Eastern Cape: Mkambati Nature Reserve declared South Africa's 31st Ramsar site!

The Mkambati Nature Reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape has officially been recognized as a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site) by the Ramsar Convention. With this designation, the number of Ramsar Sites in the country now stands at 31.
Located along the Wild Coast, approximately 71km from Flagstaff, Mkambati Nature Reserve spans 7,720 hectares and is named after the rare Mkambathi Palm (Jubaeopsis caffra). The reserve features vast open grasslands, deep scarp forest ravines, and an intricate network of rivers, streams, marshlands, swamp forests, and waterfalls. The Msikaba River and the Mtentu River, with their open estuaries, form the northern and southern boundaries of the reserve, while a 13km stretch of untouched coastline lies between them. The Mtentu River is also home to small but significant patches of mangrove forest.
Additionally, the Gwegwe estuary and Mgcetyana estuarywithin the reserve flow into the Indian Ocean and the Pondoland Marine Protected Area. Notably, Mkambati Nature Reserve is home to the Mkambati Falls, one of the few waterfalls in the world that plunge directly into the ocean—making this protected area truly unique.

The Convention on Wetlands/Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories.