A NEW Species of Conservation Concern has been identified in the Nuwejaars Wetlands SMA (NWSMA); one that has excited the experts.
𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢 is a very rare damselfly species. It’s listed as Endangered on the IUCN Redlist, threatened by habitat loss. It was thought to have become extinct, with no record between 1920 and 2003, when it was rediscovered close to Villiersdorp at one site.
This first record in the Nuwejaars Wetlands was logged by Prof Les Underhill from the University of Cape Town and the Biodiversity & Development Institute. Because the species prefers pristine habitat, and it was found in an area that has been restored and rewilded, it shows the value of this ongoing conservation work.
Our sincere thanks to the Table Mountain Fund for supporting this work.