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Wildcliff Nature Reserve
Dedicated to
plant and wildlife conservation in South Africa's Cape Floral Kingdom
Reptiles of the
Wildcliff Nature Reserve
Wildcliff is a nature
reserve in the Langeberg mountain range of South Africa’s Western Cape.
Reptiles are among the creatures that fascinate us. Southern Africa has
the richest reptile diversity in Africa, with a fauna that currently
comprises 498 species in 116 genera and 23 families. Much remains to be
researched: present rates of
discovery for lizards are still comparable to those in the early phase
of exploration in the 19th century.
One, the endemic Robertson Dwarf Chameleon, has been found at
Wildcliff, but we know very little about its abundance or lifestyle. In general the
genetic diversity of dwarf chameleons, found only in Southern Africa,
is poorly understood. We would like to
know more about these animals, their linkages and their habitats, and
try to ensure their
conservation.
The Dwarf Chameleon Project, headed by researcher Njal Rollinson, is
aimed at discovering the distribution and habitats of the Robertson and
possibly other chameleons at Wildcliff. Njal's project involves night
surveys and tissue sampling, the latter for DNA analysis aimed at
discovering evolutionary divergences linked to the rise of the fynbos
biome, millions of years ago.
Click on the photo at right for images of some of the lizards and
snakes we've found at Wildcliff. If you are interested in helping,
visit the Research Page
and apply for a volunteer research position. |
The Robertson Dwarf
Chameleon
Bradypodion
gutturale
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Collaboration with Stellenbosch University
and SARCA. In conjunction with Dr. Krystal Tolley, head of the Evolutionary
Genomics Group at Stellenbosch University and the foremost
expert on Southern African chameleons, our researchers are seeking to
contributue to the knowledge base on the abundance and phylogenetic
relationships (genetic
family trees) of the dwarf chameleon and other herpetofauna.
Photographs of the lizards and snakes of Wildcliff have contributed to
the virtual library of SARCA, the Southern African Reptile Conservation
Assessment.
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Links & References
- SARCA - website of the
Southern African Reptile Conservation Assessment
- The Dwarf
Chameleon Project at Wildcliff
- The Herptile
Survey at Wildcliff
- Branch W.R. 1998. Field guide to snakes and other
reptiles of southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town.*
- Marais J. 2004. A complete guide to the snakes of southern
Africa. Struik, Cape Town.*
- Jacobsen N. 2005. Remarkable reptiles of South Africa.
Briza,
Pretoria.*
- Boycott R.C. and Pourquin O. 2000. The Southern African
Tortoise
Book: a guide to southern African tortoises, terrapins and turtles.
Published by O. Bourquin, Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal.
- Tolley K. and Burger M. 2007. Chameleons of Southern Africa.
Struik, Cape Town.*
*
In Wildcliff Library (see list)
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