The Anysberg Nature Reserve of 62,500 ha, is situated in the western Little Karoo region of the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve in the

Western Cape The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...

province,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. The central mountain is named after

Anise Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, ...

, ''Pimpinella anisum'', which is found in the reserve. The reserve was established in 1984, to conserve

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

and

fynbos Fynbos (; , ) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean climate. The fynbos ...

flora in the

Cape Fold Belt The Cape Fold Belt (CFB) is a long fold-and-thrust mountain belt along the western and southern coastlines of Western Cape, South Africa. The Cape Fold Belt formed during the Permian period (300 to 250million years ago) in the late Paleozoic ...

, and to reintroduce game which formerly occurred here. The nearest towns are Laingsburg and Ladismith, which are both about 55 km from the main reserve entrance.

History

Land for the reserve was first set aside in 1984 below the Anysberg Mountain Catchment Area (designated in 1978). This was further extended multiple times to its current area of .

Biodiversity

Fed by three rivers, the diversity of life is supported here amidst mountain feathers and the characteristic Klein Karoo veil. About 180 species of birds are regularly spotted in the reserve, making it a popular choice for bird watchers. In addition to the enchanting landscape and rich plant and animal life, the reserve is also home to San rock art, painted thousands of years ago.

Gallery

Image:Landschaft AnysbergPICT1454.JPG, Landscape, Anysberg Nature Reserve Image:Gibbaeum pubescens AnysbergPICT1438.jpg, Succulents '' Gibbaeum pubescens'', Anysberg Nature Reserve Image:Succulente AnysbergPICT1457.JPG, Succulents (Aizoaceae), Anysberg Nature Reserve Image:Succulente AnysbergPICT1452.JPG, Succulents, Anysberg Nature Reserve

References

External reference

Official website
Nature reserves in South Africa Provincial nature reserves of the Western Cape Protected areas established in 1984 1984 establishments in South Africa {{Africa-protected-area-stub