Media Resource Centre

BRANDS TELLING THE CONSERVATION STORY

Porcupine Quest

THE PORCUPINE QUEST

Ever wondered what porcupines get up to? Where they go, where they feed, shelter, mate and socialize? The owners of Boekenhoutskloof wine farm in the Franschhoek valley are so interested in the elusive little creature that features on their wine label that they established the Porcupine Quest to help sponsor porcupine research. Sixteen porcupines have been fitted with GPS collars that send information over the cellphone network to PhD student Cindy Bragg. She is doing a four-year study on porcupines through the University of Cape Town to better understand their role in widely differing Cape ecosystems – from Franschhoek to Nieuwoudtville to the Kalahari.

To track the porcupines see:

www.porcupinequest.com

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Purchase your BWI shopping bag and wine cooler at your nearest Woolworths branch. Ask the store manager if not on the shelves.

SPLATTERED TOAD

The splattered Toad

Each sip stops the toad from being splattered

For every bottle of Splattered Toad Sauvignon Blanc or Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon sold, Cape Point Vineyards is investing R1 towards the conservation of the Western Leopard Toad (Amietophrynus pantherinus). Over R36 000 has already been raised.

The leopard-spot patterned Western Leopard Toad lives and breeds in the urban environment of the Cape Point region where it was getting run over while crossing the roads during the August mating season. In response, concerned citizens got together to protect the toad, including patrolling toad crossings stating ‘Caution. Western Leopard Toads.’

The much-loved toad has also found a safe home at Cape Point Vineyards where the two ponds at the entrance to the wine estate are amongst the most important breeding sites in the Cape Point region.

www.splatteredtoad.co.za

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

River's edge

The trees, the fish, the people…all are part of life’s extraordinary creation and all are cared for by River Edge wines produced by Weltevrede wine estate in the Robertson Wine Valley.

A percentage of River Edge sales are committed to the conservation of the Breede River Yellowwood and the Cape Whitefish, threatened with extinction.

A further percentage is committed to uplifting communities in need through the estate’s Edge of Life Fund. Projects funded include ‘Bonnie People’: caring for people living in an informal settlement near Weltevrede’s closest town of Bonnievale. Another project is ‘Kapteintjies Day Care’ where hundreds of children from the farming community and informal settlements are cared for, fed and taught during working hours.

www.weltevrede.com

CONSERVING SA’S MOST ENDANGERED MAMMAL

Graham Beck

Mossie Basson has taught the work force at Graham Beck Private Nature Reserve all about the Riverine Rabbit. South Africa’s most endangered mammal, it was first spotted on the reserve in 2005.
“The team is now actively contributing to research and identification of the Riverine Rabbit which inhabits the Breede Sand Fynbos veld type in the reserve - regarded as an endangered veld type,” explains Mossie who is at the helm of Graham Beck’s conservation drive.

Based at the Robertson Estate, which borders the reserve, he is leading several projects, including veld rehabilitation, data collection of indigenous fauna and flora and the re-introduction of game.

The reserve is regarded as the Riverine Rabbit’s southernmost distribution point.

Graham Beck Wines conserves almost 600 hectares of Breede Sand Fynbos of which only 4 527 hectares remains.

www.grahambeckwines.co.za

CHAMELEON RANGE FROM JORDAN WINES

Jordan

The Jordan family have always protected this gentle, natural pest-controller, the Cape Dwarf Chameleon. They were concerned that Chameleons might be harmed by machine harvesters in the vineyard and started the Jordan Chameleon Research Bursary. Proceeds from the worldwide sales goes towards the research bursary that is awarded annually to a PhD student in the specific study of Chameleon research in the Cape wine growing areas. The Chameleon range consists out of 3 wines. The Chameleon White Blend and the Chameleon Rosé are available at cellar door for R47 per bottle and the Chameleon Red Blend sell for R57.

www.jordanwines.com

THE OWL AND THE CARACAL (Neethlingshof )

Owl post

Owl Post Pinotage tells the story of how owls were brought back to Neethlingshof to help control the field mice that were causing considerable damage in the vineyards.

To facilitate the hunt, owl posts were erected in the vineyards from where the owls could swoop down on their prey.

An additional challenge was to encourage the owls to breed on Neethlingshof to establish a resident population.

Both challenges proved successful: the owls are breeding and the mice populations have been reduced to manageable levels.

The Caracal Red Bordeaux blend celebrates the return of the caracal or ‘rooikat’ to Neethlingshof.

The caracal reappeared as soon as the estate started its programme to rehabilitate and conserve its indigenous habitat, which includes the unique ecosystems surrounding the estate’s granite hills.

www.neethlingshof.co.za/index.php

THE IXIA (Theuniskraal Wines)

Theuniskraal

When the turquoise-green petals of the Ixia flower first opened at Kew Gardens in the late 18th century, it caused a sensation with whisperings of “ecstasy” filtering through the crowds.

There is no doubt your reaction will be as powerful when you experience this flower in its indigenous habitat in the Tulbagh region. One of the most beautiful members of the Cape Floral Kingdom, it is celebrated by the Theuniskraal cellar in Tulbagh through its newly released Ixia range, confirming the cellar’s commitment to the biodiversity of the area where the Ixia grows.

www theuniskraal.co.za

Media Resource Centre

BRANDS TELLING THE CONSERVATION STORY

BWI Winelist

BWI Wine Bag

SPLATTERED TOAD

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

CONSERVING SA’S MOST ENDANGERED MAMMAL

CHAMELEON RANGE FROM JORDAN WINES

THE OWL AND THE CARACAL (Neethlingshof )

THE IXIA (Theuniskraal Wines)

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