Cleveland Dam is a unique peri-urban wetland within the Zambezian biome. It is the largest protected natural area in Harare and is known as a key biodiversity hotspot and Important Bird Area. Dominated by miombo woodlands, shrubs, grasslands and aquatic plants which protect the watershed, the wetland offers an important stopover, breeding and feeding ground for thousands of migrating birds including the African pygmy goose Nettapus auritus, the maccoa duck Oxyura maccoa and the African spoonbill Platalea alba. Other noteworthy species include the leopard Panthera pardus, the African rock python Python sebae and the vulnerable ground pangolin Smutsia temminckii. With its water capacity of 910 million litres, the dam is at the source of the Mukuvisi River, which stretches 42 km into Lake Chivero and from there supplies most of the drinking water to Harare City and neighbouring towns. The ecosystem services provided by Cleveland Dam include water purification, flood control and soil formation. Human activities in the Site include fishing, harvesting of non-timber forest products, bird watching, canoeing, tourism and walking safaris.