Latest news
Damara Trail Wins Silver Award at International Tourism Film Festival Africa 2025
CapeNature is proud to announce that its Damara Trail video series has won the Silver Award in the Tourism – Products category at the prestigious International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) 2025.
CapeNature’s videos stood out for their compelling storytelling, visual excellence, and ability to capture the essence of nature-based tourism in the Western Cape.
“We are incredibly proud that the Damara Trail videos have been recognised on an international platform. This award helps to underline our commitment to sustainable tourism offerings. Much like the Damara Trail itself, the video helps to tell the unique history and story of the Waenhuiskrans area to visitors both far and near,” said Sheraaz Ismail, Executive Director: Eco-Tourism and Access.
Climbing in Rocklands this Season? Here’s What You Need to Know After the Cederberg Fire
The Cederberg, a protected wilderness area managed by CapeNature and home to some of the most iconic climbing and bouldering routes in South Africa, was recently impacted by a wildfire that began on 7 March 2025. The fire ignited near Krakadouw Peak and burned for 13 days, before being fully contained on 20 March. In total, it scorched 20,834 hectares, spanning 97 kilometers of fire line, and included damage to the Rocklands “Bouldering Area” — a popular climbing zone. As a result of the fire, several popular climbing sectors and access routes have been damaged or are temporarily inaccessible.
The Big Biodiversity Challenge is back – Learners Tackle Biodiversity Crisis in Provincial Competition
The Western Cape Environmental Education Friends (WCEEF), together with members CapeNature, SANBI, Nature Connect, SANParks, Working on Fire, the City of Cape Town, The Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) and the Two Oceans Aquarium, is thrilled to announce the return of its successful competition for children in grades 6 – 9.
CapeNature's vision - Protecting biodiversity for a sustainable future
Biodiversity forms the bedrock of life on Earth. It is essential not only for sustaining healthy ecosystems but also for ensuring human wellbeing. Last week, on 22 May, we celebrated International Day for Biological Diversity, to raise awareness, educate, and build understanding around biodiversity issues, while inspiring collective effort to conserve it for future generations.
Task team briefs Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group on progress and way forward
The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) consisting of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town, hosted its second meeting with the Cape Peninsula Baboon Advisory Group (CPBAG) on 27 May 2025. The Shark Spotters who are implementing selected operational tasks under the banner of the Cape Baboon Partnership, also provided feedback on progress and challenges with the implementation of the Cape Peninsula Baboon Strategic Management Plan.
Record-breaking pine clearing operation strengthens water security at Boosmansbos
A successful HeliHack operation has cleared 15 194 invasive pine trees from the rugged slopes of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area – a CapeNature-managed World Heritage Site and crucial catchment area feeding the Duivenhoks Dam.
From 3–5 May 2025, the latest mission to tackle the invasive alien vegetation marked the most successful pine removal in the initiative’s history.
Conservation in action
Ghosted: First Scientific Record of Albino Honey Badger on De Hoop Nature Reserve
CapeNature granted BirdLife South Africa and Panthera a research permit to undertake a camera trap survey at De Hoop Nature Reserve. Among the images captured was an extremely rare albino honey badger (Mellivora capensis), which is the first record of this condition for this species in scientific literature
Celebrating gender equality in conservation
There is a number of women working at CapeNature in so-called non-conventional roles. The entity is known for creating an enabling environment where women employees can thrive and progress.
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.
Monitoring the Great White Shark
The waters around Dyer Island are an important seasonal feeding ground for great white sharks. Researchers working through Dyer Island Conservation Trust have demonstrated a decrease in white shark sightings around the island since 2017.
Possibly extinct Brenton blue butterfly
Of the two localities at which it is known to have occurred, the Brenton blue butterfly is now extinct at one (Nature’s Valley) and possibly extinct at the other (the Brenton Blue Butterfly Reserve near Knysna).
Conservation of Barrydale redfin
The tiny Critically Endangered Barrydale redfin, for example, is limited to just 40 km2 in the Tradouw catchment where it is threatened by water abstraction, pollution and alien fish.
Events Calendar
International Zebra Day
International Zebra Day
CapeNature Conservation Review 2024
CapeNature Conservation Review 2024
World Wetlands Day 2024
World Wetlands Day 2024
Featured accommodation
Reviews
Featured reserves
Goukamma Nature Reserve
We recommend that you use a vehicle with a high ground clearance when traversing on reserve.
Goukamma Nature and Marine Reserve was proclaimed a marine protected area in 1990 and it is heralded as one of the country’s conservation success stories. The reserve stretches along 16.5km of the coastline between Buffalo Bay and Platbank, and 2 500 hectares inland.
Buffalo Valley’s three self-catering timber lodges are fully equipped and sleep between four to six people.
Buffalo Valley is a large conservation area two kilometres from the warm Indian Ocean.
Marloth Nature Reserve
Marloth Nature Reserve is hidden away in the imposing Swellendam Mountains, between Swellendam, Ashton, Barrydale and Suurbraak. The peaceful reserve, which is 14 123 hectares in size, is managed together with 16 532 hectares of privately owned land, and is a World Heritage Site.