The South African grasslands biome is a very old, complex and slowly-evolved system where indigenous species diversity is second only to the well-known Cape Floristic Region. It contains:

• 72 vegetation types,
• 42 river ecosystems,
• 3 370 plant species,
• 15 of South Africa’s 34 endemic mammal species,
• 10 of South Africa’s 14 globally threatened bird species,
• 5 Ramsar wetlands,
• Three World Heritage Sites: the Cradle of Humankind, Ukuhlamba/Drakensberg and the Vredefort Dome.