When NASA isn’t spending its time exploring the depths of outer space, its lending its technology for the ambitious BioSCape project, which seeks to detect patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem health in the fynbos biome.

Three months ago, on 1 August, leading conservation, animal welfare and volunteer organisations in the Western Cape joined forces to launch Snare Free – a multi-component initiative aimed at providing a coordinated response to snared wildlife incidents in the province. A lot has happened since!

On July 22, 2023, the CapeNature team from Kammanassie Nature Reserve carried out a critical rescue mission involving a Cape Mountain Zebra (CMZ) on the Diepprivier farm property in the Noll area, situated approximately 30 kilometers from Kammanassie.

CapeNature’s marine rangers led a herculean effort with the support of the community and up to now more than a thousand seahorses were rescued and 720 have been returned to their natural habitat. They are being put back into the estuaries where they usually occur and where there is a huge eelgrass bed where they seek refuge and shelter and where they find their food.

The geometric tortoise (Psammobates geometricus), classified as Critically Endangered, ranks among the top 25 most imperilled tortoises and turtles globally. Its future remains uncertain, with an estimated wild population of fewer than 3000. This species is highly specialised in its habitat requirements, historically found in the low-lying renosterveld shrublands of the Swartland, Upper Breede River Valley, and Ceres Valley.

Last year, African Penguins successfully bred at De Hoop Nature Reserve, and this year, a pair is once again nurturing two chicks at the new colony. These chicks were spotted at the end of June, perched just outside the nest that was occupied the previous year. African Penguins display remarkable fidelity to their colonies and often return to the same nest annually to reunite with their mates.

Invasive alien plant species are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss and threaten many indigenous species. To address this issue, government laws, specifically the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983 (Act NO. 43 of 1983) and the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act NO. 10 of 2004), legally obligate landowners to monitor, control, and eradicate alien invasive plants.

A joint initiative between VulPro, Cango Wildlife Ranch, and CapeNature results in the triumphant rehabilitation and release of a Cape Vulture.VulPro, based on the outskirts of Hartebeespoort Dam in the Northwest Province, is a specialised vulture conservation organisation that also undertakes specialist rehabilitation of vultures. VulPro collects injured or grounded birds from every corner of South Africa in an effort to reduce losses - giving each bird a second chance of release and survival.

CapeNature will join hands with local communities in hosting the #DontBeTrashy drive from 1 to 30 September 2023. In the face of an escalating waste crisis, the #DontBeTrashy drive is a shining beacon of hope, advocating for a greener, more sustainable world.

CapeNature is proud to present the 2022 State of Conservation Report. This is the third State of Conservation Report to inform the periodic Western Cape State of Biodiversity Report, as mandated by the newly assented Western Cape Biodiversity Act, aimed at providing the status of indicators for assessing the global state of biodiversity.

Due to the high number of fires that occur as a result of negligence, it is critical that everyone is aware of the significant role they can play in stopping veldfires before they start. Veldfires place all fire-fighters at risk as they put their lives in danger to protect life, property, and biodiversity.

The management of alien and invasive plant species can sometimes lead to confusion in terms of applicable legislation. There are two national laws that need to be considered, namely the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983 (CARA) and the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA). All landowners have a responsibility and legal liability in relation to the control of invasive vegetation.