The Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve is a small

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

near Makhanda (Grahamstown) designated for the purpose of conserving the endangered

Eastern Province rocky The Eastern Province rocky (''Sandelia bainsii''), also known as rocky kurper, is a species of fish in the family Anabantidae. It is endemic to South Africa. The specific name of this species is thought to honour the Scottish geologist, explor ...

. Nearby are the

Waters Meeting Nature Reserve The Waters Meeting Nature Reserve is a forest nature reserve near Bathurst in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The reserve covers , divided into two sections. The Kowie River borders the western edge of the reserve and separates it in the upper ...

and

Buffalo Kloof Protected Environment Buffalo Kloof Protected Environment is a large section of protected land near Makhanda (Grahamstown). The Kowie River separates it and the Waters Meeting Nature Reserve. History This protected area was designated in 2018. See also ...

. The

Blaauwkrantz Pass Blaauwkrantz Pass is a mountain pass on the R67, situated across the Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve in the Eastern Cape, on the road between Grahamstown and Port Alfred A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharv ...

( R67) runs along the length of the reserve, while the Bloukrans River bisects it horizontally.

History

In 1985, 198.31 ha of land was proclaimed for the conservation of the endangered Eastern Province rocky.

Biodiversity

The reserve, consisting of

veld Veld ( or ), also spelled veldt, is a type of wide open rural landscape in :Southern Africa. Particularly, it is a flat area covered in grass or low scrub, especially in the countries of South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswa ...

vegetation, has over 200 plant species including aloe and tree euphorbia. The Blaauwkrantz Pool in the reserve is one of the last refuges of the endemic Eastern Province rocky (rocky kurper). Birds found on the reserve are

fish eagle A sea eagle or fish eagle (also called erne or ern, mostly in reference to the white-tailed eagle) is any of the birds of prey in the genus ''Haliaeetus'' in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. Taxonomy and evolution The genus ''Haliaeetus'' ...

and

kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania ...

. Otters can also be found in the reserve.

Threats

The Blaauwkrantz Pool, containing the rocky kurper, faces a number of threats from

sewage treatment Sewage treatment (or domestic wastewater treatment, municipal wastewater treatment) is a type of wastewater treatment which aims to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable for discharge to the surrounding e ...

to agricultural practises like the leaching of fertilisers upstream into the river which lead to the excessive growth of the invasive red water fern that cover the water. This prevents plankton (which require sunlight in order to survive) from growing which is a source of food for young rocky kurpers.

References

{{reflist Nature reserves in South Africa Eastern Cape Provincial Parks