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04 November 2025

GRIN 2025 – a safe space for sharing insights, ideas and uncertainties about human-nature connections in conservation

SANParks co-hosted the successful 7th Garden Route Interface and Networking (GRIN) meeting, from 30 September to 2 October 2025, at Villa Castollini near Brenton-on-Sea in the Garden Route. GRIN provides a practice-oriented space for practitioners, scientists and students to co-learn about human-nature connections in conservation. This year, 85 participants contributed to more than 50 stimulating…

02 October 2025

Thrivability: People and Nature, Flourishing Together

We’ve all heard the word sustainability. It’s about not using up everything today so that future generations still have something tomorrow. It’s a wise idea—but let’s be honest, it can sometimes feel like a very serious word. Sustainability sounds like holding back, make do or using less. Important, yes. But is “just surviving” really the…

25 September 2025

Indicators: a deceptively simple word: The planning

During the week of the 14th of June 2025, SANParks engaged in a series of focused meetings with three teams from the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) on the development of indicators within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). These discussions built on earlier themes in the SANParks–OFB partnership and were aimed at sharing practices for conservation monitoring…

25 September 2025

Collaboration, Innovation, and Governance: Reflections from UNOC 2025

At the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, global ocean stakeholders came together to discuss urgent marine challenges. Representing South African National Parks (SANParks), I had the honour of contributing to three official side events focused on marine governance, international cooperation, and ocean innovation. The first event, Marine Protected Areas: Success Stories…

09 September 2025

A Personal Reflection on Stereo-BRUVs Field Based Training and Workshop

As an early-career marine researcher, I recently had the privilege of participating in an immersive deep-sea training workshop hosted by the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB), under the umbrella of the South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) – a Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) programme. The workshop focused on developing hands-on…

25 July 2025

Submerged: Exploration of the underwater world by Team Ocean Outlaws’ robotic Manta Ray named Fred

Over the past few decades, the global emphasis on fostering innovation has been driven by the constant evolution of technology, as new advancements continuously replace older ones with more efficient alternatives. Innovation has been directed towards the youth, because their fresh thinking often goes beyond what past generations envisioned. In South Africa, this spirit is…

19 June 2025

South Africa’s oldest Flux Tower turns 25!

It is well-known that plants give us oxygen and transpire water, and the little organisms within our soils release carbon dioxide. We also know that these gases are also available from the atmosphere. But do we know much about how they move between the ground and the sky above it? Thanks to a quarter of…

05 June 2025

Scientists, Rangers, and Horn-Free Rhinos: A Smarter Way to Save the Day

If rhinos had PR teams, they’d probably campaign for something like: “Love me for my wrinkles, not my horn.” Unfortunately, their iconic horns—made of the same stuff as our fingernails—have become one of the most sought-after wildlife products on the planet. And that has turned them into prime targets in a high-stakes, global crime saga….

30 May 2025

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Initially, the students stood in awe of a bird in the hand. Watching closely, University of Mpumalanga (UMP) students were guided through the process of bird capture and ringing; starting with how and where to set up mist nets to trap small passerine birds; safely removing caught birds from the nets; how to handle a…

23 April 2025

New marine alien species Amathia verticillata discovered in Langebaan Lagoon MPA

Alien species are organisms not native to an area, often out-compete indigenous species, for food and space, and usually have no natural predators. Langebaan Lagoon Marine Protected Area (MPA), located within the West Coast National Park (WCNP), is susceptible to the introduction of marine invasive alien species, due to a combination of ecological, environmental, and…

14 April 2025

The Garden Route, Frontier & Marine Research Unit grows and grooms!

The seed for a Grow and Groom event for the Garden Route, Frontier & Marine Research Unit was planted and watered in 2024 and finally germinated in mid-February 2025. The lingering effects of Covid-19 on staff, the geographically distributed nature of our unit, and the need to collectively energise each other and plan for 2025…

27 March 2025

Understanding Wildlife in Kruger National Park: Animal Population Trends (Part 2)

Kruger National Park in South Africa is famous for its wildlife and is a key part of the country’s natural heritage. Managing wildlife is important to protect biodiversity while also supporting the economy. In most years, the South African National Parks (SANParks) conducts surveys to count animals in Kruger. These surveys help park managers make…