Tygerberg Nature Reserve
| Tygerberg Nature Reserve | |
|---|---|
|
Tygerberg Nature Reserve | |
  Map of Cape Town | |
| Location | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 33°52′42″S 18°35′50″E / 33.8783°S 18.5972°ECoordinates: 33°52′42″S 18°35′50″E / 33.8783°S 18.5972°E |
| Area | 300 ha (740 acres) |
| Established | 1973 |
| City of Cape Town Nature Reserves | |
Tygerberg Nature Reserve is a 300-hectare (740-acre) nature reserve on the Tygerberg Hills, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa.
This nature reserve one of the few surviving pockets of the highly threatened Swartland Shale Renosterveld vegetation type.[1] The 300 ha reserve has an exceptional number of species. There are nearly five hundred different plant species here, twelve of which are threatened with extinction and eight of which exist only in Cape Town. Three of the plant species of Tygerberg exist only within the boundaries of the reserve itself. In addition, there are over a hundred bird species and a variety of wild mammals such as honey badger, roaming leopard, pipe squirrels and wall snakes, reptiles and amphibians are also common. The Plattekloof Dam is located just west of the hills, and is being restored to a natural wetland. The park hosts the Kristo Pienaar Environmental Education Centre with its library and resource centre. This is a popular venue for school excursions and education programmes.[2]
The name Tygerberg (“Tiger Mountain”) comes from the characteristic spots, or “heuweltjies” which exist in Shale Renosterveld. They can be seen from a distance, covering these hills, and early settlers thus named the hills after an animal that they mistakenly believed had spots on its skin. [3]
Springboard for criminals
For residents bordering the Tygerberg Nature Reserve crime has become a frequent occurrence. Criminals enter the reserve through the inadequate mesh fence using no more than a boltcutter, and then use the reserve as a springboard for their criminal activities. The reserve is a perfect vantage point for criminals to scope out their next house as the fence is not only see-through, but easily cut. In 2014 alone over 400 holes were repaired as a result of criminals cutting the fence to gain entry to the reserve, and in turn, houses bordering on the reserve (source).
The City of Cape Town have unfortunately turned a blind eye to residents' concerns and have refused to upgrade any portion of the fence, but rather insist residents erect their own within their property, at their own expense. This is not dissimilar to a prison refusing to upgrade their safety fence, and residents bordering on the reserve live behind locked doors and windows in fear of further home invasions and break-ins.
Poaching
One of the side-effects of the reserve's lack of security and apathy in remedying the situation, poaching of animals within the reserve has become rampant. Animals such as birds, porcupines snakes and other reptiles are trapped, taken to townships, sold and eaten. The vegetation - critically endangered Swartland shale renosterveld - is being decimated by the off-path foot traffic from poachers and criminals alike.
Solutions
The reserve itself has no security to speak of, and reserve management are entirely uninterested in solving this problem. Ideas have been put forward by various stakeholders in the areas surrounding the reserve, although they have fallen on deaf ears. The reserve has no security lighting, no security cameras, no patrols, entirely inadequate mesh fencing, an insufficient fire line, and no other internal security measures to ensure either the safety of those inside or out.
If you have any queries or concerns regarding the reserve please contact: Ms Penny Glanville (Reserve Manager) Tel: +27 (0)21 913 5695 Fax: +27 (0)21 913 6268
See also
References
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