Lake St. Lucia

South Africa

Lake St. Lucia, with a size of 350 sq. km, lies in the centre of the 2,550 square kilometre large protected area of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (former Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park), the oldest protected area in Africa. It is surrounded by massive vegetated dunes on the eastern shores.

About 530 species of bird are recorded in Lake St. Lucia, among them White Stork, Fish Eagle, Bee Eater, Oriole and Curlew. The range of reptiles is equally diverse, with leatherback turtle, Nile crocodile and the African python. Hippopotamus are found in the Lake as well.

Our partner organisations in South Africa are the Wildlands Conservation Trust and the Wilderness Foundation. Many species of plants and animals were and still are threatened by the impact of human activities upon the environment such as the devastation of dunes by a mining project.

A campaign of about 400 nature conservation associations from all over the world convinced the South African government to stop open pit-mining. In December 1999, UNESCO recognised the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park as a World Heritage Site thus acknowledging the universal value of this unique landscape.

Since 2005, the refosteration of indigenous trees inside of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park is implemented by the local population. This project is realisized in co-operation with the Wildlands Conservation Trust in the frame of the action “Tress for Life”. More information about this project "Trees for Life" you find on a separate site.

The initiative Nature Summer Camps is very successful and is realisized in co-operation with the Wildlands Conservation Trust. Here the volunteers from Germany have the possibility to get involved in the current project activities at St. Lucia Lake and in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

More information about Lake St. Lucia

Detailed Data

Contact

Further information about the Leopard Project.