The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre continues to manage an ongoing outbreak of Avian Influenza amongst wild seabirds in the province.

Halloween, with its focus on terrifying creatures such as spiders, is just behind us. It’s a good time to think about our attitudes to spiders and some of the reasons to protect rather than kill them.

The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre is aware of reports of dead and dying seals in several areas across the West Coast of the province. Between Laaiplek and Dwarskersbos in the Bergrivier Municipality region, 144 seals were buried this morning with another fifty at Elandsbaai.

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).

Over the past few days, the teams have been seeing on average 400 dead birds per day. This has come down from roughly 700 at the start of this outbreak. It’s still not great but we are grateful for any improvement.

The outbreak of Avian Influenza amongst wild seabirds in the Western Cape continues, with Dyer island in the Overberg the major hotspot.

An Avian Influenza outbreak amongst wild seabirds continues to affect the coastal regions of the Western Cape with Dyer Island in the Overberg currently an area of great concern.

CapeNature responded to 76 fires resulting in 31 198.7 hectares of natural and other veld burnt during the 2020/21 fire season. As we enter the 2021/22 fire season, CapeNature appeals to the public to help prevent fires and report smoke or fire.

The judges had a difficult decision to make, but the results are in, and we are delighted to announce the winner of this competition.

04 September marks International Vulture Awareness Day. Vultures have always had a bad rep – think Lion King? Meanwhile, vultures are nature’s essential workers. As scavengers, they are part of a clean-up crew that mop up carcasses and other organic waste, preventing the spread of diseases such as anthrax and botulism!

Human relationships with plants date back for centuries. Plants support life on earth provides habitat for animals and can be a source of medicine, with many healing capabilities. Many of the African continent’s population rely on traditional medicine for their basic health needs. CapeNature is proud of the relationships it has fostered with local communities surrounding the reserves who source their own medicine via plants

Kids – got something to say?

In celebration of Arbour Day 2021, CapeNature is giving away an outdoor solar pack to lucky winners with its Interview with a Tree competition. Kids play the part of the interviewee and get your friends, sibling, parent, or teacher to play the part of the tree.