Wild Rescue NPO

08/09/2026

Wild Rescue is celebrating the extraordinary diversity of the often-overlooked world of insects with a special event on 19 September. Come and discover some of the tiny, fascinating creatures that make our ecosystems work.

Sometimes, you have to look a little closer. 🔎🌿

MEET THE BEETLES: The original rock stars of the natural world.

MOTHS AFTER DARK: Forget the nightclub. These are the real stars of the night.

SPEAKERS:
🪲 Handré (Renier) Basson is an entomologist, researcher, and Senior Field Officer for the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) Drylands Conservation Programme, operating via Stellenbosch University.

🦋 Hermann Staude is a renowned lepidopterist (moth and butterfly expert) with a lifelong passion for the hidden world of insects and their host plants. Author of the "Southern African Moths & their Caterpillars" book.

DATE:
Saturday 19 September 2026

TIME:
Arrival and welcoming drink at 3:30PM, ends after 8:00PM

WHAT TO EXPECT:
4:00PM - 4:30PM : Presentation - Beetles
4:30PM - 5:30PM : Bug walk
5:30PM - 6:45PM : Light Buffet Dinner included
6:45PM - 7:30PM : Presentation - Moths
7:30PM onwards : Moth observation

COST:
ZAR 250 per person

LOCATION:
Wild Rescue nature reserve, Portion 35, Klipfontein Farm no. 414 - between Still Bay and Riversdale

BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES
Email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 063 292 1144

07/09/2026

We’re so proud to see our very own Aileen Anderson featured in Conservation Mag! 💚

A great little read about Aileen, her journey in conservation, and the work she does at Grootvadersbosch Conservancy. Other amazing women will be featured as well namely Linda Fletcher, Christina Mars, Naomi van Schalkwyk, and Gill Simpson!

Go have a read! 👇
https://conservationmag.org/en/environment/women-who-keep-the-wild-alive-part-one

07/09/2026

Delilah munches
Sweet pear juice upon her chin
One happy monkey. 🍐🐒

07/09/2026

🌿 IT'S A GREAT MONTH TO GO WILD! 🌿

Today marks the beginning of SA National Parks Week, with South Africans able to enjoy free entry to participating SANParks parks from 7–13 September. And the good news doesn't end there! Later this month, CapeNature's annual Access Week will offer free day entry to participating reserves across the Western Cape from 19–25 September.

It's the perfect excuse to get outside. 🌍🥾

Yes, we love our big national parks. They protect some of South Africa's most spectacular landscapes and iconic wildlife.

But don't forget to look beyond the obvious.

Some of the country's most extraordinary biodiversity can be found far from the crowds, in the smaller and lesser-known nature reserves tucked away off the beaten track.

Places where you might not find a queue of cars at the gate. Places where the soundtrack is birdsong instead of traffic. 

🌿 Sometimes the smallest reserves protect some of the biggest natural treasures.

And, if we're being completely honest, they're often a lot less crowded too. 😉

At Wild Rescue, we're proud to be part of that quieter side of conservation: protecting a small but remarkable piece of the natural world and sharing it with people who want to experience nature a little differently.

So this September, by all means, visit a famous national park.

But perhaps also take a turn down the road less travelled.

You never know what wild gem you might find. 💚

 

05/09/2026

'Springboks beat All Blacks taking 2-1 lead in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'. Would've been a perfect moment to celebrate with an emoji 😉🦌

To springbok, or to protea? That is the question. (or is it?) Aesop’s Fables is a famous collection of short stories from ancient Greece, using animals that talk and act like people to endow young minds with simple morals. Replete with natural rivalries; you may have heard of tales such as Tortois...

05/09/2026

If you’ve ever taken a coastal walk along the Western Cape, you’ve almost certainly seen the dense, trailing green carpets of Carpobrotus edulis anchored in the sand. Commonly known as the Suurvy or Sour Fig (and Ghaukum in older Khoi-derived names), this hardy succulent groundcover produces large, showy yellow-to-pink blossoms that open up in the warm coastal sunshine.

The plant’s scientific name gives away its most delicious trait. Carpobrotus comes from the Greek words karpos ("fruit") and brotos ("edible"), while the Latin edulis also translates directly to "edible". Long before modern grocery stores, indigenous Khoikhoi communities harvested the juicy, fig-shaped seed capsules as a prized seasonal food source—eating them fresh or drying them into tangy preserves.

Beyond its sweet-and-sour fruits, Carpobrotus edulis is a celebrated living first-aid kit in Cape herbal medicine. The soothing, astringent juice squeezed from its fleshy triangular leaves acts much like Aloe vera, traditionally used to calm sunburns, bluebottle stings, insect bites, and minor grazes. Ecologically, its thick, creeping mats act as crucial dune stabilizers, holding fragile coastal soils together and providing food and shelter for native pollinators, tortoises, and small mammals.

Whether providing medicine, securing dune slopes, or feeding wildlife, the humble Suurvy proves that some of our most impactful native plants are the ones growing right beneath our feet! 🌸🐢

04/09/2026

🐍 SNAKE AWARENESS & HANDLING COURSE WITH SLANGBOERE! 🐍

Back by popular demand at Wild Rescue this October!

Ever wondered what to do when you encounter a puff adder or a cobra? Want to overcome your fears, learn correct snakebite first aid, or gain the hands-on skills to safely handle snakes?

Wild Rescue is incredibly proud once again to host a Snake Awareness, Venomous Snake Handling, and Snakebite First Aid Course presented by Slangboere!

With over 30 years of professional handling experience, the instructor brings a wealth of wilderness knowledge, ethical conservation practices, and top-tier safety protocols to this intensive day course.

📅 Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
📍 Venue: Wild Rescue Nature Reserve
🕒 Time: 10:00 - 15:00
💰 Cost: ZAR 800 per person - Coffee and muffins included for short break, bring own lunch.  

What you will learn:
✅ How to accurately identify local snake species ✅ Modern, medically sound snakebite first aid (dispelling the myths!)
✅ The theory of snake behavior and safety protocols
✅ Practical Training: Safe, hands-on venomous snake handling using professional equipment (for qualifying participants).

Whether you are a field guide, farmer, homeowner, outdoor enthusiast, or simply want to face your fears, this course is an absolute must.

🚨 SPACES ARE STRICTLY LIMITED TO 18 PARTICIPANTS TO ENSURE SAFETY AND ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING.
🚨 50% DEPOSIT MUST BE PAID BY 17 OCTOBER. 

📩 How to book: Send a WhatsApp to 078 875 5776 or email us at [email protected] to secure your spot today!

 

04/09/2026

Please note: Due to heavy rain this week the low-water bridge and other dirt roads leading to the Wild Rescue nature reserve are currently flooded. We are therefore moving tomorrow's event from the 5th of September to Saturday the 26th of September. Apologies for any inconvenience. Hope to see you then! ☀️🌺

03/09/2026

Check out the first edition of Wild Rescue’s new monthly newsletter! With these mailers we will keep our subscribers updated on our news, events, media coverage, content, campaigns and special offers. As you’ll see: we’ve had a lot of activity recently and there are a number of events coming up at our nature reserve.
READ THE NEWSLETTER HERE: https://mailchi.mp/364fddee3846/wild-rescue-september-2026-newsletter