The picturesque setting of Island Lake in the Wilderness recently played host to a significant event on 8 May 2024. CapeNature’s Groenvlei Carp Project supported by Gift of the Givers were gifted a new fishing boat by the Oceana Group. Thousands of people from communities in the Southern Cape and Karoo have benefitted from this extremely successful feeding scheme project.

On 30 April 2024, CapeNature hosted a firefighters appreciation event at Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve to honour the brave men and women who were on the frontlines during the Western Cape’s fire season.

Pack your bags, grab the essentials and head towards one of CapeNature’s pristine reserves for your next winter holiday, and take advantage of our spectacular 40% saving on select self-catering accommodation and campsites.

In the heart of Betty’s Bay lies the Stony Point African Penguin colony, a critical breeding ground for these beloved seabirds. This colony has become a beacon of hope thanks to the collaborative efforts of several key partners: CapeNature, SANCCOB, Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT)/African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-SA), and the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. Together, these entities have implemented an integrated programme that has positively impacted the local penguin population.

The Cape mountain zebra known as GB42 has had an exciting year! In January, this stallion from Gamkaberg Nature Reserve sired a foal with genetic material from two of the three genetically distinct stocks of the species. In March, there was proof that 2023 was a busy year for GB42 after a second foal was born with genes from all three stocks.

World Travel Market (WTM) Africa concluded with impressive momentum, reflecting a 53% increase in attendees, indicating robust growth in African tourism.

CapeNature’s Bird Island Nature Reserve in Lambert’s Bay, known for its stunning seafront vistas and diverse birdlife, recently hosted unexpected visitors that sent bird enthusiasts into a frenzy. In a rare sighting, four Australasian Gannets and two Brown Boobies made a surprise visit to the island.

It is widely known that South Africa, and in particular the Western Cape, suffers from water scarcity. This reality underscores the critical need to prioritise the conservation of freshwater ecosystems and their catchments to ensure a sustainable supply of water for both biodiversity and human consumption. The provision of water is categorised as one of the ecosystem services offered by natural freshwater ecosystems.

In honour of tourist guides, CapeNature and the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) would like to recognise the important role tour guides play within the tourism industry in the province and beyond.

Love is in the air at CapeNature reserves this February! If you are planning to wine and dine your beloved or are in need of some self-care in the breathtaking views and wide open spaces of nature then visit one of our reserves.

World Wetlands Day, celebrated every year on 2 February, marks the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty with the mission to conserve wetlands. This day is celebrated to raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands. The theme for 2024 is “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing”.

The birth of a unique foal at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is a beacon of hope for Cape mountain zebra conservation. Over the last 300 years, hunting and habitat destruction has decimated Cape mountain zebra numbers and isolated the three remaining small populations.