Nature's Valley is a holiday resort and small village on the

Garden Route The Garden Route (Afrikaans: ''Tuinroete'') is a stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa which extends from Witsand in the Western Cape to the border of Tsitsikamma Storms River in the Eastern Cape. The name comes from the verdant ...

along the southern Cape coast of South Africa. Nature's Valley lies between the Salt River, the foothills of the

Tsitsikamma Mountains The Tsitsikamma mountains form an east-west mountain range located in the Garden Route region of the southern South African coast in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces. Tsitsikamma means 'place of much water' in the Khoekhoe language. ...

, the Indian Ocean and the Groot River lagoon. Nature's Valley has a balmy climate and is surrounded by the de Vasselot Nature Reserve which is part of the Tsitsikamma Park, and in turn part of the Garden Route National Park.

History

Nature's Valley, and the surrounding coastline, was occupied by Old

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...

man from 1 million years ago. Paleolithic man lived in the area in caves and under overhangs, collecting food in the tidal zone and hunting for a rich variety of wildlife. Various glacial periods interrupted this coastal occupation. San hunter-gatherers lived in this area from about 10,000 years ago until they were displaced by

Khoikhoi Khoikhoi (Help:IPA/English, /ˈkɔɪkɔɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''KOY-koy'') (or Khoekhoe in Namibian orthography) are the traditionally Nomad, nomadic pastoralist Indigenous peoples, indigenous population of South Africa. They ...

herders from the interior.

The Groot River pass

For a long time travel along the Garden Route parallel to the coastline was impossible, due to the extremely deep and precipitous river gorges blocking all east–west traffic. Charles Collier Michell reported in 1839: "''there is no practical way – not even a footpath, from

Plettenberg Bay Plettenberg Bay, nicknamed Plett, is the primary town of the Bitou Local Municipality in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. According to the census of 2001, the town had a population of 29,149. It was originally named Bahia Formosa ("Be ...

to the Tzitzikamma country''". Thomas Bain built a road from George to

Knysna Knysna (; ) is a town with 76,150 inhabitants (2019 mid-year estimates) in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is one of the destinations on the loosely defined Garden Route tourist route. It is situated 60 kilometres east of the c ...

, the so-called "Seven Passes Road", which took from 1867 to 1883 to complete. Previously, access to the coastal area which lay further east was possible only via the Langkloof valley, which lies immediately north of the

. Nature's Valley only became easily accessible after Thomas Bain completed the Grootrivier Pass in 1880. He and Captain Christopher Harison (later Conservator of Forests) first explored the route in 1868 to test its feasibility. Harison's interest in the road stemmed from his belief that it could be used to halt the runaway destruction of the forest started by

Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( ; VOC ), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered company, chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world. Established on 20 March 1602 by the States Ge ...

woodcutters in 1777 and carried on by their descendants. At the time that Bain and Harison reconnoitred the route, Bain was supervising the construction of no fewer than six passes, so that 10 years would elapse before he could start work on the Groot River Pass. A hundred years later the demands of road transport would dictate the building of a freeway with enormous concrete bridges – a tribute to the skill of engineers, and bringing in its wake considerable collateral damage to the environment.

Permanent settlement

After Bain's completion of the Groot River Pass, the Forestry Department proclaimed three lots in the Valley – one for its own use and the other two sold to private individuals. The first person to settle in the now accessible valley, and who acquired a 69-hectare lot from Telfer Anderson, was Hendrik Jacobus Hermanus Barnardo lso referred to as Hendrick Grootrivier who had been a foreman at Bain's Groot River construction camp. Barnardo was an enigmatic character who went to extreme lengths to protect the trees of the area, but enthusiastically led the slaughter of wildlife throughout the region. Barnardo married three times and fathered 19 children. The names of his wife's, (no first name) Van Rooyen; with children(4), Michael John, Christian Henry, Susie, Babes. (no first name) Stroebel; with children(2), Harding Jouy, Hercule en Easy. Luanna Toit; with children(6), Maggie, Willem, Eddy, Leon, Benny, Ivy. They lived at Covie, just opposite the graveyard where the forefathers and relatives were buried. It is still in existence (2022). Another member of his family shot the last Tsitsikamma elephant in 1881. In the face of continued pressure to sell a portion of his farm, Barnardo finally relented in 1941 and sold an area of 1.6963 morgen to a syndicate of ten buyers for the sum of £755. In 1943 Baron Ulrich Behr of Kurland bought the option to purchase the remainder of Barnardo's property from the Van Reenen family, who had acquired the option in the 1920s, but had never exercised it. Behr then went through all the steps necessary to have the land proclaimed for development. In 1953 the township was declared and formally named "Nature's Valley" by Behr, a name that had been used by the syndicate at the suggestion of Wide du Preez of "The Crags".

The Valley and surrounding area

A network of trails covers the surrounding hills and beaches. The lagoon offers sheltered water for sailing and canoeing, without powerboating and beach buggies. A walk along beaches and a rocky path leads to the Salt River Mouth after crossing Pebble Beach, a large area completely covered in sea-smoothed cobbles. East of Nature's Valley is the Groot River Lagoon, which marks the end of the Otter Trail, starting at Storms River Mouth, 60 km further east. This 5-day trail is considered by many hikers to be the finest in South Africa, being strenuous, scenic and extremely varied. The route meanders along the coast through evergreen forest, past boulder-strewn beaches and frequently crossing tannin-stained streams. Huts are available for the hiker at the end of each day, but bookings have to be made well in advance. The Brenton blue butterfly, '' Orachrysops niobe'', was first described from

Roland Trimen Roland Trimen Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (29 October 1840 in London – 25 July 1916 in London) was a British-South African Natural history, naturalist, best known for ''South African Butterflies'' (1887–89), a collaborative work wi ...

in 1858, and was not seen again until discovered in 1977 at Nature's Valley and shortly thereafter in 1979 at Brenton-on-Sea. The Nature's Valley population was assumed to be extinct when no more sightings were made after 1984. The cause of this decline was felt to be the absence of fynbos fires causing a shortage of the butterfly's foodplant ''Indigofera erecta'', and accordingly a

controlled burn A controlled burn or prescribed burn (Rx burn) is the practice of intentionally setting a fire to change the assemblage of vegetation and decaying material in a landscape. The purpose could be for forest management, ecological restoration, ...

was carried out in April 2003, with a reintroduction of butterfly eggs in August 2005. In 2000 researchers from the Albany Museum in

Grahamstown Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 75,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Gqeberha and southwest of East London. It is the largest town in the Makana Local Mun ...

discovered a number of aquatic insect species new to science in the Salt River, which lies at the western end of Nature's Valley. The isolated position of the river, a lack of fish and its acidic and unpolluted water are thought to have been factors in ensuring the undisturbed survival of these primitive forms. New housing developments within the catchment area of the Salt River may threaten the continued existence of these unique insects.

Wildlife

Mammals

* Duthie's golden mole, ''Chlorotalpa duthieae'' * Hottentot golden mole, ''Amblysomus hottentotus devilliersi'' *'' Amblysomus iris'' *Forest shrew, '' Myosorex varius'' * Greater red musk shrew, ''Crocidura flavescens'' *

Egyptian fruit bat The Egyptian fruit bat or Egyptian rousette (''Rousettus aegyptiacus'') is a species of megabat that occurs in Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and the Indian subcontinent. It is one of three ''Rousettus'' species with an African-Malag ...

, ''Rousettus aegyptiacus leachii'' * Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, ''Rhinolophus clivosus'' * Cape horseshoe bat, ''Rhinolophus capensis'' * Egyptian slit-faced bat, ''Nycteris thebaica'' * Lesser long-fingered bat, ''Miniopterus fraterculus'' * Lesser woolly bat, ''Kerivoula lanosa'' * Cape hairy bat, ''Myotis tricolor'' * Kuhl's pipistrelle, ''Pipistrellus kuhlii'' * Long-tailed house bat, ''Eptesicus hottentotus'' *

Vervet monkey The vervet monkey (''Chlorocebus pygerythrus''), or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus '' Chlorocebus''. The five distin ...

, ''Cercopithecus pygerythrus'' *

Chacma baboon The chacma baboon (''Papio ursinus''), also known as the Cape baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. It is one of the largest of all monkeys. Located primarily in southern Africa, the chacma baboon has a wide vari ...

, ''Papio ursinus'' *

Scrub hare The scrub hare (''Lepus saxatilis'') is one of two species of hares found in southern Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. Although it is listed as a least concern species, the population has been declining and is expected to ...

, ''Lepus saxatilis'' * Verreaux's mouse, ''Myomyscus verreauxi'' * Woodland thicket rat, ''Thamnomys dolichurus'' * Vlei rat, ''Otomys irroratus'' * Brant's climbing mouse, ''Dendromus mesomelas'' * Spectacled dormouse, ''Graphiurus ocularis'' * Woodland dormouse, ''Graphiurus murinus'' * Cape porcupine, ''Hystrix africae-australis'' * Cape dune mole-rat, ''Bathyergus suillus'' * Cape mole-rat, ''Georychus capensis'' * Common mole-rat, ''Cryptomys hottentotus'' *

Honey badger The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only living species in both the genus ''Mellivora'' and the subfami ...

, ''Mellivora capensis'' *

Striped polecat The striped polecat (''Ictonyx striatus''), also called the African polecat, zoril, zorille, zorilla, African muishond, striped muishond, Cape polecat, and African skunk, is a species of mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. Despite bearing some ...

, ''Ictonyx striatus'' * African clawless otter, ''Aonyx capensis'' *

Cape genet The Cape genet (''Genetta tigrina''), also known as the South African large-spotted genet, is a Genetta, genet species endemic to South Africa. As it is common and not threatened, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Like other gene ...

, ''Genetta tigrina'' * Egyptian mongoose, ''Herpestes ichneumon cafer'' * Cape grey mongoose, ''Herpestes pulverulentus'' * Marsh mongoose, ''Atilax paludinosus'' *

African wildcat The African wildcat (''Felis lybica'') is a small wildcat species with sandy grey fur, pale vertical stripes on the sides and around the face. It is native to Africa, West and Central Asia, and is distributed to Rajasthan in India and Xinjiang ...

, ''Felis lybica'' *

Serval The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild small cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, where it inhabits grasslands, wetlands, moorlands and bamboo thickets. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and ...

, ''Leptailurus serval'' *

Caracal The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized Felidae, wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long ...

, ''Caracal caracal'' *

Leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

, ''Panthera pardus'' *

African bush elephant The African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana''), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one ...

, ''Loxodonta africana'' * Cape hyrax, ''Procavia capensis'' *

Bushpig :''"Bush pig" may also refer to the red river hog.'' The bushpig (''Potamochoerus larvatus'') is a member of the pig family that inhabits forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and cultivated areas in East and Southern Africa. Probably introd ...

, ''Potamochoerus porcus'' *

Grey rhebok The grey rhebok (''Pelea capreolus''), locally known as the ''vaalribbok'' in Afrikaans, is a species of antelope native to South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. The specific name ''capreolus'' is Latin for 'little goat'. Description left, A ...

, ''Pelea capreolus'' * Bushbuck, ''Tragelaphus scriptus sylvaticus'' * Blue duiker, ''Cephalophus monticola'' *

Klipspringer The klipspringer (; ''Oreotragus oreotragus'') is a small antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of its genus and subfamily/tribe, the klipspringer was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zi ...

, ''Oreotragus oreotragus'' * Cape grysbok, ''Raphicerus melanotis''

Birds

* Cape spurfowl * Red-necked spurfowl *

Common quail The common quail (''Coturnix coturnix''), or European quail, is a small ground-nesting game bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is mainly migratory, breeding in the western Palearctic and wintering in Africa and southern India. With its ...

Helmeted guineafowl The helmeted guinea fowl (''Numida meleagris'') is the best known of the guinea fowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus ''Numida''. It is native to Africa, mainly south of the Sahara, and has been widely introduced, as ...

Egyptian goose The Egyptian goose (''Alopochen aegyptiaca'') is an African member of the Anatidae family including ducks, geese, and swans. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, the species has also been introduced to Europe, the United ...

* African black duck * Yellow-billed duck *

Red-billed teal The red-billed teal or red-billed duck (''Anas erythrorhyncha'') is a dabbling duck which is an abundant resident breeder in southern and eastern Africa typically south of 10° S. This duck is not bird migration, migratory, but will fly great d ...

* Scaly-throated honeyguide *

Greater honeyguide The greater honeyguide (''Indicator indicator'') is a bird in the family honeyguide, Indicatoridae, Floristic kingdom#Paleotropical Kingdom, paleotropical near passerine birds related to the woodpeckers. Its English language, English and scientif ...

* Lesser honeyguide * Brown-backed honeybird * Knysna woodpecker * Cardinal woodpecker *

Olive woodpecker The olive woodpecker (''Dendropicos griseocephalus'') is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. Taxonomy The olive woodpecker was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in 1780 in his ''Histoire Nat ...

* Crowned hornbill * African hoopoe * Green wood hoopoe * Narina trogon * European roller * Half-collared kingfisher * Malachite kingfisher *

Brown-hooded kingfisher The brown-hooded kingfisher (''Halcyon albiventris'') is a species of bird in the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It has a brown head and blackish and turquoise wings. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, living in woodland, scrubland ...

* Giant kingfisher * Pied kingfisher * Speckled mousebird * Red-faced mousebird *

Red-chested cuckoo The red-chested cuckoo (''Cuculus solitarius'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is a medium-sized bird found in Africa, south of the Sahara. In Afrikaans, it is known as "Piet-my-vrou", after its call. Description The red- ...

* Black cuckoo *

Klaas's cuckoo Klaas's cuckoo (''Chrysococcyx klaas'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae which is native to the wooded regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The specific name honours Klaas, the Khoikhoi man who collected the type specimen. Name The spe ...

* African emerald cuckoo * Diederik cuckoo * Burchell's coucal *

Alpine swift The alpine swift (''Tachymarptis melba'', formerly ''Apus melba'') is a species of Swift (bird), swift found in Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. They breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalayas. Like common swifts, they are bird mi ...

African black swift The African black swift (''Apus barbatus''), also known as the African swift or black swift, is a medium-sized bird in the swift family. It breeds in Africa discontinuously from Liberia, Cameroon, Zaire, Uganda and Kenya southwards to South Afric ...

Little swift The little swift (''Apus affinis''), is a small species of Swift (bird), swift found in Africa and southwestern Asia, and are vagrants and local breeders in southern Europe. They are found both in urban areas and at rocky cliffs where they build ...

* Horus swift * White-rumped swift *

Knysna turaco The Knysna turaco (''Tauraco corythaix''), or, in South Africa, Knysna loerie, is a large turaco, one of a group of African musophagidae birds. It is a resident breeder in the mature evergreen forests of southern and eastern South Africa, and Esw ...

Barn owl The barn owls, owls in the genus '' Tyto'', are the most widely distributed genus of owls in the world. They are medium-sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons. The ter ...

* Cape eagle-owl * Spotted eagle-owl * African wood owl * Fiery-necked nightjar * European nightjar *

Rock dove The rock dove (''Columba livia''), also sometimes known as "rock pigeon" or "common pigeon", is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon", although the rock dov ...

* Lemon dove * Laughing dove * Cape turtle dove * Red-eyed dove * Tambourine dove * Emerald-spotted wood dove *

Speckled pigeon The speckled pigeon (''Columba guinea''), also African rock pigeon or Guinea pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range ...

* African olive pigeon * Denham's bustard * African finfoot * Buff-spotted flufftail * Striped flufftail *

Common moorhen The common moorhen (''Gallinula chloropus''), also known as the waterhen, is a bird species in the Rail (bird), rail family (Rallidae). It is distributed across many parts of the Old World, across Africa, Europe, and Asia. It lives around well-ve ...

* Red-knobbed coot * Common whimbrel *

Common greenshank The common greenshank (''Tringa nebularia'') is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the Neo-Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas ...

* Marsh sandpiper * Wood sandpiper * Common sandpiper * Ruddy turnstone * Sanderling *

Ruff Ruff may refer to: Places *Ruff, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community *Ruff, Washington, United States, an unincorporated community Other uses *Ruff (bird) (''Calidris pugnax'' or ''Philomachus pugnax''), a bird in the wader famil ...

* Water thick-knee * Spotted thick-knee * African black oystercatcher * Black-winged stilt * Grey plover * White-fronted plover * Blacksmith lapwing * Black-winged lapwing * Arctic skua *

Kelp gull The kelp gull (''Larus dominicanus''), also known as the Dominican gull, is a gull that breeds on coasts and islands through much of the Southern Hemisphere. The nominate ''L. d. dominicanus'' is the subspecies found around South America, pa ...

Grey-headed gull The grey-headed gull (''Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus''), also known as the grey-hooded gull, is a small species of gull which breeds patchily in South America and Africa south of the Sahara. It is not truly migratory, but is dispersive, becomin ...

Caspian tern The Caspian tern (''Hydroprogne caspia'') is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek '' ...

* Swift tern * Sandwich tern * Roseate tern *

Common tern The common tern (''Sterna hirundo'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in Temperateness, temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. It is stron ...

Arctic tern The Arctic tern (''Sterna paradisaea'') is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe (as far south as Brittany), Asia, and North America (as far south ...

Osprey The osprey (; ''Pandion haliaetus''), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and a wingspan of . It ...

* Black-winged kite * African marsh harrier * Black harrier * African harrier-hawk * African cuckoo-hawk * African goshawk * Little sparrowhawk * Rufous-chested sparrowhawk *

Black sparrowhawk The black sparrowhawk (''Astur melanoleucus''), sometimes known as the black goshawk or great sparrowhawk, is a bird of prey belonging to the family (biology), family Accipitridae. It was formerly placed in the genus ''Accipiter''. It occurs mai ...

* Palmnut vulture * Steppe buzzard * Forest buzzard * Jackal buzzard * Black eagle *

Booted eagle The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...

* Martial eagle * Long-crested eagle * African crowned eagle *

African fish eagle The African fish eagle (''Icthyophaga vocifer'') or the African sea eagle is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is the national bird of Malawi, ...

* Rock kestrel *

Peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

* White-faced whistling duck *

Little grebe The little grebe (''Tachybaptus ruficollis''), also known as dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''takhus'' "fast" and ''bapto'' "to sink under". The specific ''ruficollis'' is from Latin ...

* Red-tailed tropicbird * Cape gannet *

African darter The African darter (''Anhinga rufa''), sometimes called the snakebird, is a water bird of sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. Taxonomy The African darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to Anhinga, American (''Anhin ...

* Reed cormorant * Crowned cormorant * White-breasted cormorant *

Cape cormorant The Cape cormorant or Cape shag (''Phalacrocorax capensis'') is a bird endemic to the southwestern coasts of Africa. It breeds from the coastal area of Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast o ...

* Little egret *

Cattle egret The cattle egret (formerly genus ''Bubulcus'') is a cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan clade of heron (family (biology), family Ardeidae) in the genus ''Ardea (genus), Ardea'' found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. Ac ...

Grey heron The grey heron (''Ardea cinerea'') is a long-legged wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia, and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more norther ...

* Black-headed heron * Purple heron * Green-backed heron * Black-crowned night heron * White-backed night heron * Dwarf bittern *

Hamerkop The hamerkop (''Scopus umbretta'') is a medium-sized bird. It is the only living species in the genus ''Scopus (bird), Scopus'' and the family (biology), family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but ...

Lesser flamingo The lesser flamingo (''Phoeniconaias minor'') is a species of flamingo occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and western India. Birds are occasionally reported from further north, but these are generally considered vagrants. Characteristics The lesse ...

* Hadeda ibis *

African sacred ibis The African sacred ibis (''Threskiornis aethiopicus'') is a species of ibis, a wading bird of the family Threskiornithidae. It is native to much of Africa, as well as small parts of Iraq, Iran and Kuwait. It is especially known for its role i ...

African spoonbill The African spoonbill (''Platalea alba'') is a long-legged wading bird Great frigatebird The great frigatebird (''Fregata minor'') is a large seabird in the frigatebird family (biology), family. There are major nesting populations in the tropical Pacific Ocean, such as Hawaii and the Galápagos Islands; in the Indian Ocean, colonies ...

African penguin The African penguin (''Spheniscus demersus''), also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters. It is the only penguin found in the Old World. Like all penguins, it is flightless, ...

* Indian yellow-nosed albatross * Southern giant petrel * Pintado petrel *

Blue petrel The blue petrel (''Halobaena caerulea'') is a small seabird in the shearwater and petrel family (biology), family, Procellariidae. This small petrel is the only member of the genus ''Halobaena'', but is closely allied to the prion (bird), prions. ...

* White-chinned petrel * Black-headed oriole * Fork-tailed drongo * Blue-mantled crested flycatcher *

African paradise flycatcher The African paradise flycatcher (''Terpsiphone viridis'') is a medium-sized passerine bird. The two central tail feathers of the male are extended into streamers that commonly are more than twice as long as the body. The female tail feathers are ...

* Black-backed puffback * Southern tchagra * Southern boubou * Olive bushshrike * Cape batis * Cape crow * Pied crow * White-necked raven * Southern fiscal * Grey cuckooshrike * Black cuckooshrike *

Barn swallow The barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply f ...

* White-throated swallow * Greater striped swallow * Brown-throated martin * Rock martin *

Common house martin The western house martin (''Delichon urbicum''), sometimes called the common house martin, northern house martin or, particularly in Europe, just house martin, is a bird migration, migratory passerine bird of the swallow family which breeds i ...

* Black saw-wing * Cape bulbul * Sombre greenbul * Terrestrial brownbul * Cape grassbird * Victorin's warbler * Long-billed crombec * Little rush warbler * Knysna warbler * Yellow-throated woodland warbler * Willow warbler * Cape white-eye * Grey-backed cisticola * Levaillant's cisticola * Neddicky * Karoo prinia * Bar-throated apalis * Bleating warbler * Cape rock thrush *

Olive thrush The olive thrush (''Turdus olivaceus'') is, in its range, one of the most common members of the thrush family ( Turdidae). It occurs in African highlands from the montane regions in Eastern and Central Africa in the north to the Cape of Good Ho ...

* Southern black flycatcher *

Fiscal flycatcher The fiscal flycatcher (''Sigelus silens'') is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Sigelus''. It is a resident breeder in Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swazila ...

* Spotted flycatcher * African dusky flycatcher * White-starred robin * Cape robin-chat * Chorister robin-chat * White-browed scrub robin * African stonechat *

Red-winged starling The red-winged starling (''Onychognathus morio'') is a bird of the starling family Sturnidae native to eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape in South Africa. An omnivorous, generalist species, it prefers cliffs and mountainous a ...

* Black-bellied starling * Wattled starling *

Common starling The common starling (''Sturnus vulgaris''), also known simply as the starling in Great Britain and Ireland, and as European starling in North America, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about long and ha ...

* Orange-breasted sunbird * Grey sunbird * Amethyst sunbird * Malachite sunbird * Collared sunbird * Southern double-collared sunbird * Greater double-collared sunbird *

Cape sugarbird The Cape sugarbird (''Promerops cafer'') is one of the eight bird species endemic to the Fynbos biome of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. Taxonomy The Cape sugarbird was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish natu ...

* Cape weaver * Yellow bishop *

African quailfinch The African quailfinch, spectacled quailfinch, or white-chinned quailfinch (''Ortygospiza atricollis fuscocrissa''), is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern and southern Africa. Some taxonomists consider it to be conspecific with ...

* Swee waxbill * Common waxbill * African firefinch * Pin-tailed whydah *

House sparrow The house sparrow (''Passer domesticus'') is a bird of the Old World sparrow, sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of and a mass of . Females and young birds are coloured pa ...

* Southern grey-headed sparrow * Cape wagtail * Cape canary *

Brimstone canary The brimstone canary or bully canary (''Crithagra sulphurata'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a resident breeder in central and southern Africa. This species is found in open, lightly wooded habitats, such as hillsides with ...

* White-throated canary * Protea seedeater * Streaky-headed seedeater * Cape siskin * Golden-breasted bunting

Amphibians

* '' Breviceps fuscus'' - Plain rain frog/blaasoppie * '' Amietophrynus rangeri'' – Ranger's toad * '' Cacosternum boettgeri'' – Boettger's dainty frog * '' Hyperolius horstockii'' – Arum frog * '' Amietia fuscigula'' – Cape river frog * '' Strongylopus bonaspei'' – Banded stream frog * '' Strongylopus grayii'' – Gray's stream frog * '' Tomopterna delalandii'' – Delalande's sand frog * ''

Xenopus laevis The African clawed frog (''Xenopus laevis''), also known as simply xenopus, African clawed toad, African claw-toed frog or the ''platanna'') is a species of African aquatic frog of the family Pipidae. Its name is derived from the short black ...

'' – African clawed frog

Snakes

*'' Pelamis platurus'' - yellow-bellied sea snake *'' Rhinotyphlops lalandei'' – pink earth snake *'' Leptotyphlops nigricans'' – black worm snake *'' Lycodonomorphus rufulus'' – brown water snake *'' Lycophidion capense'' - Cape wolf snake *'' Lamprophis aurora'' – Aurora snake *'' Lycodonomorphus inornatus'' – olive house snake *'' Boaedon fuliginosus'' – brown house snake *'' Philothamnus hoplogaster'' – green water snake *'' Philothamnus natalensis'' – Natal green snake *'' Prosymna sundevallii'' – southern shovel-snout snake *'' Pseudaspis cana'' – mole snake *'' Duberria lutrix'' – slug-eater snake *'' Dasypeltis scabra'' – common egg-eater snake *'' Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia'' – red-lipped snake *'' Amplorhinus multimaculatus'' – reed snake *''

Dispholidus typus The boomslang ( or ; ''Dispholidus typus'') is a highly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. Etymology Its common name means "tree snake" in Dutch language, Dutch and Afrikaans – ''boom'' mean ...

'' – boomslang *'' Psammophylax rhombeatus'' – spotted grass snake *'' Psammophis crucifer'' – cross-marked grass snake *'' Homoroselaps lacteus'' – spotted harlequin snake *'' Hemachatus haemachatus'' – rinkhals *'' Naja nivea'' – Cape cobra *'' Causus rhombeatus'' – night adder *''

Bitis arietans The puff adder (''Bitis arietans'') is a highly venomous viper species found in savannahs and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rainforest regions. It is responsible for causing the most snak ...

'' – puff adder *''

Bitis atropos The berg adder (''Bitis atropos'') is a Viperinae, viper species Endemism, endemic to mountainous regions in southern Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized. Taxonomy The Specific name (zoology), specific name, ''atropos'', refers to th ...

'' – berg adder *''

Bitis albanica The Albany adder (''Bitis albanica'') is a viper species. It was previously considered a subspecies of '' Bitis cornuta''. Its range is restricted to eastern and southern Cape Province in South Africa. Like all vipers, it is venomous Ve ...

'' – hornsman adder

Lizards

* '' Pachydactylus geitjie'' - Ocellated thick-toed gecko * '' Afrogecko porphyreus'' – Marbled leaf-toed gecko * '' Lygodactylus capensis'' - Cape dwarf gecko * '' Agama atra'' – Southern rock agama * '' Bradypodion damaranum'' – Knysna dwarf chameleon * '' Ninurta coeruleopunctatus'' – Blue-spotted girdled lizard * '' Acontias meleagris'' - Cape legless skink * '' Eremias lineocelata'' - Sand lizard * '' Pedioplanis lineocellata'' - Spotted sand lizard * '' Trachylepis capensis'' – Cape skink * '' Trachylepis homalocephala'' - Red-sided skink * '' Gerrhosaurus flavigularis'' - Yellow-throated plated lizard * '' Tetradactylus seps'' - Short-legged seps * '' Chamaesaura anguina'' - Cape grass lizard * '' Cordylus cordylus'' - Cape girdled lizard * '' Pseudocordylus microlepidotus'' - Cape crag lizard * '' Tropidosaura gularis'' - Yellow-striped mountain lizard * '' Varanus exanthematicus'' - Rock monitor

Tortoises, turtles and terrapins

* '' Eretmochelys imbricata'' - Hawksbill sea turtle * '' Chelonia mydas'' - Green turtle * '' Caretta caretta'' - loggerhead turtle * '' Dermochelys coriacea'' - leatherback turtle * ''

Stigmochelys pardalis The leopard tortoise (''Stigmochelys pardalis'') is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape Province. It is the only extant member of the genus ''Stigmochelys' ...

'' - leopard tortoise * ''

Chersina angulata ''Chersina'' is a genus of tortoises in the family Testudinidae. It contains a single living species, the angulate tortoise. A fossil species, '' Chersina langebaanwegi'', is known from the Early Pliocene of South Africa South Africa, ...

'' - angulate tortoise * '' Homopus areolatus'' - common padloper * '' Pelomedusa subrufa'' - marsh terrapin

Trees, shrubs and lianes

*'' Acokanthera oppositifolia'' *'' Afrocanthium mundianum'' *'' Afrocarpus falcatus'' *'' Allophylus decipiens'' *''

Apodytes dimidiata ''Apodytes dimidiata'' (white pear or umDakane) is a bushy tree with white flowers bearing a fragrance reminiscent of fresh coconut, and small black and red fruits. It is usually about 5 m tall (but reaches a height of 20 m when growing ...

'' *'' Berzelia intermedia'' *'' Brachylaena glabra'' *'' Brachylaena neriifolia'' *'' Brunia nodiflora'' *'' Buddleja saligna'' *'' Buddleja salviifolia'' *'' Burchellia bubalina'' *'' Calodendrum capense'' *'' Canthium kuntzeanum'' *'' Canthium ventosum'' *'' Capparis sepiaria'' var. ''citrifolia'' *''

Carissa bispinosa ''Carissa bispinosa'' grows as a shrub or small tree up to tall. Its fragrant flowers feature a white corolla. The fruit is red when ripe. Its habitat is woodland and forest from to elevation. Vernacular names for the plant include forest num ...

'' *'' Cassine aethopica'' *'' Cassine crocea'' *'' Cassine eucleaeformis'' *'' Cassine papillosa'' *'' Cassine parvifolia'' *'' Cassine peragua'' *'' Cassine tetragona'' *'' Cassinopsis ilicifolia'' *''

Celtis africana ''Celtis africana'', the white stinkwood, is a deciduous tree in the family Cannabaceae. Its habit ranges from a tall tree in forest to a medium-sized tree in bushveld and open country, and a shrub on rocky soil. It occurs in Yemen and Somalil ...

'' *'' Chionanthus foveolatus subsp. foveolatus'' *''

Chrysanthemoides monilifera ''Osteospermum moniliferum'' (synonym ''Chrysanthemoides monilifera'') is an evergreen flowering shrub or small tree in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is native to southern Africa, ranging through South Africa and Lesotho to Mozambique and Zimb ...

'' *''

Clausena anisata :''Should not be confused with syzygium anisatum, a tree native to eastern Australian rainforests, used as a culinary herb.'' ''Clausena anisata'' ( Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. is a deciduous shrub or small tree, belonging to the Rutaceae or Cit ...

'' *'' Clematis brachiata'' *'' Clutia affinis'' *'' Colpoon compressum'' *'' Cunonia capensis'' *'' Curtisia dentata'' *''

Cussonia thyrsiflora ''Cussonia thyrsiflora'', known as the Cape coast cabbage tree, or Kaapse kuskiepersol in Afrikaans, is a small evergreen tree in the family Araliaceae. Range It naturally occurs in South Africa along the southern Cape coast, between Cape Town a ...

'' *'' Cyathea capensis'' (L.f.) J. E. Sm. *'' Cynanchum ellipticum'' (Harv.) R. A. Dyer *'' Diospyros dichrophylla'' *'' Diospyros glabra'' *'' Diospyros whyteana'' *''

Dodonaea viscosa ''Dodonaea viscosa'', also known as the broadleaf hopbush, is a species of flowering plant in the ''Dodonaea'' (hopbush) genus that has a cosmopolitan distribution in Tropics, tropical, Subtropics, subtropical and warm temperate regions of Africa ...

'' var. ''angustifolia'' *'' Dovyalis rhamnoides'' *'' Ekebergia capensis'' *'' Elaeodendron schinoides'' Spreng. *'' Empleurum unicapsulare'' (L. f.) Skeels *'' Erica floribunda'' *'' Euclea polyandra'' *''

Euclea racemosa ''Euclea racemosa'' (the sea guarrie or dune guarrie) is a small to medium-sized Evergreen, evergreen tree that is indigenous to the Indian Ocean coast of Africa from Egypt to South Africa, as well as in Comoros, Oman and Yemen. ''Euclea racemos ...

'' *'' Euclea schimperi'' var. ''schimperi'' *'' Euclea undulata'' *'' Euryops virgineus'' (L.f.) DC. *'' Excoecaria simii'' (Kuntze) Pax *'' Faurea macnaughtonii'' *'' Ficus burtt-davyi'' *''

Ficus sur ''Ficus sur'', with the common names Cape fig and broom cluster fig,The etymology of the specific name is unclear. It may be of Arabic language, Arabic origin and suggest Sur, Oman, where it is not native. is a widespread Afrotropics, Afrotropica ...

'' *'' Gnidia denudata'' *'' Gonioma kamassi'' *''

Grewia occidentalis ''Grewia occidentalis'', the crossberry, is a species of deciduous tree, indigenous to Southern Africa. Description A dense, attractive shrub or small tree with dark green leaves 3-10m high, sometimes scrambling. The common names are "crossbe ...

'' *'' Gymnanthemum mespilifolium'' (Less.) H.Rob. *'' Halleria lucida'' *'' Heteromorpha arborescens'' *'' Hippobromus pauciflorus'' *'' Ilex mitis'' *'' Kiggelaria africana'' *'' Lachnostylis hirta'' *'' Laurophyllus capensis'' *'' Leucadendron adscendens'' *'' Leucadendron conicum'' *'' Leucadendron eucalyptifolium'' *'' Leucospermum attenuatum'' *'' Maerua cafra'' *'' Maerua racemulosa'' *'' Maytenus acuminata'' *'' Maytenus heterophylla'' *'' Maytenus nemorosa'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Marais *'' Maytenus peduncularis'' *'' Myrica humilis'' *'' Myrica cordifolia'' *''

Myrica serrata ''Myrica'' is a genus of about 35–50 species of small trees and shrubs in the family Myricaceae, order Fagales. The genus has a wide distribution, including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, and missing only from Antarc ...

'' *'' Neocussonia umbellifera'' *'' Nuxia floribunda'' *'' Ochna arborea'' *''

Ocotea bullata ''Ocotea bullata'', (stinkwood or black stinkwood, , , ) is a species of flowering tree native to South Africa. It produces very fine and valuable timber which was formerly much sought after to make furniture. Due to over-exploitation it is now ...

'' *'' Olea capensis'' subsp. ''capensis'' *'' Olea capensis'' subsp. ''macrocarpa'' * ''Olea europaea'' subsp. ''cuspidata'' *'' Olea exasperata'' *'' Olinia cymosa'' *'' Passerina falcifolia'' *'' Phylica paniculata'' Willd. *'' Pittosporum viridiflorum'' *'' Platylophus trifoliatus'' *''

Podocarpus latifolius ''Podocarpus latifolius'' (real yellowwood, broad-leaved yellowwood, or South African yellowwood, , , , ) is a large evergreen tree up to 35 m high and 3 m trunk diameter, in the conifer family Podocarpaceae; it is the type species of t ...

'' *''

Polygala myrtifolia ''Polygala myrtifolia'', the myrtle-leaf milkwort, is an evergreen 2–4 m tall South African shrub or small tree found along the southern and south-eastern coasts, from near Clanwilliam, Western Cape, Clanwilliam in the Western Cape to K ...

'' *'' Protea mundii'' *'' Protea neriifolia'' *''

Prunus africana ''Prunus africana'', the African cherry, has a wide distribution in Africa, occurring in montane regions of central and southern Africa and on the islands of Bioko, São-Tomé, Grande Comore, and Madagascar. It can be found at above sea level. I ...

'' *'' Pseudophyllanthus ovalis'' *''

Psoralea pinnata ''Psoralea pinnata'' is an erect evergreen shrub or small tree that grows to a height between and tall. Description This plant has fine deep green linear leaf, leaves that are deeply divided with a length of about . The linear leaf blades oc ...

'' *'' Psychotria capensis'' *'' Psydrax obovata'' *''

Pterocelastrus rostratus ''Pterocelastrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Celastraceae. It includes four species native to southeastern and southern Africa, ranging from Malawi and Mozambique to Zimbabwe and South Africa. Species *''Pterocelastrus drege ...

'' *''

Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus ''Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus'', commonly called candlewood, cherrywood or kershout, is a medium-sized Evergreen, evergreen tree, indigenous to South Africa. Distribution The candlewood is indigenous to the southern part of South Africa. Here i ...

'' *'' Pyrenacantha scandens'' Planch. ex Harv. *''

Rapanea melanophloeos ''Myrsine melanophloeos'', commonly known as Cape beech, Kaapse boekenhout (Afrikaans), isiCalabi (Zulu language, Zulu) or isiQwane sehlati (Xhosa language, Xhosa) is a dense evergreen tree that is native to the Afromontane, afromontane forests o ...

'' *''

Rhamnus prinoides ''Rhamnus prinoides'', the shiny-leaf buckthorn, is an African shrub or small tree in the family Rhamnaceae. Commonly referred to as "gesho" it was first scientifically described by French botanist Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle in 1789 ...

'' *'' Rhoicissus tomentosa'' *'' Rhus chirindensis'' *'' Rhus crenata'' *'' Rhus glauca'' *'' Rhus longispina'' *'' Rhus lucida'' *'' Rhus tomentosa'' *'' Rhus undulata'' *'' Rothmannia capensis'' *'' Salix mucronata'' subsp. ''capensis'' *'' Scutia myrtina'' *'' Secamone alpini'' *'' Schotia afra'' var. ''afra'' *'' Schotia latifolia'' *'' Scolopia mundii'' *'' Scolopia zeyheri'' *'' Secamone alpini'' *'' Sideroxylon inerme'' *'' Sparrmannia africana'' *'' Strelitzia alba'' *'' Strychnos decussata'' *'' Tarchonanthus camphoratus'' *'' Trichocladus crinitus'' *'' Trimeria grandifolia'' *'' Vepris lanceolata'' *'' Virgilia oroboides'' *'' Zanthoxylum capense'' *'' Zanthoxylum davyi''

References

*''Southern Cape Forests and Trees'' – F von Breitenbach (Government Printer, Pretoria 1974) *''A Checklist of Birds of Nature's Valley'' – Geoff McIlleron (Nature's Valley Trust 2005) *''The Story of Nature's Valley'' – Nora and Chris Sinclair (Nature's Valley Trust 2005)
Pristine river threatened by projectsNature's Valley newsletterGetaway Magazine article
*Ross, Graham – ''The Romance of Cape Mountain Passes'' (David Philip, Cape Town 2002)

External links

*
Nature's Valley Ratepayers Association

{{Garden Route District Municipality Populated places in the Bitou Local Municipality

History

The Groot River pass

Permanent settlement

The Valley and surrounding area

Wildlife

Mammals

Birds

Amphibians

Snakes

Lizards

Tortoises, turtles and terrapins

Trees, shrubs and lianes

See also

References

External links