Since its inception the primary focus of Tswalu Kalahari has been the restoration of the Kalahari to its pristine state. Tswalu covers approximately 1000 square kilometers of arid Savanna, typical of the Kalahari. The Korannberg mountains range run on the eastern side of the reserve and extensive sandy plains with dunes and dune streets (valleys between the dunes) lie parallel to the mountains to the west. In the far west dry pans become a feature. The altitude varies from 1020 m above sea level in the west (Rogela Pan), to 1586m at the highest point (Bloukrans) in the south-east. The reserve has no rivers but seasonal streams do flow from the mountains in times of good rain. Mean annual rainfall is 240mm, mostly falling between November to April.
The vegetation is a mixture of shrubby Kalahari Dune Bushveld, Kalahari Plains Thorn Bushveld and Kalahari Mountain Bushveld. Trees such as the Camel thorn (Acacia erioloba), the Sheppard’s tree (Boscia albitrunca) and Silve clusterleaf (Terminalia sericea) are typical and shrubs such as the three throrn (Rhigozum trichotomum) and Raisin bush (Grewia flava). The grass layer is well developed and is dominated by species such as Dune Bushman Grass (Stipagrostis amabilis), Sour Grass (Schmidtia kalahariensis) Lehmann’s love grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana) and Silky Bushman Grass (Stipagrostis uniplumis).
The reserve acts as a major contributor to conservation of species and ecosystems in the Northern Cape, conserving numerous rare and endangered species, but also maintaining natural systems. Through Tswalu’s conservation vision and commitment to various conservation projects, the reserve has become one of the largest conservation undertakings in Africa.
Tswalu recently launched the Tswalu Foundation, a non- profit organisation aiming to fund further environmental research and community development in this unique, vast and understudied area.
