Fynbos; the name given to a group of plants indigenous to South Africa, translates directly as “fine bush”. This fynbos group can be split into four subdivisions, namely geophytes, proteas, ericas and restios. These plants are an essential component of the country’s eco-system, as they provide food and shelter to many small animals, such as dassies and birds. However, as generous as they are in their multitude of uses, one quality about the fynbos family that really stands out is the fact that they need very little water to survive in our climate.
Fynbos sightings, along with cage diving in Gansbaai and trips to Robben Island, have become some of the most popular tourist attractions throughout the country, as this little floral subcategory has given light to new kinds of flora all over the southern part of Africa. Interestingly, it has been discovered that some strains of fynbos could date back to over 60 million years ago, meaning that the plants may well have been a part of the diet of dinosaurs.
Another one of the oldest surviving creatures is the shark, which is also believed to have been around for hundreds of millions of years. The Cape has become a place for people to appreciate the beauty of fynbos through a number of conservation programmes that educate the public on the importance of keeping our eco-systems in balance.
Great White Shark cage diving is a new way for the masses to appreciate the natural beauty of the oceans and to come face-to-face with these magical creatures, in the same way that eco tours and nature reserves are put in place for the public to be up close with nature and the fynbos that grows within it.
