Cape Town (08 December 2025) – The Western Cape has added 47 000 hectares to its conservation estate through the declaration of two new nature reserves and the expansion of two others. This major boost to the province’s protected areas creates vital space for Cape mountain zebras to breed and improves protection for a wide range...
By Faye Knight – The coastline of southern Africa has been facing an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) since July 2025, specifically in the Western Cape and Gqeberha regions and marking this outbreak to be the first since April 2024. The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) has played...
With fewer than 340 individuals thought to be left in the wild, the Botha’s Lark could become the first bird in mainland Africa to go extinct in modern memory, but recent breakthrough discoveries are giving conservationists hope. 18 November 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa – A resident of South Africa’s high-altitude grasslands, the Botha’s Lark (Spizocorys fringillaris)...
18 November, 2026 – WWF South Africa has announced the recipients of its 2025 Living Planet Award, honouring individuals and organisations whose work strengthens the country’s environmental future. This year’s awardees are Dr John Kani in the individual category for his work as the longest-serving trustee of the WWF Nedbank Green Trust, and for his...
London, 14 October – South Africa’s Wim van den Heever has won the coveted title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025, after first taking the Urban Wildlife category prize. His remarkable image of a brown hyena navigating the ghostly town of Kolmanskop in Namibia is a rare glimpse into the life of these reclusive...
In a landmark boost for seabird conservation, South African computer entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Shuttleworth has donated US $1 million to the Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project, reinforcing efforts to rid Marion Island of invasive house mice and restore habitat for vulnerable seabirds. Mouse Menace Threatens Albatrosses, Petrels, and More Marion Island, a remote sub-Antarctic island in the Southern Ocean, is...
24 September – A Lappet-faced Vulture chick hatched at Vulpro’s captive breeding facility at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape on 24 September, coinciding with South Africa’s Heritage Day. The vulture species is nationally Critically Endangered. The birth of this marks the first successful hatching of the species at Vulpro and is being described...
During the 2025 Zululand Vulture Project Aerial Survey, a team of conservationists confirmed the very first active Hooded Vulture nest ever recorded in KwaZulu-Natal. The discovery is not only a provincial milestone but also the southernmost breeding site documented for this Critically Endangered species. The survey, carried out by Wildlife ACT in partnership with Ezemvelo...
9 September – The Top 10 finalists are perched and preening for the Bird of the Year title, each hoping your vote will crown them the 2026 champion of chirpers. These aren’t your average backyard sparrows, they’re feathered A-listers (and one rather overambitious contender) vying for that coveted BOTY title. In one corner, we’ve got...
Bird photographers from across South Africa have been recognised for their striking images in the 2025 BirdLife South Africa Photography Competition, announced this week. From dramatic portraits to evocative environmental shots, the winning entries highlight both the artistry of photography and the urgency of bird conservation. Beverly Pickford emerged as the overall winner, claiming the...
