FAUNA & FLORA OF THE WATERBERG

The Waterberg Region in Limpopo Province is an area teeming with wildlife, spectacular scenery and many private game reserves with excellent accommodation.

Besides the cultural historic significance, the scenic malaria free Waterberg region which is still wild and untamed in certain areas, is a favourite tourist destination due to its wildlife and nature, as well as its close proximity to Gauteng.

The area surrounding the Waterberg Mountain Range is rich in cultural, archaeological and biological diversity.

The region is home to an abundance of flora and fauna. Amongst others there are numerous insect species, many reptile species including the infamous Black Mamba, more than 380 bird species, over 2000 plant species, more than 130 butterfly species, more than 140 tree species and more than 129 mammal species. Many fern, shrub and grass species also occur in this wonderful Bushveld region.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO FIND ON THE FARM:

Kamonande is located in the Savanna biome in the Waterberg Mountain Bushveld with smaller sections of Central Sandy Bushveld. The landscape is characterised by medium to tall woody species on moderate to steep hill slopes and mountains with grassland in-between and in the lower lying valleys. Seventeen plant communities exist on the farm. Each plant community has its own unique set of habitat conditions and unique plant species composition.

The following animals can be seen on the farm:

Giraffe, eland, kudu, blue wildebeest, zebra, bushbuck, nyala, waterbuck, impala, klipspringer, duiker, warthog, leopard, caracal, black-backed jackal, brown hyena, rock dassie, genet, baboon, banded mongoose, vervet monkey, ground squirrel, porcupine, scrub hare, serval, African civet, Honeybadger, etc.

Over 250 bird species have been identified in the area:

The species diversity is high although the birds may not always be present in high numbers. The not so common African Black Duck and Black Stork have been seen regularly and if you are really fortunate, you may even spot a Pennant–winged Nightjar during the summer months.  The bush is always alive with familiar bushveld birdcalls such as the call of the  Spotted Emerald Dove, the Bush Shrike and the Orange-breasted  Bush Shrike, and the call of the Fish Eagle around the streams and dams. Keep your eyes open for a flash of colour from a Woodland Kingfisher, Plum-coloured Starling, Paradise Flycatcher, Black–headed Oriole, Bee Eater, or a sunbird. Do not be surprised if you spot a few oxpeckers jumping around on a herd of Kudu or Impala.

The farm has mountains and savannah which offer habitat to a wide range of trees.
The following trees can be found at Kamonande:

  • Wild seringa- Wilde sering-Burkea africana
  • Peeling plane – Lekkerbreek – Ochna pulchra
  • Transvaal milkplum – Stamvrug –  Englerophytum magalismontanum
  • Waterberry – Waterbessie- Syzigium cordatum
  • Large fruited bushwillow – Raasblaar – Combretum zeyheri
  • Velvet bushwillow – Fluweelboswilg – Combretum molle
  • Waterberg bushwillow  – Waterbergboswilg – Combretum nelsonii
  • Transvaal beech – Transvaalse boekenhout-Faurea saligna
  • Silver cluster leaf  – Vaalboom – Terminalia sericea
  • Horn-pod tree – Horingpeultjieboom – Diplorhynchus condylocarpon
  • Paperbark false thorn- Papierbasvalsdoring-Aalbizia tanganyicensis
  • Lavender tree – laventelboom – Heteropyxis natalensis
  • Common fig – Gewone wildevy – Ficus thonningii
  • Common sugarbush – Gewone suikerbos- Protea caffra
  • Lip-flower sugerbush – lippeblomsuikerbos – Protea welwitschii