Young environmentalists involved in the Cape Parrot Project (CPP) have been helping the Wild Bird Trust to keep birds safe in the wild by using research and science to raise awareness of the endangered Cape parrot and secure critical habitats for the benefit of ecosystems.
Siyabulela Sonjani
The Cape parrot is South Africa’s only endemic parrot. The species is endangered due to the destruction and degradation of their forest habitat.
So, the Cape Parrot Project conserves this bird through research and habitat restoration efforts, and involving the community is integral to its success.
Siyabulela Sonjani, 35, from Khayalethu in Hogsback, started working for the CPP in 2016 as a field staff member. He enjoys connecting with nature and helps to monitor restoration sites and educational activities such as school camps.
‘I monitor and collect data from various sites currently under the CPP management. I gather data from planted trees using various measurements. I also collect sound data by setting up Passive Acoustic Monitors (PAM) in the forest where they record data over several days,’ he said.
Tara Naeser
Tara Naeser, 28, from Pinelands, Cape Town, said that as the Limpopo Research Assistant, she spends hours daily observing the Cape parrot in different areas around the Woodbush Forest Reserve. She is helping contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of the Cape parrot and discover the similarities and differences between the Cape parrot in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.
‘From my observations, I can gather data such as gender, age, activity and which direction the Cape parrot travels to and from. I hope to help lay the foundation for assisting the Limpopo node to succeed, especially as it is a new branch of the CPP,’ she said.
Siphelele Mhlalo, 24, from Hale Village in Hogsback works in the nursery at CPP, where she helps grow plants that conserve the natural habitat of Hogsback for Cape parrots.
Siphelele Mhlalo
Nomafu Somniso, 35, from Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal, dedicates her time in the nursery collecting seedlings and mixing compost and soil to start preparing to transplant trees into bags. She said she wishes to effectively propagate plants of the perfect quality for planting and positively impact the forest.
‘I learned that the smallest amount of change in how you preserve the environment can have a huge impact on nature conservation,’ he said.
Nomafu Somniso
The Wild Bird Trust started with the Cape Parrot Project, based in Hogsback, where Dr Rutledge ‘Steve’ Boyes lived while he researched these parrots. Since then, the Trust has grown to accommodate more projects, and in 2014, the Okavango Wilderness Project was launched. This is a multi-year collaboration agreement with the National Geographic Society becoming the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, committed to helping conserve the iconic Okavango Delta by protecting the headwaters in Angola upon which it depends.
For more information, visit Wild Bird Trust
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