Wolfgat Nature Reserve

{{short description|Coastal nature reserve in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, South Africa}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Wolfgat Nature Reserve

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| photo = Wolfgat Nature Reserve from the air Cape Town SA.jpg

| photo_alt =

| photo_caption = Aerial view of the Wolfgat Nature Reserve

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| map = South Africa Western Cape Greater Cape Town

| map_alt =

| map_caption = Map of Greater Cape Town

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| location = Mitchells Plain, South Africa

| nearest_city =

| coordinates = {{coords|-34.0697|18.6482|region:ZA-WC|notes={{Cite web |url= http://www.protectedplanet.net/sites/Wolfgat_Nature_Reserve |title= Wolfgat Nature Reserve |work=protectedplanet.net}}|display=inline, title}}

| area = {{Convert|248|ha|abbr=on}}

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}}

File:Cape Flats Dune Strandveld - Wolfgat - Cape Town.JPG

Wolfgat Nature Reserve is a coastal nature reserve in Mitchells Plain on False Bay in the Western Cape, South Africa.{{cite web|url= http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/EnvironmentalResourceManagement/publications/Pages/BrochuresBooklets.aspx

|title=Environmental resources and downloads. City of Cape Town. Environmental Resource Management Dept}}

This conservation area consists of {{Convert|248|ha|abbr=on}} of endangered dune vegetation and limestone cliffs, extending along a portion of the False Bay coastline. The Cape Flats Dune Strandveld vegetation in this reserve contains over 150 plant species. These include evergreen shrubs, flowering succulents, arum lilies and a variety of daisy species. Birds such as kelp gulls and black oystercatchers nest here.{{cite web|url=http://www.calflora.net/southafrica/capeflora.html|title=Flora of the Western Cape}}

A major threat to the reserve is the invasive alien Acacia cyclops (“rooikrans”) tree. This weed has spread across large parts of the coastline, smothering and killing local vegetation and upsetting coastal ecosystems. Wolfgat Nature Reserve is managed by the city of Cape Town, in partnership with the local communities of Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plein.

The name Wolfgat means "wolf cave", and refers to the brown hyena or strandwolf which existed here until the 19th century. An ancient fossilised den of this species was discovered here in the 1960s and the stretch of coast was named after this discovery.{{cite web|url=http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/EnvironmentalResourceManagement/publications/Documents/CCT_Nature_Reserves_book_2010-02.pdf|title=City of Cape Town Nature Reserves. Free Booklet}}