Winterdodger

The Save Sibaya Project is a joint effort between Winterdodger Expeditions and Boomerang Geospatial to catalog and conserve the flora and fauna in the Lake Sibaya region. Much of the area forms part of the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its natural beauty and bio-diversity, however much of the area remains unprotected. Lake Sibaya, South Africa's largest freshwater lake, is threatened by development, excessive poaching, and reduction of water levels due to regional consumption.

The goal of the Save Sibaya conservation effort is to slow the draining of Lake Sibaya and protect the area from further degradation. We will be building a comprehensive database of remaining species, creating a Sibaya Visitor Guide, and launching a tourist and community awareness campaign to garner interest in the area. Save Sibaya's social initiatives include working with the Ezinqeni community to renovate and upgrade the existing community center to host a mobile medical clinic, and for future use as an after-school center and kindergarten. Our hope is that one day soon, sustainable tourism will uplift the community, conserve this precious natural resource, and allow the remaining wildlife to flourish.