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Touched by wild

Nature Encounters in the Scenic South

Here's looking at you kid!

Think for a moment what we would see if we could turn Cape Town upside down and gently shake the City - just enough to tip out its wild residents. Dislodged from their niches in our homes and gardens, from the rivers and parks we pass on route to school and work and from the coast and mountains that frame our City. What would we see? Lynx and lizards, eagles and egrets, bats, baboons and buck, tortoises and toads, otters and owls, snakes and scorpions, fish and... a whole parallel ecology of wild creatures - large and small, some living undercover and others in our face. Right here and now in 'Our City'. This column aims at gently shaking out the wild stories and storytellers in our City - for our enjoyment, appreciation and learning. Stories of real encounters with wildlife in the City. Stories of special people who dedicate their energy to protecting this wildlife. Stories from our diverse cultural roots which explain how The Cape was formed and functions. Stories which remind us of what we have lost or have forgotten. And the stories which speak to us of the need to rethink nature and our role in the natural order. I invite you to share your stories with us. Email me here

Foster home for wild birds and other animals in Noordhoek

Foster home for wild birds and other animals in Noordhoek

“He was an amazing bird. He would sit on my shoulder as I shopped in Pick n Pay or walked on Fish Hoek beach with the dogs. People would express surprise on seeing how tame he was so I would tell them that the pet shop owner had caught me out, selling the young bird to me as a parrot!”

Diving with an Otter off Miller’s Point

Went on a dive to test my new camera ….when all of a sudden something was pressing on my shoulder…pushing down with two little hands was an otter.

Spotted Eagle Owl in Fish Hoek

Our garden at our home in Fish Hoek is graced this Sunday morning (10.30 am) with the presence of a Spotted Eagle Owl sitting regally on the driveway gatepost in the shade. For the past half an hour he has gazed at us dispassionately with his large cold bright yellow eyes as we have photographed [...]

Sardine Run at Cape Beaches

Sardine Run at Cape Beaches

Sardines trapped off shore wash up on Cape Beaches at Noordhoek and Scarborough. Adventure divers travel around the world to see similar unique marine events. See Jean Tresfon’s photos.

Laughing Doves and Cape White Eyes – bird blessings

It felt like a benediction. We laughed with joy – it is not every day that one stands in the entrance of a shopping centre with a wild bird on the head!

Hands on for Green Action

Bread Tags for Wheelchairs – South Peninsula Schools can help

Bread Tags for Wheelchairs – South Peninsula Schools can help

Get in on a class act. Send your bread tags (packed in 1kg bags) to Mary Honeybun of bread tags for wheelchairs and send us photos of your collections.

WOODWIND CIRCLE COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT

In an effort to uplift our community in Steenberg, we have created a large, indigenous garden, as well as a food garden, on a vacant lot in a residential area. The project started in 2009 and now has a food garden producing organic vegetables. We need help with maintaining the [...]

Endangered Leopard Toads of Clovelly to feature on 50/50

Documentary on Leopard Toads to be screened on 50/50. Photographer Zach Vincent spent time at the Clovelly golf course and interviewed Mr. Ackerman about need for toad friendly habitat to secure the future of Leopard Toads in Clovelly. Silvermine River & Clovelly Country Club were the focus of a successful 2011 breeding season.

Otters of the Cape Peninsula

Otters of the Cape Peninsula

In the morning mist of Scarborough or late evening on Glencairn beach they can look like seals, but look closer – you may be rewarded with a rare sighting of a Cape Clawless Otter. Read about Nicola Okes’s exciting research on Cape Peninsula Otters and become an Otter Spotter.

Rinkhals Research needs snake photos.

Rinkhals Research needs snake photos.

Have you seen this charismatic snake? Thought until recently to be locally extinct Rinkhals have been sighted in the Table Mnt National Park.

`Courage 2 B Cool’

Do you have the Courage 2 B Cool for the Earth and for the future of humanity?

We have been brainwashed into believing that excessive materialism and consumption is the justifiable reward for enterprising endeavor and hard work – and that the future of our economy depends on it. “People with stuff have status – they’re cool.” Does keeping up with, or surpassing the Jones’s really make us better people? Are we, are you, happier surrounded by all the stuff we have to insure, house, maintain and upgrade? Does the money we pay for excessive consumption go toward `fixing’ the environment. Sadly no. Too many people’s lifestyles are costing the Earth.

We are using the Earth’s Capital at an unsustainable rate and polluting essential-to-life services such as water, air, the sea and farmland.

Nature needs 2 B Cool 2. On an international level role models like Lewis Pugh – the Human Polar Bear and Ric O’Barry of The Cove have gone to extraordinary lengths and shown incredible courage to raise awareness. To use Lewis’s slogan, “It is time to Believe”. We can individually make a difference. Every time you and I make choices to reduce our impact on the Earth and to be Earth Cool rather than materially Cool takes Courage.

Lewis Pugh, fondly called the human Polar Bear, is a Scenic South local. On 7 Sept he told a capacity crowd at a Scenic South event to launch the Courage 2 B Cool concept how and why he swims in the coldest places on Earth to raise awareness about global warming. Click here to read about the Courage 2 B Cool evening with Lewis Pugh.

It is time to showcase the people in our community who have the `Courage 2 B Cool’. The Scenic South website will be showcasing locals who stand up for the Earth, who defend Nature’s right to life and who promote living lightly (sustainably). We would welcome articles and comments from readers about having the `Courage 2 B Cool’ – so send us your stories or the names of people who you think have the Courage 2 B Cool.

Does business in Fish Hoek have the Courage 2 B Cool?

`Hoeked on Green’ with “Keep Fish Hoek Beautiful” & Scenic South Website. Nov 2010

“Hoeked on Green “ is an initiative to gauge the green awareness of Main Road businesses and to understand which environmentally friendly initiatives are appropriate for Fish Hoek. A checklist was designed to identify the pro-active steps local businesses are taking to reduce the environmental impact of their services and products. The results of survey will be presented at the Keep Fish Hoek Beautiful awards ceremony on 16 Nov. Read about Hoeked on Green here.

KimK

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Enviro News
Enviro Events

Solar Water Heaters & Challenge of Creating Green Economy.

Subsidies for solar water heaters (SWH) have driven a frenzy of new SWH companies. Good news for job creation. As foreign companies supply 50% of our domestic SWHs, is local industry benefitting enough. Buy local!!.

Bread Tags for Wheelchairs – South Peninsula Schools can help

Bread Tags for Wheelchairs – South Peninsula Schools can help

Get in on a class act. Send your bread tags (packed in 1kg bags) to Mary Honeybun of bread tags for wheelchairs and send us photos of your collections.

Chapman’s Peak Toll Plaza Bulldozing Ahead

Excavation started today, 30 January, for construction of the controversial Chapman’s Peak toll plaza. The TMNP land required for the toll plaza still needs to be excised by Parliament. This can not be a legal procedural sequence. Why does it have Helen Zille’s support?

Green Flag for Fish Hoek Beach during Summer of 2011/12

Excellent weather and warm water had holiday makers flocking to South Peninsula Beaches. With few shark sightings and good conditions the Spotters flew the Green Flag.

Bird Check List for the Clovelly & Fish Hoek Valley.

Thanks to well known birder Eric Barnes, we have a comprehensive bird check list for the Clovelly and Fish Hoek Valley – a special resource for all levels of birders and an excellent aid for bird identification.

World Wetlands Day 2012 with GEESE of Glencairn

Walk along the Els River through Glencairn to the Sea or join a wetlands and coastal clean-up and Celebrate World Wetlands Day in the South Peninsula with GEESE.

Nuclear Power Seminar: Can South Africa learn from Fukushima and Germany.

Seminar on 1 February 2012 to get people to talk about Fukushima and Germany’s position on nuclear power with the hope that South Africans will reflect on nuclear power. Seminar title: The Role of Science on Political Decision Making “How Germany Decided to Give up Nuclear Energy”

Chapman’s Peak Toll Plaza: Sign Petition & Join Protest March

Protest against: No more free access for picnics and walks, office block/ plazaon Chappies, over 25 million of Tax money, part of TMNP given away free, spoiling natural beauty. Help stop this!

Friends of Silvermine Nature Area: hikes, hacks & walks

The Friends of Silvermine Nature Area (FOSNA) lead interesting and safe local walks with good company – explore and enjoy the scenic South Peninsula.

eMzantsi Carnival Goes Bos – No Cop Out in South Peninsula

While the world’s leaders are gathered at COP17 in Durban ostensibly to commit their citizens to a carbon friendly economy, the eMzantsi Carnival showed the South Peninsula how to Go Bos. See Photos .

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Lewis Pugh Enviro Event

Thanks so much for arranging the Lewis Pugh lecture. What an inspiration he provides to us.

Ronnie Glass

Birding Fundis in the Scenic South

I have enjoyed your “Scenic South ” this month. Thanks for all the effort.
Do you have the names of some birding fundi’s – I would like to make contact with people who are authorities on birds in this area . I live on Lake Michelle Noordhoek and it would be of interest to our residents [...]

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