Peace in Suburbia – Struben Dam, Pretoria
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The dam and bird sanctuary
There is a little spot in Pretoria where birds are free from fear, where water reflects the beauty of the sky and the surrounding trees and a few fishermen try their luck, hoping to catch a bass or a carp. This little spot is like a rural island in the middle of the surrounding suburbia of the eastern parts of Pretoria, about a 10 minute drive from my home.
The place is called Struben Dam and is actually part of the flood control system of the Waterkloof Spruit (a spruit is a small stream). This area around the dam, about 12 hectares in size, is a bird and wildlife sanctuary, home to nagapies (bush babies or galagos), mongoose, otters, water rats and a lot of birds. Within the park are a large number of indigenous tress (also a lot of alien invader plants) and about 22 grass species.
It is a lovely, peaceful escape from the hubbub of the city, a place where one can relax and recharge with the sounds of running water and bird calls.
The park is part of the green belt running through the eastern suburbs of Pretoria along the Moreleta Spruit and its tributaries. It is managed by the city's Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management and the dam, which was developed by the city's engineers, is still supervised by them as part of the flood control system.
Most of the time the dam is very peaceful, but there have been times when I have seen it doing its flood control thing! In January 2009 we had a very high rate of precipitation in Pretoria which caused the level of the dam to rise above 100% and so there was a dramatic flow into the spillway.
The Friends of Struben Dam
The park is under threat from pollution which comes down the Waterkloof Spruit into the dam, as well as encroaching urban development. The alien plant species which have established themselves in the park are also a threat to the indigenous vegetation.
To help protect the area and keep it as pristine as possible an organisation of local residents called the Friends of Struben Dam has been formed.
The stated mission of the Friends of Struben Dam is to “assist in the upgrading and maintenance of Struben Dam Bird Sanctuary in conjunction with the City of Tshwane (Pretoria is a local municipality within the Metropolitan Municipality of Tshwane) Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management and with the support of the Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa.”
Bush babies
The lesser galagos or bush babies (nagapies – meaning “night monkeys”) which are resident in the Struben Dam Bird Sanctuary are nocturnal primates about the size of a squirrel, making the one of the smallest primates. These little creatures are extremely cute-looking with very large eyes to give them better night vision. Their cuteness makes them popular pets, though this is being actively discouraged, as they are thought to be likely sources of zoonoses, diseases that can cross species boundaries.
The name “bush baby” was possibly given them because they are very vocal and make a sound very like the cry of a very young human infant.
The diet of these cute little primates is made up of leaves, insects and fruit, basically anything that is available in the particular season.
The bush baby has extremely powerful back legs which can propel it into prodigious jumps of up to 20 feet. Quite a feet for a little guy!
The Birds
The birds I have seen in this wonderful place are red bishops, masked weavers, Cape sparrows, hadeda ibises and reed cormorants.
There are also a number of duck frequenting the water. I think I have identified a couple of southern pochards.
I am sure there are many other birds there but I have never been there at the right time to see them. Maybe next time!
A slide show of Struben Dam photos
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Copyright notice
The text and all images on this page, unless otherwise indicated, are by Tony McGregor who hereby asserts his copyright on the material. Should you wish to use any of the text or images feel free to do so with proper attribution and, if possible, a link back to this page. Thank you.
© Tony McGregor 2010
Innes Road, Pretoria, next to Struben Dam - The access to Struben Dam is off Innes Road
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What a delightful intro into your area, so rich in wildlife and other beautiful scenery! It's such a pleasure to have a nearby "country place" within a city environment. I have that here too, in Dallas. I live very close (especially as the crow flied) to a 1000 acre lake right in the city limits. It has many pleasant memories for me, from my college days forward.
Thanks for this share and very interesting read!!!
Mentalist - thanks for you kind words.
Nellie - thank you. I would love to see something of that lake in Dallas - it must be beautiful.
Thanks for the visits and the comments, good people!
Love and peace
Tony
Tony: Any group that seeks to preserve nature helps to keep our planet balanced. Even if I have been online since the 90's, I still find it awesome we can connect and peek into other parts of the world via the internet, so I enjoyed looking at your photos and reading!
Violet - keeping our planet and ourselves balanced is very important, I agree. And I too find it awesome to be able to be in touch with so many people in so many places! It's just wonderful.
Thanks for the visit and the thoughtful comment.
Love and peace
Tony
Tony- I would have to drive far longer than 10 minutes to be blessed with this kind of paradise.......... you're a lucky man, and it's a place well worth fighting to keep from pollution, invasive species, and development!
Thank you once again for sharing your homeland!
Kaie
Wow! Thank you Tony for sharing. It is beautiful!!
What a beautiful place you have there just near your home! No wonder the tone of your hubs reflects the peace and quiet that surround your life. You're a lucky person, Tony! You have nature at its best.
Thanks for this beautiful and relaxing hub.
I especially enjoyed the photograph of the Red Bishop. Thank you for sharing, Tonymac.
Visiting South Africa is on my list of 50 Things....
Ten minutes away? You lucky sod! :-))
Beautiful place and write up. Bushbabies are fascinating little creatures. You are very lucky
Thanks again Tony for taking me back home, close to where I grew up. So glad to hear that wildlife is still accommodated in this ever-changing world, especially so close to the big cities. Loved the photographs, especially the Red Bishop. If every person can do just one thing to make others aware of nature and our plight to nature, life would be so much more wonderful. Thanks for a beautifully written hub.
Wonderful tour, as usual. Sorry about the invasive species. We, too, are having problems in the US with invasive plants and animals--now it's feral pigs and pythons, for Pete's sake. I guess we could be considered to be an invasive species by nature, too, though. Beautiful hub.
Kaie - I know I'm lucky, and that we have to stay vigilant ot protect places like this from the threats. I think the biggest one is the development issue.
Melinda - thanks for the visit and the kind words.
Francia - I like to think that I contribute to peace. Thanks.
Sabu - glad you liked that photo. It's one of my favourites also.
DG - I am a lucky sod and I work hard to keep it that way! South Africa is a great place to be.
Ethel - the bushbabies are wonderful creatures. I ahve not seen them at this dam (I don't get up early enough in the morning!) but have seen them in the place where I grew up in the Eastern Cape.
Marijana - thanks for your kind words and glad you also liked that photo. We all need to be aware, I think, of the threat that we humans are to other species. And to the natural world in general. We are connected!
Chasing cars - sorry to hear that you are also having invasive species problems. I think it is all over the world, actually. In some parts of the US there are also problems with Africanised bees. And yes, we humans are an invasive species in most places!
Thanks all for visiting and for your much-appreciated comments. I love you all!
Love and peace
Tony
Beautifully written I can tell the concern and the feelings you have for this place in your writing.
I had always heard that song, "Marching to Pretoria" but didn't know it was a real place.
Janny - thanks for the visit and the comment and yes, I am concerned about this place (and many others!).
Lori - thanks for the visit and glad to have enlightened you!
Love and peace
Tony
Sounds and looks like a lovely place to while away a few hours. Nice hub.
Brian - it is that, indeed! And I've spent a few lovely hours there. Always something interesting to see and do.
Love and peace
Tony
I love this piece but there is something i took out from it cos it tells alot about the world around me..Sir you said
"There is a little spot in Pretoria where birds are free from fear"...
If there could be so many little spots every where in the world,there will be no more wars,thank you sire,i love this hub.
Struben Dam looks so peaceful.
Rossi - indeed it would be so wonderful, that's why it's so important to me that such places are protected!
Sandy - it is a place of calm and peace, indeed!
Thanks to you both for dropping by and commenting. Appreciate it very much.
Love and peace
Tony
It is such a beautiful place , I wish I could come see it.
The places we have left in the world that help bring peace of mind are slowly all being destroyed. I hope this lovely place survives.
BJ - come on over - you would be most welcome and we could show you a lot more places that are wonderful!
You are right, though. These places are treasures that need to be protected.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting. I appreciate it.
Love and peace
Tony
What a neat place!
Habee - thanks for stopping by and commenting. I appreciate it very much indeed.
Love and peace
Tony
How lovely! Isn't wonderful sometimes to look at the beauty still in the world even though there is so much horror going on too. Stop and smell the roses now and then..... Lovely piece . Thank you
Thank you, Dim, for reading and commenting. Important to fuel the mind and spirit with beauty and peace now and then, and this place is just right for doing that. Thanks again.
Love and peace
Tonyy
Looks like an absolutely wonderful place. Going around to the various hubs that describe parts of the world, I'm reminded how much I have yet to see. Great stuff.
Springboard - thanks for stopping by and commenting. There is indeed so much to see and experience in this wonderful world of ours!
Love and peace
Tony
What a really nice, peaceful, relaxing looking place to visit. Thanks for sharing nature's beautiful scenery with us. :)
MG - thanks for the visit and the comment. It is always a pleasure to share nature's beauty with others who appreciate it, like you!
Love and peace
Tony
Tony I enjoyed the piece very much and you projected the tranquility you get from the dam and nature wonderfully - thanks for sharing with us all.
Thanks for your kind words, Billy. I appreciate your visit.
Love and peace
Tony
A truly lovely place. And well worth fighting to conserve. Thank you for the great pics and fine writing.
James - thank you for dropping by and for your kind words which are most appreciated!
Love and peace
Tony
Bird sanctuaries are a gift to humans and to the birds that dwell therein. How awesome that you are so near one and have such a scenic spot to live. Thumbs up!
Patty - yes bird sanctuaries are a wonderful gift to us and to the birds, as you say. I love this one particularly because of the dam and the sense of peace one gets there. I always feel so blessed to have such a place so close by.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting, I really do appreciate it.
Love and peace
Tony
This is amazing Tony!
Thank you Ann - it is a lovely place indeed. Thanks for dropping by and commenting. I appreciate it.
Love and peace
Tony
I like the words you used, it evoke some kind of perpetual emotions, most of all I like the message, the image is soothing, beautiful, Maita
Wonderful information. Looks so peaceful.
Such nice and refreshing and so healing Hub...thank you, Tony.
We have animals very alike to your bush babies and call them "puh"...unbeliveable intelligent and communicative creatures.
Peace and love.
Maita - thanks for those kind words and glad you liked the words and images.
Sandy - thank you also! It is a lovely, peaceful place.
Tatjana - would love to know more about "puh" - have you written anything about them?
Thanks again all.
Love and peace
Tony
Yo Tony! Very nice again Sir! I love the little critters!
Thank you Micky for your kind words and for dropping by. I really appreciate your visits!
Love and peac
Tony
Do you by any chance know how to get in contact with Friends of Struben? I know the name and have done searches and came upon this post. I live next to the dam and want to discuss something with them. Thanks, brunilda@brunilda.me
Mentalist acer Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago
Beautiful imagry Tonymac...!!