Kgaswane Mountain Reserve

This is one of the latest Ramsar wetlands in South Africa that we have not visited yet. A more complete report will be posted once we have visited the wetland.

Designation date: 29 March 2019

The Reserve of nearly 5,000ha is situated on the summit, eastern slopes and foothills of the Magaliesberg protected area which has been declared as one of the World Heritage Sites in South Africa. It borders onto the southern side of Rustenburg in the North West Province.

The reserve is managed by North West Parks Board.

Kgaswane Mountain Reserve is known for its prolific bird and animal life which can be viewed while exploring the various hiking trails ranging from 2km to 19,5km.

The reserve has over 500 antelopes which include klipspringer, the grey duiker, bushbuck, kudu, oribi, mountain reedbuck, impala, red hartebeest, zebra, springbok, steenbok, sable antelope and the waterbuck. The reserve also has a few predators like the caracal, aardwolf, jackal and leopard. More than 300 bird species have been recorded in the reserve, and includes martial and black eagle which are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. The reserve consists of grassland, shrub, mixed woodland, and pockets of fynbos.