Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Rietvlei Nature Reserve
View of the Rietvlei Dam from the picnic area
Map
TypeNature reserve
LocationSouth Africa
Nearest cityPretoria, Gauteng
Coordinates25°53′49″S 28°17′38″E / 25.89694°S 28.29389°E / -25.89694; 28.29389
Area4,000 hectares (40 km2)
Established
  • 1929 (1929) - as a conservation area
  • 1948 (1948) - proclaimed
  • 5 March 2014 (2014-03-05) - Declaration of a Nature Reserve
Administered byCity of Tshwane
Hiking trailsTwo
  • One 14 km day trail
  • One 21 km trail over three days
WebsiteRietvlei Nature Reserve - City of Tshwane

Rietvlei Nature Reserve, located in southern Pretoria, is about 4,000 hectares (40 km2) in size, and includes the entirety of the Rietvlei Dam which impounds the Rietvlei River, in Gauteng, South Africa. The reserve is wedged between the R21 highway (OR Tambo Airport highway) on the western side and the R50 (Delmas-Bapsfontein) road on the north-east. The mean elevation above sea level is approximately 1,525 meters, with the highest point at 1,542 m and the lowest at 1,473 m, the dam’s outflow in Sesmylspruit. The reserve covers a surface area of approximately 4,003 ha or 40 km2, of which the dam constitutes some 20ha. A network of roads criss-cross the entire area, which facilitates access to visitors and management.

Flora and fauna

Trees

Both indigenous and exotic species of trees can be found in the reserve.

List of trees in the reserve
Indigenous
Exotic

Birds

Some 404 species of bird utilize the reserve. Birds commonly encountered include colonies of southern masked-weaver, the invasive common myna and conspicuous pied crow, buffy pipit, blacksmith and crowned lapwing on short or burnt grassland, and Cape longclaw and rufous-naped lark in denser grassland or shrubby areas. Amur falcon and barn swallow occur annually in summer. Black-shouldered kite, spotted thick-knee, cattle egret, helmeted guineafowl, Swainson's spurfowl, African palm-swift, southern red bishop, anteating chat, stone chat, capped wheatear, fork-tailed drongo and pied starling are resident or regularly seen species. Some special or less commonly seen species are Alpine swift in winter, African yellow warbler in shrubs along the flood plain, great crested grebe and maccoa duck at the dams, African cuckoo hawk, Peregrine falcon, red-throated wryneck and orange-breasted waxbill.

Mammals

The reserve carries around 1,600 individual large mammals. Cheetah, blesbuck, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, eland, common zebra, waterbuck, reedbuck, springbuck, mountain reedbuck, steenbok, grey duiker, oribi, leopard, buffalo, and hippopotamus can all be found in the reserve. There are also 4 lionesses and 2 male lions kept in a separate enclosure on the reserve. In October 2019, the Rietvlei lions were killed by poachers and since then, no lions have been kept at the reserve.

List of mammals in the reserve

Threats to the reserve

The reserve is situated in Gauteng, one of the highest population density areas in South Africa. As such it is constantly under threat by human expansion and development.

See also


This page was last updated at 2023-10-25 11:32 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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