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The Wetland - updating this page
 The small wetland you see here demonstrates all the elements of larger systems. The water is shallow or just below ground level. If you watch quietly you can see the little Black Crakes, Moorhens, Yellowbilled ducks, Egyptian geese, perhaps a Frog or Toad, or even a Cape Clawless Otter, all of which are beginning to make themselves at home in this wetland. 1/3 of our listed red data birds (threatened with extinction) are wetland dependent. |
Water is absolutely essential to all animal and plant life. Wetlands purify and improve the quality of run-off water, which they also store and regulate; they recharge groundwater supplies, control soil erosion and help to prevent flooding. Wetlands main tain a high diversity of specialised insect, animal and plant life forms by providing a unique source of food and shelter.Wetlands are effective carbon dioxide traps, helping to control global warming. In the Southern Cape the wilderness Lakes area is a unique, fragile and complex wetland system and a declared World Ramsar Site. |
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| Because the ground in a wetland is permanently wet, the soil contains little available oxygen or nutrients and wetland plants are specially adapted to these difficult conditions. Pollution of a wetland leads to a nitrate build-up and the proliferation of floating algae which use up the oxygen in the water and shade out natural sunlight, making it inhabitable for submerged plants, fish and insects and often for birds as well.Notice that the plants growing here are different from those in the rest of the garden. It is of vital importance to the whole ecosystem, and therefor to all mankind, to protect our wetlands and their catchment areas from inappropriate developments, pollution and agricultural draining. |
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 Striped stream frog |
 Painted reed frog |
 Arum lily frog |
 Plain rain frog |
 Common platanha |
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 A leafy view of the Wetland |
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