5 million-year-old velvet worm species thriving on Garden Route
By Staff Reporter
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Five velvet worm species discovered in and around the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) recently show a healthy eco-system as the 5 million-year-old species thrive only in âpristine conditionsâ.
SANParks said the discovery of
peripatopsis clavigera was made by independent researchers from Stellenbosch University â Aaron Barnes, Till Reiss and Savel Daniels.
GRNP general manager Vuyiswa Thabethe said they were excited about the news.
âNot only are we in the midst of age-old wonder creatures dating back as far as 5 million years ago, velvet worms thrive in pristine conditions only. Their existence in the forest point to how well the forests are managed under the GRNP. The forests are healthy and thriving,â Thabethe said.
iAfrica 4 days ago 3 min read
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Five species of velvet worms were discovered in and around the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) by independent researchers from the University of Stellenbosch, Aaron Barnes, Till Reiss and Savel Daniels.
Vuyiswa Thabethe, General Manager of the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) indicated that the Park has received the news with excitement and that “not only are we in the midst of age-old wonder creatures dating back as far as 5 million years ago, velvet worms thrive in pristine conditions only. Their existence in the forest point to how well the forests are managed under the GRNP. The forests are healthy and thriving.”
Research by the University of Stellenbosch's Aaron Barnes, Till Reiss and Savel Daniels found the five species of velvet worms in and around the Garden Route National Park.