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Nature Reserve

The primary habitat type is Saldanha Flats Strandveld. This habitat consist of a shrubland with few trees and a moderately tall shrub layer. There is a showy display of bulb plants and annual herbaceous plants in the spring.

The Strandveld covers all of the property except for the cultivated cropland and grazing pasture areas. There is little variation in the vegetation over the property except that it contains more typical fynbos species (like Passerina, Erica, Metalasia) on the cooler southern aspects and denser thicket on the warmer northern aspects. The property, although largely flat, does contain low hills and small valleys which lend some localised diversity to the vegetation.

The secondary habitat type is the areas transformed for the cultivation of crops and pastures. Some of the pastures consist of natural Cynodon dactylon lawns, while others consist of planted grain crops for game feed.

Thali Thali game reserve contains an extensive (and important) area of the Saldanha Flats Strandveld and is in a very good condition.

Some of the trees and larger shrubs include: Acacia cyclops (alien), Acacia saligna (alien), Chrysanthemoides monilifera, Euclea racemosa, Gymnosporia buxifolia, Nylandtia spinosa, Olea exasperata, Putterlickia pyracantha, Rhus gluaca, Rhus lucida.

The small ground cover shrubs and succulents are: Aspalathus lotoides, Clutia daphnoides, Erica sp, Eriocephalus africanus, Euphorbia mauritanica, Euryops linifolius, Exomis microphylla, Hermannia pinnata, Lebeckia sericea, Metalasia muricata, Nenax hirta, Passerina sp, Pteronia divaricata, Salvia africana-lutea, Tetragonia fruticosa, Zygophyllum morgsana.

Some of the grasses include: Cynodon dactylon, Ehrharta calycina, Ehrharta villosa, Eragrostis curvula, Tribolium echinatum.

Birdlife

Thali Thali is home to a long list of bird species within its boundaries. The South African national bird, the blue crane, is one of the species that feature not only on the five-cent coin, but also here. If you are lucky enough to see these regal birds, do not disturb them, especially if they are in breeding.

The West Coast is the southermost point for the Palaearctic migratory birds from the northern Europe and Siberia, so one can see birds most other people just dream of.

Thali Thali is just a stone-throw away from a number of listed Important Bird Areas (IBAs), such as the West Coast National Park (Geelbek), the Saldanha Islands, Dassen Island, the Lower Berg River Wetlands and Verlorenvlei.

Wildlife

Thali Thali was an old cattle farm when bought a few years ago and after relocating more than 250 mammals it is now home to an abundance of wildlife species such as:

  • Cape Buffalo
  • Eland
  • Oryx
  • Sable Antelope
  • Blue Wildebeest
  • Giraffe
  • Kudu
  • Bontebok
  • Springbuck
  • Burchell’s Zebra
  • Duiker
  • Steenbok
  • Ostrich
  • Porcupine
  • Emu
  • Fallow Deer
  • Fox (Cape and Bat-eared)
  • Caracal
  • Scrub Hare and “Dassie” (Hyrax)
  • Striped Mouse
  • Angulated tortoises
  • Snakes (Mole snake, Cape Cobra, Puffadder, etc)
  • Numerous plants, reptile and insect species
  • Extremely rich bird life

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