African Wildlife and Environment Issue 66

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

of a healthy pond. There are several ways to enhance the garden pond so that many different species of wildlife are encouraged to use it. Careful consideration needs to be given to each aspect of the pond to make it as accessible as possible for potential wildlife use. Although a lot can be done to enhance an existing pond, it is much easier to build these considerations in from the start, than to try and alter a pond at a later stage. (Go to Random Harvest’s Website: www. rhn.co.za News section, under the Water Features category for a comprehensive guide on how to create a small garden pond.) Positioning of the pond is probably the foremost consideration. Being able to observe wildlife using the pond will mean that it needs to be visible from a distance, or from some sort of concealed space such as a hide. It should be placed where it does not receive direct sunlight all day. This will help to keep the water cooler (and the temperature more constant over the seasons), and reduce algal growth. Make use of existing taller planting, as this is advantageous to creating cover for species that prefer to approach the pond with caution. Having said this, other introduced plants need to complement the character of the pond, and have similar growing requirements as the existing vegetation.

Aponogeton distachyous con

Accessibility of the water will determine how easily many wildlife species can enter or exit it. An open space that leads into a shallow edge with a gradual, gentle slope into the water will be ideal for wading birds and other wildlife that might prefer approaching the water from an exposed area, where they can easily see danger approaching. Introducing rocks, stones and even dead wood in this area will increase points of access to water for small creatures. Gravel and mud, instead of a slippery pond-liner, will make it safer for wildlife using this area. Overhanging vegetation such as reeds and sedges, or arching branches of shrubbery, provide exit points for dragonfly larvae that complete their last stage of metamorphosis outside of the water body. Watery refuge can only be provided if the pond is deep enough for fish, amphibians and aquatic creatures to escape predators that may want to eat them. Overhanging vegetation or a dead branch in the deeper regions will create further refuge for fish. Dams Dams are for larger properties, as they are built on a much larger scale than ponds. Both ponds and dams should be created with the same principle in mind: deeper areas for fish and aquatic organisms and plants, and shallow, gently sloping areas for creatures

Zantedeschia aethiopica

to access and exit the water with ease. Creating boggy areas and larger reed beds that merge with the main water body is also more easily achievable. Dams also lend themselves to a greater variety of plants that can be introduced to support wildlife in and around the water. Positioning a dam with care is as important, as it is for a pond on a smaller property. The quality of habitat that a dam provides can be greatly enhanced by placing it where it can naturally harvest rainwater runoff. Enhancing water by planting around it Plants chosen for in and around the water body, particularly garden ponds, are essential to the health of the water. They provide oxygen, take up nutrients that might otherwise accelerate algal blooms, and provide a means of temperature regulation for the

water by casting shadows on hot days. Floating plants such as water lilies can also slow down evaporation of water and provide shelter from the sun and predators for fish. The greater the variety of plants around and in a pond, the greater the habitat enhancement for garden wildlife. Indigenous plants increase the health and complexity of the ecosystem offered exponentially, as well as adding to the authenticity of a natural garden pond.

Linda Da Luca Random Harvest www.rh.co.za

Nymphaea nouchalli

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