Save Our Species
FoTP's SOS Western Leopard Toad Project
What the project is about
The charismatic and iconic Endangered (EN) Western Leopard Toad is important for natural pest control and is threatened by habitat loss and road deaths. During breeding season each year, volunteers raise public awareness and assist toads in search of breeding ponds to safely cross our roads.
Friends of Tokai Park has now launched an exciting new project to restore the habitat of the Western Leopard Toad (EN) at Tokai Park, South Africa.
This project focuses on the Western Leopard Toad’s habitat in Critically endangered (CR) Peninsula Granite and Cape Flats Sandstone Fynbos – in which the toads spend most of the year foraging – as well as wetter areas such as riparian zones and wetlands associated with breeding.
Funding was granted for the project by IUCN Save Our Species and the European Union, which hope to address delays in conservation-related work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In partnership with SANParks, this new Friends of Tokai Park rapid project will have two main components:
- tackling alien vegetation, and …
- re-vegetating rare and locally missing indigenous species.
The project will create 15 new short-term jobs, including 12 paid internship positions for recent graduates with ecological expertise from around the country.
Part 1: Tackling alien vegetation
The project will continue the battle against alien vegetation and will tie in with Friends of Tokai Park’s existing Adopt-a-Plot programme and ongoing volunteer hacking activities. In addition, the interns will augment work done by Working for Water, performing detailed and high-quality, ecologically strategic follow-up with specific focus on treating hard-to-eradicate alien species that coppice and require repeat attention.
Paying particular attention to the hard-to-control Blackwood, the interns will use tried and trusted methods and test if some more-recently developed methods are viable at a larger scale.
Although targeted specifically at restoring Western Leopard Toad (EN) habitat, the project takes a holistic approach, considering whole ecosystem restoration. Invasive alien species threaten not only Western Leopard Toad (EN) habitat and Critically endangered (CR) fynbos. Invaded areas have been shown to be avoided by other charismatic animals, such as caracals and small mammals.
In addition, the higher biomass of alien vegetation, mainly trees, poses a fire hazard to adjacent residential areas. We will therefore be contributing to the protection and resilience of local communities.
Part 2: Re-vegetation of rare and locally missing indigenous species
We will be working with a well-known local business, FynbosLIFE, to restore specific areas by propagating fynbos plants using cuttings and seeds taken from the closest available site (where those species occur).
This process of propagating fynbos may sound simple but, in reality, much care is needed to ensure that only local plant populations are used (to preserve genetic integrity). This means that only species that would have occurred in the area are replanted and that there is no soil contamination or pathogen introduction.
The project will also be championing the revegetation of species such as the much-loved Silver Tree, which has suffered from pathogen-associated decline in recent years and was almost eradicated from the slopes of the Peninsula by forestry.
Early last year, some Silver Tree seedlings from Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens were planted in an experimental design to find the best planting method for the species. This work will enable us to achieve maximal survival rates.
The project to restore Western Leopard Toad habitat starts in February 2022 and ends in July 2022. To follow our progress, please keep an eye on our website and social media pages. And be sure to say hello to our friendly interns if you see them in the field!
Where is the project?
The project team
Bheka Mbonambi
Bheka is a Durban University of Technology graduate with three qualifications: a National Diploma in Horticulture, an Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture and a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture.
He has started a gardening and landscape business called Scape Star Trading and is a founder of “Enriching Foundation Through Sustainability”, a community project aimed at previously disadvantaged schools.
Bheka is keen to involve himself in opportunities bringing about sustainable social change. He likes to see a task to completion and approaches each task enthusiastically. He is passionate about outreach and school development.
You can see Bheka’s observations on iNaturalist.
Dandi Kritzinger
Large ecological systems excite Dandi and she desperately hopes that we will manage to rewild our landscapes to the greatest extent possible.
Dandi’s mini-thesis at Stellenbosch University was based on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for Water Management in the Peri-Urban (NATWiP): Linking Ecological, Social and Economic Dimensions.
She is keen to work with communities across the globe to restore our native vegetation types, improve connectivity in urban spaces and build resilience in both a social and an environmental context.
You can view Dandi’s observations on iNaturalist.
Ntokozo Dlamini
Ntokozo studied Nature Conservation at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and graduated with the top score for Conservation Compliance and came second for Biodiversity Conservation. She is currently finishing off her postgraduate Advanced Diploma in Nature Conservation.
Notkoza has worked as a conservationist trainee at CapeNature and has done quite a bit of voluntary work in various conservation areas throughout the Western Cape.
Always laughing, Ntokozo is not afraid to aks questions or get her hands dirty.
You can see Ntokoza’s observations on iNaturalist.
Nos’phamandla Ndamane
Nos’phamandla Ndamane is an Environmental Science BTech graduate from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology currently studying towards her Honours degree in Environmental Science at the University of South Africa (UNISA).
Nos’phamandla’s dream is to do a Master’s degree in Environmental Education as she would like to work as an Environmental Resource developer.
She is well-suited to her career path as she is very context-oriented, which is valuable for critical thinking. She is also creative and excels in design.
You can view Nos’phamandla’s observations on iNaturalist.
Asandile Mxabo
Asandile Mxabo grew up in Cape Town and studied Nature Conservation and Horticulture at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).
She has a immense passion for nature and this led her to volunteer at a variety of environmental organisations, including the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Greenpop, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the Ashia Cheetah Sanctuary and WildAid Africa.
Asandile has worked as a conservation trainee for CapeNature at the Gamkaberg World Heritage Site and Nature Reserve. She is a compassionate person with a hardworking with a practical mindset backed by considered thought.
You can see Asandile’s observations on iNaturalist.
Babalwa Yumata
Babalwa Yumata hails from Qheberha in the Eastern Cape.
Bubbly and full of energy – brightening any space she enters – Babalwa is an enthusiastic and dedicated Nature Conservationist with experience in areas of natural resource management, including alien clearing and rehabilitation.
She holds a National Diploma in Nature Conservation from the Nelson Mandela University and boasts more than three years’ work experience in conservation, including a position with SANParks at the Addo Elephant National Park.
You can view Babalwa’s observations on iNaturalist.
Anelisa Gaca
Anelisa Gaca holds a Diploma in Nature Conservation from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).
She has a broad range of experience working with various organizations, including SANParks, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) and the African Penguin Project.
Anelisa chose a career in Nature Conservation because she felt that nature, and Earth as a whole, needs people dedicated to taking care of it as we know of no other life-sustaining planet.
You can see Anelisa’s observations on iNaturalist.
Nkululeko Shezi
Nkululeko holds a diploma and a BTech in Nature Conservation from the Tshwane University of Technology and works for the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) as an Assistant Environmental Officer based at the education center of the KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden.
He is currently registered with the Mangosuthu University of Technology for his Master’s Degree in Nature Conservation and has to juggle this with his internship.
Ever-helpful and bursting with positivity, Nkululeko approaches problems with focus and a can-do attitude. He is also passionate about environmental education.
You can view Nkululeko’s observations on iNaturalist.
Oliver Angus
Oliver completed this Honours degree from Stellenbosch University last year. He is passionate about amphibians and their conservation and is keenly interested in habitat restoration and ex situ captive breeding programs for conservation.
Oliver spends much of his spare time outdoors, hiking in the Cape Fold Mountains and photographing the frogs and reptiles he encounters. He is also an extremely hard worker – sharp and bold and a provider of great project inputs. He is an enthusiastic sharer of ideas and suggestions for improvement.
You can see Oliver’s observations on iNaturalist.
Perfect Dhlamini
A passionate herpetologist, Perfect holds a BSc in Biology and Conservation Biology from the University of the Western Cape. He is a hard worker and extremely motivated person hungry for knowledge, skills and furthering his studies in biology.
A former research assistant at the Snake Lab at the University of the Western Cape, Perfect has experience in building reptile traps and sampling reptiles at Koeberg Private Nature Reserve. He is also certified to handle venomous snakes, including Black Mambas, and hopes to pursue a career in biology, conservation and biodiversity management.
You can view Perfect’s observations on iNaturalist.
Thotloetso Litheko
Thotloetso Litheko holds a BSc degree in Geograhy and Environmental Science and BSc honours in Botany from the University of the Free State.
“Being an intern at Friends of Tokai Park (FOTP) is where I have been able to grow and gain more experience in alien clearing and restoration as well as understanding the extensive work that goes behind conservation projects,” she says.
“I plan to do my Masters in conservation and want to further my career in plant conservation as well as making more people – especially in small communities – environmentally aware.”
You can see Thotloetso’s observations on iNaturalist.
Luyanda Hlengiwe Bhengu
From KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal, Luyanda studied Sustainable Horticulture and Landscaping at the Durban University of Technology.
She will be graduating with an Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture in May 2022, following completion of her thesis on the polyphagus shot hole borer in the Durban Botanical Gardens. She has also presented a poster at the African Continent Conference for the session on sustainable development.
Luyanda is a regular volunteer at events like WESSA’s International Beach Cleanup Day. She comes across as diligent, gentle and quiet, is always absorbing information and thinks critically.
You can view Lyanda’s observations on iNaturalist.
Note: View our FoTP SOS IUCN Intern Training Programme 1-3 March 2022 image gallery.
Funding was granted for this project by IUCN Save Our Species and the European Union, which hope to address delays in conservation-related work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In collaboration with South African National Parks (SANParks)
