Page 74 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

72  WILD SOUTH AFRIC A

Habitats at a Glance Key to Field Guide icons

Habitat types are determined by a variety of factors, including Diurnal
climate, vegetation and geology. In South Africa, the most Nocturnal
important of these factors are rainfall, soil type, altitude and Savannah woodland
latitude. Broadly speaking, rainfall is significantly higher in the Semiarid
east, while soil is sandiest in the west, altitude is highest in Forest
the central highveld area and temperatures tend to be highest Highveld grassland
at more northerly latitudes. Much of South Africa has rainfall Wetland
in summer, with perhaps 90 per cent of precipitation occurring Intertidal
between November and April. By contrast, the Western Cape Fynbos
has a winter-rainfall climate, while much of the Eastern
Cape falls between these extremes.

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Semiarid
The western part of South Africa mostly Vryburg Klersdorp
consists of thinly populated semi- Vaal
arid plains and mountains, from the tall red Kuruman
dunes of the Kalahari to Namaqualand with
its dazzling spring wildflower displays.
Upington
Campbell
Kimberley Bloemfontein
Orange
Port Nolloth
Springbok
Kleinsee Caledon
Orange
Middelburg
Fish
Cradock
Clanwilliam
Graaff-Reinet
Sutherland
Langebaan
Port
George Knysna Elizabeth
Worcester
Cape Town
Riversdale
Hermanus
Forest
Closed-canopy forest, although
scarce in South Africa, is highly
biodiverse. It is particularly attractive
to bird-watchers as it hosts many
species of limited range.
Fynbos
The Cape Floral Kingdom sup ports a remarkably
diverse cover known as fynbos (fine bush), comprising
9,600 plant species, most of which occur only here –
probably the world’s greatest repository of floral
endemics. Much of the wildlife is unique to the region.

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