Goegap Nature Reserve is located 15km south east from the town Springbok, Namaqualand, in the Northern Cape Province. It falls within the Succulent-Karoo Biome which consists mainly of a coastal belt of approximately 100km to 150km wide. The landscape of the Succulent-Karoo Biome, as characterised by the coastal platform, the Knersvlakte north of Van Rhynsdorp and the Tankwa Karoo that is drained from the Tankwa River and its tributaries, is generally flat or evenly raised. In harsh contrast with this there are the jagged mountains of the Richtersveld and northern Namaqualand, where the biome is split by the Orange River.

The temperature for the area ranges from between -2,8°C in July to 39,3°C in January/February. According to the historical weather data from the O'Kiep weather station, the average maximum temperature is 24,3°C and the minimum temperature, 10,3°C. The rainfall varies, as the reserve is situated partially in the summer rainfall area and partially in the winter rainfall area. Within the reserve the rainfall varies between 100 and 300mm per year. According to Schulze (1965) the rainfall in this area has an unpredictability of 40%, which is also found in Israel, for instance.

Ecologically Goegap Nature Reserve is quite important as it is an example of the two components of the Succulent-Karoo biome, each geographically and floristically different. Socio-economically the Reserve plays an important role during the tourist season, providing activities and accommodation to visitors to the region. Approximately 13 000 people visit Goegap Nature Reserve during the annual flower season, ranging from 3 weeks to 3 months.

Originally one of the goals of the reserve was to establish a wild flower garden. This was actualised in the establishment of the Hester Malan Wild Flower garden, named after the wife of Dr Nico Malan, Administrator of the Cape of Good Hope at the time. When the reserve expanded, it was then renamed to “Goegap”, the Nama word for “reed water”, indicating the presence of water.

Diversity

The Succulent-Karoo Biome is essentially limited to those areas with mainly winter rainfall and summer aridity. The rains are unpredictable and rarely exceed 250mm over most of the area. According to Hilton-Taylor, 1996, the Succulent-Karoo Biome probably carries the richest arid flora in the world and emerges as having the highest regional diversity. Based on species numbers, this region is the third richest floristic region in Southern Africa (after the Cape Floristic and Maputaland-Pondoland Regions).


Approximately 40% of the worlds’ 10 000 succulent species are found in this region. Goegap Nature Reserve falls into the Succulent Karoo Region (SKR) for Floristic Endemism in Southern Africa and is recognised as an important centre of plant diversity and endemism in Africa. It is also considered as one of the earth’s “hotspots” – geographical areas which contain the world’s greatest plant and animal diversity (Mittermeier et al. 2000). This region is the world’s only entirely arid hotspot, and probably carries the richest arid flora in the world.

Within the Succulent-Karoo Biome, two of the biophysiographycal regions are found on the reserve. Both of these regions are geographically and floristically diverse and support a wide variety of species. The part of the reserve that falls within the Namaqualand Rocky Hills receive winter rainfall, whereas the portion of the reserve that falls within the Bushman land area, receives summer rainfall. As indicated by the name, Succulent Karoo, most plant species are made up of low growing perennial shrubs that have succulent leaves, branches and stems. Following good rains, annuals and geophytes may provide mass flowering displays.

Families rich in endemics/near-endemics are: Amaryllidaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Asteraceae, Crassulaceae, Eriopermaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Mesembryanthemaceae and Zygophyllaceae. Large populations of quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma) can be seen in their natural state on the reserve throughout the year. Examples of the maidens quiver tree (Aloe ramossisima), as well as the endangered bastard quiver tree (Aloe pillansi), can also be seen on the reserve.

As mentioned, a portion of Goegap borders the Bushmanland Grasveld component of which there are no areas under any form of protection and can therefore act as a transition area to this component by means of Stewardship Programs with surrounding landowners. One of the aims of the Department of Environment and Nature Conservation is to protect and conserve the biodiversity and the ecological systems of the area.

The fauna of the reserve is represented by invertebrates and vertebrates, with the invertebrate component being largely unstudied. There are 37 terrestrial invertebrate families represented on Goegap with the largest being the Anthophoridae, Apidae, Colletidae, Fideliidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae and Melittidae (Bee) families with 270 species.

Counts of birds on Goegap showed that bird diversity is as high as 96 species, including ostrich (Struthio camelus) that were re-introduced from Port Nolloth and Kleinzee. There is only 1 exotic species, namely the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) that is found on the reserve. One of the species, the martial eagle (Polymaetus bellicosus) is listed as threatened in the South African Red Data Book. Other species include Ludwig’s bustard (Neotis ludwigii), Kori bustard (Neotis kori), Cape eagle owl (Bubo capensis), Verreaux’s eagle (Aquila verreauxii) and the endemic cinnamon- breasted warbler (Euryptila subcinnamomea).

Goegap also supports numerous mammal species (46), amongst which are such unusual species as the straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) and the beautiful spectacled dormouse (Graphiurus ocularis). The very elusive and shy leopard (Panthera pardus) is a periodic visitor to the reserve.

Reptile species (38) include black spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis woodi), common barking gecko (Ptenopus garrulous maculatus), and the colourful Southern rock agama (Agama atra atra). There is 1 exotic species on the reserve i.e. the leopard tortoise (Geochlone pardalis). Amphibians are represented by 3 species, namely, Karoo toad (Bufo gariepensis), Cape river frog (Rana fuscigula) and the Namaqua caco (Cacostrernum namaquensis). There is one seasonal river, the Droëdap River, that originates in the reserve and this later joins with the Buffels River, also a seasonal river, that embougues into the Atlantic Ocean at Kleinzee.