A rare fynbos species, feared extinct for nearly 40 years, has been rediscovered in South Africa's Kogelberg Nature Reserve. In September, a team found eight surviving plants of Erica cunoniensis on Buffelstalberg. The discovery highlights the resilience of nature amid ongoing conservation efforts.
In September, a small team from CapeNature and the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (Crew) located eight surviving plants of Erica cunoniensis on Buffelstalberg in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. This species had not been seen for almost 40 years, with a 2012 search involving about 200 people yielding no trace.
The first sighting was made by pupil field ranger Sylvia Wolita, who described it as 'a reminder that nature was both fragile and resilient.' CapeNature spokesperson Luke Folb noted the great excitement surrounding the find. Field rangers Cairestine Lottring and Takalani Makhomu shared their joy over the rediscovery.
Kogelberg sits at the heart of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa's first Unesco-registered biosphere in 1998. The reserve spans about 103,000 hectares, plus a 24,500-hectare marine component, stretching from the mountains above Gordon’s Bay along the coast to beyond Hermanus, and inland past Botrivier to the Grabouw/Elgin area. It is managed through core, buffer, and transition zones to protect biodiversity.
Recognized as the 'heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom,' the biosphere contains more than 1,880 plant species, including 77 local endemics found nowhere else, and its marine area hosts over 3,500 endemic species. This exceptional richness allows small populations like Erica cunoniensis to persist in inaccessible refuges.
CapeNature staff say the discovery vindicates years of patient monitoring and collaboration with citizen scientists through Crew. Field ranger Cairestine Lottring emphasized that 'combining expertise, curiosity and commitment ensured that even the rarest species were not forgotten.' The find resonates in a biosphere facing invasive species, development pressure, and climate-exacerbated fire risk.
As Wolita put it, 'Conservation’s job is to keep looking — and keep the conditions right for those secrets to endure.' The biosphere's zoning framework supports research, responsible tourism, alien-clearing, and fire management while preserving irreplaceable habitat.