The latest Regional Red Data Book indicates that while conditions have improved for Wattled Cranes, the Blue Crane’s status has slipped. By James van den Heever On the plus front, the latest Regional Red Data Book of endangered species lists … Read more
The first herpetological survey of Verloren Valei will provide a useful baseline for future work. Pitfall and funnel trap array as installed in Coleochloa setifera – Cheilanthes multifida grassland on Verloren Valei Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa (Photograph: P.R. … Read more
Butterflies have a reputation for sweetness and light, and are often used as emblems of a benign nature. Not so fast, says butterfly guru, Steve Woodhall. Euchrysops malathana — members of Euchrysops typically have a mutualistic relationship with ants (Photograph: … Read more
Figures show the outflows from the reserve after a summer with somewhat lower rains. Thanks to Hannes Marais and Jannie Coetzee, we have the next lot of water data from Verloren Valei. As the data accumulates, it will become more … Read more
Verloren Valei recently received its first visit from South African members of the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership. On the 8 March 2023, a team from the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s Millennium Seed Bank Partnership Project visited Verloren Valei, their … Read more
The recent Geology and Grasses field trip challenged participants to look at the natural environment broadly. On 25 February 2023, a group of seven set off to explore the geology and grasses of Verloren Valei. The field trip was led … Read more
With 34 years in nature conservation, Mr Serakwana brings both passion and dedication to the job. Patrick Serakwana was born in Naboomspruit in 1966 He began working in conservation in 1989 as a field ranger in the Department of Agriculture … Read more
Frans Krige led a very lucky group of Friends of Verloren Valei members and almost-members for a day of exploring. The majority of field trips on the Reserve take place along the tourist route. This makes perfect sense given the … Read more
A great day out in the open learning about wetlands—and more. A group of 14 had the privilege of spending most of Saturday 5th November 2022 in the company of wetland ecologist Hannes Marais. Although the forecast was dire, the … Read more
Work by Steve Johnson and his team at the School of Life Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal expands our knowledge of how this plant is pollinated. Streptocarpus dunnii is associated with mistbelt grasslands, and grows on Verloren Valei, so … Read more
