South Africa has officially designated Mkambati Nature Reserve in the Eastern Cape its 31st Wetland of International Importance on the Ramsar List. The site, covering over 7 000 hectares along the Indian Ocean, is now listed as Ramsar Site No 2554.

The recognition was announced on World Wetlands Day, February 2.

Located 71 kilometres from Flagstaff, Mkambati Nature Reserve is a key protected area within the Pondoland Centre of Plant Endemism – home to 196 endemic plant species including the threatened Bauhinia bowkeri (Kei white bauhinia) and Ceropegia tenella (Pondo lantern flower).

Mkambati’s wetlands, estuaries and swamp forests support a diverse range of species including Acontias poecilus (a lizard-like nationally threatened reptile) and the endemic Copelatus Mkambati diving beetle. The Msikaba and Mtentu river estuaries are important nurseries for fish species such as the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and the Japanese meagre (Argyrosomus japonicus), which are both globally threatened.

Additionally, the Mtentu River estuary is a unique thermal refuge for adult trevally fish escaping cold ocean waters. The reserve’s streams, waterfalls and wetlands also play a critical role in water regulation, climate resilience and erosion control by providing essential ecosystem services to surrounding communities.

Mkambati is managed as a strict nature reserve under an actively implemented management plan recognised by the World Commission on Protected Areas of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In addition to its ecological significance, the reserve holds cultural and tourism value with its pristine landscapes attracting nature enthusiasts and researchers.