Drakensburg World Heritage Site

South Africa's Drakensberg mountains a World Heritage Site. vacationtechnician.com

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To the Zulus they were uKhahlamba, a 'barrier of spears', to Boer trekkers 'dragon mountain', to the San a home and source of inspiration, and to modern travellers they are a wilderness playground. Last year South Africa's Drakensberg mountains were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in June 2001 they were incorporated into the Maloti- Drakensberg Transfrontier Park. Much, it seems, is still happening among their peaks and valleys. . .

Dawn in the Drakensberg is a sight to swell the heart and send the spirit soaring. The dark, basalt walls of the escarpment surge dramatically into a vast pink- and copper-streaked sky. In the valleys, soft charcoal-and-mauve clouds whirl and dissolve into rocky gorges. The sun seeps into forests of yellowwoods, cycads and dripping tree ferns and its rays illuminate the magnificent buttresses of orange sandstone, highlighting streams of water tumbling from peaks and ramparts.

For hundreds of thousands of years this scene has been replayed, and witnessed by many who have found shelter and sustenance in these dramatic mountains. Archaeological sites representing the Early, Middle and Late Stone Age periods have been uncovered in the Drakensberg and are among the most important in southern Africa. Some Middle Stone Age sites excavated in the eastern Free State and Lesotho reveal that hunter-gatherers occupied the area during the last 100 000 years, and Late Stone Age people, ancestors of the 19th-century San, inhabited the area from at least 8 000 years ago.

It was their descendants who, still living as hunter-gatherers, occupied mountain caves and rock shelters in the Drakens-berg during the past centuries. Their numbers were small, estimated at possibly never more than a thousand living at any one time within what is today considered the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, and they had little significant impact on the vegetation or wildlife populations of the area. The last of these small, mysterious people were seen in the Drakens-berg in the late 19th century by a honeymooning couple.

From the 1200s, or perhaps even earlier, Iron Age farmers had begun to settle in the foothills, bringing cattle and sheep to the region. It is thought that relations between these Bantu people and the San were cordial for some time but, as the Zulu nation under Shaka began to gain dominance in the early 1800s, waves of refugees fleeing from the warring armies came to settle near the Drakensberg. They in turn attacked and displaced successive groups who sought shelter there, and the conflict was exacerbated by the arrival of white settlers in late 1837. The newcomers began to decimate the game which the San relied on for food, ultimately impacting heavily on the millennia of resource management that the indigenous people had achieved. In their search for food, the San began raiding the cattle farmers, who chased them off and often shot them.
By 1871, the last of the San in Lesotho had been killed, and it is generally accepted that only four years later the San, as a viable hunter-gatherer community, were no longer to be found in the Drakensberg. The only evidence of their presence is the magnificent and prolific collection of rock paintings they left as a legacy on the walls of caves and rock shelters.

According to Roger Porter, who is the conservation planner for KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Wildlife, the authority mandated to administer the Park, recent studies have recorded 600 sites of San paintings containing roughly 40 000 individual images. 'This represents one of the richest occurrences of rock art in the world. The paintings have been recognised as a unique grouping of human creative genius. They detail, over an enormous time period, the way of life of a people now extinct. This rock art heritage is of particular interest today as it is protected in the context of the landscape which the artists inhabited.'

It was this context-bound heritage, along with the untamed and wild beauty of the region, that gave weight to the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park's bid to be granted World Heritage status. In the whole of Africa there is no area of comparable size that contains such a density and diversity of San rock art sites and images. The paintings are also regarded as being the best preserved compared to those of any other region, especially south of the Sahara.

Three hundred kilometres long and 243 000 hectares in extent, the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park pro-tects a range of spectacular mountains that stand barrier-like along the border between South Africa and the small mountain kingdom of Lesotho. On 29 November 2000, this majestic wilderness area, little known outside local hiking circles, won its bid and was listed as one of 690 World Heritage Sites - and one of only 23 sites in 14 countries registered as 'mixed'. This means that it was recognised by the global community not only as a site of universal natural importance, but also as a place of unique cultural import-ance, comparable with Machu Picchu in Peru and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia, or Ayers Rock.
The mountains, massive and awe-inspiring, sparked the imagination of not only the San. The soaring ramparts seemed to Boer trekkers like the jagged backs of mystical dragons, and mist and clouds swirled around them like the smoke of a dragon's fiery breath - hence Drakensberg, 'dragon mountain'. To the Zulu, storms crashing and thundering off the peaks sounded like warriors beating their spears against cattle-hide shields on the way to war, and they named the range 'uKhahlamba', or 'barrier of spears'.

Dramatic violence is not new to the Drakensberg. Millions of years ago, when the earth was splitting and heaving and continents were cracking apart, these mountains were still being formed. As the super-continent Gondwana fragmented, huge upliftings occurred. The landmass that was to become Africa twisted and tilted, updomed and downwarped, westward then eastward, elevating the interior and causing erosional drainage systems. Finally, when the floods of magma and outpourings of lava cooled, thick layers of basalt remained, forming the Drakensberg range. All this happened at the end of the age of the dinosaurs, and today the fossilised footprints of these great beasts can be seen in many rock shelters in the Drakensberg.

Exceptional biological diversity is one of the hallmarks of the Drakensberg today, and yet another reason for the proclamation of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park as a World Heritage Site. According to Trevor Sandwith, formerly chief planner with KZN Wildlife, an estimated 2 153 plant species, many of them endemic, grow within the mountain range. There are also 299 bird species, 48 mammal species, and 48 reptile and 26 frog species. 'There is a high degree of plant, bird and invertebrate endemism,' he says. 'For plants it is estimated at 30 per cent. And, as an Endemic Bird Area, the Drakensberg ranks as one of seven recognised biodiversity hotspots in southern Africa.'

Several new species have been described from the region since 1987, and there are many that are still to be described. The invertebrate fauna is comparatively poorly known, al-though studies have been conducted on earthworms, crane flies, butterflies, dragonflies, millipedes, centipedes, lacewings and others. And, as in the case of the mammals and plants, there are many endemic species. On the down side, though, 119 of the plant and animal species occurring in the Park are listed as threatened in the international Red Data Books.

It is fortunate that the Drakensberg has long been considered worthy of conservation; its proclamation as a protected area dates back as far as 1903. The reasons for this early decision are not recorded, but it is thought that the reserve was set aside to conserve the fast-disappearing herds of eland and other antelope species, and also perhaps to protect the magnificent scenic value of the area. In 1905 it was classified as 'Demarcated Forest', and two years later it was proclaimed a game reserve, enabling game protection laws to be enforced.
As a result of this foresight, a large portion of the present-day Park has been formally protected for almost a century and is still, according to World Heritage Site documentation, in an 'unmodified, near-pristine condition'. Having now been proclaimed a World Heritage Site and subsequently incor-porated into the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Park, the Drakensberg and its 'near-pristine condition', it seems, are assured.

Coming together -The Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Park
One of the most exciting initiatives in conservation circles in Africa today has to be the concept of transfrontier parks. Many southern African parks share borders with neighbouring countries and the idea is to be able to drop fences and administer shared park borders to enlarge natural areas for the benefit of the natural environment and all who use it. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (South Africa/Botswana) is well established and the Gaza/Kruger/Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park (Mozambique/South Africa/Zimbabwe) is progressing nicely. Next up is the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Park, which will span South Africa's uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park and Lesotho's Maloti Mountains.

Trevor Sandwith, formerly chief planner with KZN Wildlife, describes the rationale behind the merger. 'This unique environment is shared by two countries and its future sustainability is inextricably linked to the fortunes of the communities and economies of both Lesotho and South Africa. The watershed defining the international boundary divides the people politically, economically and culturally. In South Africa too, there has been division as a result of history and politics over the last century which has played out in the Maloti-Drakensberg region. The impact of this is clearly etched on the stark contrasts in the level of infrastructure and development around the mountains.

'The Drakensberg-Maloti Programme was initiated in 1982 at the request of the Lesotho Government as a collaborative effort between the two countries. It was largely funded by South Africa through the Range Management Division of the Ministry of Agriculture in Lesotho and the then Natal Parks Board in South Africa, and continued until 1993, when funding was withdrawn. By this stage, most of the baseline information had been collected, but land-use planning and implementation strategies had not been formulated or applied. Since that time, the authorities in each country have interacted with a range of role-players, including international donor organisations, to maintain the pro-gramme's momentum.'

A bilateral delegation met in September 1997 and made a joint declaration to pursue the goals of establishing a co-operative transboundary conservation and development programme. Since then, through support from the Global Environment Facility, the Japanese Government and the World Bank, the programme has gone from strength to strength, culminating in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries in June 2001.

The primary aims of the Memorandum are to conserve globally significant biodiversity and contribute to community development through tourism and capacity building for sustainable use of the natural and cultural heritage. Says Sandwith, 'Of strategic importance is the way in which South Africa and Lesotho engage to implement effectively the World Heritage Convention in the area, as a force for both heritage protection and economic empowerment. In particular, the project will intervene to promote the extension of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, including Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho.

'This is also an opportunity to link several disparate components of the greater Maloti-Drakensberg conservation area into a single major focal area, generally known as "the Roof of Africa". We will then be able to develop and market its tourism potential, and thus contribute to removing barriers to social and economic development.'

Drakensberg endemics
The Maloti-Drakensberg area boasts an unusually high level of endemism, and one of the major reasons for this is the variation in altitude, from 1 280 metres to nearly 3 500 metres. The topography as well as the climate, soil, geology, aspect, slope, drainage and fire all have an effect on the vegetation, and therefore also on other species.

Based on results of a report by Cowling and Hilton-Taylor (1994), who compared the species richness and levels of endemism of southern African flora with others in the world and also with eight other areas in southern Africa, the Drakensberg Alpine Region has been proposed by the WWF/IUCN as one of nearly 250 major sites for conservation of plant diversity worldwide. It comprises two main high-altitude vegetation complexes: the Alti-Mountain biome which lies between 2 500 and 3 480 metres above sea level, and the Afro-Mountain Grassland biome at between 1 700 and 2 500 metres above sea level.

A total of 2153 plant species has been recorded for the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, with endemic species forming a particularly important component. Of the 394 endemic plants in the region, 247 occur within the Park itself. Local endemic forbs and shrubs are more frequent in the southern Drakensberg than in the northern area. There are no endemic forest trees in the region, and most of the endemic plants are associated with the grasslands.

There are 43 southern African endemic bird species, of which 41 breed in the Park, and 32 are endemic to South Africa. These include birds such as the Drakensberg siskin, the orange-breasted rockjumper and the yellow-breasted pipit, all of which are high-altitude species. Other endemics include the sentinel rock thrush, Gurney's sugarbird, the ground woodpecker and the buff-streaked chat. Eighteen species recorded for the Park are listed as Threatened in the South African Red Data Book.

Of the mammals, there are 11 endemics in the Park - the forest shrew, greater musk shrew, Sclater's golden mole, Hottentot golden mole, black wildebeest, blesbok, grey rhebuck, Cape molerat, ice rat, white-tailed rat and Natal red hare. Although no mammal species are listed internationally, 11 of the mammals that occur in the Park are listed in the South African Red Data Book, and seven are on either CITES Appendix List I or II.

The Park is considered to be one of eight major centres of diversity for reptiles and amphibians in southern Africa. Four Park endemics and 40 South African endemic species occur, of which the Drakensberg frog is the most interesting. There are 23 lizard and 25 snake species recorded, of which the cream-spotted mountain snake is one of the endemics.

Only seven fish species have been recorded. One endemic, the Drakensberg minnow, appears to have disappeared from the Park since being recorded some time ago, but it still occurs close by in Lesotho. Few studies have been undertaken of the invertebrate fauna in the Park, but those that have been done suggest that there are a great number of endemics. Of particular interest are the endemic palaeo-invertebrates, including plant-hoppers, crane flies, dance flies and lacewings.

Legacy on the rock

According to the nomination proposal prepared by KZN Wildlife to have the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park listed as a World Heritage Site, the Park's rock paintings represent a masterpiece of human creative genius and constitute a unique aesthetic and intellectual achievement. They have also been well researched and are supported by ethnographic information that shows a continuity of artistic tradition over several thousand years. The proposal states that, 'The paintings, which are located in their natural setting, are of spiritual significance and show a fundamental and deep connection between the San people and nature.'

Enthusiasm about the Bushman art's historical value as well as its spiritual and aesthetic importance is widespread. 'Apart from images that convey themes of great cultural and spiritual significance, there are others that show historical events and conflicts between people. There are images of patrols of mounted soldiers, and sailing ships that must have been seen by the artists, or described to them. All these paintings are ultimately a testimony to the San culture.'

One of the distinctive features of the paintings is the use of a shaded polychrome technique in which two colours - usually red and white - delicately grade into each other. Many of the subjects, such as human figures, eland and other animals, are depicted by means of this technique. The minute detail contained in the paintings has also impressed researchers. In comparison with rock art in other parts of the world, the Drakensberg images are small and yet extraordinarily detailed. For example, an average painting of an eland would be about 35 centimetres high and would clearly show the animal's eyes and mouth, the ears laid back or pricked, individual hairs a mere 1.5 milli-metres long covering the back of the neck, and exquisitely neat black cloven hoofs.

Also demonstrating the extraordinary sophistication of the paintings is the range of positions featured. Animals are shown not only side on, walking or running, but also lying down, leaping, looking back over the shoulder and, most remarkably, viewed from the front or rear. Even in these last two positions, the animals are painted in great detail using the shaded polychrome technique.

Most important, though, is the insight the paintings give into the San way of life. Porter explains, 'They give us a glimpse into the culture and lifestyles of these communities. Views may differ on the symbolic interpretation of some of the images and rituals depicted, but it is the only glimpse we have.

'At the centre of San belief are concepts of a spirit world that can be reached by certain members of their community who possessed a multi-faceted supernatural power. These people, the shamans of San society, entered trance either at a communal trance dance or in more solitary circumstances. In trance, they cured the sick, made rain, guided antelope towards hunters crouching in an ambush, and even visited the spirit world where they could see God and all his animals, especially the most frequently painted creature, the eland. It is remarkable that nearly every shelter with rock art has at least one eland painting and some have over a hundred, many painted one on top of the other.'

The beliefs and rituals practised by the San were developed to enable them to manage the natural resources. In addition to the rain-making ritual, there were practices associated with hunting, and seasonal movements were planned to make the best use of wild plant foods. Their social organisation was such that the impact of people on the landscape was controlled, and they even, in a more deliberate way, practised a regular fire regime. 'The rock art illustrates many of these practices,' he adds.

UKHAHLAMBA-DRAKENSBERG PARK
The Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park is currently managed by KZN Wildlife. While the organisation's primary function is conservation-related, its staff also undertakes many support functions and is involved both with tourist activities and with the 'neighbour relations programme' instituted to foster good relations with communities who reside around the Park. Although not as well known to international tourists as it might be, the Park is a popular destination for South Africans who come to camp, hike and rock-climb, fish the streams and dams, and explore the region on horseback, among other outdoor activities.

The Park is generally divided into three sections: in the north it retains the name Royal Natal National Park and boasts the spectacular Mont-aux-Sources amphitheatre; in the centre - possibly the area most developed for tourism - it includes Giant's Castle, Monk's Cowl, Cathedral Peak, the Mdedelelo and Mlambonja wilderness areas and Champagne Castle; and in the south are Garden Castle State Forest, the Mzimkulu Wilderness Area, Cobham and Vergelegen nature reserves, Loteni, the Mkhomazi Wilderness Area and Kamberg.

BEST TIMES TO VISIT
The Park is open throughout the year, and each season has its appeal. Summers can be hot and humid, with the possibility of sudden rain, mist and violent thunderstorms. Winters are generally mild but can become fiercely cold with heavy snowfalls. Hikers should be equipped for changeable weather in summer and for extreme cold in winter.

ACTIVITIES
The Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg region is attractive to lovers of the outdoors in general, but several specific activities can be arranged through local establishments.

Walking and hiking
A multitude of walking trails exist, ranging from gentle strolls to strenuous week-long hikes that traverse the entire range with accommodation in caves and rustic huts.
Drakensberg Walks by David Bristow (Struik Publishers) highlights more than 100 walks and hikes. Peter Slingsby's 1:50 000 maps are considered definitive.

Maps for individual trails are available from offices at the KZN Wildlife trailheads.

Birdwatching
The Drakensberg is rich in birdlife, and is noted for an abundance of raptor species. At the Vulture Hide at Giant's Castle, visitors have a chance to see the black eagle, Cape and bearded vultures, lanner falcon and jackal buzzard, among others. The hide is open only from 1 May to 30 September, and booking is essential (only six birders per day). Tel. (+27-36) 353 3616..

PRECAUTIONS
Never hike or climb alone. Be prepared for sudden changes in the weather; if mist appears, wait until it clears before moving on.
Mountain Rescue, tel. (031) 307 7744.
The Drakensberg area is malaria free.

FURTHER READING
Barrier of Spears by R. Pearse and J. Byrom (Southern Book Publishers).
Trees and Shrubs of the Natal Drakensberg by O.M. Hilliard (University of Natal Press).
Rock Paintings of the Natal Drakensberg by J.D. Lewis-Williams and T.A. Dowson (University of Natal Press).
Drakensberg Walks by David Bristow (Struik Publishers).
Dragon's Wrath: Drakensberg Climbs, Accidents and Rescues by R.O. Pearse and J. Byrom (Jonathan Ball Publishers).

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Drakensburg UNESCO World Heritage Site