Featherbed Nature Reserve Explained

Featherbed Nature Reserve
Location:Knysna, Western Cape Province, South Africa
Nearest Town:Knysna
Coordinates:-34.0758°N 23.0556°W
Opened:1984
Founder:William Smith
Owner:Featherbed Co
Website:http://www.knysnafeatherbed.com/

Featherbed Nature Reserve is a privately owned nature reserve on the Western Headland of the Knysna River Estuary on South Africa’s Garden Route. [1] [2]

It was founded by South African television teacher, William Smith, on land that was bought in the 1950s by his father, the chemist and ichthyologist Professor JLB Smith, with the proceeds of his best selling book, ‘Old Fourlegs The Story of the Coelacanth,’ published in 1956.[3]

The reserve opened to visitors in 1984, and is only accessible to the public by ferry.[4] Smith sold the reserve to Eastern-Cape-based businessman Kobus Smit in 2008.[5]

Fauna & Flora

Featherbed Nature Reserve is situated within the Cape Floristic Region. Its vegetation is characterised by Knysna Sand Fynbos and coastal dune thicket. Large portions of the fynbos, and large stands of invasive alien vegetation[6] (particularly rooikrans - Acacia cyclops), which once infested the Reserve, were decimated by fires in the 2017 Cape storm and Kynsna fires.[7] Following the fires, the reserve management instituted a systematic eradication programme in an attempt to contain the resurgence of the rooikrans.

Fauna observed on the reserve includes Cape bushbuck, blue duiker, African clawless otter, and many smaller mammals.[8] Birdlife includes the Knysna turaco (Knysna loerie[9]) and African Black Oystercatcher.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Featherbed Co. . Knysna Featherbed . Knysna Featherbed . 12 June 2022 . 24 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220424093639/https://www.knysnafeatherbed.com/ . live .
  2. Web site: Knysna Featherbed Nature Reserve . GardenRoute.com . GardenRoute.com . 12 June 2022 . 30 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220130174457/https://www.gardenroute.com/Knysna-Featherbed-Garden-Route-South-Africa_content_op_view_id_29 . live .
  3. Book: Bruton, Mike . The Annotated Old Four Legs The Updated Story of the Coelacanth . Struik Nature . 2017 . 9781775844990 . Cape Town.
  4. Web site: Hatchuel . Martin . Featherbed Nature Reserve, Knysna: the origins story . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220424093400/https://www.tourismcontent.co.za/blog/post/featherbed-nature-reserve-knysna-history-to-2008/ . 24 April 2022 . 12 June 2022 . TourismContent.co.za . TourismContent.co.za.
  5. Web site: Maths boffin sells the heads . IOL . IOL . 12 June 2022 . 27 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210227170920/https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/maths-boffin-sells-the-heads-412664 . live .
  6. Web site: Expert . Your Garden Route . 2018-12-07 . Featherbed’s iconic Nature Reserve reopens after 18 months . 2022-06-18 . Destination Garden Route . en-US.
  7. Web site: 2018-09-06 . Featherbed Private Nature Reserve reopens following Knysna fires . 2022-06-18 . Southern & East African Tourism Update . en.
  8. Web site: Begg . Angus . 2022-02-15 . INFERNAL FOOTPRINT: Boomslang or bust: After the fires, Knysna battles rampant mice and lingering alien vegetation . 2022-06-18 . Daily Maverick . en.
  9. Web site: 2019-09-16 . Knysna loeries return to Featherbed Nature Reserve . 2022-06-18 . Getaway Magazine.

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