New Devices Bring More Protection for the Garden Route’s Flamingos

OWL devices have been installed on the powerline along the N2 near Sedgefield, aimed at protecting flamingos flying across the Swartvlei Lagoon at night.

Garden Route, South Africa (02 March 2026) – The Swartvlei Lagoon is part of the Garden Route Biosphere and is a recognised Ramsar Site of international importance. Among the species using this wetland system are the African Grass Owl, the Greater Flamingo and the Lesser Flamingo.

Flamingos don’t stay put. They move between wetlands across the region in response to changing water levels and food availability. Often, this travel happens after nightfall…

Two separate research projects led by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) – one in 2016 and another between 2024 and 2025 – involved GPS-tagging both Greater and Lesser Flamingos. The tracking data showed that these birds undertake significant movements between water bodies, and that most of those flights happen at night.

Eskom’s power lines can be difficult for birds to see, and collisions are a documented risk in wetland systems. That’s where this particular lagoon comes in. A municipal power line runs across the Swartvlei Lagoon near the N2 bridge, directly in a known flight path.

Local members of the BirdLife SA Lakes Bird Club saw the danger and approached the EWT for assistance in mitigating the threat.

The EWT has been working with Eskom for over 30 years to reduce the impact of energy infrastructure on wildlife. Across South Africa, thousands of kilometres of power lines have been marked to prevent collisions involving vultures, eagles and other large bird species.

In Swartvlei, the solution was the installation of Overhead Warning Lights known as OWL devices along the section of line crossing the lagoon.

OWL devices are specialised bird flight diverters fitted with flashing LED lights. They are specifically designed to make power lines more visible to birds flying at night. Testing at various sites across South Africa has shown them to be highly effective in reducing flamingo collisions.

With this resolution put forward by the EWT, the Lakes Bird Club, along with Birdlife Plettenberg Bay, collected more than R100,000 to cover the costs of the installation along the powerline!

After securing the necessary permissions, the project was set into motion.

The EWT’s Conservation Drone Unit, accompanied by several helping hands, installed the OWL devices on the live line spanning the lagoon. And without interrupting electricity supply to surrounding communities, which makes it a global first for this type of installation.

“If it wasn’t for the Knysna municipality agreeing to this installation, it would not have been possible and we would not have been able to play such a key role in ensuring that flamingos no longer fly into the power lines. Key to this operation was collaboration. The Knysna municipality, Sedgefield fire brigade, and Western Cape traffic control officials were all on hand to ensure our teams, working beside the N2, were safe. The Garden Route National Park granted our team permission to fly our drone over the area, and SANParks staff were also on site” says Lourens Leeuwner, the EWT’s Head of Operations and Flight Operations Manager of the Drone Unit. “These bird flight diverters will also prevent other waterbirds and raptors in the area from colliding with the power line with the aim of reducing mortalities.”

When local communities and conservation organisations work together, the impact can be far greater than what anyone could achieve alone. Community members are often the first to notice risks to wildlife in their own environments. Organisations like the EWT bring the research, tools and experience needed to address them. When those strengths combine, solutions move from concern to action!

“A phenomenal collaborative conservation success that Reflections Eco-Reserve and the Lakes Bird Club are privileged to have been part off. A massive thank you to all parties involved,” says Tim Carr, owner of the Reflections Eco-Reserve and member of the Lakes Bird Club.

Sources: Endangered Wildlife Trust.

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