Wolwekraal Nature Reserve

Newsletter, Issue 3, March 2026

Welcome

We are happy to share our latest news with you in the third issue of the Wolwekraal Nature Reserve newsletter!

Highlights from the Reserve

Rainfall

We have had a dry summer, but happy to report that there was some rainfall over the last few weeks, totalling 40mm. The total rainfall for 2025 was 95mm.

The Dorpsriver is dry and has still not flowed on the reserve since December 2024.

Plants and Animals

Most nomadic birds, small rodents, hares and small carnivore numbers seem to have decreased. We have had unusual sightings of a lone Vervet Monkey, as well as a pair of Guineafowl on the reserve! Porcupines continue to be very active and feeding mainly on Euphorbia rhombifolia (Soetmelkbos) and Glottiphyllum neilii (Vaal Tongblaar). They are having a significant impact on Glottiphyllum neilii and geophytes during the drought as they lack predators.

Waterhole

The waterhole attracted Polecat, Porcupine, Duiker, a Vervet Monkey, African Wildcat, an Elephant Shrew, Grey Mongoose. There have been fewer mammalian visitors over the last three months, but many species of birds visit regularly, particularly seed eaters.

Reptile Release

Over December, January and February, 37 reptiles were released on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve, made up as follows:

5 Brown House Snakes, 10 Boomslang, 6 Puff Adders, 2 Cape Cobra, 1 Horned Adder, 5 Karoo Sand Snakes, 3 Cape Coral Snakes, 4 Leopard Tortoises, and 1 Marsh Terrapin.

Below are some photos supplied by Athol Loppnow: a Puff Adder, a juvenile Horned Adder, and a very shy Cape Cobra.

*Reptile relocation and release helps address human-reptile conflicts, such as when a snake is found in a residential area or poses a potential threat to people or pets, or to protect a reptile from harm or potential persecution. Capturing and relocating reptiles must be done with a licence, and with the goal of peacefully mitigating immediate human-wildlife conflict while providing long-term sustainable alternatives. In the Prince Albert area, resident Athol Loppnow is registered to relocate reptiles, which he releases into a safe environment on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve.

Education and Awareness

Interns

2024 intern Josh Cumming: an article based on his work on bird communities along the Dorps River has been submitted for publication.

2026 intern, Hinata Abe, a 2nd year Nature Conservation student from NMU (George Campus) arrived on 1 January to carry out her work experience year at Wolwekraal Nature Reserve. In addition to research on the reserve, she will be assisting with various duties at RenuKaroo Nursery.

Hinata is currently busy mapping the distribution of the vygie, Glottiphyllum neilii (Vaal Tongblaar) on Wolwekraal Nature reserve and some other locations in the area. She will record the population structure of this species at various sites. The objective of the research is to assess whether the status of Glottiphyllum neilii should be changed to endangered. It is currently assessed as ‘Least Concern’ on the Red List of South African Plants.

Glottiphyllum neilii (Vaal Tongblaar) is a fleshy succulent, endemic to the Prince Albert area. It occurs on quartzitic cobblestone river terraces. The population on the reserve has recently been impacted by Porcupines in need of water during drought conditions, and plants on other sites are vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation from agriculture, grazing, trampling, and potential sand mining operations.

Glottiphylum species are generally known as Tonguefig (in Afrikaans Tongblaarvygie) due to the tongue-like appearance and feel of the leaves. The fleshy leaves are a much-enjoyed source of food and water by tortoises, hence their other name, Skilpadkos (tortoise food)!

A hatchling Leopard Tortoise, sizing up a potential meal from the leaves of Glottiphlum neilii

*Not to be confused with the similarly-named Glottiphyllum nelii (another species found in the Prince Albert and Klaarstroom area).

Local Community Organisations

WCRO worked with the Prince Albert Rate Payers and Residents Association, the Prince Albert Tourism Association, and the Prince Albert Cultural Foundation to object to an application for sand mining on a neighbouring property, adjacent to the Waste Disposal Facility. They were assisted by environmental lawyer Kallie Erasmus. The sand mine is one of the biggest strategic risks to Wolwekraal Nature Reserve because is upstream against the Dorps River and adjacent to the Reserve, and of concern are environmental, water, and health risks. Prince Albert Municipality also drafted a well-crafted objection that included environmental, water and health risks, as well as a rejection of the implied offer of a use of the post-mining site as a landfill site.

Government and Non-government Conservation Organisations

Lesley Hill Trust/Cape Nature represented by Tom Barry and Anele Ngema, World Wide Wildlife (WWF) represented by Katherine Forsyth and Phakamile Zungu, and Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) represented by Zanne Brink visited Wolwekraal Nature Reserve, Renu-Karoo Nursery, The new Research Centre and the Gordon Koppie with Sue Dean, Bertus Fourie and Hinata Abe on 4 February, to learn about the conservation work undertaken by WCRO.

Hinata Abe explains her research on Glottiphyllum neilii to resprentatives of Cape Nature, WWF, Lesley Hill Trust and EWT

Research

Archaeology

An article on Lisa Christowitz’s research led by John Parkington on artefact patterns and types on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve was accepted for publication in Antiquity.

Veld Restoration Trials

Conditions remained too dry to monitor the restoration trials established in 2024. However reserve manager, Bertus Fourie established three new sets of brush-packing and hollows trials near the parking area and in the lime borrow pit near the Northern gate of the reserve in early December. These were sown with various appropriate seeds before the predicted rain in the 2nd week of February. Some Osteospermum sinuatum (Karoo bietou) seeds have germinated. Some of these demonstration trials lie along the last part of the Wolwekraal guided walk and contribute to our environmental education.

Entomology

Karin Sternberg spent 8 days in Prince Albert in January to continue her studies on wild honeybees and solitary bees on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve.

Visiting Researchers

Eight researchers from the ARC Long Term Veld Monitoring Project visited Wolwekraal Nature Reserve, adjacent farms, and Tierberg from 22-25 September. They monitored three 50x50 m areas on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve and plan to return to repeat the survey in five years’ time. This is part of a nation-wide monitoring program for South African rangeland condition and trends.

Philipp Nagel, a lawyer and UCT Masters student, researching the extent to which the South African legal regime accommodates climate change-specific biodiversity adaptation needs (e.g. biodiversity corridors for improving habitat connectivity), visited Prince Albert in October to conduct an interview with Sue.

Schools and University Groups

On 22 January, Prof. Grant Parker (Stanford University USA) a heritage specialist and Alice Parkington, a digital archiving specialist had an online meeting with Sue Dean in connection with developing a digital archive of text stories, photos and videos for sharing heritage and environmental information at the WCRO Research Centre. See for example:

https://engagingarchives.com/hout-bay-museum/

https://fieldeducation.stanford.edu/virtual-field-trips

Sue Dean put DEADP in touch with school headmistress (Ms Cayford) in Klaarstroom, science teacher Mr Minnaar in Prince Albert and headmistress Ms Pietersen in Leeugamka to facilitate the Recycling Program Launch events organised by Polyco and DEA&DP on 3 and 4 February.

Sue Dean continues to supervise PhD student Chrizette Neethling registered through UFS who is completing her research on aspects of iron mine restoration in Kathu. Chrizette recently had a major article on topsoil governance in South Africa accepted for publication (see below).

Neethling CD, Esterhuyse S, van Deventer PW, Milton SJ, Henschel JR. 2026, A review of topsoil governance for mining and agriculture in South Africa and abroad. Restoration Ecology (SAEON, WCRO)

Sue also works closely with NMU (Saasveld Campus) in her mentoring of intern Hinata Abe. The collaboration with Stellenbosch Sociology is ongoing, and it is hoped that the links with UCT through archaeological research will continue this year.

Talks

On 16 February Sue Dean gave a short talk, “Why Drylands Matter” as an introduction to the ARC/Stellenbosch Sociology Drylands Workshop in Stellenbosch.

Publications

Bertus Fourie and Sue Milton-Dean posted an illustrated document entitled Rehabilitation and Restoration for Karoo Veld. This is designed to assist land managers effectively rehabilitate damaged veld and bare ground in Karoo protected areas, farms and urban settings.

Online

Milton SJ, Dean WRJ. 2026. Inferring regional, habitat and phylogenetic patterns in caliochory from bird nests in a museum collection. Ostrich 96: 270-283, https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2025.2596641 (SAEON, WCRO)

Parkington J, Milton SJ, Christowitz LA, Wessels SG, Poggenpoel C, Kolska Horwitz L. 2026. The Archaeological Landscape of Wolwekraal Nature Reserve (South Africa). Antiquity 10293 (UCT, WCRO, Hebrew University)

Neethling CD, Esterhuyse S, van Deventer PW, Milton SJ, Henschel JR. 2026, A review of topsoil governance for mining and agriculture in South Africa and abroad. Restoration Ecology (SAEON, WCRO)

Newspaper Articles

From December to February the Nature and Gardens section of the Prince Albert Friend published articles by Sue Dean on the demise of insects, reusable supermarket packaging, rapid responses of karoo plants to rain and forecast for autumn weather.

Related Articles

Steven Robins, Professor of Sociology at Stellenbosch published an article in the Daily Maverick entitled “Where has all the water gone? Reflections on a visit to the Groot Karoo drylands”, dealing with socioeconomic impacts of drought and water use in Prince Albert. Read here.

From our Wildlife Cameras…

Waterhole Visitors pictured below: Elephant Shrew, lactating Duiker with juvenile, Vervet Monkey, Grey Mongoose, African Wildcat, Yellow Canaries, White-throated Canary, Bokmakerie

An inquisitive Spike-heeled Lark

Small-spotted Genet

A raptor takes prey on a Heuweltjie

On the lookout! Yellow Mongoose

Homo sapiens sapiens! Sue leading a guided nature walk on the reserve  

One of our cameras was submerged at the waterhole after a thunderstorm on 22 February. Unfortunately, the UOVision Glory LTE camera is not usable anymore, and will cost R6,650 to replace. Should you wish to assist or sponsor a camera, please email us at WklConsResOrg@gmail.com, or visit our website for donation details.

Plant Spotlight: Monsonia crassicaulis

The fragile, papery flowers of Grootkersbos (Big Candle Bush), Monsonia crassicaulis, are quite a contrast to the plant’s resilient, thick and spiny stems! The short-lived flowers are adapted for an efficient pollination event, increasing the species’ reproductive success in harsh, arid conditions. The stems have a thick coat of waxy resin that protects the plant from water loss in harsh conditions, and (with the help of the spines) from herbivory. Old, dried stems ignite easily because of the waxy resin and can be used as firelighters or a candle. From their use as such in the past, the plant was previously known as Boesmanskers, or Bushman’s Candle.

Minute Solitary Bees in Macro

Text and Photos by Karin Sternberg

These two tiny bees, 2-3mm long, belong to the smallest bees found in South Africa. The two photographed here were found at Wolwekraal Nature Reserve in December 2025, visiting flowers of Malephora lutea (Geelspringbokvygie) and Monsonia salmoniflora (Kleinkersbossie). Despite their different appearances (one metallic green and the other metallic brown) they are thought to belong to the same species, Ceylalictus muiri, the only species of its genus recorded in South Africa.

The colour in many metallic insects results from refraction rather than pigment, meaning the cuticle is made up of many very small pyramidal structures that reflect different wavelengths of light. As a result, colour can shift with light angle, and individuals often show considerable variation.

Ceylalictus muiri belongs to the Nomioidine group of Sweat Bees (family Halictidae), a lineage of very small, ground-nesting bees, well adapted to dry landscapes and appearing in close synchrony with brief flowering events.

The metallic brown Ceylalictus on a flower of Monsonia salmoniflora

The metallic green Ceylalictus bee on a flower of Malephora lutea

WCRO Research and Education Centre

Builder Hendrik de Villiers and his team have nearly completed the construction of the Research and Education Centre in Van Dyk Street. A carpenter (George Brain) has designed shelving, a kitchen unit and desks that will be installed in mid-March. Thereafter, furniture, computers, signage etc.

Following this we hope to hold some opening events (to be available online as well). We look forward to setting up a list of monthly lectures and guest speakers, as well as a list of school events; and to the setting up of the library, digital and physical archives and posters.

Our Back-a-Buddy Campaign has raised almost 10% of the target needed to complete the project. To everyone that has contributed so far: a huge Thank You!

We would also like to thank everyone who has contributed in other ways, through direct donations; support from local events; books, artefacts and material donations; fixtures (including a large projector screen) and fittings used in the building, furniture, and assistance with decor; and all the time, thought and planning.

Your support has strengthened our mission to conserve local biodiversity and cultural heritage, teach local people about their environment, and to conduct and share research.

Lisl Barry donated an original painting of Wolwekraal at sunrise to raffle in order to help raise funds for the Research Centre. Keep an eye out on our social media channels and news in the near future for details!

Lisl Barry’s framed acrylic painting (20x20cm) of Wolwekraal Nature Reserve and Swartberg at sunrise

Protected Area Expansion in Prince Albert

The Prince Albert requested that the planned protected area on the Gordon Koppie be expanded Northward to include an additional 33 ha between the industrial area and Durdrifstraat. Sue Dean is currently working on a revision of the management plan for the Koppie. She will present the revised proposal stewardship proposal to the CapeNature Review committee meeting on 24 February.

Additional landowners in the Prince Albert area have shown interest in stewardship status. Prince Albert has potential to become a conservation nucleus in the Southern Karoo. Sue visited Faanskraal on the Gerolmsrivier in the Meiringspoort with Tom Barry to give input to a stewardship proposal on 17 December 2025.

On the terrace of Gordon Koppie

Upcoming Events

Journey to Jazz

From 30 April to 3 May, Wolwekraal will be hosting guided walks on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve, Swartberg Pass, and Gordon Koppie. The programme and bookings will be released soon on the Journey to Jazz website

Book a Guided Walk on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve, guided by our resident ecologist Sue Milton-Dean, who has extensive knowledge of Karoo natural history, veld management and restoration. She is ably assisted at times by other local residents with considerable knowledge of local conditions, fauna, flora and archaeology. The walk is about 2 km and takes place on a fairly flat, desert landscape, and is suitable for all ages. We limit groups to 10 people per guide.

Contact Sue on 082 770 0206

Get Involved

Wolwekraal Nature Reserve relies on an income generated from guided nature walks on the reserve, as well as public support and donations to cover annual running costs and ongoing conservation efforts. We have put together an initiative whereby people can support a chosen area of conservation on the reserve, The six key themes are: aardvark burrow-dependent wildlife, vulnerable plants, wild bee populations, maintaining waterholes, tracking wildlife with cameras, and relocation and release of reptiles from potential urban threats to a safe habitat on the reserve.

By supporting vital conservation areas, you can help ensure the long-term survival of species and their habitats. Contributions will fund habitat protection, species monitoring and research, restoration of damaged Karoo habitats, anti-poaching and conservation efforts, general reserve operations, trail maintenance, and education and outreach projects.

Every contribution, big or small, strengthens our conservation work. For more details, click below.

Read our previous newsletters here

Past issues can also be accessed from our website

Thank you for standing with us, sharing our work, and helping us protect this precious piece of the Karoo. Until next time, stay curious and keep exploring the veld!

With gratitude,

Wolwekraal Conservation and Research Organisation