South African National Biodiversity Institute

03/11/2026

GBIF Africa Meetings, November 2026

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international network and research infrastructure that enables open access to biodiversity data to support scientific research, conservation and decision-making. Across Africa, GBIF Nodes and their partners play an important role in mobilising biodiversity data, strengthening institutional capacity, supporting research and connecting African biodiversity knowledge to regional and global networks.

In November 2026, SANBI, in collaboration with the GBIF Secretariat, will host two connected activities in Cape Town: the GBIF BID Data Mobilisation Workshop and the GBIF Africa Regional Nodes Meeting. Together, these activities provide an opportunity to strengthen practical capacity, share experiences and advance collaboration across the African GBIF network.

GBIF BID Data Mobilisation Workshop
5–7 November 2026
The workshop will strengthen participants' capacity to mobilise, manage, publish and use biodiversity data through GBIF. It will provide an opportunity to build practical skills and support the contribution of African institutions and data publishers to the mobilisation, publication, and use of biodiversity information.

GBIF Africa Regional Nodes Meeting
9–10 November 2026
The Regional Nodes Meeting will bring together African GBIF Node Managers and relevant partners to exchange experiences, share best practices, discuss common challenges, develop regional priorities and strengthen collaboration across the GBIF network in support of the GBIF Work Programme.

03/11/2026

Ever looked at a tree growing out of a sheer rock face and wondered how it’s even alive?
It looks like an impossible feat, but it’s actually a brilliant survival strategy. On a crowded forest floor, the competition for sunlight and space is brutal. Over millennia, certain trees adapted to life on the edge—literally—to escape the crowd.
By taking to the cliffs, they traded rich soil for some major advantages:
• Endless sunlight: No massive canopy blocking their view.
• Safety from herbivores: Most foraging animals can't reach them.
• Natural protection: Forest fires and human logging rarely make it up a vertical rock wall.
To survive, their roots wedge into microscopic cracks, slowly expanding the rock to find trapped moisture. They even partner with specialized fungi that chemically break down stone into usable minerals. Because their resources are so limited, they naturally stunt their own growth, turning into resilient, natural bonsais that can withstand howling winds.
The next time you see a tree growing out of a cliff, you're looking at a masterclass in resilience—proof that life finds a way to thrive exactly where nothing else can.

02/11/2026

30/10/2026

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI-TSCC) received a Certificate of Recognition at C*D COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, during the Clearing-House Mechanism Knowledge Fair.
The award recognises SANBI’s leadership of the SBAPP Regional Project, a collaborative initiative supported by AFD and FFEM across South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, and Malawi.

Core Impacts:

• Enhances spatial planning and regional biodiversity assessments using scientific evidence.
• Informs conservation priorities and governmental decision-making.
• Supports the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in Southern Africa.

*DCOP17

28/10/2026

Is it a worm, is it a snake? 🔍👀
It's absolutely neither. This is a caecilian; nature's ultimate plot twist.
Caecilians are a group of limbless, worm-like amphibians. Because they live hidden in damp soil or streams, they are the least familiar group of amphibians, alongside frogs and salamanders. Caecilians have a fully formed bony skeleton, a solid skull, and rows of sharp teeth.

27/10/2026

SANBI CEO, Shonisani Munzhedzi, took some time to meet and take a photo with young South African biodiversity ambassadors at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (C*D) in Yerevan, Armenia. *DCOP17

26/10/2026

Through the Biodiversity Stewardship model, SANBI incentivises farmers to act as legal custodians of the land. Farmers do not need to give up their property to protect nature; rather, by entering stewardship agreements, they can access advice on improving livestock yields, secure funding for farm infrastructure (like fencing or water points), and tap into secondary income sources like ecotourism or game ranching.

22/10/2026

Today at C*D COP 17 in Yerevan, Armenia, SANBI’s CEO joined the Technical and Scientific Cooperation Centres (TSCCs) networking event to accelerate the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
As the TSCC host for nine Southern African countries, SANBI is committed to moving beyond identifying needs to delivering practical regional solutions. Discussions focused on strengthening biodiversity monitoring, tackling invasive species, and investing in scientific infrastructure.
🌱 Together, we translate scientific knowledge into meaningful biodiversity action.

22/10/2026

Ms Ntakadzeni Tshidada of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) has been designated as Co-Chair of the Contact Group on the Monitoring Framework, alongside a representative from the United Kingdom, at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Yerevan, Armenia.

The Contact Group convened its first meeting yesterday, 21 October 2026, to advance negotiations on the Monitoring Framework of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

SANBI has a statutory mandate to monitor and report on the status of South Africa’s biodiversity, providing the scientific evidence and information needed to inform biodiversity policy, planning and decision-making.

This leadership role aligns closely with SANBI’s national mandate and reflects its contribution to strengthening biodiversity monitoring and reporting at the global level.

21/10/2026

Yesterday our CEO, Mr Shonisani Munzhedzi, shared opening remarks at the COP17 Side Event, highlighting the role of the SANBI Technical Support Coordinating Centre (TSCC) in driving spatial data and planning across our nine-country region.
His address centered on three core themes:
• Addressing the Data Gap: While regional data and capacity gaps remain a challenge—with only 19% of priority data products fully in place—it is a powerful opportunity to build on what we have, improve iteratively, and strengthen regional cooperation.

• Shared Leadership: With over 20 years of experience in biodiversity assessments, SANBI is committed to fostering peer learning. Regional initiatives like the French-funded SBAPP project in South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, and Malawi show the value of scientific exchange and shared standards.

• Data as an Enabler: Spatial data shows us where to act, what to prioritise, and how to measure progress. Using evidence-based frameworks like South Africa’s ELSAA approach, countries can better direct investments and report on global commitments like the KMGBF, Rio Conventions, and SDGs.

Ultimately, SANBI’s mission through the TSCC goes far beyond delivering technical maps. We are here to serve as a regional facilitator—empowering countries to collaborate, use biodiversity science to make better decisions, and turn data into measurable action.