Western Cape’s conservation estate grows by 47 000 hectares

The Western Cape has added some 47 000 hectares to its conservation estate through the declaration of two new nature reserves and the expansion of two others.

This significant expansion in protected areas provides space for Cape mountain zebras to breed and improves the protection of many threatened succulent plants, mammals and bird species across the province.

The declarations have increased the size of two existing nature reserves – Anysberg in the Karoo and the Knersvlakte in Namaqualand by a combined 41 000 hectares. The two newly declared reserves are Waterkloof near Ladismith and Zebraskop in the Gamkaberg area of the Klein Karoo, which add a further 6 000 hectares to this number.

All four declarations were made possible with land purchased by WWF South Africa using funds raised through the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust and other sources.

Together, these properties improve ecological integrity and enhance landscape connectivity. Landscape connectivity is increasingly being appreciated in conservation efforts, creating vital corridors that allow wildlife to move more freely between protected areas. The declarations also count towards South Africa’s ambition of conserving 30% of land and marine areas by 2030 – the very ambitious conservation goal set out by the United Nations.

Anysberg expansion

With support from the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust, Anysberg Nature Reserve has grown by 6 918 hectares to safeguard key botanical diversity. The extension protects 14 vegetation types from both the Succulent Karoo and Fynbos biomes, five of which were previously unrepresented in any protected area. It also strengthens ecological linkages between Anysberg, Sanbona Nature Reserve, Destiny Nature Reserve and the Klipgat stewardship site.

This landscape is rich in biodiversity, hosting around 180 bird species, several antelope species, aardvark, leopards, Cape mountain zebras and the Critically Endangered riverine rabbit. The expansion also supports climate change adaptation by helping to maintain essential ecological processes.

Knersvlakte expansion

In Namaqualand, the Knersvlakte Nature Reserve has been expanded by 34 084 hectares, which is the largest single addition since its establishment in 2014. Funded by the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust, this expansion greatly strengthens the reserve’s ecological integrity and boundary consolidation.

The area now includes nine additional vegetation types, many of which were previously unprotected or poorly protected. The Succulent Karoo biome is a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot and faces mounting pressure from illegal plant harvesting, prospecting and mining.

The Knersvlakte Bioregion, one of four centres of endemism within this biome, hosts a remarkable variety of miniature succulents, highly endemic species and significant cultural heritage sites.

Zebraskop Nature Reserve

The 3 952-hectare Zebraskop Nature Reserve has been established to support the Cape mountain zebra genetic programme by securing essential lowland habitat with the potential to double the genetically important Gamkaberg zebra population. The reserve will also be managed as part of the Gamkaberg Nature Reserve.

CapeNature is in the process of developing a corridor between Gamkaberg and Zebraskop, and active monitoring is under way for the three Cape mountain zebras translocated from the Kammanassie Nature Reserve in 2024.

The new reserve incorporates 11 vegetation types, among them Critically Endangered Gourits Asbos-Gwarrieveld, which will now be formally protected for the first time.

Waterkloof Nature Reserve

The newly declared 2 062-hectare Waterkloof Nature Reserve forms part of the Klein Swartberg Mountain catchment and will be managed by CapeNature as part of the Swartberg Complex. As a critical water source area, it is one of the main sources of water for the town of Ladismith and neighbouring communities.

Waterkloof includes seven vegetation types, including two that are only partially protected and one listed as Endangered. The reserve enhances the formal protection of the southern slopes of the Klein Swartberg and helps establish an important conservation corridor.

Declaration summary: Anysberg, Waterkloof, Zebraskop and Knersvlakte