Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area

About

The Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area is a non-profit organisation that works to protect the irreplaceable wetlands and the threatened wildlife they support. It covers 47 000 hectares at Africa's southernmost tip in the Overberg. We consist of 25 landowners and the community of Elim, and we've signed title deed restrictions to protect our natural world forever. 

Vision

To effectively manage, rehabilitate, conserve and develop the functioning of ecosystem processes and natural and cultural heritage offered within the greater Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area.

Birdlife

The Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area is a birder's paradise. In fact, the Agulhas Plains Birding Project has identified 235 species that live in or visit the wetlands, and this list continues to grow. 

Working with WWF South Africa and BirdLife South Africa, we address the threats to a vital stretch of birding habitat along the Nuwejaars River.

Globally threatened bird species include:

• Lesser flamingo  
• Blue crane  
• Denham’s bustard  
• Southern black korhaan  
• Secretary bird  
• Martial eagle  
• Black harrier  
• Hottentot buttonquail

Regionally threatened bird species include:

• African marsh harrier  
• Lanner falcon  
• African grass owl  
• Greater flamingo  
• Agulhas long-billed lark  
• Striped flufftail  
• Greater painted-snipe 

Interesting and unusual bird sightings include:

• Montagu’s harrier  
• African goshawk  
• Amur falcon  
• Southern pale chanting goshawk  
• Wattled starling  
• Tambourine dove  
• Lemon dove  
• African black swift  
• Amethyst sunbird  
• Blue-cheeked bee-eater  
• European roller  
• European honey buzzard  
• Swee waxbill 

Not seen...yet

The much anticipated appearance of the Karoo Korhaan is yet to happen. Please alert the NWSMA team if you are the lucky birder who spots this elusive feathered beauty.

Game Species

Game species that you might see in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area are: 

Guided Wildlife Tours

Join the Nuwejaars Wetlands Wildlife Guided Tours. We take you into a secret lake expanse with game, birdlife and threatened fynbos. This is the only tour in the Overberg to offer experiences with big game such as Hippo and Buffalo.  

Daily safari-style wildlife tours are now offered to the public. 

Morning Wildlife Tour

Cost:

• R400 per person
• Children under 12 years of age pay half-price

Duration:

• 2 - 3 Hours 

Departure Time:

• 08:30

Meeting Place:

• Black Oystercatcher Wine Farm

Duration:

• 2 - 3 Hours 

Includes:

• Coffee and Rusks

Sunset Wildlife Tour

Cost: 

• R450 per person
• Children under 12 years of age pay R200

Duration:

• 2 hours

Meeting Place:

• Black Oystercatcher Wine Farm

Departure Time:

• 17:00

Includes:

• Sundowners at sunset look-out point

Visit www.nuwejaars.com to book. Call Eugéne Hahndiek on 079 517 9032 for more information. You can also direct your enquiries and bookings to book@nuwejaars.com 

School Outings

The Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area hosts guided educational outings for learners of all ages, introducing young people to our natural world. Our Environmental Education Programme is funding dependent.

Research Projects

The Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area has worked with tertiary institutions across South Africa, hosting and facilitating research projects. These institutions include but are not limited to:

Research projects have included studies on:

Sponsorships and Donations

Thank you for your interest in conservation. You can get involved in our conservation work. Donate to the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area, a non-profit organisaiton, to help improve this natural world. You can also make the most of any of these opportunities:  

• Help build a bird hide - R100
• Adopt a hippo - R1,000 
• Support a herd of Bontebok - R10,000 

Contact the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area to find out more about the various sponsorships and donation-plans available.

Volunteer

Make a difference and volunteer your time by taking part in fun research projects in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area. 

Duties include helping the NWSMA team monitor birdlife, game and vegetation. 

For more information on the volunteering programme, contact: ross@nuwejaars.com

Black Oystercatcher Wine Farm

Our safari-style tours depart daily from destination wine farm, the Black Oystercatcher.

The Black Oystercatcher has amenities that include:

Find out more about the Black Oystercatcher here.