List of Ramsar sites in South Africa

This list of Ramsar sites in South Africa are wetland environs that are considered to be of international importance, and protected under the Ramsar Convention. As of 2024, South Africa has 30 such sites covering 574 028 hectares.^[1][2]

For a complete list of all Ramsar sites worldwide, see the List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance.

List of Ramsar sites

Name[1]	Location	Description	Image	Area (km^2)	Designated	Ref.
Barberspan	Delareyville 26°35′S 25°35′E	A 5 km long and 2.5km wide, permanent, alkaline, freshwater lake, surrounded by grassland.		31.18	12/03/1975	[1]
Berg Estuary	Velddrif 32°51′S 18°15′E	Wetland mudflat vegetation in a flood plain that contains 127 waterbird species.		11.63	01/02/2022	[2]
Blesbokspruit	Marievale Bird Sanctuary 26°18′S 28°30′E	Permanently inundated section of the Blesbokspruit River. Important for several locally migrant waterbird species and various mammals.		18.58	02/10/1986	[3]
Bot - Kleinmond Estuarine System	Kleinmond 34°20′S 19°06′E	An estuarine lake recognised as one of the ten most important wetlands for waterbirds in South Africa; 86 species have been recorded here. It's also a nursery for 41 species of fish.		13.50	31/01/2017	[4]
Dassen Island Nature Reserve	Dassen Island 33°25′S 018°05′E	Important Bird Area for 10 of the 15 endemic sea birds in Southern Africa; including the critically endangered African penguin and Cape cormorant.		7.37	29/03/2019	[5]
De Berg Nature Reserve	Dullstroom 25°12′42″S 30°08′48″E	A high-altitude catchment area along the Dwars River that includes diverse and endemic ecosystems types. Classified as a Critical Biodiversity Area for endangered species such as the grey crowned crane, black harrier and southern bald ibis.		12.65	02/02/2024	[6]
De Hoop Vlei	De Hoop Nature Reserve 34°27′S 020°23′E			7.5	12/03/1975	[7]
De Mond	De Mond Nature Reserve 34°42′S 020°06′E			9.18	02/10/1986	[8]
Dyer Island Nature Reserve Complex	Dyer Island / Geyser Island 34°41′S 019°24′E			2.88	29/03/2019	[9]
False Bay Nature Reserve	Zeekoevlei 34°03′S 018°29′E			15.42	02/02/2015	[10]
Ingula Nature Reserve	Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme 28°15′S 029°34′E			80.84	01/03/2021	[11]
Kgaswane Mountain Reserve	25°43′S 027°12′E			49.52	29/03/2019	[12]
Kosi Bay	Maputaland 27°01′S 032°49′E			109.82	28/06/1991	[13]
Lake Sibaya	Maputaland 27°20′S 032°40′E			77.50	28/06/1991	[14]
Langebaan Lagoon	Langebaan 33°09′S 018°04′E			60.00	25/04/1988	[15]
Makuleke Wetlands	Kruger National Park 22°23′S 031°12′E	Flood plain at confluence of the Luvuvhu and Limpopo rivers that consists of riparian woodlands and floodplain grasslands. Important ecosystem for the vulnerable Mozambique tilapia, the critically endangered African longfin eel and white-backed vulture.		77.57	22/05/2007	[16]
Middelpunt Nature Reserve	Dullstroom 25°32′S 030°07′E			5.10	15/03/2023	[17]
Natal Drakensberg Park	uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park 29°23′S 029°24′E			2428.13	21/01/1997	[18]
Ndumo Game Reserve	Maputaland 26°52′S 032°15′E			101.17	21/01/1997	[19]
Ntsikeni Nature Reserve	30°07′S 029°28′E			92.00	02/02/2010	[20]
Nylsvley Nature Reserve	Mookgophong 24°38′S 028°41′E			39.70	07/07/1998	[21]
Orange River Mouth	Alexander Bay 28°35′S 016°28′E			20.00	28/06/1991	[22]
Prince Edward Islands	sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean 46°52′S 037°46′E			375.00	22/05/2007	[23]
Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve	Memel 27°35′S 029°35′E			47.54	21/01/1997	[24]
St. Lucia System	iSimangaliso Wetland Park 27°55′S 032°29′E			1555.00	02/10/1986	[25]
Turtle Beaches / Coral Reefs of Tongaland	iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area 27°29′S 032°44′E			395.00	02/10/1986	[26]
Verloren Valei Nature Reserve	Steenkampsberg, Mpumalanga 25°18′S 030°06′E			58.91	16/10/2001	[27]
Verlorenvlei	Redelinghuys 32°20′S 018°25′E			15.00	28/06/1991	[28]
Wilderness Lakes	Wilderness 33°59′S 022°40′E			13.00	28/06/1991	[29]
uMgeni Vlei Nature Reserve	29°29′S 029°49′E			9.58	19/03/2013	[30]

See also

• Marine protected areas of South Africa
• List of protected areas of South Africa

References

1. "The List of Wetlands of International Importance" (PDF). p. 45.
2. "Country Profile - South Africa Ramsar List". rsis.ramsar.org. Retrieved 21 April 2024.

External links

• Ramsar Profile - South Africa