The release of zebra and wildebeest in Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve

JOHANNESBURG'S four nature reserves will soon all contain game. Rietfontein already has game, while Klipriviersberg was stocked with game in September, and two more will have wildlife within six months.

The four nature reserves, managed by City Parks, are Rietfontein, Klipriviersberg, Kloofendal and Melville Koppies.

Rietfontein, established in the early 1980s, is some 24 kilometres north of the city in the small suburb of Paulshof, and consists of a 25-hectare indigenous green space stocked with blesbok, mountain reebok, duiker, klipspringer and steenbok, as well as small mammals like mongoose, tortoise and genet.

In September game was introduced to Klipriviersberg, a 615-hectare reserve 11 kilometres south of the city: five zebras, five blesbok, four red hartebeest, six black wildebeest and 12 mountain reedbuck.

Most of the animals were obtained from private game farms in the Free State and Limpopo. In future excess animals from Rietfontein will be released into Klipriviersberg and Kloofendal.

View of the city from a koppie in Klipriviersberg

In addition, Klipriviersberg has genet and dassies, along with over 200 species of birds. The reserve was fenced last year when 18 kilometres of fencing went up. Horses are stabled in the reserve and used by rangers to patrol the fence.

Kobus Theunissen, acting senior manager for conservation for City Parks, says he has two senior rangers at the reserve and eight team members, and is hoping to eventually have up to 28 large animals at Klipriviersberg.

He said too that much cleaning and clearing of the reserve has taken place in preparation for the introduction of the animals. The gates are locked at night, to prevent their escape and possible poaching, and his team has an ongoing programme of searching for snares. Alien plant control measures, particularly along the Bloubosspruit running through the reserve, are also ongoing.

Koppies of Klipriviersberg

Over 120 dassies were released into the Kloofendal Nature Reserve in Roodepoort, to the west of the city, mainly to supply food for the black eagles that live in the nearby Witwatersrand Botanical Gardens. Four duiker and 10 mountain reebok are to be released in the reserve, while guinea fowl are abundant. Black-backed jackals and scrub hares have been spotted, and a pair of black sparrow hawks have been seen.

Melville Koppies, a historic natural veld five kilometres from the city centre, is also to get a pair of duikers next winter. Mongooses, hedgehogs and tortoises, live happily at the koppies.

Theunissen says the project at Klipriviersberg has got resounding approval from local residents.

Theunissen is also working closely with the reserve's management committee. Future plans are to develop a wetland with a tea garden, a cultural village and picnic area, a nursery with water features, and conference facilities. The development is planned for the bottom, south section of the reserve, alongside the suburb of Mayfield Park, and will be entirely sponsored by the private sector. At present a feasibility study is being undertaken.