FLORA & FAUNA

The Waterberg Biosphere Reserve is home to 129 mammal, 350 bird and over 2,000 plant species with a number of endemic or red data butterflies, fish and reptile species, making it an extremely important conservation area.

Flora & Fauna - Waterberg Biosphere Reserve - Nylflood plain - Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, Vaalwater, Limpopo, Waterberg, South Africa [© 2009 PaulGodard.com] Flora & Fauna - Waterberg Biosphere Reserve - panorama : red soil & hill - Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, Vaalwater, Limpopo, Waterberg, South Africa [© 2009 PaulGodard.com]

Flora & Fauna - Waterberg Biosphere Reserve - Lephalala river from view point - Lapalala wilderness, Vaalwater, Limpopo, Waterberg, South Africa [© 2009 PaulGodard.com]

The Waterberg contains 3 broad habitat types:
  1. sour bushveld
  2. steep slopes, cliffs and bare rock faces
  3. riverbeds and wetland areas.


The sour bushveld occurs largely on sandy, leached soils which are poor in nutrients. It is today more often referred to as the Waterberg Moist Mountain Bushveld Savanna.

The Waterberg region has a rich variety of plants. The currently known total of 2015 plant species consists of
  • 130 species of trees, 195 species of shrubs
  • 1292 species of forbs, grassy herbs, dwarf shrubs, mosses & other growth forms
  • 206 species of grasses
  • 75 species of sedges
  • 79 species of geophytes
  • 18 species of ferns
  • 20 species of parasitic plants
Flora & Fauna - Waterberg Biosphere Reserve - flowers - Vaalwater, Limpopo, Waterberg, South Africa [© 2007 unknown] Flora & Fauna - Waterberg Biosphere Reserve - fig tree - Vaalwater, Limpopo, Waterberg, South Africa [© 2009 unknown]

Pockets of fairly rare plants occur in suitable habitats. These include the rare and localized Waterberg cycad Encephalartos eugen-maraisii, tall yellowwood trees Podacarpus latifolius in the forested gorges, especially on the farm Mamiaanshoek in the Marakele region and the mountain cypresses Widdringtonia nodiflora at Marakele.

The only currently endangered plant species in the Waterberg is the legume Cullen holubii. Species vulnerable to extinction are ‘haaskos' or ‘rabbit's food' Anacampseros filamentosa, the Waterberg cycad Encephalartos Eugene-maraisii, the Waterberg euphorbia Euphorbia waterbergensis and a portulaca Portulaca trianthemoides.