The Western Cape, a South African province situated in the southern extremity of the African Continent with coasts bordering the Indian and the Atlantic oceans, highlighted by diverse landscapes like the iconic Table Mountain, stunning coastlines with beaches and rocky shores, lush vineyards in the Cape Winelands, encompassing regions from the dramatic Cape Peninsula to the scenic Garden Route, known for its forests, mountains and biodiversity, expanded its conservation estate by 47.000 hectares with the addition of two new declared reserves.
The province has added this vast territory to its estate through the expansion of Anysberg Nature Reserve located in the western semi - arid Klein Karoo region of the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve, between the towns of Ladismith, Laingsburg, Touwsrivier and Montagu and the Knesvlatke, a region of hilly terrain covered with quartz gravel in Namaqualand in the north - west corner of the Western Cape Province, alongside the declaration of two reserves, Waterkloof near Ladismith and Zebraskop in the Gamkaberg area.
With this expansion, Anysberg has grown by 6.918 hectares and Knersvlatke by 34.084 hectares, while Waterkloof by 2.062 hectares and Zebraskop by 3.952 hectares are newly proclaimed.
The extension strengthens protection for Cape mountain zebra breeding habitat and 14 vegetation types from both the Succulent Karoo and Fynbos biomes, five of which were previously unrepresented in any protected area.
In addition this expansion strengthens ecological linkages between Anysberg, Sanbona Nature Reserve, Destiny Nature Reserve, the Klipgat stewardship site and supports nature - based tourism across the province.
The land was secured by WWF South Africa using funds from the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust and other sources, with CapeNature to manage the sites, including a planned corridor linking Gamkaberg and Zebraskop.
The expansion advances South Africa’s 30 by 30 conservation target and underpins visitor experiences centred on endemic flora, birdlife and wildlife viewing.
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Thanks a lot to read and note.