Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Protected wildlife area near Middelburg, South Africa.
Loskop Dam Nature Reserve is a protected area with a large reservoir on the Olifants River in Mpumalanga, combining savanna landscapes and river gorge. Water stretches for many kilometers while open grassland and wooded patches alternate around it.
The dam was built in the 1930s to hold back water in the Olifants Gorge. Decades later the wall was raised to hold additional water.
The name reflects the Loskop Gorge through which water flows and shapes the landscape. Visitors can still see the steep rock walls that give the place its distinctive character.
The reserve can be explored on foot along paths through different landscapes or from the water by boat for wildlife viewing. Bring water and sun protection, as the sun is intense here and shade is limited.
The dam attracts anglers because large fish such as yellowfish live in the water, species rarely seen elsewhere. These fish have made their home here since the reservoir formed and draw people from far away.
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