Agulhas National Park expands to include important wetland

Agulhas National Park in the Western Cape recently expanded to incorporate 2 345 hectares of threatened wetland wilderness into its borders.

Agulhas National Park gets expansion

In celebration of World Wetlands Day yesterday, 2 February 2023, South African National Parks (SANParks) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) South Africa, announced the incorporation of the Soetendalsvlei wetland, which is Africa’s southernmost freshwater lake, into the Agulhas National Park.

Last year, WWF offered up a generous donation to take ownership of the Vissersdrift property, on which the Soetendalsvlei wetland lies.

This was done in the hopes that they would soon be able to incorporate it into the Agulhas National Park, which has now happened.

According to reports, the Soetendasvlei lake is regarded as both a ‘Critical Biodiversity Area’ and an ‘Important Bird Area’, hosting and supporting over 60 water bird species, including several birds of concern such as the Damara tern, Great White pelican, not one but TWO Flamingo species, as well as over 21 000 migrant and resident birds.

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Dr Morné du Plessis, CEO of WWF South Africa, said that it was important to celebrate wins sometimes.

“In the conservation world where we are often up against it, it’s important that we take a moment to celebrate our successes, and the acquisition of this critically important wetland area for incorporation into Africa’s southernmost national park is one such milestone. We are proud to have been able to facilitate the expansion of the Agulhas National Park with a wetland that plays such a significant role in a functioning ecosystem,” Dr du Plessis said.

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Soetendasvlei wetland

SANParks and the WWF have important plans in the works to secure Soetendalsvlei’s ecological functions and pristine beauty.

“This acquisition also protects inland salt pans, many of which are under threat in the Western Cape from urban development, mining and agriculture, along with rare veld types such as the Critically Endangered Central Rûens Shale Renosterveld, Vulnerable Agulhas Sand Fynbos and Limestone Fynbos which face similar threats,”.

Luthando Dziba, SANParks Managing Executive: Conservation Services

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The vlei is reportedly named after a Dutch ship, the Zoetendaal, which was wrecked off the nearby coast in 1673 on route from Jakarta, Indonesia. The survivors who were able to make it to shore, walked inland and found fresh water at the vlei to keep them alive. They were so thankful that they named it after their ship, reports Tourism Update.

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