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14 Jul 2025
How biodiversity crime threatens the Western Cape’s people, economy, and ecosystems

Biodiversity crime may sound like something intangible compared to other crimes encountered on a daily basis in our lives, but it is a very real and growing threat to our planet’s delicate ecosystems. It includes any illegal activity that harms plants, animals, or the ecosystems they depend on from high-profile crimes like rhino poaching to illegal plant trade in the Western Cape. It can even be something as simple as picking wildflowers in a nature reserve without permission or a permit.

Marine Dynamics crowned winner of the ATTA Marine Impact Award Image 1
1 Jul 2025
Marine Dynamics Wins ATTA® Award

Marine Dynamics Shark and Whale Tours has been honoured with the ATTA® Marine Impact Award during the Experience Africa Travel Conference in London on 23 June 2025. The award recognises organisations making a tangible difference in protecting Africa’s marine and coastal environments while fostering long-term community benefits.

Conservation Review 2025 Group Image
27 Jun 2025
2025 Conservation Review Highlights Biodiversity

CapeNature showcased its significant achievements in conservation operations and exceptional biodiversity protection over the past year.

The central message throughout the event and central to the theme was an emphasis on the successful partnerships the Entity has cultivated with stakeholders. Many of these partners were also in attendance, showcasing delivery on collaborative projects. The Entity relies on the productive co-operation of many partners to successfully execute its mandate in the Western Cape.

De Hoop Nature Reserve Bontebok
26 Jun 2025
State of Conservation 2025: Progress & Priorities

CapeNature launched the 2025 State of Conservation Report this morning at its annual Conservation Review, offering a clear, evidence-based view of the Western Cape’s biodiversity and how conservation efforts are measuring up.

Key themes emerging from the report include sustained efforts to build biodiversity resilience in the face of climate change, the value of strategic partnerships, and the growing integration of monitoring data into planning and policy.

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2 Jun 2025
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.

Biodiversity Press Release Image
30 May 2025
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.

Biodiversity Day
22 May 2025
Living in harmony with nature to ensure sustainable development

The International Day for Biodiversity, under this year’s theme of “Harmony with nature and sustainable development” is at the heart of a “whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach” to implement the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Global Framework and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, according to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

International Day for Biodiversity is celebrated annually on 22 May, and this year marks 32 years since its inception, when the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) went into effect.

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14 Mar 2025
CapeNature welcomes in principle agreement to protect the African Penguin

CapeNature is thankful that the government, seabird conservation organisations and the pelagic fishing industry have worked together to reach an in-principle agreement on overfishing restrictions around critical penguin breeding areas.

Anysberg Nature Reserve 2 copyright Scott N Ramsay web
4 Feb 2025
Public invited to comment on Draft 2024 Western Cape Protected Areas Expansion Strategy

The Draft 2024 Western Cape Protected Areas Expansion Strategy is now out for public comment. You can read all about it here.

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31 Jan 2025
Stripy New Arrival to Delight Visitors at CapeNature’s De Hoop Nature Reserve

Visitors to De Hoop Nature Reserve are in for a treat this month as a new foal, born just three weeks ago, joins the reserve’s small but vital population of Cape mountain zebra. The latest arrival is an exciting addition to the herd and for the conservation of this once-endangered species.

Panoramic view of 45000 Gannets at Bird Island
24 Jan 2025
Lambert’s Bay Bird Island’s Cape Gannet colony reaches record numbers

During January 2025, the Cape Gannet population reached an impressive 45,000 individuals—its highest in 19 years! This marked a significant milestone for the island, with numbers consistently remaining in the 30,000s over the past five years.