Helderberg Nature Reserve

Helderberg Nature Reserve
Helderberg mountainside
Map of Cape Town Metropolitan area
Location	Somerset West, South Africa
Coordinates	34°01′59″S 18°52′28″E / 34.03306°S 18.87444°E / -34.03306; 18.87444Coordinates: 34°01′59″S 18°52′28″E / 34.03306°S 18.87444°E / -34.03306; 18.87444
Area	398 ha (980 acres)
Established	1960

Helderberg Nature Reserve is a 398-hectare (980-acre) nature reserve in Somerset West, South Africa.^[1]

This nature reserve is located on the southern slopes of the Helderberg mountains. Its 398 ha consist mostly of “Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos” (a highly species-rich vegetation type) with smaller patches of “Boland Granite Fynbos” and “Southern Afrotemperate Forest”. Altogether about 600 species of plant have been recorded here, including a wide range of proteas. Particularly prominent plants include the pincushion proteas (Leucospermum sp.), cone bushes (Leucadendron sp.), sugar bushes (Protea sp.), heaths (Erica sp.) and the waboom tree (Protea nitida).^[2]

Animals that can be found here include the Cape leopard, caracal, grey duiker, Cape grysbok, steenbok, mongoose, angulate and padloper tortoises and over 170 species of bird.

The reserve hosts outdoor music concerts in the summer, and has a café, picnic area, gift shop, Environmental Education Centre and museum displays.^[3]

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  King protea in Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos

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  Indigenous Southern Afrotemperate Forest

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  Flowering Watsonia geophyte

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  Phylica pubescens

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  Leucospermum cordifolium

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  Angulate tortoise

See also[]

• Biodiversity of Cape Town
• List of nature reserves in Cape Town
• Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
• Boland Granite Fynbos
• Index: Fynbos - habitats and species.
• Southern Afrotemperate Forest

External links[]

• The Helderberg Nature Reserve
• Helderberg Nature Reserve

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helderberg Nature Reserve.