Cape Parrot Project
If there’s one creature that loves the Amathole forest more than a trail runner, it’s our endemic Cape Parrot.
The charismatic bird which serenades you on your journey through the mountains is critically endangered because the mistbelt forests in which they live have been heavily logged historically and are degraded.
The Cape Parrot Project is working hard to raise awareness of this and the urgent need to safeguard the parrots and their habitat.
Together with the Cape Parrot Project, an NPO under the wing of The Wild Bird Trust, we have selected a restoration site which we aim to populate with the variety of tree species needed to grow into a forest fit for our Green-and-Gold mascot to thrive in.
Plant today and run trail tomorrow* through the very forest you helped create!
Starting in 2024, every finisher of the Hobbit Mountain Marathon and the Hobbit Journey was gifted a locally grown tree sapling instead of a conventional medal, which was planted and nurtured at the site by the Cape Parrot Project.
In addition, many other runners purchased even more to donate. We were super happy with the enthusiasm and support shown and continue with the same model in 2025.
Our gratitude goes to the Cape Parrot Project for all the work they do in this regard.
Join us in our mission to protect the Cape Parrots and their habitat. Follow The Cape Parrot Project on Instagram or Facebook, or visit wildbirdtrust.com to learn how you can help.
*Some artistic and alliteration license used here 😉 You may have to wait a bit longer than a day. But come back next year and see…
Parrot Images from - Tara Naeser | Rodnick Clifton Biljon | Stewart MacLachlan
A Living Legacy in the Forest
There’s a new landmark in Hogsback Forest. A few weeks ago, the team from the Cape Parrot Project erected the official sign at the Kettlespout planting site - the place where indigenous trees, gifted to last year's Hobbit 90km Wayfarer finishers, are beginning to take root in the forest landscape.
The site marks more than a point on the trail. It represents a growing partnership between trail running and conservation, where every runner’s achievement contributes to the restoration of habitat for the endangered Cape Parrot and the wider Amathole mistbelt ecosystem.
Runners taking part in the 2026 Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs will have the opportunity to visit the Kettlespout planting site during race weekend - to see first-hand how their efforts are helping to shape a living legacy in Hogsback’s forests.
