SOS! Our white-fronted plovers are in trouble – and We are causing it…
White-fronted plovers arc shore-breeding birds; in Plett, these charismatic little characters can be found on beaches from Nature’s Valley to Keurbooms, Lookout, and Robberg.
Locally; the largest concentration of these birds is on the dunes of Lookout Beach and along the Keurbooms estuary. Once in abundance on Cape Peninsula beaches, they have now all but disappeared.
Conservation efforts For the past live years. Nature’s Valley Trust (NVT) has worked tirelessly to change the future for our white-fronted plovers with #Sharc the Shores public awareness campaigns, beach signage, rope enclosures around known nesting sites in the breeding season, and by monitoring nest sites and breeding success rates.
So, what is the problem? One of the biggest threats to successful breeding is a disturbance by people and their dogs. When a breeding bird is scared off its nest while incubating eggs, the eggs can survive for 3-4min only before dying in the hot sun (plovers incubate to cool eggs down).
Lookout is the most negatively-impacted of all local beaches. During 2019/20 the success rate was a mere 7.4%: of 54 eggs laid, only four birds finally fledged. Taking this dire situation into account, it’s clear that Plett residents and visitors now need to rally behind these birds to ensure that future generations will get to experience the joy of seeing them on our beaches.
How you can help? The white-fronted plovers’ breeding season is from August to March, so we need to act right now. Firstly, it is essential that all beach users comply with dog-free zone regulations: be mindful, too, of signage near the dunes during the breeding season, and prevent your children from playing in the dunes.
Signs will be erected around actual nest sites, along with signage indicating sensitive dune areas. When in doubt, simply stick to the wet-sand areas and ensure your kids and pets do the same.
We only have a small window of opportunity to ensure the survival of these fascinating feathered friends, so let’s not waste the chance to positively impact the continued presence of white-fronted plovers in our midst.
• Brittany Arendse is a conservation scientist at NVT – visit www.naturesvalleytrust.co.za for additional information, and click on Resources for details on dog zones pertaining to beaches from Robberg to Nature’s Valley.
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Source: CX-press News