Rietvlei Nature Reserve, located in southern

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

, is about in size, and includes the entirety of the Rietvlei Dam which impounds the

Rietvlei River The Rietvlei River is a small river in central Gauteng Province, South Africa. It feeds the wetlands of the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, before it flows into Rietvlei Dam, which is one of the main sources of water for Pretoria. The river downstream ...

, in

Gauteng Gauteng ( , ; Sotho-Tswana languages, Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; or ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts f ...

, South Africa. The reserve is wedged between the R21 highway ( OR Tambo Airport highway) on the western side and the R50 ( Delmas- Bapsfontein) road on the north-east. The mean elevation above sea level is approximately 1,525 meters, with the highest point at 1,542 m and the lowest at 1,473 m, the dam’s outflow in Sesmylspruit. The reserve covers a surface area of approximately 4,003 ha or 40 km², of which the dam constitutes some 20ha. A network of roads criss-cross the entire area, which facilitates access to visitors and management.

Flora and fauna

Trees

Both indigenous and exotic species of trees can be found in the reserve. ; Indigenous * Common hook thorn ''Acacia afra'' * Sweet thorn ''Acacia karroo'' * Sagewood ''Buddleja salviifolia'' * White stinkwood ''Celtis africana'' * River bushwillow ''Combretum erythrophyllum'' * Highveld cabbage tree ''Cussonia paniculata'' * Sicklebush ''Dichrostachys cinerea'' * Bushveld bluebush ''Diospyros lycioides'' * Puzzle bush ''Ehretia rigida'' * Blue guarri ''Euclea crispa'' * Pioneer spike-thorn ''Gymnosporia buxifolia'' * Honeyscented protea ''Protea welwitschii'' *

Dogwood ''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods or cornels, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous ...

''Rhamnus prinoides'' * Nana-berry ''Searsia dentata'' * Grassveld currant ''Searsia discolor'' * Karee ''Searsia lancea'' * Rock currant ''Searsia magalismontana'' * Common wild currant ''Searsia pyroides'' * Blue currant ''Searsia zeyheri'' * Buffalothorn ''Ziziphus mucronata'' ;Exotic * Green wattle ''Racosperma decurrens'' * Black wattle ''Racosperma mearnsii'' * Red river gum ''Eucalyptus camaldulensis'' * Bluegum ''Eucalyptus'' sp. *

Privet A privet is a flowering plant in the genus ''Ligustrum''. The genus contains about 50 species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs or trees, with a native distribution from Europe to tropical and subtropical Asia, and with one species each ...

''Ligustrum'' sp. *

Mulberry ''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of 19 species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 subordinat ...

''Morus'' sp. * Ink berry ''Phytolacca octandra'' *

Platanus ''Platanus'' ( ) is a genus consisting of a small number of tree species native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae. All mature members of ''Platanus'' are tall, reaching in height. The type ...

''Platanus'' sp. *

White poplar White poplar is a common name used to refer to several trees in the genus ''Populus ''Populus'' is a genus of 25–30 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names vari ...

''Populus alba'' *

Oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

''Quercus'' sp. *

Black locust ''Robinia pseudoacacia'', commonly known as black locust, is a medium-sized hardwood deciduous tree, belonging to the tribe Robinieae of the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to a few small areas of the United States, but it has been widely pl ...

''Robinia pseudoacacia'' * Weeping willow ''Salix babylonica''

Birds

Some 404 species of bird utilize the reserve. Birds commonly encountered include colonies of southern masked-weaver, the invasive

common myna The common myna or Indian myna (''Acridotheres tristis''), sometimes spelled mynah, is a bird in the Family (biology), family Sturnidae, native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the common myna has ada ...

and conspicuous

pied crow The pied crow (''Corvus albus'') is a widely distributed African bird species in the crow genus of the family Corvidae. Structurally, the pied crow is better thought of as a small crow-sized raven, especially as it can hybridise with the Somali ...

, buffy pipit,

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

and crowned lapwing on short or burnt grassland, and Cape longclaw and

rufous-naped lark The rufous-naped lark (''Corypha africana'') or rufous-naped bush lark is a widespread and conspicuous species of Alaudidae, lark in the lightly wooded grasslands, open savannas and farmlands of the Afrotropical realm, Afrotropics. Males attract ...

in denser grassland or shrubby areas. Amur falcon and

barn swallow The barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply f ...

occur annually in summer. Black-shouldered kite, spotted thick-knee,

cattle egret The cattle egret (formerly genus ''Bubulcus'') is a cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan clade of heron (family (biology), family Ardeidae) in the genus ''Ardea (genus), Ardea'' found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. Ac ...

helmeted guineafowl The helmeted guinea fowl (''Numida meleagris'') is the best known of the guinea fowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus ''Numida''. It is native to Africa, mainly south of the Sahara, and has been widely introduced, as ...

, Swainson's spurfowl, African palm-swift, southern red bishop, anteating chat, stone chat, capped wheatear,

fork-tailed drongo The fork-tailed drongo (''Dicrurus adsimilis''), also called the common drongo or African drongo, is a small bird found from the Sahel to South Africa that lives in wooded habitats, particularly woodlands and savannas. It is part of the Family ( ...

and pied starling are resident or regularly seen species. Some special or less commonly seen species are

Alpine swift The alpine swift (''Tachymarptis melba'', formerly ''Apus melba'') is a species of Swift (bird), swift found in Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. They breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalayas. Like common swifts, they are bird mi ...

in winter, African yellow warbler in shrubs along the flood plain,

great crested grebe The great crested grebe (''Podiceps cristatus'') is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The bird is characterised by its distinctive appearance, featuring striking black, orange-brown, and white plumage, and elaborate courtship displa ...

and maccoa duck at the dams, African cuckoo hawk,

Peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

, red-throated wryneck and orange-breasted waxbill.

Mammals

The reserve carries around 1,600 individual large mammals.

Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...

, blesbuck, black wildebeest,

red hartebeest The red hartebeest (''Alcelaphus buselaphus caama''), also called the Cape hartebeest or Caama, is a subspecies of the hartebeest found in Southern Africa. More than 130,000 individuals live in the wild. The red hartebeest is closely related to ...

, eland, common zebra,

waterbuck The waterbuck (''Kobus ellipsiprymnus'') is a large antelope found widely in sub-Saharan Africa. It is placed in the genus ''Kobus (antelope), Kobus'' of the family Bovidae. It was first Scientific description, described by Irish naturalist Will ...

, reedbuck, springbuck, mountain reedbuck,

steenbok The steenbok (''Raphicerus campestris'') is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the steinbuck or steinbok. Description Steenbok resemble small oribi, standing 45–60 cm (16"–24") at the ...

, grey duiker, oribi,

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

, buffalo, and

hippopotamus The hippopotamus (''Hippopotamus amphibius;'' ; : hippopotamuses), often shortened to hippo (: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Sahar ...

can all be found in the reserve. There are also 4 lionesses and 2 male lions kept in a separate enclosure on the reserve. In October 2019, the Rietvlei lions were killed by poachers and since then, no lions have been kept at the reserve. *

Aardvark Aardvarks ( ; ''Orycteropus afer'') are medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammals native to Africa. Aardvarks are the only living species of the family Orycteropodidae and the order Tubulidentata. They have a long proboscis, similar to a pi ...

''Orycteropus afer'' * Aardwolf ''Proteles cristatus'' *

African buffalo The African buffalo (''Syncerus caffer)'' is a large sub-Saharan African bovine. The adult African buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature: they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head, referred to ...

''Syncerus caffer'' *

African civet The African civet (''Civettictis civetta'') is a large viverrid native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it is considered common and widely distributed in woodlands and secondary forests. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008 ...

''civettictis civetta'' * African clawless otter ''Aonyx capensis'' * African pygmy mouse ''Mus minutoides'' *

African striped weasel The African striped weasel (''Poecilogale albinucha''), also known as the white-naped weasel, striped weasel or African weasel, is a small mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa, where its range stretches from as far north as Kenya down south to So ...

''Poecilogale albinucha'' * African yellow bat ''Scotophilus dinganii'' * Angoni vlei rat ''Otomys angoniensis'' *

Black-backed jackal The black-backed jackal (''Lupulella mesomelas'') is a medium-sized Caninae, canine native to East Africa, eastern and southern Africa. These regions are separated by roughly . One region includes the southernmost tip of the continent, includin ...

''Canis mesomelas'' *

Black rat The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is n ...

''Rattus rattus'' * Black wildebeest ''Connochaetes gnou'' * Blasius's horseshoe bat ''Rhinolophus blasii'' * Blesbuck ''Damaliscus dorcas phillpsi'' *

Brown hyena The brown hyena (''Parahyaena brunnea''), also called the strandwolf, is a species of hyena found in Namibia, Botswana, western and southern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique and South Africa. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Parahyaena' ...

''Parahyaena brunnea'' *

Bushpig :''"Bush pig" may also refer to the red river hog.'' The bushpig (''Potamochoerus larvatus'') is a member of the pig family that inhabits forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and cultivated areas in East and Southern Africa. Probably introd ...

''Potamochoerus larvatus'' * Bushveld horseshoe bat ''Rhinolophus simulator'' *

Cape genet The Cape genet (''Genetta tigrina''), also known as the South African large-spotted genet, is a Genetta, genet species endemic to South Africa. As it is common and not threatened, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Like other gene ...

''Genetta tigrina'' *

Cape hare The Cape hare (''Lepus capensis''), also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India. Taxonomy The Cape hare was one of the many Mammalia in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, mammal ...

''Lepus capensis'' *

Cape porcupine The Cape porcupine (''Hystrix africaeaustralis''), Cape crested porcupine or South African porcupine, is a species of Old World porcupine native to central and southern Africa. Description left, 180px, Porcupine head Cape porcupines are the la ...

''Hystrix africaeaustralis'' * Cape serotine ''Neoromicia capensis'' *

Caracal The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized Felidae, wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long ...

''Caracal caracal'' *

''Acinonyx jubatus'' *

Chestnut climbing mouse The chestnut climbing mouse (''Dendromus mystacalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzan ...

''Dendromus mystacalis'' * Common duiker ''Sylvicapra grimmia'' *

Common eland The common eland (''Taurotragus oryx''), also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a large savannah and plains antelope found in East Africa, East and Southern Africa. An adult male is around tall at the shoulder and can weigh up ...

''Tragelaphus oryx'' *

Common genet The common genet (''Genetta genetta'') is a small viverrid indigenous to Africa that was introduced to southwestern Europe. It is widely distributed north of the Sahara, in savanna zones south of the Sahara to southern Africa and along the coas ...

''Genetta genetta'' * Common mole rat ''Cryptomys hottentotus'' * Darling's horseshoe bat ''Rhinolophus darlingi'' * Desert pygmy mouse ''Mus indutus'' * Egyptian free-tailed bat ''Tadarida aegyptiaca'' * Egyptian slit-faced bat ''Nycteris thebaica'' * Forest shrew ''Myosorex varius'' * Four-striped grass mouse ''Rhabdomys pumilio'' * Geoffroy's horseshoe bat ''Rhinolophus clivosus'' * Gray climbing mouse ''Dendromus melanotis'' *

Greater cane rat The greater cane rat (''Thryonomys swinderianus''), also known as the grasscutter (in Ghana, Nigeria and other regions of West Africa), is one of two species of cane rats, a small family of African hystricognath rodents. It lives by reed-beds and ...

''Thryonomys swinderianus'' * Greenish yellow bat ''Scotophilus viridis'' *

Ground pangolin The ground pangolin (''Smutsia temminckii''), also known as Temminck's pangolin, Cape pangolin or steppe pangolin is a species of pangolin from genus ''Smutsia'' of subfamily Smutsia, Smutsiinae the within family Manidae. It is one of four spec ...

''Manis temminckii'' *

Hartebeest The hartebeest (; ''Alcelaphus buselaphus''), also known as kongoni or kaama, is an Fauna of Africa, African antelope. It is the Monotypic taxon, only member of the genus ''Alcelaphus''. Eight subspecies have been described, including two som ...

''Alcelaphus buselaphus'' * Highveld gerbil ''Gerbilliscus brantsii'' *

Hippopotamus The hippopotamus (''Hippopotamus amphibius;'' ; : hippopotamuses), often shortened to hippo (: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Sahar ...

''Hippopotamus amphibius'' *

House mouse The house mouse (''Mus musculus'') is a small mammal of the rodent family Muridae, characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail. It is one of the most abundant species of the genus '' Mus''. A ...

''Mus musculus'' * Least dwarf shrew ''Suncus infinitesimus'' *

Leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

''Panthera pardus'' * Lesser dwarf shrew ''Suncus varilla'' * Lesser gray-brown musk shrew ''Crocidura silacea'' * Lesser red musk shrew ''Crocidura hirta'' * Marsh mongoose ''Atilax paludinosus'' * Mauritian tomb bat ''Taphozous mauritianus'' *

Meerkat The meerkat (''Suricata suricatta'') or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. It is characterised by a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, long legs, a thin tapering tail, and a brindled coat pattern. The head-and-body ...

''Suricata suricatta'' * Mohol bushbaby ''Galago moholi'' * Mountain reedbuck ''Redunca fulvorufula'' * Oribi ''Ourebia ourebi'' *

Plains zebra The plains zebra (''Equus quagga'', formerly ''Equus burchellii'') is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. Its range is fragmented, but spans much of southern and eastern Africa south of the Sahara. Six or seven subspec ...

''Equus quagga'' * Reddish-gray musk shrew ''Crocidura cyanea'' * Red rock rat ''Aethomys chrysophilus'' *

Rock hyrax The rock hyrax (; ''Procavia capensis''), also called dassie, Cape hyrax, rock rabbit, and (from some interpretations of a word used in the King James Bible) coney, is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Common ...

''Procavia capensis'' * Rough-haired golden mole ''Chrysospalax villosus'' *

Scrub hare The scrub hare (''Lepus saxatilis'') is one of two species of hares found in southern Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. Although it is listed as a least concern species, the population has been declining and is expected to ...

''Lepus sexatilis'' *

Serval The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild small cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, where it inhabits grasslands, wetlands, moorlands and bamboo thickets. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and ...

''Leptailurus serval'' *

Slender mongoose The common slender mongoose (''Herpestes sanguineus''), also known as the black-tipped mongoose or the black-tailed mongoose, is a very common mongoose species native to sub-Saharan Africa. Taxonomy The scientific name ''Herpestes sanguineus'' ...

''Galerella sanguinea'' * Southern African hedgehog ''Atelerix frontalis'' *

Southern multimammate mouse The southern multimammate mouse or southern African mastomys (''Mastomys coucha'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae which is endemic to southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe). It i ...

''Mastomys coucha'' *

Southern reedbuck The southern reedbuck, rietbok or common reedbuck (''Redunca arundinum'') is a diurnal antelope typically found in southern Africa. It was first described by Pieter Boddaert, a Dutch physician and naturalist, in 1785. It is placed in the genu ...

''Redunca arundinum'' *

Springbok The springbok or springbuck (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is an antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus (biology), genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first Species description, described by the Germa ...

''Antidorcas marsupialis'' *

Springhare ''Pedetes'' is a genus of rodent, the springhares, in the family Pedetidae. Members of the genus are distributed across southern and Eastern Africa. Species A number of species both extant and extinct are classified in the genus ''Pedetes''. ...

''Pedetes capensis'' *

Steenbok The steenbok (''Raphicerus campestris'') is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the steinbuck or steinbok. Description Steenbok resemble small oribi, standing 45–60 cm (16"–24") at the ...

''Raphicerus campestris'' *

Striped polecat The striped polecat (''Ictonyx striatus''), also called the African polecat, zoril, zorille, zorilla, African muishond, striped muishond, Cape polecat, and African skunk, is a species of mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. Despite bearing some ...

''Ictonyx striatus'' * Swamp musk shrew ''Crocidura mariquensis'' *

Vervet monkey The vervet monkey (''Chlorocebus pygerythrus''), or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus '' Chlorocebus''. The five distin ...

''Chlorocebus pygerythrus'' * Vlei rat ''Otomys irroratus'' *

Waterbuck The waterbuck (''Kobus ellipsiprymnus'') is a large antelope found widely in sub-Saharan Africa. It is placed in the genus ''Kobus (antelope), Kobus'' of the family Bovidae. It was first Scientific description, described by Irish naturalist Will ...

''Kobus ellipsiprymnus'' *

White rhinoceros The white rhinoceros, also known as the white rhino or square-lipped rhinoceros (''Ceratotherium simum''), is the largest extant species of rhinoceros and the most Sociality, social of all rhino species, characterized by its wide mouth adapted f ...

''Ceratotherium simum'' * White-tailed mongoose ''Ichneumia albicauda'' * White-tailed rat ''Mystromys albicaudatus''

Threats to the reserve

The reserve is situated in

, one of the highest population density areas in

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 ...

. As such it is constantly under threat by human expansion and development. * The

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (; ; ; ) is a metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng, a large suburban region east of Johannesburg. ''Ekurhuleni'' means "place of peace" in ...

's proposed Benoni landfill site. * Upstream pollution of the Rietvlei Dam and wetland areas.

References

External links

City of Tshwane page on Rietvlei

Friends of Rietvlei
*
Rietvlei Reserve Website and Guide
Comprehensive Community Website and eGuide {{Cite web, url=http://www.rietvleiguide.co.za, title=Home, website=www.rietvleiguide, access-date=2017-10-27 Protected areas of Gauteng Nature reserves in Pretoria