In 1657 the 7 km long range of hills became known as Luipaerts Berghen (‘Leopard’s Mountain’), named for the characteristic spots, or “heuweltjies”, which dot its slopes[1] and are visible from afar.

Since 1661 the range was known as the Tijgerberghen (‘Tiger Mountain’),[1] "tijger" being the Cape Dutch word for a leopard.

The nature reserve represents one of the few surviving pockets of the highly threatened Swartland Shale Renosterveld vegetation type.

There are nearly five hundred different plant species here, twelve of which are threatened with extinction and eight of which exist only in Cape Town.

In addition, there are over a hundred bird species and a variety of wild mammals, reptiles and amphibians.