What are the opening hours?

Monday 08:00 - 16:30 Tuesday 08:00 - 16:30 Wednesday 08:00 - 16:30 Thursday 08:00 - 16:30 Friday 08:00 - 16:30

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town

Home
South Africa
Cape Town
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town

Call Directions Website Contact the university

The Department of Biological Sciences at UCT was established in 2013 as a result of a merger between

The department is spread over two beautiful historical buildings on the Upper Campus of the University of Cape Town, the John Day and the Harold Pearson Buildings. We have more than 30 academic staff, several research associates and at least 26 support staff. In addition there are several post-doctoral research fellows, more than 100 postgraduates, as well as, about 30 Honours and 500 undergraduate students. The Department houses the Bolus Herbarium, the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence (PFIAO), the Plant Conservation Unit (PCU) and the Animal Demography Unit. Other smaller groups coordinate research on conservation, ecology, entomology, evolution, mammals, palaeobiology, and physiology and systematics. We also host South African Research Chairs in Evolution and Systematics and in Marine Ecology and Fisheries. Our department is highly productive and contributes the major portion of the research publications produced by UCT.

31/10/2026

Congratulations to Ayanda Buso (UCT Bio Hons, 2025) on her very FIRST academic publication!!

Intraskeletal histological analysis of Crocodylus niloticus shows substantial variation in growth mark preservation across postcranial elements. Gastralia preserve the highest number of growth marks,...

29/10/2026

Great news from the Cape Urban African Harrier-Hawk Project! Working with UCT's FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, project founder and MSc student Lorcan McHarry reports that since the project appealed to the public for sightings in September, researchers have received more than 1000 reports and have confirmed 13 nests in a matter of weeks.
This unusual bird of prey, also known as gymnogenes, was not known to breed in metropolitan Cape Town until the early 2000s and is now nesting across the city, from Simon’s Town to Durbanville, including in leafy suburbs, built-up areas and the city centre. The project is investigating how the species has established itself and what makes the urban environment suitable for breeding.
Follow the project and report your sightings at www.urbanharrierhawks.org

The African harrier-hawk is the focus of a UCT research project investigating how the unusual raptor has established itself in Cape Town.

08/10/2026

A wonderful honour for BIO Emeritus Prof. John Bolton, a world renowned seaweed biologist with research interests in seaweed biodiversity, biogeography, ecology, and aquaculture. Prof. Bolton has described at least 40 new species to science and this honour recognises his significant contributions to understanding South Africa’s marine flora and mentoring generations of seaweed researchers! The striking bright red species is endemic to South Africa's east coast occurring between Port Alfred and Gqeberha and is named Mzanzia boltonii, from the isiXhosa and isiZulu word “uMzantsi”, meaning “south”, and commonly used as an informal, affectionate name for South Africa. Read more at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2026.108715

A newly described South African seaweed species, Mzanzia boltonii, has been named in honour of UCT marine botanist Emer Prof John J Bolton.

30/04/2026

1 like. "Growth plasticity in the Nile crocodile"

Address

Department Biological Sciences, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch
Cape Town
7701

Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 16:30
Tuesday	08:00 - 16:30
Wednesday	08:00 - 16:30
Thursday	08:00 - 16:30
Friday	08:00 - 16:30

Telephone

+27216503604

Website

http://www.biologicalsciences.uct.ac.za/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.