Protecting Table Mountains rich bio-diversity.

Prectg Tle Moua's

RICH BIODIVERSITY IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY

Wahida Parker, Managing Director TMACC

South Africa is home to some of the world's most diverse flora and fauna. Indigenous plant life includes some 23 000 species of flowering plants (including 728 species of trees) and more than 900 species of bird, representing 22 of the world's living orders.

Mountains, in particular, are home to some of the rarest species, which have adapted to the high altitudes and, in many cases, are found nowhere else on the planet. On Table Mountain alone there are more than 2 200 different plant species, some of which date back to over 60 million years ago.

“Apart from the magnificent view from the top, Table Mountain's flora and fauna attracts scores of nature lovers from all walks of life - from professionals to academics and students all the way to ordinary people who all feel an affinity with this natural wonder. With the mountain's amazing biodiversity, including several variants of our national flower, it is probably one of the most photographed landmarks in the world,” says Wahida Parker, Managing Director at Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC).

Table Mountain forms part of the Cape Floristic Region, supporting one of the highest diversities of flora, much of which is rare and endemic. Most notable is the Fynbos vegetation that can be found on its slopes, which include Protea, Erica, restio, Asteraceae and geophytes.

“Fynbos is a unique plant type that has developed over millions of years – and was even around during the time of the dinosaurs. While these types of plants do need fire to promote production and dispersing of their seeds, much of it has become endangered due to the increased frequency of fires,” explains Marie Abraham, Environmental Control Officer at TMACC.

TABLE MOUNTAINS GLORIOUS FAUNA AND FLORA.

About the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) has been providing visitors with a worldclass experience since October 4, 1929. The company operates in a National Park and World Heritage Site.

For more information, visit www.tablemountain.net

TMACC takes the well-being of visitors seriously and have therefore put in place strict Covid-19 health and safety protocols for the protection of their staff and visitors.

There are more plant species located in the Cape Floristic region than in the whole of the United Kingdom. In fact, the area is recognised as the richest floristic site in the world, which can largely be attributed to the differing biospheres located on each part of the mount.

For example, the western side of the mountain receives more direct sunlight throughout the day, and it is a dryer side, producing a smaller shrub-like vegetation. The eastern side, on the other hand, is shaded throughout the day and has a wetter terrain, with streamlets, waterfalls and seeps. This results in this side of the mountain producing an indigenous forest.

Some of the plants that you may come across when hiking up the mountain can include Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos (endangered), Peninsula Granite Fynbos (critically endangered), Peninsula Shale Renosterveld and Afromontane forest.

Table Mountain also provides a haven to a number of animals, including snakes, birds, lizards, rare frogs, Klipspringer, the Himalayan Tahr and the well-known Dassie (rock hyrax) that is often seen at the top of the Cableway station.

Abraham explains that the area used to be home to a variety of large animals too. “In the past, settlers to the Cape used to often cross paths with mountain lions and Hippos. Unfortunately, as the human settlements expanded, many of the larger animals dwindled in numbers - with the last lion spotted on the mountain in approximately 1802.”

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