Nearly half of South Africa’s Protea species on the brink of extinction
14 Dec 2020
The fynbos side of the SANBI Kirstenbosch floral display. Beautiful varieties of proteas are showcased, as well as restios and other types of fynbos. Feature text available. (Photo by Gallo Images/SA Garden/ Lizette Jonker)
Nearly half of South Africa’s Protea flowering plant species face extinction, with some wild populations having dwindled to a single individual, such as the Kraaifonein spiderhead a member of the Proteaceae family and others like the Swartland sugarbush hanging on by a thread.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, which is the world’s indicator of the health of species biodiversity, has released its first comprehensive assessment of the southern Hemisphere’s protea plant family, finding 637 of the 1464 known species are vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
Covered in sandy, nutrient-starved soils, scorched by fire, and pummelled by the prevailing gale-force southeaster in summer, the Cape Floral Kingdom has persisted as a land of extreme paradoxes for millenniums.
Given the harsh conditions that assail life here, this world seems to have every reason not to be a botanical number cruncher’s wet dream: the untrained eye may hardly conceive that it gives refuge to nearly 20% of Africa’s flora on less than 0.5% of the continent’s surface. It seems implausible that some 9 000 plant species should thrive in these coastal extremities, 70% of which live nowhere else on Earth.
11 Desember 2020 06:08 Wine, dine, cycle, run and have fun in the Paarl Winelands and at a penny wise price.
For all of us 2020 has had its fair share of challenges, one of them being our festive seasonâs budgets. The Visitorsâ Information Centre in Paarl has put together ideas to help visitors remain penny wise and not pound foolish when exploring Paarl.
There are still affordable options when visiting Paarl or as a local enjoying a staycation for the festive season. Paarl is a viable Cape Winelands destination to make summer holiday memories with options that are free or cost under R50 and R100.