Please note that the Visitors Centre and Nature Reserve will be closed until further notice. Please check here for updates on re-opening.
Posters
The Koeberg Nature Reserve
is located approximately 30 km north of Cape Town’s CBD along the R27 West
Coast Road, and approximately 10 km southwest of the town of Atlantis. It is made up of five properties owned by
Eskom.
The ‘Koeberg Private
Nature Reserve’ was proclaimed in 1991 in terms of Ordinance 19 of 1974. The National Environmental Management (NEM):
Protected Areas Act (2003), came into effect after the proclamation of the
reserve, and includes previously protected areas under the new act. One of the requirements of NEM: Protected
Areas Act (2003) is the requirement to develop a management plan. Koeberg Nature Reserve is thus managed in
line with its approved Management Plan.
The
primary drive for proclaiming the nature reserve was to support the operation
of the nuclear power station while conserving the natural habitat, as far as
possible, and providing a buffer area surrounding the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station
and preserving land for future development.
The nature
reserve incorporates a number of environments (habitats) which include small seasonal
wetlands, coastal dune fields, Cape Flats Dune Strandveld, Atlantis Sand Fynbos
, an inter-tidal zone as well as two aquifers namely the Primary Sandveld
Aquifer and the Malmesbury Aquifer.
A number
of species occur on the nature reserve, including the Steenbok (Raphicerus campestris), Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia), Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), Burchell’s Zebra
(Equus burchelli), Eland (Taurotragus oryx), Gemsbok (Oryx gazella), Blue Wildebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), Caracal (Felis caracal) and the Small Grey Mongoose
(Galerella pulverulenta).
There are
nine possible species of amphibian that potentially occur at the site, eight of
which are of probable or confirmed occurrence.
There are
40 species of reptile occurring on the nature reserve. Two Red Listed species, Gronovi's Dwarf Burrowing
Skink (Scelotes gronovii) (Near
Threatened) and Southern adder (Bitis
armata) (Vulnerable) are of probable occurrence, and one, Blouberg Dwarf Burrowing
Skink (Scelotes montispectus) (Near
Threatened), is of confirmed occurrence.
More than
210 bird species have been identified in the nature reserve and include the
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus),
African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus
moquini), Cape Bulbul (Pycnonotus
capensis) and the Cape Robin Chat(Cossypha caffra) to name but a few.
The
educational and recreational values of the Koeberg Nature Reserve include:
Intellectual
inspiration: The nature
reserve is used by a number of students to conduct research. School groups visit the nature reserve as
part of educational programmes.
Contribution to local economy: Job creation via service contracts and permanent employment.
The Dikkop and Grysbok Hiking Trails: Varies from 2.5 km to 22.3 km taking hikers through widely varying terrain, revealing to the splendour of the many moods of the West Coast.
Mountain Bike Trails: The trails lead visitors through two naturally occurring veld types and passes a bird hide overlooking a freshwater dam.
The Koeberg Nature Reserve is accessible free of charge to members of the public, seven days a week, from sunrise to one hour before sunset.
For further information contact the Koeberg Visitor’s Centre on (021) 550
4667.