False Bay Nature Reserve

Rondevlei (looking southwards over the vlei towards Muizenberg Peak and Cape Point)
Oblique view of the False Bay Nature Reserve looking north-westwards towards the city. The Strandfontein Birding Area is in the foreground, Zeekoevlei in the middle right and Rondevlei, middle left.
Rondevlei (looking westwards from Zeekoevlei towards Muizenberg Peak and Silvermine)
Strandfontein Birding Area (looking southwards from Zeekoevlei towards Cape Point).  The construction of the new FBNR headquarters node (now completed)  is visible in the foreground of the photo.
Zeekoevlei (looking northwards across the vlei from Strandfontein Birding Area towards Devil’s Peak)
Hippos in Rondevlei
Various pictures at Strandfontein Birding Area
Management Activities in the False Bay Nature Reserve
Newly completed infrastructure on Zeekoevlei Eastern Shore, including braai areas (top left), ablution  facilities (top right) and a landscaped central picnic area (bottom).
False Bay Nature Reserve Headquarters Complex (left), showing community use of the multi-purpose hall and associated courtyard (top centre and right) and Architect’s impression of the now completed Complex (bottom right).
Top Left: Boat trip on Rondevlei; Top Right and Bottom Left: Bird hides at Rondevlei; Bottom Right: Picnic Area at Rondevlei; Centre: Erica Verticillata (Cape Flats Erica) classified as  ‘Extinct in the Wild’, and now growing at  Rondevlei
Environmental Education activities taking place within the FBNR
Top Left: Start of the 2014 ‘Birdathon’ Fun Family Walk on Zeekoevlei’s Eastern Shore 
Top Right: The ‘Birdathon’ Festival at the central picnic area of Zeekoevlei’s Eastern Shore
Bottom Left: Participants at one on the Quiz stations on the 2014 Fun Walk; 
Bottom Right: Eagle Encounters’ education d
Friends and Neighbour Initiative, the ‘Other side of the Fence’ at Village Heights informal settlement on the western boundary of the FBNR.  The  FBNR boundary  and interface zone between the settlement and the reserve can be seen in the photo on the bottom right, with the other photographs showing
National Department of Tourism funded EPWP project on Zeekoevlei’s eastern shore

False Bay Nature Reserve

  • Country: 
    South Africa
  • Site number: 
    2219
  • Area: 
    1,542 ha
  • Designation date: 
    02-02-2015
  • Coordinates: 
    34°03'S 18°29'E
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

The False Bay Nature Reserve is a unique area on the Cape Flats, situated between False Bay and Table Bay, consisting of about 50% permanent wetland and 49% terrestrial vegetation including the critically endangered Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and some sand beaches. The False Bay Nature Reserve contains two lakes, of which Rondevlei is a protected area reserve while Zeekoevlei is a residential area and a popular yachting, canoeing and wind-surfing venue. Both lakes support large populations of waterbirds including pelicans and flamingoes. Serving as a reservoir of biodiversity, the Site supports important populations of mammals including the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), cape clawless otter (Aonyx capensis), water mongoose (Atilax paludinosus), cape grysbok (Raphicerus melanotis), steenbok (Raphicerus campestris), southern African vlei rat (Otomys irroratus), large spotted genet (Genetta tigrina) and small grey mongoose (Galerella pulverulenta). About 256 species of indigenous plants grow on the Site including two endemic plant species currently listed as extinct in the wild, namely Erica turgida and Erica verticillata (Cape Flats erica). The False Bay Nature Reserve is home to over 60% of the bird species in the South-western Cape (228 species) with notable examples including the little stint (Calidris minuta), ruff (Philomachus pugnax), pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), common tern (Sterna hirundo), greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), and the great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus). In addition to being an important conservation area containing endemic vegetation types and species, the False Bay Nature Reserve offer various recreational services, including fishing, water sports and picnics.

Administrative region: 
Western Cape province of South Africa

  • National legal designation: 
    • Local Authority Nature Reserves
    • National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, Act 57 of 2003
  • Last publication date: 
    21-05-2015

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)