Karoo National Park

Karoo National Park IUCN Category II - National Park
Part of the Karoo National Park
location	South Africa
surface	831 km²
WDPA ID	876
Geographical location	32 ° 21 ′  S , 22 ° 34 ′  E Coordinates: 32 ° 21 ′ 0 ″  S , 22 ° 34 ′ 0 ″  E
Setup date	1979
administration	South African National Parks

Entrance to Karoo National Park at Beaufort West

The Karoo National Park ( English Karoo National Park ) is located in the semi-desert landscape of the Great Karoo near the city of Beaufort West in the municipality of Beaufort West , Central Karoo District , Province ( Western Cape ) in South Africa .

Ecosystem

As the largest ecosystem in South Africa, the Karoo semi-desert is home to a variety of creatures that had to adapt to the extreme living conditions in order to survive here. The average rainfall is only 260 mm per year, the maximum daily temperatures regularly exceed 40 ° C, in winter snow regularly falls in the surrounding mountains at minus temperatures. The Karoo National Park is dominated by the Nuweveld Mountains and a gently rolling savannah landscape , in which many animal species that have long since disappeared have now made their home again.

From a geological and geomorphological point of view, the national park is located in the Karoo main basin .

history

During the late 1950s, resident farmer and bird lover William Quinton promoted the establishment of a nature reserve near Beaufort West. However, it was not until the 1970s that the South African national park administration proposed the establishment of a national park to protect the Nama Karoo Biome. The city of Beaufort West then donated 7,209 hectares of community property to the state national park administration. This area formed the core of the Karoo National Park proclaimed in 1979. The South African Nature Foundation (SANF) bought additional adjacent areas over the years until the park reached its present size.

particularities

The national park has a wide variety of endemic species. Several animal species such as black rhinoceros , buffalo and Cape mountain zebra have been reintroduced here. Over 20 pairs of the coffee eagle find shelter here to breed. Small reptiles and a large number of plants enrich the appearance.

• Coffee eagles: With around 20 breeding pairs, the park is one of the areas in Africa that has the highest population of this species.
• Turtles: five different species occur here. This makes the Karoo National Park the area with the highest comparable species density in the world.
• Quagga : The park maintains a program for the de-domestication of the extinct quagga based on the Burchell's zebra (both the quagga and the Burchell's zebra are considered subspecies of the plains zebra ).
• Cape Mountain Zebra: The species was still threatened with extinction at the end of the 20th century.
• Springbok : the park's landmark. The animals live here in large packs and are reminiscent of the gigantic, kilometer-long herds that once crossed the Karoo on annual migrations.
• In 2010, lions from the Addo National Park were resettled. They have settled in well in the Karoo National Park and feed mainly on the gourmets. The immediate vicinity of the camp was fenced in to ensure safety for visitors.

Web links

Commons : Karoo National Park  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• South African National Parks: Karoo National Park . National park administration website at www.sanparks.org (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ South African National Parks: History . on www.sanparks.org (English)
2. ^ Wildlife Extra News: Karoo's introduced lions are thriving . March 2012.