Doringkloof in the Klein Karoo declared a Provincial Nature Reserve

Nestled between Touwsrivier and Montagu, Doringkloof Nature Reserve is the latest property to be formally declared a Provincial Nature Reserve.

Spanning over 209 hectares of rugged mountain slopes and plains, the reserve forms part of the broader Touw Valley Cluster, a collection of four privately owned and managed nature reserves in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the CapeNature Biodiversity Stewardship Programme.

The Touw Valley Cluster consists of Bloutoring Nature Reserve, Kruisrivier Nature Reserve, Machaseh Nature Reserve, and the Doringkloof Nature Reserve. Bloutoring, Kruisrivier, and Machaseh have not yet been formally declared as provincial nature reserves. The four nature reserves cover more than 7 000 hectares in extent and border directly on CapeNature’s Anysberg Nature Reserve.

Doringkloof may be just over 200 hectares, but its impact is far greater. By linking directly with Anysberg and forming part of the Touw Valley Cluster, it expands conservation corridors that allow wildlife and ecological processes to function naturally across the landscape.

CapeNature facilitates the legal administrative process to declare a site as a Protected Area in terms of the National Environmental Management Protected Areas Act. The Nature Reserve was declared on 14 November 2025.

In September 2021, the EWT Drylands Conservation Programme team placed three camera traps on Doringkloof. In total, the camera traps captured 217 images of animals. There was one image of a bird that was not identified. The total number of species identified was six and includes African Wildcat, Chacma Baboon, Common Duiker, Steenbok and larger antelope like the Gemsbok and Kudu. The camera trap survey did not capture any images of the Critically Endangered Riverine Rabbit. Doringkloof is located within the known Riverine Rabbit distribution area in the southern population.

The camera traps were not widespread across the property, so it is possible that rabbits are either present on the property, but at a low density, or possibly traverse the property from time to time.

The reserve’s inclusion in the provincial protected area network reinforces the Klein Karoo’s standing as a biodiversity hotspot, linking important conservation corridors between Anysberg, Warmwaterberg, and Langeberg.

Landowners who are considering having their land formally protected can contact CapeNature’s Stewardship Team at wcpaes2025@capenature.co.za.