Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary is a protected area in Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

, located on the Liesbeek river

Liesbeek River

The Liesbeek River is a river in Cape Town in South Africa. It is named after a small river in Holland. The first "free burghers" of the Dutch East India Company were granted land to farm along the river in 1657, shortly after the first Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape. The river was...

 near the suburb of Observatory

Observatory, Cape Town

Observatory is a suburb in Cape Town, South Africa, bordered by Mowbray to the south, and Salt River to the north. The area is best known as student neighborhood, most of whom attend the University of Cape Town located close by, and for being the home of the South African Astronomical Observatory...

.

The sanctuary consists of a section of the Liesbeek River

Liesbeek River

The Liesbeek River is a river in Cape Town in South Africa. It is named after a small river in Holland. The first "free burghers" of the Dutch East India Company were granted land to farm along the river in 1657, shortly after the first Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape. The river was...

, with parkland, trees, lawn and picnic sites. It is an important breeding site for a variety of water bird

Water bird

The term water bird or waterbird is used to refer to birds that live on or around water. Some definitions apply the term especially to birds in freshwater habitats, though others make no distinction from birds that inhabit marine environments. In addition, some water birds are more terrestrial or...

 species, such as Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus) and many duck species. However, the sanctuary is badly overgrown with alien invasive plants which damage the river system and its biodiversity

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...

. The river itself is polluted, but is being rehabilitated for recreational activities.

The area is intended to form part of the Two Rivers Urban Park (TRUP), which will include many surrounding areas to form a large, integrated natural area in Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

. It will centre on the meeting point of the Liesbeek and Black River and will include several Provincial Heritage Sites, such as:

• the South African Atronomical Observatory (1827),
• Valkenberg Homestead (1830)
• Valkenberg Hospital (1899)
• The Nieuwe Molen Windmill
• The Oude Molen Farmhouse complex

See also

• Biodiversity of Cape Town
  Biodiversity of Cape Town
  - Floristic region :The city of Cape Town lies within the Cape Floristic Kingdom . - Vegetation types :...
  
  
• List of nature reserves in Cape Town
• Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
  Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
  Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland is a critically endangered vegetation type of the Western Cape, South Africa.-Environment:This type of riparian vegetation and its accompanying ecosystem is found in the Western Cape, South Africa, on freshwater floodplains, along the lower stretches of rivers and...