In this issue
- We ramp up our schools education with more expos on Protected Areas
- Second Paddavlei Fun Run
- Our work continues on the WCNR
- World Oceans Day
- Schools Art Competition
Expos on Protected Areas
During May WCC offered another round of expos on the importance of Protected Areas.
We took the expo to Zwelihle Primary and Mt Pleasant Primary in Hermanus, then to Okkie Smuts and Die Bron Primary Schools in Stanford and finally to Gansbaai where we visited Masakhane Primary and Laerskool Gansbaai. The expo was all about the importance of protected areas and their role in conserving South Africa’s unique biodiversity – both terrestrial and marine.
South Africa is a signatory of the COP15 Convention of Biodiversity in 2022, to “Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 percent of terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed.”
Our topics included the importance of Marine Protected Areas – small areas which serve to protect and enhance fish stocks to the benefit of both the ocean and the fishing industry.
We emphasised the plight of the critically endangered African Penguin – a situation caused primarily by overfishing of their prey species of sardines and anchovies. The penguins’ survival is in direct competition with the lucrative purse-seine fishery. As a result of a landmark court decision, protected areas around African Penguin colonies were extended – some meaningfully, but some still inadequate – to protect the penguin’s food stock and prevent the extinction of the species.
We stressed that biodiversity is the foundation of life on Earth. Protecting it isn’t just about saving animals and plants – it’s about safeguarding our own future too. We are dependent on so many ecosystem services from biodiversity, such as water purification, pollinations services, medicines, clean air and the oxygen we breathe. Agriculture, fishing, forestry, and tourism all depend on healthy ecosystems.
We highlighted the role of private protected land in conservation of biodiversity. We talked about the nature reserves in our area and their importance in conserving our precious biodiversity and promoting tourism, which promotes economic growth. We focused on Fernkloof Nature Reserve – the blooming heart of Hermanus.
Our thanks to the staff and many volunteers who helped to make it possible to take the expo to so many inquiring minds. A special thanks to AVI Community Trust that sponsored the expos in Stanford and Gansbaai and the Hermanus Botanical Society for supporting the expos in Hermanus.
Ongoing work at the WCNR
Alien plant removal continues at the Chameleon Sanctuary on the Whale Coast Nature Reserve. Once a week the volunteers (mainly home-schooled children under Shirley’s eagle eye) spend two hours hand-pulling Port Jackson and Rooikrans saplings that tend to spring up as underground seeds continue to germinate. Since they started this mammoth task in September 2020, they have pulled a total of 122 722 aliens.
The good news is that they are starting to win the battle. Fynbos is starting to grow nicely and they now have to look hard to find any PJs.
Shirley reports that they are not only seeing fynbos regenerating, but insects are returning. This is good news for the chameleons. Every time the volunteers or campers do a night search there are more chameleons on the recovering restios, where they sleep at night.
It is gratifying to know that the chameleons approve of the effort to give them a safe home.
Second Paddavlei Fun Run/Walk
It was a cold and miserable Saturday, but nothing could rain on the parade of the enthusiastic Paddavlei Fun Runners and Walkers.
They followed the trail, newly updated with signage and a sturdy bridge built by the Overstrand Municipality.
The walkers especially loved the magic of the milkwood forest.
The Paddavlei Fun Run & Walk is held every second Saturday of the month at 08h00. Why not join them?
World Oceans Day
Every year on 8 June the international community celebrates World Oceans Day. The theme for World Oceans Day 2025 is “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”. Whale Coast Conservation’s focus is on the precarious survival of the African Penguin through the medium of art.
Schools Art Competition
To promote awareness of the dire future of our penguins, Whale Coast Conservation launched an art competition in Overstrand schools.
The brief to schools was to encourage learners to create art to highlight the plight of the penguins and the message about penguin conservation that they, as young people, wish to share.
The best artworks will be used in a national campaign to raise awareness of the perilous future of our unique penguins that have adapted over millions of years to life in Africa. That makes them very special – for their own sake, and for South Africa’s global reputation as a leader in wildlife conservation.
The top ten entries and the ten runners-up were announced at a very festive prize-giving ceremony held at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in Gansbaai on 30 May.
Prizes included soft toy penguins from Birdlife SA and mugs printed with their own art for the top ten. All of the participating learners will be taken to visit CapeNature’s penguin colony at Stoney Point, Betty’s Bay, and the top twenty will also go on a whale watching boat with Dyer Island Cruises and Marine Dynamics.
We thank our sponsors for the continued support.
