The Tygerberg Nature Reserve

Hills that are steep and alive with some truly scary creatures. By

Now, my friend is a tallish, big guy who would brook no nonsense from kabouters (trolls). But even he got a fright when I jumped up with a loud, girlish scream. Something (or someone) had grabbed hold of my lower ankle and attempted to either make love to it or generally give me a hug bite of sorts.

Again, being a tough sort and always paraat (ready), I jumped up and tried to flee. However, seeing a few ladies approaching, I immediately turned around to address the scoundrel attacking me, obviously expecting to win Voyager Miles in the eyes of said ladies.

There, staring rather malevolently at me, was a fat field mouse, with scrapings of skin cells on his tiny yet sharp claws.

I combined two immediate responses to it: I jumped further back with a weak flex of my sphincter while squealing comfortingly at it, as if to soothe its own shattered nerves. I think I failed in scoring miles.

For the rest of the walk we saw many of these well-fed rodents impudently walking across our path in full view. Almost as if to say, “yeah, right, you wimp, bring it on”.

In all seriousness, the reserve is green with spring in the air. Lots of seed is available, as well as water. There are numerous trails to be walked, making it suitable for all levels of fitness. It is also well signposted, but do yourself a favour and don’t try pressing what look like digital buttons on the signage boards. They don’t work. Use your mapping skills.

The City of Cape Town has an instructive website in terms of the many different species of organisms on this small patch of land.

What I wouldn’t do to be a field mouse in times such as these. Except for the numerous species of birds hovering in the air who would be watching little mouseling me.

Meet me there every Saturday morning when the weather allows.

Footnote: The “boerewors curtain” is a social construct related to where people in Cape Town live – an imaginary dividing line between the Afrikaans-speaking northern suburbs and the English-speaking southern parts. Similarly, in Gauteng, when you cross the Jukskei River going from Johannesburg to Pretoria, you’ve crossed the boerewors curtain. It’s the softer version of the Iron Curtain.

Below left to right: A field mouse, much like the one that frightened the writer; the writer peers into the cannon, a historical landmark on the Tygerberg Hills; the Kristo Pienaar Environmental Education Centre in the nature reserve. Photos: Supplied; iStock

Above: A park bench in the Tygerberg Nature Reserve, which lies in Cape Town’s northern suburbs; Below left: Highly threatened Swartland Shale Renosterveld in the reserve. (Photos: Wikipedia); Below right: A view of Table Mountain from the reserve. Photo: Larry Dolley