Biodiversity of Cape Town


The biodiversity of Cape Town is the variety and variability of life within the City of Cape Town, excluding the Prince Edward Islands. The terrestrial vegetation is particularly diverse and much of it is endemic to the city and its vicinity. Terrestrial and freshwater animals are heavily impacted by urban development and habitat degradation. Marine life of the waters immediately adjacent to the city along the Cape Peninsula and in False Bay is also diverse, and while also impacted by human activity, the habitats are relatively intact.

Floristic region (phytochorion)

The City of Cape Town lies within the Cape Floristic Kingdom, by far the smallest and most diverse of the earth's six floristic kingdoms, an area of extraordinarily high diversity and endemism, and home to over 9,000 vascular plant species, of which 69 percent are endemic. Much of this diversity is associated with the fynbos biome, a Mediterranean-type, fire-prone shrubland. The economical worth of fynbos biodiversity, based on harvests of fynbos products and eco-tourism, is estimated to be in the region of R77 million a year. Thus, it is clear that the Cape Floristic Region has both economic and intrinsic biological value as a biodiversity hotspot.

Vegetation types

Cape Town is located within a Conservation International biodiversity hotspot and is home to 19 distinct vegetation types.
These 19 vegetation types are mostly restricted to unusually small areas, and several are completely endemic to the city – occurring nowhere else in the world. Vegetation types include the following.

Endemism

Of the thousands of plant species that are indigenous to Cape Town, 190 are known to be endemic. In addition, there are over a hundred animal species that are restricted to the city. Endemic plant species include the following.
;Cape Peninsula endemics
;Additional species

Species records in South African Biodiversity Database

Mammals

Mammals present in Cape Town, as of 2011, include the following.Acomys subspinosus Amblysomus hottentotus Aonyx capensis Arctocephalus pusillus Atilax paludinosus Eubalaena glacialis Bathyergus suillus Canis lupus familiaris Cephalorhynchus heavisidii Chlorotalpa duthieae Connochaetes gnou Crocidura cyanea Cryptomys hottentotus Cynictis penicillata Damaliscus pygargus pygargus Delphinus delphis Dendromus melanotis Dendromus mesomelas Elephantulus edwardii Eptesicus capensis Eremitalpa granti Felis caracal Felis silvestris catus Galerella pulverulenta Genetta genetta Genetta tigrina Georychus capensis Gerbillurus paeba Herpestes ichneumon Hippopotamus amphibius Hystrix africaeaustralis Ictonyx striatus Kogia simus Lagenodelphis hosei Lagenorhynchus obscurus Lepus capensis Lepus saxatilis Myomyscus verreauxii, syn. Mastomys verreauxii Mellivora capensis Mirounga leonina Mus minutoides Mus musculus Myosorex varius Mystromys albicaudatus Orcinus orca Oreotragus oreotragus Orycteropus afer Otocyon megalotis Otomys irroratus Otomys unisulcatus Panthera pardus Papio ursinus Pelea capreolus Poecilogale albinucha Procavia capensis Pronolagus rupestris Pseudorca crassidens Raphicerus campestris Raphicerus melanotis Rattus norvegicus Rattus rattus Rhabdomys pumilio Rousettus aegyptiacus Sciurus carolinensis Suncus varilla Sylvicapra grimmia Tatera afra Vulpes chama

Fish

Fish present in Cape Town, as of 2011, include the following.Amblyrhynchotes honkenii Anguilla mossambica steinitzi Atherina breviceps Caffrogobius multifasciatus Caffrogobius nudiceps Clarias gariepinus Cyprinus carpio Galaxias zebratus Gambusia affinis Gilchristella aestuarius Heteromycteris capensis Lichia amia Lithognathus lithognathus Liza dumerilii Liza richardsonii Micropterus salmoides Mugil cephalus Oreochromis mossambicus Pomatomus saltatrix Psammogobius knysnaensis Rhabdosargus globiceps Rhabdosargus holubi Solea bleekeri Leptonotus norae

Reptiles

Reptiles present in Cape Town, as of 2011, include the following.Acontias meleagris Acontias meleagris meleagris Acontias meleagris orientalis Afrogecko porphyreus Agama atra Aspidelaps lubricus lubricus Bitis arietans Bitis atropos Bradypodion pumilum Chamaesaura anguina Chersina angulata Cordylus cordylus Cordylus niger Cordylus polyzonus Dasypeltis scabra Dispholidus typus Duberria lutrix Duberria lutrix lutrix Geochelone pardalis Goggia lineata Hemachatus haemachatus Homopus areolatus Homoroselaps lacteus Lamprophis aurora Lamprophis capensis Lamprophis guttatus Lamprophis inornatus Leptotyphlops longicaudus Lycodonomorphus rufulus Meroles knoxii Naja nivea Pachydactylus austeni Pachydactylus geitje Pachydactylus labialis Pedioplanis lineoocellata Pelomedusa subrufa Psammophis crucifer Psammophis leightoni Psammophis notostictus Psammophylax rhombeatus Pseudaspis cana Pseudocordylus microlepidotus Ramphotyphlops braminus Rhinotyphlops lalandei Scelotes bipes Scelotes montispectus Tetradactylus seps Tetradactylus tetradactylus Trachylepis capensis Trachylepis homalocephala Typhlosaurus aurantiacus

Amphibians

Amphibians present in Cape Town, as of 2011, include the following.Amietia fuscigula Amietophrynus pantherinus Amietophrynus rangeri Arthroleptella landdrosia Arthroleptella villiersi Breviceps gibbosus Breviceps montanus Breviceps namaquensis Breviceps rosei Cacosternum boettgeri Cacosternum platys Heleophryne rosei Hyperolius horstockii Hyperolius marmoratus Microbatrachella capense Strongylopus bonaspei Strongylopus grayii Strongylopus grayii grayii Tomopterna delalandii Vandijkophrynus angusticeps

Insects

Insects present in Cape Town, as of 2011, include the following.Acraea horta Anax imperator Apis mellifera capensis Cacyreus marshalli Chrysoritis pyroeis pyroeis Colias electo electo Crocothemis erythraea Danaus chrysippus aegyptius Dira clytus clytus Eichochrysops messapus messapus Gegenis niso niso Ischnura senegalensis Lampides boeticus Leptotes brevidentatus Leptotes pirithous Macroglossum trochilus Metisella metis metis Orthetrum caffrum Orthetrum julia Papilio demodocus demodocus Pieris brassicae Pontia helice helice Pseudonympha magus Tarucus thespis Tramea limbata Vanessa cardui Zophopetes dysmephila

Fungi

Fungi present in Cape Town, as of 2011, include the following.Agaricus bisporus Agaricus campestris Agaricus xanthodermus Amanita muscaria Coprinus comatus Coprinus micaceus Favolaschia thwaitesiiGymnopilus junonius Gymnopilus penetrans Laccaria laccata Lactarius deliciosus Lactarius vietus Laschia thwaitesiiLepiota felina Macrolepiota zeyheri Mycena leptocephala Pycnoporus sanguineus Russula capensis Russula sardonia Stereum hirsutum Suillus bellinii Tricholoma albobrunneum Vascellum praetense