International Day of Biodiversity, held on Wednesday (May 22), provided Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) with an opportunity to celebrate its global reputation for its commitment to responsible tourism and its contributions to protecting the historic mountain on which it operates one of the world’s grandest cableway experiences.
Cape Town’s aerial cableway is within the Table Mountain National Park – a pristine ecosystem of biodiversity – which is also situated within the Cape Floral Kingdom, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The journey by cable car affords panoramic views of the region’s environment and natural habitat. The Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest of the world's six floral kingdoms but is home to over 9 000 plant species, 69% of which are endemic to the region.
Biodiversity hotspot
Table Mountain is a biodiversity hotspot with over 2 000 (mostly endemic) plant species, which have adapted and evolved to thrive in the nutrient-poor sandstone-based soils of the mountain's slopes and valleys.
Visitors might also spot some fauna, as the area sports a rich diversity of wildlife, including porcupines, dassies, caracal (rooikat), klipspringers, several snake species, and over 200 different kinds of birds.
The broader region is also a sanctuary for a diverse array of reptiles, which visitors might catch sight of during their mountain excursions, including several rare tortoise species.
The biome also hosts amphibian species found nowhere else in the world, while the mountain's streams are inhabited by endemic fish species, such as the Cape galaxias and redfin minnows.
The mountain also hosts an array of invertebrates, including hundreds of butterfly species, notably the Table Mountain Beauty, colloquially known as the Mountain Pride butterfly.
“Visitors to Table Mountain play a crucial role in safeguarding this botanical wonder for generations to come. A key element of TMACC’s approach is to involve every visitor and every member of staff in the process, and to help them embrace their role as co-stewards of the mountain and its rich heritage,” said Selma Hercules, TMACC’s Executive Director.
Low environmental impact
“TMACC’s facilities are specially designed to have a low environmental impact. The company uses energy-efficient technologies and has a robust water management system, in which water is carried up and down the mountain in the cable cars. The water tanks at the base of the cable cars also act as stabilising ballasts that prevent the cars from swaying in high winds.
“This is one of the innovations that allow millions of travellers to experience the breathtaking pristine beauty of the mountain without altering its water cycles, or disturbing its delicate natural aquatic biology,” Hercules added.
The region experiences a yearly fire season that spans much of spring, summer, and autumn. Many plants, trees, and shrubs are adapted to depend on these fires for their survival.
Some fynbos species rely on fire to stimulate seed germination. These periodic fires are thereby a natural feature of the mountainous landscape and help to rejuvenate the biome by clearing old growth and making way for new life.
Although on-site carbon neutrality is not feasible for an attraction of its scope, TMACC has achieved a nett-zero carbon footprint through carbon offset programmes.
Kuyasa, a low-carbon housing development and solar geyser project in Khayelitsha, in conjunction with Credible Carbon, has seen around 2 100 homes given solar water heaters, energy-efficient lighting, and improved insulation, with positive impacts rippling throughout the community.
