Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting

Figure 45. A north-easterly view from Windhoekberg towards Springbok. Note the two main
habitat types of the study: terrestrial to the left and rupiculous towards the right.
Terrestrial habitat forms a large part of the study site and is of great ecological
significance. Many herpetofauna species have burrows or live almost permanently in the
soil. The grassy plains are the most extensive habitat on site, characterised by the flat
topography and red sandy surface, but with a mosaic of patches of grass and/or gravel.
Most of these were found near the washes of the Koa River drainage system, but also
extending up slopes to the feet of the various mountains and hills scattered across the
landscape.
The open plains grade into the red sand and dune fields, but most noticeable is that the
various gravels are no longer on the surface and the grass clumps are larger, but more
widely spaced. Very few termitaria or moribund termitaria, which are the preferred
habitat for many herpetofauna species, were found.
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