Westlake’s finest caught on camera

15 April 2020

Westlake’s finest caught on camera! Pictured here is a Grey Mongoose; Porcupine; Caracal and Water Mongoose all captured over the past Easter weekend by camera traps recently installed at the City of Cape Town Westlake Conservation Centre

Westlake’s finest caught on camera! Pictured here is a Grey Mongoose; Porcupine; Caracal and Water Mongoose all captured over the past Easter weekend by camera traps recently installed at the City of Cape Town Westlake Conservation Centre. 

The City recently installed these camera traps to monitor fauna at the Westlake Conservation Centre during the lockdown period. These camera traps enable staff to monitor changes in fauna activity at Westlake with there being far less human disturbance.

This forms part of the City’s long-term monitoring programme across all its protected areas. The photographs captured are collated to determine the occurrence and species of fauna and to document trends over time. The locations of the camera traps are changed periodically, however sites along footpaths, animal tracks and roads are usually best suited.

The Westlake Conservation Centre is an important natural link to Table Mountain and has extensive wetlands. The area is home to two threatened and endemic vegetation types, namely the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Peninsula Granite Fynbos. Over 200 plant species have been recorded on site, including the Endangered bulb Babiana villosula and the Vulnerable vygie Skiatophytum skiatophytoides. 

It hosts many bird species, including recent sightings of the Honey Buzzard and Brown-backed Honeybird. The conservation area is home to various mammals such as Caracal; Large-spotted Genet; Porcupine and Water Mongoose. Reptiles include Molesnake; Puffadder; Cape Cobra; Boomslang and an array of smaller snakes. Frogs found here include the endangered Western Cape Leopard Toad.

Ends

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office