Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve

Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve (also spelt "Sandvlei") is a 300-hectare (740-acre) nature reserve and recreational area located in Muizenberg near Cape Town, South Africa.

Background

Entering the ocean in the coastal town of Muizenberg, Zandvlei is the only functioning estuary on Cape Town's False Bay coast, open to the Atlantic Ocean throughout winter and in summer the mouth is manually closed by a sand bar to contain the water, and is opened monthly for a few days at full moon to maintain salinity levels and then closed again. It is also one of the most important estuaries for recruitment of fish such as garrick, steenbras and two species of stumpnose.

The surrounding wetland is an important habitat for birds and has 166 species on its official list.^[2] There are a number of bird hides available to the public. It is also a vital habitat for amphibians and about 20 species of reptile such as the angulate tortoise, marsh terrapin and mole snake. Porcupines, grysbok, otters and mongoose can also occasionally be spotted.

The plant life is typical of Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and Cape Wetland vegetation. Rare or interesting plants include Gladiolus angustus and Salvia africana-lutea.^[3]

The estuary was neglected in the past, and suffered from farming, urban development, dredging and the introduction of alien invasive species. The original vegetation has been partly restored through local government and volunteer efforts. There is now an Environmental Education Centre and the reserve is home to the Imperial Yacht Club and Peninsula Canoe Club. SCOUTS South Africa operate their Sea Scout base from there,^[5] conducting sailing and rowing regattas there, in addition to various training courses and the annual Kon-Tiki raft building competition. Fishing is popular, with many large garrick having been landed. A standard fishing permit is required.^[6]

Gallery

• 
  View of Muizenberg suburbs with Zandvlei estuary in the background
• 
  View over the estuary
• 
  Rafts on Sandvlei during the Kon-Tiki Adventure for Scouts and Guides at Lakeside, Cape Town in 2006

See also

• Biodiversity of Cape Town
• List of nature reserves in Cape Town
• Cape Flats Dune Strandveld
• Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
• SCOUTS South Africa
• Kon-Tiki (Scouting)

References

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Cape Town

City of Cape Town

Natural environment

Cape Flats Cape Peninsula Geology Helderberg Bays Bantry Bay Camps Bay False Bay Gordon's Bay Granger Bay Hout Bay Simon's Bay Smitswinkel Bay Table Bay Beaches Bloubergstrand Boulders Beach Camps Bay Clifton Glen Beach Melkbosstrand Muizenberg Sandy Bay Strand Hills Blaauwberg Skapenberg Signal Hill Tygerberg Mountains Chapman's Peak Constantiaberg Devil's Peak Helderberg Hottentots Holland Mountains Lion's Head Table Mountain Twelve Apostles Islands Duiker Island Robben Island Seal Island Headlands Cape of Good Hope Cape Point Miller's Point Rivers and wetlands Bokramspruit Buffels River Eerste River Kuils River Diep River Else River Hout Bay River Krom River Lourens River Modder River Salt River Black River Elsieskraal River Liesbeek River Sand River Schusters River Silvermine River Sir Lowry’s Pass River Sout River Steenbras River Zandvlei Zeekoevlei Climate and weather Cape Town water crisis Cape Doctor Berg wind World heritage sites Cape Floristic Region Table Mountain National Park Robben Island Biodiversity of Cape Town Nature reserves in Cape Town Helderberg Marine Protected Area Robben Island Marine Protected Area Table Mountain National Park Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area Vegetation types Atlantis Sand Fynbos Boland Granite Fynbos Cape Flats Dune Strandveld Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos Hangklip Sand Fynbos Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos Peninsula Granite Fynbos Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos Southern Afrotemperate Forest Peninsula Shale Renosterveld Swartland Alluvium Fynbos Swartland Shale Renosterveld Parks and gardens Arderne Gardens Company's Garden De Waal Park Green Point Common Helderberg Nature Reserve Keurboom Park Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Rondebosch Common Rondebosch Park Tokai Arboretum Tokai Park Wynberg Park Nature reserves Blaauwberg Conservation Area Bracken Nature Reserve Cecilia De Hel Nature Area Dick Dent Bird Sanctuary Die Oog Conservation Area Diep River Fynbos Corridor Durbanville Nature Reserve Edith Stephens Wetland Park Glencairn Wetland Harmony Flats Nature Reserve Helderberg Nature Reserve Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area Koeberg Nature Reserve Kogelberg Nature Reserve Lourens River Protected Natural Environment Lower Silvermine River Wetlands Macassar Dunes Conservation Area Mamre Nature Garden Meadowridge Common Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary Rietvlei Wetland Reserve Rondebosch Common Rondevlei Nature Reserve Silwerboomkloof Natural Heritage Site Tygerberg Nature Reserve Uitkamp Wetlands Witzands Aquifer Conservation Area Wolfgat Nature Reserve Zoarvlei Wetlands Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve

Communities

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