Cederberg Fauna & Flora

The Cederberg Wilderness Area is protected by Cape Nature, after it was deemed a wilderness area back in 1973. This wild and mountainous terrain is stretched over almost 71 000 hectares and although the Cederberg is a mere two- to three-hour drive outside of Cape Town, the Cederberg gives one the opportunity to be completely engulfed by the rich sounds, smells and sights of raw mother nature.

At the heart of conservation efforts in the Cederberg are the wild and extremely diverse flora and fauna. Although it would be next to impossible to discuss all aspects and species of the Cederberg’s incredibly diverse flora and fauna, some of this diversity is touched on below.

The Cederberg forms part of the Cape Floristic Region, which is one of six Floral Regions in the world and a global hotspot of biodiversity. The Cape Floristic Region is widely recognised for having large numbers of endemic plant species and relative to its size, is also known for some of the most diverse and dense plant species in the world. With such rich floral diversity found in the Cederberg, it is also considered a World Heritage Site.

Of the five distinct vegetation biomes that make up the Cape Floral Region, the Cederberg encompasses two of them, namely the Succulent Karoo and Fynbos biomes. The Fynbos biome is then further subdivided into Fynbos and Renosterveld vegetation groups. These different vegetation types grow across the Cederberg region according to changes in geology and climate, ultimately making up the wonderful floral diversity that characterises the Cederberg.

The Fynbos biome is predominant throughout the mountainous regions of the Cederberg, where it is comprised of an estimated 9 500 plant species. Within this incredible diversity, 70% of the plant species are entirely unique to the area and broader Fynbos biome.

Fynbos vegetation is primarily recognised by the Restio (Restionaceae), Erica or heath (Ericaceae) and Protea (Proteaceae) families, which tend to grow largely in sandy soils derived from the surrounding sandstone mountains. The rare and endemic snow protea (Protea cryophila) can be found in higher and more remote parts of the Cederberg mountains, while the more common sunshine conebush (Leucadendron salignum), grey-leaved sugarbush (Protea laurifolia) and spinning top (Leucadendron rubrum) proteas can be admired at lower altitudes.

Renosterveld derives its name from its commonly found renosterbos (Elytropappus Rhinocerotis), although this vegetation group is also recognised for its beautiful display of geophytes, including the lily (Asphodelaceae), iris (Iridaceae) and orchid (Orchidaceae) families. Renosterveld is also generally found in more fertile clay and silt soils, which are derived from shale rather than sandstone soils.

The world-renowned rooibos tea bush (Aspalathus Linearis) can also sometimes be found amongst the Fynbos vegetation, although more commonly so in cultivated areas. This famous South African tea offers a wide range of flavours and blends which can be tasted and enjoyed at one of Clanwilliam’s rooibos teahouses.

Over many years, Fynbos has evolved to form a fascinating relationship with fire. After Fynbos is burned it goes through a new phase of regeneration and growth as fire promotes the germination of new Fynbos seeds. This freshly green growth after a fire is a magnificent sight to behold! The key challenge in this relationship is that the natural cycle for Fynbos to burn is every 20-odd years, although in more recent decades this has been disrupted through climatic droughts and manmade fires. Such disruption is a threat to the long-term sustainability of Fynbos species.