Thomas Baines Nature Reserve is a
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
in the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
that is managed by
Eastern Cape Parks
Eastern Cape Parks are the national parks, marine protected areas, nature reserves and other nature conservation areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) is the governmental organisation resp ...
. It was created as a municipal reserve in 1961 and upgraded to a provincial reserve in 1980.
It is named after the artist and explorer
Thomas Baines
(John) Thomas Baines (27 November 1820 – 8 May 1875) was an English artist and explorer of British colonial southern Africa and Australia.
Life and work
Born in King's Lynn, Norfolk, on 27 November 1820, Baines was apprenticed to a coach ...
who recorded the region's flora and fauna.
The northern shore of the
Settlers Dam forms the southern boundary of the reserve.
Fauna
Mammals found within the reserve are:
*
African buffalo
*
Chacma baboon
*
Common eland
*
Greater kudu
* Monkey
*
Oribi
*
Red hartebeest
*
Warthog
''Phacochoerus'' is a genus in the family Suidae, commonly known as warthogs (pronounced ''wart-hog''). They are pigs who live in open and semi-open habitats, even in quite arid regions, in sub-Saharan Africa. The two species were formerly cons ...
*
Zebra
Besides these mammals, 175 bird species have been recorded in the park.
Flora
Along with
fynbos
Fynbos (; meaning fine plants) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. This area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean clim ...
vegetation, the reserve contains
Albany thicket
The Albany thickets is an ecoregion of dense woodland in southern South Africa, which is concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape (whence the region's name originates).
Geography
The thickets grow on well-drained sandy soils i ...
woodland.
Activities
There are various featured activities found within the park such as
game drives, canoeing, camping, bird watching, sailing, bass fishing, environmental education and hiking.
See also
*
*
References
External links
Thomas Baines Nature ReserveEastern Cape Parks
{{Africa-protected-area-stub
Eastern Cape Provincial Parks
Protected areas of the Eastern Cape