The Western Cape's natural beauty is under growing threat. A new report from CapeNature paints a stark picture of declining ecosystem health across the province, from its mountain catchments to its embattled estuaries and river corridors.

The Western Cape's natural beauty is under growing threat. A new report from CapeNature paints a stark picture of declining ecosystem health across the province, from its mountain catchments to its embattled estuaries and river corridors.

According to CapeNature's 2025 State of Conservation Report, more than half of the Western Cape's 350 ecosystem types are now classified as threatened. In a province celebrated globally for its biodiversity, the implications are serious -- not just for nature, but for people and livelihoods.

At the heart of the findings is a slow-burning emergency in freshwater and estuarine systems. Estuaries -- biologically rich transition zones between rivers and the sea -- are among the hardest hit. Forty-four of the Western Cape's 54 estuaries are listed as threatened, having been battered by altered flows, pollution, invasive species and urban sprawl. River and wetland systems fare no better, with 101 of 138 freshwater ecosystems facing ecological stress.

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Six of South Africa's 22 Strategic Water Source Areas fall entirely within the province. These mountainous zones are effectively the nation's water towers, feeding rivers that sustain agriculture, cities and rural communities alike. If these systems fail, the ripple effects will be felt in taps and irrigation...