Berg River 19: Velddrif Saltpans (32431812) | |
|---|---|
Western Cape | |
| CWAC status | REGISTERED-COUNTED REGULARLY |
| Authority | |
| Management status | Mining Property |
| Conservation status | Unprotected |
| IBA information | Berg River Estuary IBA |
| Ramsar information | |
| Heritage information | |
| View Cards | Click here |
Information |
|---|
| Date_registered |
| 2022-02-22 |
| Brief_description |
| The Velddrift Saltworks near Dwarskersbos comprise a network of shallow evaporation and crystallisation ponds, salt pans, embankments, and canals, interspersed with areas of open water and sparsely vegetated saline flats. These artificial habitats mimic natural hypersaline wetlands and provide important foraging, roosting, and breeding areas for waterbirds, particularly cormorants, like White-breasted Cormorant, gulls (e.g., Kelp Gull), terns, ibis, flamingos, waders, including Chestnut-banded Plover, and other more salt-tolerant species. |
| Hydrological_features |
| Salt mining sites inc. pans and evaporation dams (100%) |
| Ecological_features |
| HABITAT/ WETLAND COMPOSITION: n/a Approximate size: 105 ha |
| Spp | Common name | Taxonomic name | Min | Avg | Max | IBA | Subregional IBA | RAMSAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256 | Calidris pugnax | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | ||||
| 269 | Avocet, Pied | Recurvirostra avosetta | 52 | 52.00 | 52 | |||
| 50 | Cormorant, Reed | Microcarbo africanus | 1 | 1.00 | 1 | |||
| 47 | Cormorant, White-breasted | Phalacrocorax lucidus | 76 | 128.50 | 181 | 130 | ||
| 216 | Crane, Blue | Grus paradisea | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | |||
| 52 | Darter, African | Anhinga rufa | 1 | 1.00 | 1 | |||
| 86 | Flamingo, Greater | Phoenicopterus roseus | 111 | 128.00 | 145 | |||
| 87 | Flamingo, Lesser | Phoeniconaias minor | 660 | 660.00 | 660 | 600 | ||
| 89 | Goose, Egyptian | Alopochen aegyptiaca | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | |||
| 5 | Grebe, Black-necked | Podiceps nigricollis | 33 | 33.00 | 33 | |||
| 4 | Grebe, Great Crested | Podiceps cristatus | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | |||
| 263 | Greenshank, Common | Tringa nebularia | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | |||
| 288 | Gull, Grey-headed | Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | |||
| 289 | Gull, Hartlaub's | Chroicocephalus hartlaubii | 14 | 14.00 | 14 | |||
| 287 | Gull, Kelp | Larus dominicanus | 996 | 1122.50 | 1249 | 300 | 150 | 700 |
| 169 | Harrier, Black | Circus maurus | 1 | 1.00 | 1 | |||
| 55 | Heron, Black-headed | Ardea melanocephala | 4 | 4.00 | 4 | |||
| 54 | Heron, Grey | Ardea cinerea | 1 | 1.50 | 2 | |||
| 81 | Ibis, African Sacred | Threskiornis aethiopicus | 5 | 22.50 | 40 | |||
| 245 | Lapwing, Blacksmith | Vanellus armatus | 3 | 3.00 | 3 | |||
| 236 | Plover, Chestnut-banded | Charadrius pallidus | 45 | 45.00 | 45 | |||
| 233 | Plover, Common Ringed | Charadrius hiaticula | 3 | 3.00 | 3 | |||
| 237 | Plover, Kittlitz's | Charadrius pecuarius | 5 | 12.00 | 19 | |||
| 238 | Plover, Three-banded | Charadrius tricollaris | 3 | 3.00 | 3 | |||
| 258 | Sandpiper, Common | Actitis hypoleucos | 1 | 1.00 | 1 | |||
| 251 | Sandpiper, Curlew | Calidris ferruginea | 8 | 16.50 | 25 | |||
| 90 | Shelduck, South African | Tadorna cana | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | |||
| 94 | Shoveler, Cape | Anas smithii | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | |||
| 85 | Spoonbill, African | Platalea alba | 1 | 1.00 | 1 | |||
| 270 | Stilt, Black-winged | Himantopus himantopus | 10 | 59.50 | 109 | |||
| 253 | Stint, Little | Calidris minuta | 7 | 43.00 | 79 | |||
| 98 | Teal, Cape | Anas capensis | 88 | 88.00 | 88 | |||
| 291 | Tern, Common | Sterna hirundo | 48 | 48.00 | 48 | |||
| 686 | Wagtail, Cape | Motacilla capensis | 1 | 4.00 | 7 |
Sunday 05 April 2026 07:39
FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
Department
of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town
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