About
Marloth Nature Reserve
Western Cape
Marloth Nature Reserve is set in the magnificent Langeberg mountain range overlooking Swellendam and near the towns of Ashton, Swellendam, Suurbraak and Barrydale. The reserve's office is roughly 1.5km from Swellendam with an office adjacent to the Swellendam State Forest.
Marloth Nature Reserve is named after the pioneer botanist who, together with a deputation of Swellendam residents in 1928 petitioned the Minister of Lands and Forestry to set aside a part of the mountain (190 ha) as a nature reserve. This included the forest patches of Koloniesbos and Duiwelsbos and thus protected some of the land. During 1981 the reserve was enlarged to include the rest of the State Forest land and the Swellendam Hiking Trail was opened.
The vegetation in the nature reserve is predominantly mountain fynbos with patches of afro-montane forest. The fynbos includes several species of protea and more than 25 species of erica, most of which flower in November. The original forests covered a much larger area but over the years exploitation for timber for the local furniture and wagon industries, and fires, reduced them to isolated patches in the damper kloofs. Typical forest species include yellowwood, stinkwood, Cape beech, wild olive, assegaaibos, cherrywood and hard pear. Animals
Marloth supports numerous animal species although most are relatively small and not easily observed. Mammals include grey rhebuck, klipspringer, common duiker, baboon, leopard, caracal, mongoose, porcupine, dassie and hare. The area is rich in birdlife with 114 species having been recorded, amongst them the African fish eagle, black eagle, wood owl, redwinged francolin, tambourine dove, four different species of woodpecker and the Cape vulture and narina trogon as vagrants. Puff adder, Cape cobra and mountain adder occur and hikers should be on the alert.
Marloth Nature Reserve is named after the pioneer botanist who, together with a deputation of Swellendam residents in 1928 petitioned the Minister of Lands and Forestry to set aside a part of the mountain (190 ha) as a nature reserve. This included the forest patches of Koloniesbos and Duiwelsbos and thus protected some of the land. During 1981 the reserve was enlarged to include the rest of the State Forest land and the Swellendam Hiking Trail was opened.
The vegetation in the nature reserve is predominantly mountain fynbos with patches of afro-montane forest. The fynbos includes several species of protea and more than 25 species of erica, most of which flower in November. The original forests covered a much larger area but over the years exploitation for timber for the local furniture and wagon industries, and fires, reduced them to isolated patches in the damper kloofs. Typical forest species include yellowwood, stinkwood, Cape beech, wild olive, assegaaibos, cherrywood and hard pear. Animals
Marloth supports numerous animal species although most are relatively small and not easily observed. Mammals include grey rhebuck, klipspringer, common duiker, baboon, leopard, caracal, mongoose, porcupine, dassie and hare. The area is rich in birdlife with 114 species having been recorded, amongst them the African fish eagle, black eagle, wood owl, redwinged francolin, tambourine dove, four different species of woodpecker and the Cape vulture and narina trogon as vagrants. Puff adder, Cape cobra and mountain adder occur and hikers should be on the alert.