Nuwejaars Wetlands SMA

07/09/2026

🐸 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧 | 𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐧

It's tiny – about the size of your thumbnail – but the Micro Frog (𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴) has given us something rather big to celebrate.

Once listed as Critically Endangered, the species has been downlisted to Endangered. One of the reasons for this improved conservation picture is the discovery of an important population here in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area.

In fact, the Nuwejaars population extended the species' known range – showing just how important these wetlands are for its future.

But Endangered still means threatened, and there's plenty of work ahead.

That's why Anura Africa is working with us, undertaking ongoing research and monitoring of our Micro Frogs, helping us better understand their habitat and management needs in these wetlands for their long-term survival. 💚

📸 (C) Bionerds on iNaturalist

04/09/2026

🌿 A Landscape in Recovery

What does recovery look like across the Nuwejaars Wetlands?

It looks like wetlands being restored, threatened species being given a fighting chance, wildlife carefully managed and new ways being found to turn restoration into opportunity. Most of all, it looks like people – our team, landowners, partners, donors and supporters – working together for this remarkable landscape.

Our latest Nuwejaars River Nature Reserve Annual Report tells the story of the past year and the work taking place to help nature recover.

We hope you'll take a few minutes to explore it. 💚

👉 Read our Annual Report: https://nuwejaars.com/annual-report-2025-26/

WWF South Africa
Species Conservation Fund
Table Mountain Fund

03/09/2026

🦓 The great quagga shuffle!

It’s backbreaking work, but all for an important purpose. Our Rau quagga form part of The Quagga Project – a long-running breeding programme working to recover the quagga’s characteristic phenotype.

This time, the NWSMA team, the Quagga Project team, wildlife vet Dr Willem Burger and helicopter pilot Lood Goosen moved animals between herds within the Nuwejaars Wetlands SMA, while others headed off to new homes beyond our landscape, to Gondwana Private Game Reserve.

And some of our NWSMA team members even enjoyed a quick heli flip.

A big operation, plenty of muscle – and some very special cargo. 🦓

26/08/2026

💧 In our journey of water, you’ve seen where the Nuwejaars River begins.

Now the journey continues. Watch as our river meanders downstream, eventually reaching Zoetendalsvlei – the largest, southernmost, natural freshwater lake connected to the ocean in South Africa.

From here, the river changes its name. It becomes the Heuningnes River, giving rise to the name of the entire Heuningnes catchment.

Next time on our journey of water, we'll follow the Heuningnes River on its way to the sea.

21/08/2026

🐟 The situation has just got worse for the Agulhas redfin.

If you've followed us for a while, you'll know we're very concerned about the future of the Endangered Agulhas redfin (𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘩𝘢𝘴).

Unfortunately, we're even more worried now.

Since monitoring began in 2024, we've learnt that the species survives in just four isolated populations across the entire Heuningnes catchment.

Until recently, the Kars River system was considered its stronghold. Historical and earlier monitoring recorded redfin abundance of more than 300 individuals per site in parts of this system.

But our 2026 monitoring has revealed something alarming.

This year, our surveys of the Kars system recorded what could be just a handful of Agulhas redfins.

It appears that two important rivers within this system have been invaded by banded tilapia – an invasive alien fish that heavily competes with redfins and other indigenous freshwater fish for food and space.

We don't yet know the full extent of the loss. More monitoring is urgently needed. But with only four isolated Agulhas redfin populations remaining, losing what was once a stronghold could be devastating for the species.

Over the coming months, we're going to share more of this story – what we're finding, what we're doing and what it will take to give this little fish a fighting chance.

Right now extinction is a very real possibility.

This work is supported by the Species Conservation Fund, the Rolf-Stephan Nussbaum Foundation, Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust and the Mapula Trust.

PS. The fish pictured is a Cape Kurper (𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴) found in the Kars River system.

Freshwater Research Centre
Fynbos Fish Trust
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, Eastern Cape
CapeNature
Grootvadersbosch Conservancy

19/08/2026

🏃🌿 Good luck to everyone training for the Voet van Afrika!

We’re proud partners of the Voet van Afrika and thrilled that runners get to experience part of the Nuwejaars landscape along the way.

As you tackle those mountains, take a moment (if your legs allow it! 😅) to look around. You’ll be running through some incredibly special vegetation, including Endangered Elim Ferricrete Fynbos and Overberg Sandstone Fynbos – part of the remarkable biodiversity of the Agulhas Plain.

🌿 RUN CLEAN & PROTECT OUR WETLANDS! 🌍

We are privileged to run through the beautiful Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area. As part of our commitment to conservation, we have a clear LITTER ZONE where you can responsibly discard your race waste.

After the race, our dedicated teams will be collecting every single item to ensure we leave only footprints.

🛡️ Let's respect this crucial environment together!

👉 Join us on the start line – Register now:

15/08/2026

🌿 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻: 𝗪𝗼𝗹𝗳 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱

Only two research-grade observations of 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘩𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢 currently appear on iNaturalist.

And both are in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area. 👀

This Vulnerable South African endemic occurs only from Baardskeerdersbos to the Soetanysberg. Its population is decreasing, with habitat loss among the threats it has faced.

We're very pleased to know these plants occur within our protected landscape – and we'll be keeping our eyes open for more.

📸 (C) Geoff Nichols and Linkie on iNaturalist

14/08/2026

🌳 It started as a problem above ground.

Now we're discovering just how much it can do below it.

Invasive alien plants removed from the Nuwejaars wetlands can be transformed into biochar – creating a microscopic home for beneficial microbes, helping soils retain water and nutrients, and storing carbon in the ground.

But for us, there's another important part of the story.

By creating value from invasive biomass, we're working with our partner @‌Sequester and Chartilizer towards a model where its sale can help fund the removal of even more invasive plants from our wetlands.

From restoration → to soil → and back to restoration again.

That's the thinking behind our .

07/08/2026

🐦 These rings each tell a story.

A group of trainee ringers recently joined the Biodiversity and Development Institute team, including Dr Dieter Oschadleus and Prof Les Underhill, to learn more about the importance of bird ringing.

And what an event it turned out to be.

From Klaas's Cuckoo and Orange-breasted Sunbird to Fiery-necked Nightjar and even a Jackal Buzzard, the team had the opportunity to see a remarkable variety of birds up close – as these photos taken by Achot Ginosian show.

Bird ringing is about far more than placing a small ring on a bird's leg. It helps scientists understand how birds move across landscapes, where they breed, how long they live and how populations change over time.

If you'd like to learn more, the Ringers' Symposium will be held in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area from 6-12 November. The programme includes presentations, field trips and practical bird-ringing sessions, bringing together ringers and bird enthusiasts from across the country.

Find out more here:https://nuwejaars.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Ringers_Symposium_Announcement_November_2026.pdf

BDI Citizen Science

📸 Achot Ginosian

06/08/2026

🌿

Gerty Holtzhauzen and her team are helping restore a vital corridor into the Nuwejaars Wetlands.

After the major floods of 2023 and 2024 left this area degraded and eroded, they're now working in cold, wet winter conditions, using heavy rocks to stabilise the landscape and begin its recovery.

The next step? Planting indigenous wetland species grown in our wetlands nursery and aquaponics system, helping restore this important connection back into the wetlands.

Hear the story in Gerty's own words.

This work is supported by WWF South Africa, with co-funding support from , and the Rolf-Stephan Nussbaum Foundation.