This World Wildlife Day (Monday, 3 March), Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West will celebrate the arrival of many new additions to its thriving wildlife family.
Rare Rau quagga, eland and black wildebeest are breeding in the wine estate’s 1900-hectare private nature reserve, which has the same conservation status as the Kruger National Park.
The fenced game camp within the reserve was recently expanded from 160 to 400 hectares to ensure plentiful grazing and water.
- Eland: Vergelegen released three cows and two neutered bulls in July 2020 as part of the Gantouw Project, which researches how grazing animals can boost ecosystem diversity. Following the arrival of a stud bull in 2023, three young eland are now thriving.
- Black wildebeest: Twelve animals were purchased last year, and one youngster was born in spring.
- Rau quagga: A stallion and six mares arrived at the farm in 2022, part of an ambitious project using selective breeding to achieve a breeding lineage of Burchell’s zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) which visually resemble the extinct quagga (Equus quagga quagga). Four youngsters have been born.
- Bontebok: Thirteen bontebok were introduced to the estate nearly 20 years ago, and there are now 90-100 bontebok roaming freely on the estate. There are three main breeding herds and 15 bontebok were born during the latest breeding season.
- Nguni : Vergelegen has about 400 indigenous cattle, renowned for their magnificent multicoloured hides. About 100 calves were born in 2024/2025.
The estate is also home to Cape leopards, caracals, Cape foxes, spotted genets, baboons, honey badgers, small antelope, and other mammals.
“Wildlife has thrived at the estate since the culmination of an ambitious alien vegetation clearing project undertaken from 2004 to 2018,” says Vergelegen environmental manager Eben Olderwagen.
“A total of 2240-hectares were cleared, making this the largest privately funded alien vegetation clearing project in South Africa. As alien vegetation uses up to 60% more water than fynbos, the project unlocked water resources, allowing natural vegetation to return and animals to thrive.”
The estate launched guided environmental tours two years ago, for visitors to find out more about the clearing project, and to view the wildlife. These have proved so popular that the estate recently invested in a second game drive vehicle.
The guided environmental tours are weather permitting, departing from the wine tasting centre at 10h00. Duration approximately two hours, R850 per person, which includes a wine tasting, branded cap and water bottle. Maximum nine people. Contact 021 847 2111 or email winetasting@vergelegen.co.za for more information.