Betty's Bay Ratepayers' Association

10/06/2026

Residents are urged to reduce speed, especially in poor visibility and at night when most of the wildlife are active.

Be vigilant and when eyes are reflected back at you, don’t hesitate, brake!

For the sake of our wildlife 🦌🐾🦉🐈

🚗💔 25 wild animals in just 5 months.

Since the start of the year, we’ve recorded 25 roadkill incidents on roads including the R44 and R43 in the Kogelberg Biosphere.

Among the animals lost were:
🦔 4 porcupines
🦌 3 grysbok
🦉 3 spotted eagle owls
🐾 3 caracal
🐢 2 tortoises
And several other species that call this landscape home.

Since our records started in 2023, the list is considerably longer, at 58 deaths.

Of course these numbers tell only a small part of the story. These are only the stats collected by the @‌Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue & Training Centre team. Many incidents are never reported; others escape injured and are never found.

As development, tourism and traffic increase across the biosphere, so the risk to wildlife also increases.

By slowing down, remaining alert, and taking extra care at dawn and dusk, we can all help reduce wildlife road deaths in our biosphere.

This is one of the less visible conservation challenges facing our biosphere – but one where every driver can help make a difference.

Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue Centre
Overberg District Municipality
Overstrand Municipality
Rooiels Wildlife
Betty's Bay Ratepayers' Association
Rooiels Conservancy
Pringle Bay Ratepayers' Association
Kleinmond Nature Conservation Society / Natuurbewaringsvereniging
Hangklip-Kleinmond Tourism

11/05/2026

Well done and thank you to the Fire & Rescue crew for your hard work today. Working in hectic wind and rain they were busy securing property’s, cutting up trees, and evacuating people.

29/03/2026

Sunday treat! Pop into the Betty’s Bay market at Crassula Hall, you won’t be disappointed 🧁

Open today from 19am - 2pm.

20/03/2026

For those who love Betty's Bay, but not speeding through it - please sign and share

Our village is situated within the transitional zone of the UNESCO designated Kogelberg Biosphere. Excessive speeding and (274 signatures on petition)

20/03/2026

Please be aware, it’s perfectly natural behaviour for a baboon to feed on fruiting waterberry and other fruiting trees and shrubs in the area.

If left to forage, they will pass through.

Please head the warnings below.

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 - 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦

The Granadilla and Water Berry trees, along with other fruiting trees such as Eugenia, are still in fruit across Overstrand urban areas, including Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay, and especially in Voëlklip and Fernkloof residential areas.

During this time, baboons naturally become more active in residential areas as they search for easy food sources. Once they find accessible fruit, bins, or gardens, they will remember the location and return repeatedly, making prevention more challenging.

It is therefore of vital importance that all involved keep baboons from consuming human food, as best possible, by denying them access to refuse and using baboon-proof bins.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬:
* Remove all ripe and ripening fruit and berries from trees
* Fully secure and properly enclose vegetable gardens and compost heaps
* Secure waste in fully secured baboon-proof bins. (If baboons can open a bin, it is not fully baboon proofed)
* Do not feed birds or other wildlife
* And most importantly, do NOT feed baboons

Additional measures include keeping doors and windows locked when leaving home.

By following these baboon-wise practices, residents can reduce conflicts, protect gardens, and live more favourably with local wildlife while enjoying the fruiting season.

Feeding wildlife, including baboons, is prohibited under the Cape Nature Ordinance of 1974, as it encourages them to remain in residential areas and complicates management efforts.

Overstrand Municipality encourages residents to make use of local WhatsApp sighting groups to share regular updates on baboon movements. These contributions are valuable in alerting households to the presence of baboons and allowing residents to take timely precautions.

Residents can contact the Baboon Hotline at 069 151 5962 to request to be added to these sighting groups for the Hermanus region, as well as to report baboon sightings, request immediate assistance to move baboons from their property, and receive additional guidance on baboon-proof bins, general baboon-proofing, and baboon-wise living.

Issued by:
Overstrand Municipal Manager, Dr Dean O’Neill

19/03/2026

Another wildlife road fatality on the R44 😢

Drivers are urged to reduce speed, especially twilight hours, and when wildlife is spotted to immediately and safely apply brakes. Birds cannot always get sufficient lift to avoid on-coming cars, especially when blinded by headlights.

Braking for ALL wildlife saves lives!

19/03/2026

Get to know your neighbour… in this case, your neighbourhood nocturnal gardener 🪏 🌱

🌿 TODAY’S WILDnFREE ECO-TIP

Meet the Overberg’s Spikiest Night Gardener 🦔

The Cape is Africa’s largest rodent and one of the most fascinating nocturnal animals you may encounter in the Overberg.
Despite their impressive armour of quills, porcupines are shy, peaceful animals that prefer to avoid conflict and quietly go about their nightly routines.

🌿 NATURE'S ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS
Porcupines play an important role in maintaining healthy landscapes.
While searching for roots, bulbs, tubers, fallen fruit, and bark, they naturally:
• Turn and aerate soil while digging
• Help spread seeds and support plant growth
• Create small disturbed patches that benefit other wildlife
In many ways, porcupines act as natural gardeners, helping ecosystems regenerate.

🦴 THE STRANGE HABIT OF BONE COLLECTION
One of the most surprising behaviours of the Cape Porcupine is that they often collect and chew bones or antlers.

This behaviour helps them:
• Wear down their constantly growing teeth
• Obtain important minerals such as calcium and phosphorus
You may sometimes find gnawed bones near porcupine dens.

🪶 THOSE FAMOUS QUILLS
Porcupine quills are actually modified hairs made of keratin.
Contrary to popular myth, porcupines cannot shoot their quills.

Instead they defend themselves by:
Raising their quills to appear larger
Shaking special hollow tail quills that rattle as a warning
Backing toward a predator if threatened
Most predators quickly learn to respect this impressive defence.

🌙 SIGNS A PORCUPINE MAY HAVE VISITED
Because porcupines are mostly active at night, people often only notice their presence through clues such as:
• Small digging holes in soil or garden beds
• Chewed bones or antlers
• Distinctive tracks with five toes
• Occasionally a dropped quill

🐾 LIVING ALONGSIDE PORCUPINE
If you encounter a porcupine:
• Keep dogs under control
• Give the animal space
• Never chase or corner it

Porcupines prefer to avoid conflict and will move away if left alone.

Together we can help protect the wild neighbours that share the Overberg with us.

🌿 Overberg WildnFree – Living alongside wildlife.





🌿

28/02/2026

Feeling peckish…? Pop into the Betty’s Bay market at Crassula Hall for burgers, cakes and all sorts of other yummy goodies 😋 🍔 🧁

11/01/2026

It’s Market Day today! Don't miss out - lots of yummy stuff available. Open until 2pm - come pop in and say hi to our local vendors 👋🏻

20/12/2025

TESSELAARSDAL & CALEDON FIRE: 20 DECEMBER 2025

Although Tesselaarsdal falls outside the boundaries of the Overstrand, it is a nearby neighbouring town, and many residents are concerned about the smoke and prevailing wind conditions.

The Greater Overberg Fire Protection Association (goFPA) provided an update on the Tesselaarsdal Fire at 21:00.

The fire is burning along the northern slope of the mountain south of Tesselaarsdal, driven by an east/south-easterly wind.

The head of the fire is still burning aggressively and spreading quickly in the general direction of Shawspass (west). There is no vehicle access, making direct attack not possible.

Update on the plan for the evening:

Wind direction is forecast to remain relatively constant over the coming days. Tomorrow is expected to bring strong easterly winds, and the expectation is that the head of the fire will progress substantially. No direct attack or cut-offs on the head are possible at this stage.

Landowners ahead of the fire towards the west (on both sides of the mountain) are advised to prepare firebreaks between their farms and the mountain, as well as around any buildings or infrastructure that may be at risk (for example, check if you have exposed water sources in the mountain).

A rotation of ground teams will be deployed on the left/southern flank from the Tesselaarsdal side to suppress the fire towards the head. This is an extremely long line and will be a difficult task.

CALEDON FIRE Day 1, #2 IC update from goFPA:

We had a battle on our hands below the N2 with the town reservoir and the Casino property at risk.

The windy conditions and “surprise” flare ups outside the burnt area are very challenging.

The Casino, water tanks and fire station and hospital is safe.
The aerial resources stood down at 19:00.
Additional ground teams are being deployed to mop up active lines.

There are still fire lines that is burning above the town of Caledon but holds no threat for the town. Burning towards older burn scars as well.

Issued by:
Overstrand Municipal Manager, Dean O’Neill

Photo credit: goFPA