Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve

Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
Grey rhebuck at the nature reserve 16 September 2011
Nearest city	Harrismith
Coordinates	28°24′S 29°02′E / 28.400°S 29.033°ECoordinates: 28°24′S 29°02′E / 28.400°S 29.033°E
Area	18,000 Ha
Website	Sterkfontein/Harrismith - Website

Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve, Free State, South Africa is an 18,000 Ha reserve situated to the south west of Harrismith. The reserve is close to the Drakensberg Mountain nature reserve. The reserve offers campsites and hiking trails and a large variety of fauna and flora.

Fauna and flora^[1][2]

Antelope

• Oribi
• Mountain reedbuck
• Grey rhebuck

Birdlife

• 
  African fish eagle
• 
  Bearded vulture
• 
  Martial eagle
• 
  Cape vulture
• 
  Verreaux's eagle
• 
  Black eagle

Trees

• Yellowood
• Wild peach
• Koko tree
• Silky bark

Grasses and bushes

• Wild myrtle
• Redwood rooihout (not to be confused with the redwood tree)
• Ouhout
• Bush guarri
• Highveld protea
• Silver sugarbush
• Tree fern

Gallery

(Click to enlarge)

• 
  A campsite with chalets at the water's edge of the Sterkfontein Dam reservoir within the reserve. Note the dry conditions (conducive to bush fires) in the wintertime.
• 
  Camping area at the water's edge.
• 
  An early morning view of the Sterkfontein Dam reservoir and surroundings from the campsite in the nature reserve.
• 
  A view of the camping area by the shores of the reservoir in the Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve

Notes

This park will be included into the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area, Peace Park.

Further reading

PlantZAfrica.com The site for information about plants native to southern Africa and related topics.

References

1. http://www.sa-venues.com/game-reserves/fs_sterkfontein.htm, retrieved 2011-09-13
2. http://www.safarinow.com/destinations/harrismith/DamsVleis/Sterkfontein-Dam-and-Nature-Reserve.aspx, retrieved 2011-09-13