BirdLife South Africa

🐄💚 The first-ever cattle auction at Mabandla Community Hall is in the books! As part of the Herding for Health initiative, 9 villages across 4 farmers' associations came together — 72 cattle received, 57 sold, and R501,250 generated for the community. With sustainable farming at the heart of it all, BirdLife South Africa continues to empower local communities and protect our precious bird habitats. 🌍🐦 📷:Ntuthuko Mathe #HerdingForHealth #CommunityEmpowerment #SustainableFarming #BirdLifeSA #ConservationInAction

🦅 The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone and the exploitation of the Greater Soutpansberg Coalfield threaten South Africa’s Endangered Cape Vulture and Critically Endangered White-backed Vulture. The survival of colonies in the Soutpansberg and Blouberg KBAs (Key Biodiversity Areas) is at risk from industrial pollution and habitat destruction. 🌍 BirdLife South Africa opposes the MMSEZ industrial mega-project and stands with Living Limpopo call for sustainable alternatives. ✍️ Act now: Sign the open letter to halt the first of 10 new open-cast coal mines that will supply this ecological disaster zone ➡️ 🔗https://lnkd.in/dYXWQSMH #SaveVhembeBirds #StopMMSEZ #LivingLimpopo

BREAKING NEWS: ‘Baobab Bomb’ – The strip mining of Limpopo’s Vhembe Biosphere Reserve has begun illegally A Carte Blanche expose confirms that the felling of ancient baobabs and other protected trees has commenced illegally in Limpopo’s Vhembe Biosphere Reserve. This delicate ecosystem plays host to countless precious species of plant and animal life, and we stand with Living Limpopo in their fight to protect this treasured biosphere. Despite no decision on an appeal against its environmental authorisation extension, MC Mining has broken ground on the Makhado Colliery - the first of ten new coal mines that will feed the largest coal-fired industrial development South Africa has ever seen; the MMSEZ. This industrial mega-project threatens to destroy the wild heart of Limpopo for the benefit of foreign coal profiteers at the expense of local industries and communities. TAKE ACTION – help us call on the National Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute MC Mining Limited as well as their directors and ultimately STOP the illegal destruction of this South African bio-cultural treasure. SIGN HERE: https://lnkd.in/dYXWQSMH 

In case you missed it 👀 Last night on #conservationconversations we had the honour of having Rob Simmons and Sam Ralston-Paton on our webinar who spoke about the 'green-green dilemma' 🌱. This dilemma arises from the fact that the green solution to climate change—renewable energy ⚡—must itself be green. However, killing thousands of birds 🦅 and bats 🦇 is not green. Sam and Rob shared how a world-first 🌍 field experiment at a South African wind farm, using colored stripes on turbine blades 🎨, offers a simple and cost-effective solution to this dilemma. If you missed it, don’t worry – you can catch the full discussion on our YouTube channel! 🎥https://lnkd.in/d9bS4PKF

📢 New Report Alert! 📢 BirdLife South Africa has released a report highlighting the urgent need to mitigate the cumulative impacts of wind energy infrastructure on the country’s bird populations. While we fully support South Africa’s ambition to expand its renewable energy capacity for clean, affordable power, this growth must be supported by stronger commitments to biodiversity protection—particularly at wind energy facilities. Our latest report, "Summary of Bird Monitoring Reports from Operational Wind Energy Facilities in South Africa", was made possible thanks to environmental assessment practitioners, bird specialists, wind energy developers and operators, and decision-makers, who all helped ensure this essential information is available to improve the industry's sustainability moving forward. The report contains recommendations for research, environmental impact assessment, and operational phase mitigation, and it will be a useful resource for anyone involved in the sector. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dFs3vU7z #BirdConservation #RenewableEnergy #WindEnergy #Sustainability #BirdLifeSouthAfrica

📣 The March/April issue of African BirdLife Magazine is now available! 🦜 Be sure to look out for this exciting new issue on the shelves and on our website—packed with amazing stories, beautiful photography, and much more! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/egnms7US

🌟 Join us for the 2025 BIRD OF THE YEAR Online Launch! 🌟 Get ready for exciting educational resources and more! 🗓️ Date: 05 March 2025 ⏰ Time: 16:00 For more info, visit 👉 https://lnkd.in/dW3pUsrb or email 📧 thandulwazi.ndaba@birdlife.org.za

In case you missed it 👀 Last night on #conservationconversations we had the honour of having Dr Mark Brown and Guy Upfold on our panel to speak about this stunning coffee table book by Roberts Birds which is a MUST-HAVE for all bird lovers! 🦋💚 Featuring breathtaking paintings by Gail Darroll, expert insights from Dr. Mark Brown & Ingrid Weiersbye, and elegant design by Guy Upfold, it’s a true masterpiece! 🎨📖 If you missed it, don’t worry – you can catch the full discussion on our YouTube channel! 🎥 [🔗https://t.co/Lmx2YZLs46]

Today is Penguin Awareness Day, a day to highlight the urgent need to protect our beloved penguins. 🐧💙 Let’s shine a spotlight on the African Penguin, a species on the brink of extinction. 🌍❗ Once numbering in the millions in South Africa and Namibia, less than 2% of the population remain today, with fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs left in the wild. 😢 Act now and sign the petition https://lnkd.in/eU6_Jegw to help save them! ✍️👇 #SaveAfricanPenguins #penguinawarenessday2025🌊🐧

🌿 We're thrilled to announce that Zoleka Mkhize has been appointed as the new Grassland Community Conservation Officer under our Empowering People Programm! 👏 Hailing from iXopo in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Zoleka's passion for environmental conservation was inspired by her uncle, a game ranger. With an Honours degree in Ecological Sciences from the University of KwaZulu-Natal she focused her research on the impact of alien grass species on native grasslands. 🌱 Zoleka brings invaluable experience in biodiversity stewardship and community empowerment, having worked on initiatives that support both biodiversity economies and sustainable roles for communities in wildlife conservation. She is passionate about amplifying local voices and tackling socio-economic challenges while advancing conservation goals. 🌍 In her new role, Zoleka will focus on building partnerships with communities in Wakkerstroom, Daggakraal, and Groenvlei, leading environmental education programs on biodiversity conservation with the Botha’s Lark as a flagship species. She will also oversee sustainable livelihood initiatives to support subsistence livestock farmers. 🦅 We are excited to start this new year with you, Zoleka! 🎉