The Fynbos Road
Fauna
The hinterland of Danger Point and Cape Agulhas is teeming with wild-life. Six different species of naturally occurring antelopes still roam wild: grysbok, bushbuck, grey rheebuck, klipspringer, common duiker and steenbok. The endemic bontebok has been saved from extinction and can be seen in several private and public erserves in the area. The mongoose family is represented with 3 species: water mongoose, small grey mongoose and large grey mongoose. The clever and appealing small- and large- spotted genet sneak through the field. Small troops of bat-eared fox embark on late afternoon missions for termites. The ferocious honey badger, increasing in numbers as a result of the conservation co-operation with honey farmers, rules the night. The local porcupine, the largest rodent in the world, drops his pens in his tracks. The caracal with its fine-topped ears watches passers-by from a shelter in high grass and the cape leopard only makes itself known by claw marks in ancient indigenous trees in the riverine forests stuck away in deep gorges. On the beaches and around the various wetlands, the cape clawless otter can be spotted early morning. The local 2 or 3 troops of baboons are still very wild and keep a respect distance from humans. We would like to keep it that way, please do not feed them.

Very soon, large tracts of lands will be given back to the wild-life that once roamed in large numbers in and around the Agulhas Plains. Local maps read as animal-history of the area. Many places are named after the indigenous animals of old times: Renosterfontyn (Black Rhino Fountain), Seekoeivlei (Hippo-swamp), Buffeljagsbaai (Bay of the Buffalohunt), Wolvengat (Hole of the wolf [brown hyena]), Hartebeeskloof (Gorge of the Hartebees), Aasvoelkop (Vulture head), Perdekop (Horse's head [mountain zebra]). All of these places will see these animals coming back. Cape Agulhas National Park is soon embarking on an ambitious re-introduction scheme. The first Hippo that will be released in 2007 at exactly the spot where the last Hippo was shot in 1896 is just the first of many. Only bloubokkiesfontein (Bluebuck fountain) will sadly never see a bluebuck again. The bluebuck, endemic to the area around the Fynbos Road was wiped out in the 19th century. Breeding schemes such as exist for the guagga and the cape lion are not possible for the bluebuck. No genes of this beautiful animal have survived.

Two tortoise-species, the angulate tortoise and the parrot beaked tortoise can often be seen on and next to gravel roads. The same applies to many snake-species that unfortunately often become the victim of cars. Apart from harmless species such as the giant mole-snake and the small "skaapsteker", poisenous species such as the cape cobra, rinkhals, puffadder and bergadder work on the imagination of people. Several reptiles, such as the rock agama and cape skink can be seen basking on rocky outcrops. If you see a small and speedy shadow in the bushes next to you, it is one of the many smaller rodent species of the area.

Birders visiting this area will have little time to enjoy the non-birding attractions of this area. Birds of prey are abundant: the brown snake eagle is very common, but the african fish eagle and the largest eagle of Africa, the black eagle, are a common sight as well, depending whether you are in the mountains or near the coast. The striking green, orange and red colours of the fynbos endemic species can be admired in the natural fynbos-velds in the area. Water-birds, such as the stately flamingo can be spotted on the many vleis (wetlands) along the road.