Conservation
Estuaries Between Drought and Flood
The Western Cape has just emerged from, in some areas, up to an eight-year drought cycle. This is linked to bigger global oceanic and climatic conditions. The poor rainfall resulted in low freshwater flows in the rivers and very little freshwater reaching the estuaries which are the receiving environment of the freshwater flows left in the rivers after abstraction and use in the catchment.
The Critically Endangered Caledon Conebush
The critically endangered Caledon conebush, Leucadendron salteri subsp. elimense, occurs in an area of less than 9 km², in four small, severely fragmented subpopulations. It continues to decline due to alien plant invasion, ongoing habitat loss to agriculture, and wildflower harvesting.
Western Cape Protected Area Expansion Strategy 2021-2025
A strong network of private and state protected areas has proved to be an important mechanism to conserve biodiversity and improve land management.
CapeNature introduces the newest conservation kid on the block
CapeNature launched the brand new “LoveNature with Mbali” educational animated series today. Learners from Grade 4 to 7 can follow the live protagonist, Mbali, a 13-year old nature lover and her side-kick, the CapeNature Bot as they explore various conservation related topics. And what is more, the content is fully curriculum aligned.
South African Children’s series wins gold at international filming festival
The Siyaya – Come wild with us series recently walked away with the highest acclaim - Best Documentary - at the Golden Bee International Children’s Film Festival held in New Delhi, India. As a first-time entry for any award, this extraordinary series, bridging the gap between young children and nature, was chosen as the category winner for outstanding children’s documentary. The festival drew 186 entries from 18 countries covering three categories: best documentary; best short film and best feature film.
NASA’s BioSCape Project to assess Cape Floristic Region
The South Western Cape hosts a famously rich biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine, which is largely derived from the phenomenal levels of biodiversity change over very small distances (technically, represented by beta, gamma and zeta diversity as one expands spatial scope). This has attracted the attention of NASA, the United States of America’s Space Agency.
Groenvlei Carp Project
The Invasive Fish Species Management Non Profit Company (IFSM) consists of a group of volunteers that approached CapeNature in 2018 to remove invasive carp from Groenvlei lake by means of fishing bows.
Save our biodiversity by helping us fight plant poaching!
We are currently facing challenges in the Western Cape with succulent plant poaching. The succulent plant trade has thus changed into an operation much like that of rhino poaching, where the main role-players sit offshore, and the poaching is done by local people.
Fire awareness - BE THE HERO THIS SUMMER
Reporting a fire quickly can mean the difference between minor damage and total devastation. Fires can be reported by dialling 112 from a cell phone or 10177 from a landline.
The importance of fish diversity and abundance
World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on 21 November throughout the world by fishing communities. The day helps to highlight the critical importance of fish and the lives they sustain, both in and out of water.