Conservation
and Tourism management fall under the
control of the relevant Limpopo provincial
government structures.Sepolopote fall under the Manoko CPA as they Beneficiary of the Land. Topography: The varying topography, from
mountain down to the plains and the Brak
River in the south lends itself to a rich
diversity of plant and animal life. Veld type
ranges from Kalahari-sandveld in the north
t
o sweet bushveld in the east and west. Mixed bushveld on the mountain slopes with
qrassveld arid fynbos on the plateau and
riverine bush in the south. Unique features
are the tamboti woodland, fig forest,
baobabs and the Brak River floodplain. Animals: Animals found on the reserve
include cape buffalo, giraffe, eland, sable,
waterbuck, gemsbok, red hartebeest, zebra,
kudu, bushbuck, impala, mountain reedbuck,
klipspringer, steenbok, duiker, warthog and
bushpig. Predators recorded are leopard,
cheetah, caracal, brown and spotted hyena,
and numerous small mammals like civet, red
spotted genet and African Wildcat. Birds: The bird list stands at 232 species of
which the flagship for the reserve is the
Cape Vulture. The breeding colony hosts
approx. 600 breeding pairs that form a
stronghold for this threatened species in
Southern Africa. Visitors can view these
birds at close range, especially during winter
months at the vulture restaurant when they
daily come to bathe at the waterhole or feed
on a carcass when provided. Other
interesting species are the crested guinea
fowl, ground hornbill and a variety of raptors.
56 reptile species have been recorded so
far. Getting about: There are no hiking trails but
self-drive game-drives are possible,
preferably using a vehicle with a high ground
clearance. Vehicles may not be driven
off existing roads. Be aware of your
surroundings when alighting from vehicles as
a confrontation with a buffalo or leopard is
always a possibility. Location: Blouberg Nature Reserve can be
accessed via a good tar road and is located
120 km NW of Polokwane and approx 420
km from Johannesburg. This compares
favourably with Johannesburg to Skukuza
(465 km) and Johannesburg to Mapungubwe
(525 km).
