Renosterveld

Renosterveld directly translated in the Afrikaans language means "rhinoceros-field", a possible reference to the high number of rhinoceroses seen by the Afrikaner settlers at the time.

Typically, renosterveld is largely confined to fine-grained soils – mainly clays and silts – which are derived from the shales of the Malmesbury and Bokkeveld Groups and the Karoo Sequence.

Many renosterveld trees and shrubs produce berries, which attract fruit-eating birds (e.g. bulbuls, Cape white-eyes) and other animals (e.g. geometric tortoises, chacma baboons).

Thus mountain zebra, quagga, bluebuck, roan antelope, red hartebeest, eland, bontebok, elephant, black rhino and Cape buffalo were common, as were lion, cheetah, African wild dog, spotted hyena and leopard.

With the establishment of European stock farmers, continuous grazing and the elimination of the diverse grazing-browsing fauna, the shrubby element was promoted.

Conservation organisations and volunteers are working with farmers and municipalities to identify, map and protect the remaining precious areas of renosterveld in the Western Cape.