Groenkloof Nature Reserve

The Groenkloof Nature Reserve, located adjacent to the Fountains Valley at the southern entrance to Pretoria, was the first game sanctuary in Africa. The reserve of 600 ha is managed by the Department of Nature Conservation. The National Heritage Monument is located within the reserve. It is flanked by Christina de Wit Avenue and Nelson Mandela Drive, that separate it from the Voortrekker Monument and Klapperkop Nature Reserves. In aggregate these reserves conserve some 1,400 ha of bankenveld vegetation which is threatened in Gauteng. The reserve is open to day visitors from 05:30 to 19:00 in summer, and 07:00 to 18:00 in winter.

History This valley on the southern outskirts of Pretoria was proclaimed a game sanctuary by President Paul Kruger on 25 February 1895. Its main purpose was to protect the shy and timid oribi, which occurred there, and other game that were being depleted by hunters. For many years however, the reserve was leased for exotic timber plantation, to supply wood and paper. A memorial wall is to be seen beside traces of the homestead of the early pioneer Lucas Bronkhorst, who settled here around 1839.

In April 2015 the head of the reserve, David Boshoff, was suspended and evicted from his council home by the Tshwane metro HR manager. The eviction came in the fifth month of a strike by the majority of the reserve's workers, who reportedly negated their agreement with management to return to work in February.

Wildlife When the reserve was reproclaimed in 1994, the plantations were removed to allow the natural vegetation to regenerate. Open grassland occurs along the Apies valley and the higher plateau. Native trees occur at varying densities on the hillsides and in the lower valley. These include white stinkwood, hook-thorn, mountain karee, velvet bushwillow, wild pear and puzzle bush.

Since 1999 the reserve was stocked with various game species. These include zebra, blesbok, impala, kudu, blue wildebeest, red hartebeest (since 2002), giraffe (2002), sable (2003) and ostrich. Jackal, duiker and rock hyrax are also resident.

Over 120 bird species have been recorded in the reserve and the adjacent Fountains Valley. Game birds include guineafowl, Swainson's spurfowl and crested francolin. The grassy floodplain of the Apies river and its riparian vegetation provide breeding habitat for a number of weaver, bishop and widow species, while the open woodlands on the lower hill slopes provide breeding territories for bushshrike and tchagra species.

Bird species of Groenkloof Nature Reserve Common name Scientific name Status Breeding Common ostrich Struthio camelus uncommon Reed cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus vagrant Grey heron Ardea cinerea rare Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis uncommon Hamerkop Scopus umbretta rare Hadeda ibis Bostrychia hagedash abundant Egyptian goose Alopochen aegyptiacus uncommon Yellow-billed kite Milvus aegyptius rare Verreaux's eagle Aquila verreauxii uncommon Steppe buzzard Buteo vulpinus rare Little sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus rare Coqui francolin Peliperdix coqui rare Crested francolin Dendroperdix sephaena rare Swainson's spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii regular Helmeted guineafowl Numida meleagris abundant breeder Crowned lapwing Vanellus coronatus regular Blacksmith lapwing Vanellus armatus rare African wattled lapwing Vanellus senegallus rare Speckled pigeon Columba guinea rare African olive pigeon Columba arquatrix rare breeder Red-eyed dove Streptopelia semitorquata regular breeder Cape turtle-dove Streptopelia capicola abundant Laughing dove Streptopelia senegalensis abundant Rock dove Columba livia rare Grey go-away-bird Corythaixoides concolor abundant Red-chested cuckoo Cuculus solitarius uncommon breeder Black cuckoo Cuculus clamosus uncommon breeder Levaillant's cuckoo Clamator levaillantii rare breeder Klaas's cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas rare breeder Diderick cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius regular breeder White-rumped swift Apus caffer uncommon Little swift Apus affinis uncommon African palm-swift Cypsiurus parvus uncommon Speckled mousebird Colius striatus regular Red-faced mousebird Urocolius indicus regular Woodland kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis rare breeder Brown-hooded kingfisher Halcyon albiventris rare European bee-eater Merops apiaster uncommon African hoopoe Upupa africana regular Green wood-hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus regular breeder Black-collared barbet Lybius torquatus common Yellow-fronted tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus rare Crested barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii abundant Lesser honeyguide Indicator minor uncommon Brown-backed honeybird Prodotiscus regulus rare Golden-tailed woodpecker Campethera abingoni rare Cardinal woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens uncommon Red-throated wryneck Jynx ruficollis rare Rufous-naped lark Mirafra africana rare breeder Barn swallow Hirundo rustica rare White-throated swallow Hirundo albigularis rare Greater striped swallow Hirundo cucullata regular Lesser striped swallow Hirundo abyssinica rare South African cliff-swallow Hirundo spilodera rare Rock martin Hirundo fuligula uncommon Common house-martin Delichon urbicum rare Black cuckooshrike Campephaga flava rare White-breasted cuckooshrike Coracina pectoralis vagrant Fork-tailed drongo Dicrurus adsimilis common Black-headed oriole Oriolus larvatus regular Pied crow Corvus albus uncommon Arrow-marked babbler Turdoides jardineii common Dark-capped bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor abundant breeder Kurrichane thrush Turdus libonyanus regular Groundscraper thrush Psophocichla litsipsirupa uncommon Karoo thrush Turdus smithi rare Mocking cliff-chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris rare African stonechat Saxicola torquatus rare Cape robin-chat Cossypha caffra common White-browed scrub-robin Cercotrichas leucophrys rare Willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus rare Marsh warbler Acrocephalus palustris rare Cape grassbird Sphenoeacus afer rare Bar-throated apalis Apalis thoracica rare Zitting cisticola Cisticola juncidis rare breeder Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapilla regular Rattling cisticola Cisticola chiniana uncommon breeder Lazy cisticola Cisticola aberrans rare Tawny-flanked prinia Prinia subflava abundant Black-chested prinia Prinia flavicans uncommon breeder Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata uncommon Southern black flycatcher Melaenornis pammelaina rare Fiscal flycatcher Sigelus silens regular Chinspot batis Batis molitor rare Fairy flycatcher Stenostira scita rare African paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis uncommon breeder Striped pipit Anthus lineiventris rare Common fiscal Lanius collaris abundant Southern boubou Laniarius ferrugineus abundant Black-backed puffback Dryoscopus cubla regular Brown-crowned tchagra Tchagra australis rare breeder Black-crowned tchagra Tchagra senegalus regular breeder Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus common breeder Grey-headed bush-shrike Malaconotus blanchoti rare breeder White-crested helmet-shrike Prionops plumatus rare Brubru Nilaus afer rare Common myna Acridotheres tristis common breeder Cape glossy starling Lamprotornis nitens regular Red-winged starling Onychognathus morio rare White-bellied sunbird Cinnyris talatala regular Amethyst sunbird Chalcomitra amethystina regular Cape white-eye Zosterops virens rare House sparrow Passer domesticus rare Cape sparrow Passer melanurus common breeder Southern masked-weaver Ploceus velatus abundant breeder Southern red bishop Euplectes orix regular breeder Red-collared widowbird Euplectes ardens uncommon breeder White-winged widowbird Euplectes albonotatus regular breeder Long-tailed widowbird Euplectes progne rare breeder Bronze mannikin Spermestes cucullatus uncommon African firefinch Lagonosticta rubricata rare Jameson's firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia rare Blue waxbill Uraeginthus angolensis rare Black-faced waxbill Estrilda erythronotos rare Common waxbill Estrilda astrild uncommon Purple indigobird Vidua purpurascens rare breeder Yellow-fronted canary Crithagra mozambicus common breeder Black-throated canary Crithagra atrogularis regular Streaky-headed seedeater Crithagra gularis regular Cinnamon-breasted bunting Emberiza tahapisi rare

Special invertebrates of the reserve include Gunning's rock scorpion, golden-starburst baboon spider, the violin spider L. speluncarum which is endemic to caves of the Pretoria area, and the purse-web spider, Calommata transvaalica, which is severely threatened by urbanization in Gauteng.

Facilities and activities Entrance fees differ depending on the intended activity, and the number of persons partaking. The reserve is popular with cyclists, and mountain bikers can follow a 20 km route. The three hiking trails are designated as the red (1.3/3.5 km), white (3.7 km) and yellow (10.5 km) trails. Hikers can reserve an overnight hut. Off-road enthusiasts can explore 14 km of 4x4 tracks, while game viewing is possible from a 5 km motor car route. Guided horse rides and pony rides for kids are also offered. There are two picnic areas, named Meriting and Mashupeng, and a lapa may be rented for evening get-togethers.

Gallery

See also

National Heritage Monument

References