Conservation

Several years ago, CapeNature produced a resource to support the agricultural sector in the Western Cape, called the Landowner’s Guide to Human-Wildlife Conflict. This concise booklet described species that may cause damage in the province, and provided tips on holistic livestock and crop management options. The Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) recently collaborated closely with CapeNature to refresh the booklet, extend the content, and produce an eye-catching, comprehensive, and up-to-date version. New sections developed for the updated booklet include descriptions of conflict mitigation methods and strategies, information on carcass inspection to aid accurate identification of the cause of death in livestock, and information on the ecosystem services and benefits that wildlife provides to farmers.

The rapid decline of the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) in the early 2000s triggered the drafting of the first African Penguin Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP), published in 2013, to “halt the decline of the African penguin population”. Working Groups (WGs) were created with stakeholders involved in penguin conservation to facilitate the implementation of the BMP.

This study reviews the execution of the plan (1) from aide memoires and reports circulated within these WGs between 2013 and 2022; (2) by interviewing (in 2023) some of the stakeholders involved to assess their perceptions of the BMP 10 years post-implementation; and (3) by assessing the effectiveness of some actions using available scientific data.

This series of 9 videos includes a variety of topics on the history of conservation over the years. Each video is available in English and with Afrikaans and isiXhosa Subtitles.

Listen to these informative radio clips about biodiversity as an essential service providing food, water and air. 

A radio interview about biodiversity crime in the Western Cape

An informative infographic about how wetlands protect our future. 

The 2025 Western Cape Protected Areas Expansion Strategy is now out for public comment. You can read all about it here.