, Cape Lowland Wetland vegetation
Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland is a critically endangered vegetation type of the Western Cape, South Africa.-Environment:This type of riparian vegetation and its accompanying ecosystem is found in the Western Cape, South Africa, on freshwater floodplains, along the lower stretches of rivers and...
and indigenous
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...
Coastal Fynbos vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
with unique plants found nowhere else in the world.
In February 2004, a young hippo named Hugo or Houdini escaped from Rondevlei after it was bullied by an older dominant
Dominance hierarchy
A dominance hierarchy is the organization of individuals in a group that occurs when competition for resources leads to aggression...
male and was on the run for 10 months until it was caught in December and moved to an Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
private reserve.
History
The reserve was established in 1952 in cooperation with the Cape Divisional Council (now Cape Metropolitan Council), when the area was still used by locals to graze horses and cattleCattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, for woodcutting and flower picking. Originally it consisted of the vlei and about one square kilometre of land, which was extended in 1963 and 1987 by adding dunes and seasonal wetlands to the south of the vlei to the reserve. To prevent flooding of the built-up areas, which contained then mainly sub-economic housing, a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
at the south-eastern end of the vlei was built to permanently lower the level of Rondevlei. The management of the reserve was taken over by the South Peninsula Municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in 1997 and it is now part of the City of Cape Town
City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town is the metropolitan municipality which governs the city of Cape Town, South Africa and its suburbs and exurbs. As of 2007, it had a population of 3,497,097....
.
Facilities
The facilities in the reserve include an about 1 km long waterside trailTrail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
along the shoreline with six bird hides and two large wooden observation towers, a terrarium and aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
, as well as the Leonard Gill museum and an environmental
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
education centre with lecture theater and resource centre.
Besides birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
visitors are offered guided tours, boat cruises, conference facilities and secluded overnight accommodation within the reserve which are organized by a community-based company, Imvubu Nature Tours, which was established in 2002 with the use of poverty relief funds, made available by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
Directions
From Cape Town follow the M5 for about 11½ km from the N2/M5 intersection in the direction of Muizenberg and then in Grassy Park turn left into Victoria Road. Follow Victoria Road across the major 5th Avenue intersection and turn right into Fisherman’s Walk. The Rondevlei Nature Reserve is well marked a few hundred meters down the road.The reserve is open every day of the year (except Christmas Day) from 7:30 to 17:00 (from December to February on Saturdays and Sundays until 19:00).
See also
- Boulders BeachBoulders BeachBoulders Beach is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders, from which the name originated. It is located in the Cape Peninsula, near Simon's Town towards Cape Point, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is also commonly known as Boulders Bay.It is a...
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
- Cape Flats Dune StrandveldCape Flats Dune StrandveldCape Flats Dune Strandveld is an endangered vegetation type. This is a unique type of Cape Strandveld that is endemic to the coastal areas in Cape Town, including the Cape Flats district. -Habitat:Strandveld means “beach scrub” in the Afrikaans language...
- Cape Flats Sand FynbosCape Flats Sand FynbosCape Flats Sand Fynbos , previously known as Sand Plain Fynbos, is a critically endangered vegetation type that occurs only within the city of Cape Town, including the Cape Flats district. Less than 1% of this unique lowland Fynbos vegetation is conserved.-Description:This is the richest and most...
- Cape Lowland Freshwater WetlandCape Lowland Freshwater WetlandCape Lowland Freshwater Wetland is a critically endangered vegetation type of the Western Cape, South Africa.-Environment:This type of riparian vegetation and its accompanying ecosystem is found in the Western Cape, South Africa, on freshwater floodplains, along the lower stretches of rivers and...