Category Archives: South African Wildlife

The inhabitants of South Africa’s wild places

Springbok

Antidorcas marsupialis

The Springbok is the only gazelle occurring in South Africa. They are medium-sized antelope, with a shoulder height of 70 – 85cm and a weight of 26 – 50kg, rams being more strongly built with thicker, longer horns than the ewes.

Springbok ram

Springbok ewe

Black Springbok

Copper Springbok

Springbok Ram

Springbok Lamb

Springbok showing off

Springbok herd in the Auob valley

Springbok Ram

Springbok Rams

Black Springbok (photo by Joubert)

Black Springbok

Black Springbok (photo by Joubert)

Black and “normal” Springbok (photo by Joubert)

Female Black Springbok

Black Springbok

“Standard” Springbok

White Springbok

The Springbok prefers open country, occurring from deserts and semi-deserts to dry shrubby plains and grasslands. They are mixed feeders, including a wide variety of grass and browse in their diet. They will drink regularly if surface water is available, but can live for indefinite periods without drinking.

Springbok herd at Mountain Zebra National Park

Young springbokin Pilanesberg National Park

Springbok ram at Chelmsford Nature Reserve

Springbok herd in Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Springbok in the Moreletakloof Nature Reserve

Springbok herd in Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Springbok ram at Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Springbok ram

Springbok herd

Herd of Springbok

Springbok

Black Springbok

Springbok

Springbok are herding animals, sometimes congregating in their thousands. In the 1800’s, explorers and settlers recorded springbok treks numbering millions of animals, often taking days to pass through a particular area. Most groups however are much smaller, consisting of about 30 individuals. During the rutting season, adult rams establish small territories in the best grazing areas to which the breeding herds are most attracted. They are most active during early morning and late afternoon, resting during the heat of the day, often out in the open.

Springbok

Young Springbok

Springbok ewe

Springbok lamb

Springbok

Springbok (photo by Joubert)

Springbok

Springbok in the rain (photo by Joubert)

Springbok

Springbok (photo by Joubert)

Springbok

Gemsbok and Springbok

Springbok at sunset in Mokala (photo by Joubert)

Springbok

Springbok youngsters

Springbok

Springbok ewe (photo by Joubert)

Black and normal coloured Springbok

Springbok herd on the move

Springbok (photo by Joubert)

The Springbok is well known for their agility and stiff-legged jumping displays, known as “pronking”. They can jump as high as 3.5m, and can reach speeds in excess of 80km/h. It is thought that their “pronking” is an energy-efficient way of displaying to predators that it would not be worth their effort to attempt chasing the springbok. Despite being so fleet of foot, springbok, especially solitary rams, are a staple in the diet of cheetahs and other large predators, and lambs are easy prey for anything the size of an eagle, jackal or one of the small cat species and upwards. Their life expectancy in the wild is estimated at only 10 to 12 years.

Pronking Springbok

Springbok lambs

Springbok

Springbok lambs

Pronking Springbok

Springbok ram

Pronking Springbok lamb

Pronking Springbok lamb (photo by Joubert)

Pronking Springbok (photo by Joubert)

Single lambs are born at anytime of the year, though most births coincide with the rainy season. The lambs remain hidden for the first couple of days of their lives, before joining their maternal herds and associating with other lambs in “nurseries” in the herd. Lambs start grazing by two weeks of age and by a month old they can run as fast as the adults. Lambs are weaned by 4 months of age and ewes can start reproducing at 6 months old. In years of good rainfall, adult ewes can lamb every 8 to 14 months. This exceptional fecundity ensures that springbok numbers can rebound quickly when better times return after droughts or disease epidemics.

Springbok at speed

Territorial springbok ram

Springbok lamb

Springbok ewe

Springbok ram

Springbok ram and youngster

“Pronking”

Springbok ram at Golden Gate Highlands National Park

“Pronking”

Springbok at speed

Springbok ewe

Springbok Ram

Springbok on the run through wet grass

Springbok ewe and lamb

Territorial springbok ram

Springbok herd

The Springbok is one of the most common and widespread antelope in South Africa. Their numbers were severely depleted by hunting in the 1800’s and the migrations of herds, millions strong, must have been a sight to behold. They have however been widely reintroduced to their former range, being popular game farm animals, and have also been introduced to areas which they didn’t naturally occupy. Today, the IUCN considers the springbok’s future to be secure, and estimates the population in South Africa at a minimum of 1,25-million animals, with a similar number occurring in Namibia, Botswana and Angola.

Springbok lambs

Springbok on the wide open plains of the Mountain Zebra National Park

Young Springbok rams testing their strength (photo by Joubert)

Young Springbok

Springbok dot the Rooiplaat Plateau

Springbok in the golden light of a Golden Gate sunrise

Springbok in the Golden Gate landscape (photo by Joubert)

Springbok at sunrise

Springbok lambs

The Springbok is South Africa’s national animal, and mascot of the country’s national rugby team (participating in the Rugby World Cup that starts today).

Common Duiker

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Sylvicapra grimmia

The Common, or Grey, Duiker is the largest and most widespread of the three duiker species occurring in South Africa. These small antelope stand between 45cm and 70cm high at the shoulder, and only the rams carry short horns, though on average the ewes, at between 16 and 25kg in weight, are about 2kg heavier.

Common Duiker ram

Common Duiker ewe

Common Duiker lamb

Grey Duiker

Grey Duiker and Vervet Monkey

Grey Duiker (photograph by Niel de Wet)

Common Duiker

Common Duiker ewe and lamb

Common duikers occur in all of South Africa’s natural habitats, and can even hold their own in intensively farmed area, and in and near towns and city suburbs. They are independent of water, and drink seldomly even where surface water is readily available. These duikers are mixed feeders, subsisting on leaves predominantly but also taking grass, bark, seeds, fruits, flowers, twigs, pods, fungus, roots and tubers. Unusually for antelope, they have been seen eating insects, small vertebrates like chicks and geckos, and carrion.

Common Duiker ram at rest

Common Duiker feeding

Common Duiker in typical habitat

Common Duiker ewe

Grey duiker

Grey (Common) Duiker

Grey Duiker

Common Duiker

Grey duikers are mostly solitary, occurring in pairs when mating or when a ewe is accompanied by her lamb. Both sexes are territorial and mark their areas with dung-middens and secretions from facial scent glands, ram’s territories usually being larger and overlapping those of one or more ewes. These antelope are mostly nocturnal, active from dusk to dawn and sometimes all day under overcast conditions. By day, they seek cover in long grass or dense thickets. When threatened, they will first attempt to hide before fleeing with sidestepping moves along well defined pathways – thus giving rise to their name (“duiker” being Afrikaans for “diver”).

Grey Duiker

Common Duiker

Grey Duiker

Common, or Grey, Duiker

Grey Duiker

Common Duiker

Grey Duiker

Common, or Grey, Duiker

Common Duiker

Single lambs, weighing less than 2kg, are born at any time of year (mostly in the rainy season) after a gestation of 190 days. Newborn lambs are hidden in dense vegetation. All Africa’s larger predators, from lions to owls, eagles and even baboons, will prey on common duikers, explaining why their life expectancy in the wild is only 8 to 12 years. Shine, a well-known and much loved resident at Kruger National Park’s Shimuwini Bushveld Camp lived to the ripe old age of 22 before falling prey to a leopard.

Common Duiker ewe

Common Duiker ram

Common Duiker

Common Duiker at night

Common Duiker

Grey Duiker

Common Duiker

The common duiker is one of Africa’s most numerous antelope, and it is estimated that as many as 10-million occur across the continent. Some populations however are under considerable pressure from subsistence and commercial hunting. They are regularly seen in most of South Africa’s wild places and are a frequent nighttime sighting along country roads.

South African Vultures

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“Probably there is no other bird whose appearance on the wing and on the ground offers more vivid contrast. Sailing majestically far up in the blue, without perceptible movement of its great pinions, it seems to cleave the air free of all conscious effort, and conveys to the earth dweller far below, the ideal of poetic motion. When seen on mother earth, it is hard to realise that this ungainly, clumsily hopping, and repellent-looking bird is the same that so delighted our senses when on the wing, nor is the picture in any sense restored as, distributed at its feast, it flaps heavily away to some adjacent tree.” – James Stevenson-Hamilton, Wildlife in South Africa, 1947.

If ever there’s a bird suffering from bad press, it must be the vulture. Their unflattering appearance perfectly suits their vital ecological function. If they look like undertakers, it is because they are: clearing away the dead and the rotting, minimising disease and recycling nutrients through the system. Vultures spend most of their time gliding effortlessly on the thermals, using their incredible eyesight to find carrion on the ground far below, each species supremely adapted to consuming particular portions of the carcass.

Nine species of vulture has been recorded in South Africa.

Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)

With a weight of around 2kg and wingspan of 1.6m, the Hooded Vulture is one of the smaller vulture species occurring in South Africa. They prefer savannah and woodland, and often scavenge around refuse dumps and abattoirs. Their thin bills allow Hooded Vultures access to scraps of meat other vultures can’t reach. Locally, these birds breed in the dry season raising a single chick in a treetop nest after an incubation period of around 50 days. Chicks fledge between 80 and 130 days after hatching and are then cared for by their parents for another 3-4 months.

Hooded vultures are quite common in Africa north of our borders, but in South Africa they are rare and occur only in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, where they can be seen in the Kruger National Park. Despite estimating their African population at just below 200,000, the IUCN classifies them as endangered due to a declining population.

EDIT: In 2017 the IUCN reclassified the Hooded Vulture as “Critically Endangered” due to a rapid decline in their population.

Hooded Vulture

Hooded Vulture silhouette

Hooded Vulture (photo by Joubert)

Hooded Vulture

Hooded Vulture (photo by Joubert)

White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)

White-headed Vultures are medium-sized vultures, with a wingspan of up to 2.3m and up to 4.7kg in weight. They occur in savannah and dry woodlands, and nest and roost on treetops, especially baobabs. Pairs are thought to probably be territorial, incubating a single egg and raising the chick during the dry season, when carcasses are more abundant.

White-headed vulture populations are declining across their range and they are largely restricted to conservation areas. With a total population of between 10,000 and 20,000, the IUCN considers them vulnerable. In South Africa they occur in Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Northern Cape – we’ve encountered them at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and the Kruger National Park before.

EDIT: In 2017 the IUCN reclassified the White-headed Vulture to “Critically Endangered“.

White-headed Vulture

White-Headed Vulture

White-headed Vulture

White-headed Vulture (photo by Joubert)

White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)

White-backed vultures are closely related to the Cape Vulture, but much smaller, with a wingspan of 2.2m and a weight of between 4 and 7kg. They feed predominantly on carrion, preferring the softer pieces of the carcass. White-backed Vultures breed in small colonies, making their nests in the tops of trees, where they raise a single chick. They range widely, covering enormous areas daily in their search for food. White-backed vultures can congregate in huge numbers at large carcasses and waterholes.

The White-backed vulture is the most numerous vulture in South Africa’s savannah areas, occurring in the provinces of Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North-West, the western Free State and the Northern Cape. Their population has however decreased drastically, prompting the IUCN to classify them as endangered with a total estimated population of 270,000 of which 40,000 occur in Southern Africa. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, uMkhuze Game Reserve, Kruger National Park and Ithala Game Reserve are good places to search for White-backed Vultures.

EDIT: In 2017 the IUCN reclassified the White-backed Vulture to “Critically Endangered“.

White-backed Vulture

White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vultures in a tree near a carcass

White-backed Vultures

White-backed Vulture in flight

White-backed Vultures near Mpila

White-backed Vultures

White-backed Vulture on nest

White-backed Vulture at its nest

White-backed Vultures

Vultures in a tree

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vultures in a Leadwood stump

White-backed Vulture in flight

White-backed vulture trying to dry off

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vultures

White-backed Vultures (photo by Joubert)

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vulture (photo by Joubert)

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vulture soaring over Senyati

White-backed vulture in flight

White-backed Vulture

Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)

The Bearded Vulture, or Lammergeier, is a specialised vulture occurring in high mountains (normally above 2000m) and feeding especially on marrow and bone fragments rather than meat. They carry large bones to a considerable height before dropping them on rocks below so that it splinters into pieces it can swallow and exposes the marrow inside. It also employs this practice when preying on tortoises! These vultures have also been observed hunting prey of considerable size by forcing them off cliffs. Pairs forage over enormous areas, covering hundreds of kilometres on the wing in a single day. These vultures breed in large nests built on inaccessible cliffs and raise 1 or 2 chicks; eggs hatch within 60 days of laying and the chicks fledge 100-130 days later. Young remain dependant on their parents for up to two years. Adults’ wingspan stretches to 2.8m and African specimens average 5.7kg in weight.

In South Africa, the Lammergeier is threatened with extinction and occurs only in the Drakensberg Range and surrounds, where the population is estimated at about 100 breeding pairs. We’ve been fortunate to encounter them at Golden Gate Highlands National Park and in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, especially at Giant’s Castle Game Reserve. They also have a localised distribution across the highlands of East Africa and a wide distribution in Europe and Asia, although they can’t be considered numerous anywhere.

The IUCN considers the Bearded Vulture as being “Near Threatened” on a global scale.

Bearded Vulture

Bearded Vulture (juvenile)

Lucky visitors may spot a Bearded Vulture soaring above

Juvenile Lammergeier (or Bearded Vulture)

Bearded Vulture in flight over Giant’s Castle

A juvenile Bearded Vulture

Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)

The Lappet-faced Vulture is the most powerful of the African vultures and dominates all other species at a carcass. It has a wing-span of up to 2.9m, weighs up to 9.4kg and has one of the largest and most powerful beaks of any bird of prey, useful to break through the tough skins of large mammal carcasses. Carrion is their main food source, preferring the skin, tendons and ligaments that other vultures can’t cope with, but they are known to hunt small prey up to the size of flamingoes. These vultures inhabit dry savannah and deserts and are less social than many other species – any congregations are likely to be at or near a large carcass or waterhole. Their enormous nests are placed in the forks of large trees, and here both parents incubate (mostly) a single egg for about 55 days.

The IUCN considers them vulnerable, with a total population of about 8,000 remaining in Africa. In South Africa they are seldom found outside of the big game reserves in Kwazulu-Natal (Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park), Mpumalanga and Limpopo (Kruger National Park) and the Northern Cape.

EDIT: In 2017 the IUCN reclassified the Lappet-faced Vulture to “Endangered“.

Lappet-faced Vulture

Lappet-faced Vulture (photo by Joubert)

Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres)

Endemic to Southern Africa, the Cape Vulture, or Cape Griffon, inhabits mountains, grasslands, savannah and semi-desert, nesting in colonies on high cliffs and rocky ledges. At 11kg in weight with a wingspan of 2.6m they are the biggest vulture in Africa, much bigger than the closely related White-backed Vulture, yet are dominated by the Lappet-faced Vulture at carcasses. They cover immense distances in search of large mammal carcasses, the staple of its diet being the softer tissues like meat and organs.

In 2006 the IUCN estimated their population at between 8,000 and 10,000 birds and classifies them as vulnerable. They occur in all South Africa’s provinces and we’ve seen them at Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Kruger National Park, Marakele National Park (one of the country’s biggest breeding colonies), Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve and the reserves comprising the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, where they are the most numerous kind of vulture.

EDIT: In 2017 the IUCN reclassified the Cape Vulture to “Endangered“.

Cape Vulture

Cape Vultures in flight over Marakele – the Park is home to the world’s biggest colony of these birds.

Soaring Cape Vulture

Cape Vulture (photo by Joubert)

Cape Vulture in flight

Cape Vultures and White-necked Ravens near Potberg

Three other vulture species have been recorded in South Africa. A small population of Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) occurs patchily along the north coast of Kwazulu Natal Province and can be seen at Umlalazi Nature Reserve, where we hope to visit in 2016. The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) appears to have become extinct as a resident species in South Africa and is now only seen very rarely, probably as a vagrant from elsewhere on the continent. There has similarly been only a handful of South African observations of Ruppell’s Vulture (Gyps ruepelli), a species common further north in Africa.

Palm Nut Vulture being harried by a gull at sunrise over the beach

Palm-nut vulture close-up

Palm-Nut Vulture, Umlalazi Nature Reserve, March 2016

The first Saturday of September is recognised annually as International Vulture Awareness Day; a day to highlight the plight of these enigmatic birds that perform such an important ecological function and yet face so many threats to their continued existence. South Africa’s vulture populations are declining due to poisoning (accidental and deliberate), habitat loss, diminished food availability, electrocution by powerlines, drowning in small reservoirs and poaching for use in traditional medicine and other cultural practices. Several vulture restaurants operate throughout the country, where carcasses are made available to vultures to supplement their diets, especially when raising chicks, and reduce the risk of poisoning and poaching.

Creepy

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Africa’s scavenging animals; vultures, hyenas and jackals, never topped any list of the most popular animals, despite the crucial ecological function they perform.

White-backed vulture

Black-backed jackal

Spotted hyena

“Creepy” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge.

African Elephant

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Loxodonta africana

The African elephant is one of our favourite animals, and every encounter we have with them is special and memorable. There’s just something so majestic in the confident swagger of the big bulls, so tender in the loving care of the cows and so playful in the antics of the calves.

Mature bulls weigh up to 6000kg and stand as high as 4m at the shoulder, while cows measure up to 3.4m high and weigh up to 4000kg. The forest elephant of Central Africa, a different race to those occuring here in South Africa, are much smaller.

Such a soulful eye…

Ivory up close

Elephant whiskers

Mature elephant bull

Elephant cow and calf

Elephant breakfast

Big bull standing tall at Lismore waterhole

Tiny calf staying close to mom at Spekboom

Elephant bull on the Gomondwane Loop

Addo’s Tusker Derek (2017/12/26)

Elephant’s Tail

Elephant’s tail

Elephant bull

Elephants drinking from a temporary stream

Elephant Cow (photo by Joubert)

Elephant tusk

The trunk of African Elephants have two “fingers”

The herd is the core of elephant society, and comprises an older, experienced, dominant female or matriarch, her sisters and daughters, and their calves of varying ages. Sometimes these smaller family units join up with others to create massive congregations of 200 or more animals. Elephants are active throughout the day and night, resting in the shade only during the hottest hours of the day, usually near water. Their intelligence is legendary and the close bonds between herd members, who look after their sick and dying kin as much as they can, has always been an inspiration to humans.

Herd rushing to water

Playtime!

Elephant cows in Addo are mostly tuskless

Elephant herd crossing a road in Kruger Park

On the road in Pilanesberg National Park

Crossing the wide, sandy Letaba River

A tusk can be a useful resting place for a tired trunk

Elephants love playing in water, even big bulls like this

Elephants drinking at De La Porte waterhole

Crossing the Sabie

Elephants claiming the right of way

Wary elephant trio

Big elephant herd feeding in a reedbed

Another herd of elephants arriving at Hapoor

Elephants everywhere you look (Hapoor)

The next day, as we passed Hapoor, the elephants were getting together again

Elephant family

Herd of elephants on the dry plains south of Olifants

Protective elephant herd

Thirsty herd of elephants rushing to the water

Elephant crossing

Elephant mock-charge

Elephant youngster

Addo Elephants

Elephant cresting a hill

Elephant herd on the move

Elephant at Rathlogo Pan

Young elephant

Young elephant with a spring in his step (photo by Joubert)

Elephant Family

Tiny, tiny elephant baby

Tiny, tiny elephant baby (photo by Joubert)

Big Elephant bull at Pilanesberg Centre (photo by Joubert)

Elephant Bull walking away near Cape Vidal

Small herd of Elephants at iZindondo Pan

Elephant from Senyati’s underground hide

Elephant Silhouettes

Elephant from ground level

Elephant drinking from the pool at Elephant Sands’ Eco Lodge

Elephants abound in northern Botswana

Sandgrouse, doves and elephant sharing a waterhole

Elephants abound in northern Botswana

Mature bulls are mostly solitary, or accompanied by younger bulls known as “askaris”, and maintain a dominance hierarchy through threat displays and fights that would sometimes lead to the death of one of the combatants. After being forced from their maternal herds at the onset of puberty, around 15 years of age, bulls will only join up with the breeding herds again temporarily to mate.

Impressive bull

Mature elephant bull

Elephant bull

Scratching an itchy ear

Mature bull exuding confidence

Play fighting

Drinking at Tembe

Splish-splash

Three big bulls walking in single file along a road in the Pilanesberg

Elephant in a downpour

Dominant bull striding up to welcome a newly arrived family group at Hapoor

Elephant bull on the way to Orpen

Here elephants have right of way!

Elephant bull

Tired old elephant bull crossing the road

Elephant

Addo Elephants

Addo’s Tusker Derek (2017/12/26)

Addo Elephants

Elephant bull enjoying a puddle near Mopani

Elephants on the way to Phalaborwa Gate

Unknown Kruger Tusker (2018/03/21)

Elephant near Mopani

Elephant bull owning the road in Kruger National Park

Big old elephant bull

Elephant drinking from a reservoir

Elephant along the stream

Elephant drinking at Bhejane

Big elephant bull in musth

Old Elephant bull on the S145 near Talamati

Elephant bulls after enjoying a muddy portion of the waterhole

Elephant bull after enjoying a muddy portion of the waterhole

Elephant bulls in procession

Elephant bull drinking

Elephant Silhouette

lephant from ground level

Elephants are able to inhabit any habitat that has sufficient food, water and shade – they occur from the Namib Desert to Africa’s equatorial forests. They are big ecological drivers and a crucial component of the ecosystems in which they occur, having an immense impact on their environment. Their seemingly destructive feeding habits serves to prevent bush encroachment and provides niche habitats for a wide variety of smaller fauna. Consuming up to 300kg of plant material per day, the copious amounts of dung (about 100kg of dung per animal per day!) they produce provide an important source of food for a myriad of small animals, birds and insects. Elephants are not particularly fussy about what they eat and include herbs, grass, reeds, leaves, seeds, pods, bark, roots and branches in their diet, but they are rather fond of mopane trees and mlala palms.

In the hot African sun any shade will do!

Big Elephant Bull in contemplative mood

Baby Ellie

Elephant bull at Mestel Dam

Elephant herd quenching their thirst at Shitlhave Dam

Elephant youngster enjoying a snack while crossing the road

Elephant calf (Photo by Joubert)

Thirsty Tusker (Photo by Joubert)

Two Elephant bulls marching into the distance (Photo by Joubert)

Elephant warning (Photo by Joubert)

Elephant herd on the run to Red Rocks (Photo by Joubert)

Elephant Calf (Photo by Joubert)

Elephant Bull (Photo by Joubert)

Sunset elephants in the Shingwedzi (Photo by Joubert)

Elephants gathering in their numbers along the dwindling waterholes in the drying Mphongolo River

Elephant roadblock

Elephant bulls sharing a waterhole

Elephant cow with interestingly shaped ivory

Beautiful elephant bull

Elephant bull destroying a small tree

Cute elephant calf

Beautiful elephant bull

Elephant calf fast asleep

Tiny ellie baby

Big old elephant bull

Classically shaped ivory

Elephant calf

Elephant herd moving along a dry river

Elephant herd running to the water

Elephant tussle

Elephant cow drinking at Red Rocks

Big elephant bull in musth

Elephants arriving at Tlopi’s dam

Elephant

Elephant cow that’s had enough to drink now

Matriarch of her herd

Taking that first step across the stream

Big Bull (photo by Joubert)

Big Bull

Elephants drinking from the Chobe River

Elephants making their way to the Chobe River

Elephants on the banks of the Chobe River

During times of drought, elephants will dig wells in apparently dry river beds, thus providing water not only for themselves but also for all other wildlife in the vicinity. An adult elephant requires between 150 and 300 liters of drinking water daily. After years of continuous use, elephant mudbaths are enlarged and transformed into pans and waterholes that hold water for extended periods into the dry season. Several of South Africa’s passes were built along tracks used by countless generations of elephants to cross our mountains.

A well dug by elephants in a dry streambed

Thanks to their trunk elephants have excellent reach when browsing

Marula tree damaged by a foraging elephant

Digging for roots

The trunk is so versatile!

Elephant breakfast

A lone bull drinking from the trough at Peasland

Elephant calf

Elephant

Elephant digging for roots using its foot and trunk

Addo Elephants

Elephant at Rathlogo

This elephant cow didn’t appreciate our presence one bit, even though we gave her plenty of space!

Elephant teenager showing off!

Elephant visiting us at Thutong one night (caught on our camera-trap)

Baby elephant

Elephant youngster

Close-up detail of an elephant’s tail

Baby Elephant walking away with mom

Elephant Bull

Elephant Bulls

Elephant Cows begging for a chance at the waterhole

Elephants enjoying the water and mud

Elephant youngster

Elephant rough-and-tumble

Elephant herd in a rush to water

Elephant Bull at Hapoor Dam

Three little warthogs and an Elephant

Elephants playing in the water

Elephant calf

Tiny Elephant calf

Elephant bull taking a drink of water

Two elephant bulls greeting each other

Elephant cows in Addo seldom have well developed tusks

Elephant cow and calf

Elephant herd in a rush to the waterhole

Elephant feeding on a Plumbago

Baby elephant

African Elephant

Elephant Bull

Elephant tusk close-up

Elephant bull in musth

Elephant Bull in Manyeleti

Some elephants came so close to us that we noticed the hair around their ear openings!

Elephant bull

Elephants at sunrise

Elephant family

Baby elephant

Elephant bulls

Elephant bull

Elephants at the waterhole

Elephant bull

Elephant cows give birth to single calves (twins are extremely rare) at any time of year, after a 22-month gestation period. The calves weigh about 120kg at birth an can stand within an hour of being born. They are weaned at the age of two years, by which time they’ve become quite adept at using their trunks to feed and drink water.

Tiny elephant calf

Baby elephant threat display

Fits neatly under mom’s belly.

So small and cute

Didn’t realize mom has moved on 😉

Only a few days old

So small and cute

Playful elephant youngsters

Elephant Cow and Calf

Elephant friends

More cows and calves at Hapoor

Very thirsty calf running for the water

Tiny calf staying close to mom at Spekboom

Calf suckling at Marion Baree waterhole

Protective cow at Lismore waterhole

Elephant calf

This little elephant was probably less than a day old and very unsteady on his feet

Tiny new herd member

Old matriarch

Baby elephant show-off

Seymore Butts

Baby Elephant Naptime at Addo

Addo Elephants

Testing the wind

Tiny baby next to mom

Young elephant interactions

Elephant cow

Baby elephants fast asleep in the heat while the rest of the herd stand guard

Big Elephant herd at Makorwane

Baby elephant friends

Baby elephant

Laughing Elephant calf

Elephant cow and calf

Playful Baby Elephants

Baby elephants playing in the mud

Cute little elephant testing the air

Helping a reluctant friend cross the stream

Learning by imitating the grown-ups

Shaking off the dust from his ears (photo by Joubert)

This grass is so soft to lie on!

Young elephant trying to chase away the birds at the water’s edge

Practicing her balance! (photo by Joubert)

Making a splash

Arriving at the water’s edge

Ears peaked in irritation (photo by Joubert)

Ears peaked in irritation

Ears peaked in irritation (photo by Joubert)

Tiny youngster crossing next to mom

Tiny youngster crossing next to mom (photo by Joubert)

Tiny youngster crossing next to mom

South Africa’s wild places is home to several “Big Tuskers“; elephant bulls carrying exceptionally long and heavy ivory. Many of them are named, and become tourist attractions in their own right; living monuments to South Africa’s proud conservation history. The longest tusks recorded in South Africa, 3.05m and 3.17m, belonged to Shawu, a tusker from the Kruger National Park that became famous as one of the “Magnificent Seven” in the 1970’s and ’80’s. The heaviest belonged to Mandleve, who died in 1993 and was also from Kruger, with a combined weight of over 142kg.

Isilo of Tembe

Masbambela (of Kruger)

Tusker Masthulele, Kruger National Park

Unknown Kruger Tusker (2018/04/02)

Hahlwa (2018/04/01)

Xidudla (2018/03/29)

Nambu (24/09/2019)

Elephant Bull

Being one of Africa’s famed “Big 5“, elephants are a sought-after species for anyone visiting wildlife reserves where they occur. However, elephants are extremely dangerous and should be treated with the utmost respect. They can charge at speeds of between 40 and 50km/h, much faster than any human can run. Bulls in musth, a heightened state of aggressiveness fueled by elevated testosterone levels that drives their urge to mate and fight for dominance, are very irritable and will charge without much provocation. Mothers are extremely protective of their calves and you should never find yourself between a cow and her offspring. It is always best when viewing elephants to give them plenty of space and pay attention to any warning signs they may give: a head held high, ears held wide open, trunk tucked under the body, shaking the head and ears are all signs that you are too close and need to move away fast.

Mock charge!

Lucky escape!

In playful mood

Better get a move on!

Showing off

Stretching

Agitated due to invisible lions

Showing off

If he chose to, this bull in the Pilanesberg could easily reach someone in the viewing hide.

Just a little irritated

Testing their strength

Elephant Bull (photo by Joubert)

Elephant youngsters testing their mettle

Elephant youngster

Big old elephant bull

Elephant tussle

Elephants at Welverdiend waterhole

Elephant drinking at Spekboom waterhole

Another cute elephant calf

Elephant cow and calf

Sleepy elephants

One of the elephants that Addo is famous for

The future is secure for Addo’s elephants

Big elephant bull being very protective of a youngster at the Marion Baree waterhole

Elephant walking side-by-side with us

Elephant antics at Leeupan (photo by Joubert)

Mom and baby elephant at Leeupan (photo by Joubert)

Elephants congregating at Leeupan

Elephant antics at Leeupan (photo by Joubert)

Elephant wiping dust from its eye (photo by Joubert)

Elephant stretching to reach ripe Sycomore figs (photo by Joubert)

Elephant conductor (photo by Joubert)

Elephant coming to drink from Mlondozi Dam

Elephant matriarch with impressive tusks

Elephant munching on a thorny branch

Elephants congregating in a dry river bed

Elephants congregating in a dry river bed (photo by Joubert)

Adult elephants have little to fear from other animals, and lions and spotted hyenas are the only predators that realistically pose a threat to calves and juveniles. Most elephants succumb to fights, sickness, drought or old age. Old elephants spend most of their time feeding on green, soft vegetation along watercourses, due to them having worn our their last set of molars at about the age of 55 years, finding it increasingly difficult to feed on harder plant material. They then eventually die in these areas, possibly giving rise to the myth of an elephant graveyard.

Trio of pied kingfishers sharing an elephant bone

The Kruger National Park protects South Africa’s biggest elephant population, and they are also a familiar sight in the Addo Elephant National Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Mapungubwe National Park, Pilanesberg National Park and Tembe Elephant Park. Smaller populations have also been established on several other state and private reserves. The tiny population in the Knysna Forests in the Garden Route National Park has fascinated South Africans for decades, with lots of speculation and theories about just how many continue to roam there.

Elephant cow

Elephant cow and tiny calf

Elephant cow

Unknown Kruger Tusker (21/09/2019)

Thirsty Elephant (photo by Joubert)

Elephant bull (photo by Joubert)

Elephant procession

Elephant Bull

Elephants digging wells in a sandy riverbed

Elephants seeking shade during the midday heat

Elephant bull

Elephants at Gudzani Dam

Elephant cow and calf

Elephant sunrise

Elephants

Elephant Bull

Elephant shy of the spotlight

Elephants have right of way

Elephants

Elephant herd at Mazithi Dam

Elephant bull

Elephant Bulls

Elephant bull blocking our way

Herd of elephants

Elephant in the greenery

Elephant

Elephant Bull

Elephant at Orpen Gate

Today, elephants in Africa and Asia are faced with the threats of escalating poaching, habitat loss and various other conflicts with humans. With an estimated 100 African elephants killed daily for the illegal ivory trade in Asian markets, their population is in rapid decline. World Elephant Day was launched on August 12th, 2012, to bring attention to the plight of these iconic animals, and has been observed annually since.

Elephant along Tshepe Drive

Elephants crossing the Black Umfolozi

Elephant cow

Elephant bull walking along the main road

Elephants (photo by Joubert)

Elephant

Elephant visiting at Tlopi

Elephant roadblock at sunset (photo by Joubert)

The very noticeable “grass notch” shows that this elephant is left-handed!

Elephant bulls walking away from Tihongonyeni Waterhole

Elephants on the banks of the Letaba River

Elephants, plains zebras and a giraffe around one of the springs in the Nshawu Marsh

Elephant feeding on mopane leaves near Tihongonyeni

Elephants at Mooiplaas Waterhole

Elephant bull drinking from Grootvlei Dam

Elephant herd walking away from Mooiplaas Waterhole

Elephant at Mooiplaas Waterhole

Natal Red Duiker

16 Replies

Cephalophus natalensis

The Red Duiker is a small antelope found in indigenous forests and other densely vegetated habitats on the wetter eastern side of South Africa. Despite their richly coloured coats, these diminutive antelope blend in perfectly with their dappled forest habitat, where they feed mostly on leaves, shoots, fruits and berries.

Adult red duikers stand only between 35cm and 48cm at the shoulder, and weigh between 10 and 18kg. Both sexes carry short horns, often obscured by a tuft of hair on the crown.

Red duikers are mostly encountered alone or in pairs consisting of either a ram and ewe, or a ewe with her lamb. Single lambs are born at any time of year, weighing less than 1kg at birth. They are very shy and rush away quickly at the slightest indication of danger, unfortunately mostly along well-worn paths which makes them vulnerable to ambush predators like pythons and leopards, as well as poachers. Their natural life expectancy is 8 to 12 years.

Natal Red Duiker

Red Duiker abound in the forests

Red Duiker

Red Duiker lamb that hung around our cottage at Umlalazi

Red Duiker ewe

Red Duiker ram

Red Duiker ewe

Red Duiker

Red Duiker on a forest path of the Igwalagwala Trail

Red Duiker

Natal Red Duiker

Red Duiker

Although the IUCN estimates that wild populations of the red duiker are declining, they are considered to be safe from extinction as the species finds protection in several well managed Parks and reserves. In our opinion the best place to get a glimpse of this beautiful little antelope is at Cape Vidal and Mission Rocks in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and at Umlalazi Nature Reserve, though we’ve also seen them at uMkhuze Game Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park, in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and at Ithala Game Reserve.

Samango Monkey

21 Replies

Cercopithecus mitis

The Samango Monkey is one of South Africa’s less well-known primates, being restricted to the densely vegetated habitats along the coast and adjacent hinterland of the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal and the escarpment forests of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.

Males are considerably stronger built than females, and weigh up to 11kg.

Male Samango Monkey

Female Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey (photo by Niel de Wet)

Samango Monkeys are to be found only in indigenous forests and on their edges, where they feed on fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, insects, bark, eggs, nestlings and small mammals and reptiles. Troops number up to 70 individuals, though usually far fewer with 20 being the average, and are lead by between one and five adult males. They are strictly diurnal and much more arboreal than the vervet monkey, their better known and more widely distributed South African cousin. Single babies are born in the summer months. Forest predators, like leopards, crowned eagles and pythons, are their biggest natural enemies.

Samango Monkey

Male Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey in Hilltop Camp

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys grooming in a treetop

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey (photo by Marilize)

Samango Monkey

Male Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey (photo by Joubert)

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey (photo by Joubert)

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Known elsewhere in Africa as the Sykes’ or Blue Monkey, with several recognised subspecies, the race of Samango Monkey occurring in South Africa is considered “vulnerable” by the IUCN, as they occur mostly in small numbers in highly fragmented habitats, with little genetic exchange between subpopulations. We’ve encountered Samango Monkeys in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Tembe Elephant Park and in the Oribi Gorge, but it is only at Cape Vidal in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park that you’d be virtually guaranteed to see this special species as they’ve become quite habituated to the human presence and boldly raid even the best protected picnic basket…

This leucistic Samango Monkey is a familiar inhabitant of Cape Vidal

These are all camera trap photos of samango monkeys at Cape Vidal

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkeys with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkey with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys with abushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys and a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey mom and baby

Variegated Slug Eater

22 Replies

Duberria variegata

While visiting the iSimangaliso Wetland Park recently, we came across this tiny snake at the Amazibu Hide between St. Lucia Town and Cape Vidal.

Variegated Slugeater (2) Variegated Slugeater (4)

Referring to our copy of the Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa (Bill Branch, Third Edition 1998), Marilize suspected it to be a Variegated or Spotted Slug Eater, an identification confirmed with the assistance of the helpful people at the SA Reptiles Forum.

These snakes are endemic to a very small piece of South Africa’s north-eastern and Mozambique’s southern coastline, occurring in dune forests and grasslands (habitat in abundance at iSimangaliso). It burrows in leaf litter and sandy substrates and, as its name suggests, feeds on slugs and snails. Females give birth to between 7 and 20 live young, about 10cm in length, in late summer, which would mean the 12cm-long specimen we encountered was still quite young (Adults grow to between 22cm and 34cm).

Just goes to show that no matter how much time you spend in natural environments, there’s always something new to discover and interesting to learn!

Waterbuck

40 Replies

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

The Waterbuck is the largest member of the family Reduncinae, which also includes the Southern Reedbuck, Mountain Reedbuck, Grey Rhebok and several other species occurring elsewhere in Africa.

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck cow

The waterbuck’s most characteristic feature…

Waterbuck

Waterbuck youngster

Waterbuck close-up

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck Bull

Waterbuck Cow

Waterbuck Calf

Waterbuck herd at Transport Dam

Waterbuck close-up (photo by Joubert)

Waterbuck youngsters

Waterbuck

Waterbuck Bull

Waterbuck

Waterbuck cow

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck ewes on the S100

Waterbuck

The race occurring in South Africa, the Common Waterbuck (K.e.ellipsiprymnus) is characterised by a white circle around their tails, distinguishing them from the Defassa Waterbuck (K.e.defassa) which has a solid white patch on their posteriors. These shaggy antelope weigh up to 270kg and adult bulls are up to 1.7m high at the shoulder. The gracefully curved horns of the bulls can reach a meter in length.

Waterbuck cow

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck cows

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck at the Mapilini stream just north of Nkumbe

Waterbuck

Waterbuck cow

Showing just how the waterbuck got its name!

Waterbuck bull

Wet waterbuck

Waterbuck

Waterbuck Bull

Waterbuck cows and calves

Waterbuck Bull on the bank of the Sabie

Waterbuck herd on the banks of the Pioneer Dam near Mopani

Waterbuck Bull

Waterbuck

Waterbuck bull(seye)

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck herd in the eMfabeni Swamp

Waterbuck

Waterbuck family

Waterbuck

Waterbuck cows

Waterbuck

As their name suggests, the waterbuck is seldom found far from a permanent water source, requiring to drink around 9 liters of water daily. Waterbuck inhabit open savannah, grasslands, floodplains, marshes and reedbeds, where they feed predominantly on long grass. They occur in mixed herds with up to sixty members, though normally much smaller. Most calves are born in the rainy season, and remain hidden for up to four weeks before joining their maternal herds. When pursued by predators, waterbuck will often take refuge in deep water, being good swimmers. They’re a favourite prey of lions, though calves fall victim to all of Africa’s large predators, and have a life expectancy up to 18 years.

Waterbuck cow and calf

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck cow

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck bulls

Waterbuck calf

Waterbuck

Waterbuck calf

Waterbuck among the spiderwebs

Waterbuck drinking at Zincakeni Dam

Waterbuck

Waterbuck calves

Waterbuck cow

Dueling Waterbuck Bulls in the Nshawu Vlei (marsh) near Mopani in the Kruger National Park

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck herd

Waterbuck bull (photo by Joubert)

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck trio

Waterbuck bulls

Waterbuck herd

Waterbuck

Waterbuck cow

Waterbuck in the mist

Waterbuck bull

The waterbuck is one of South Africa’s most common and well-known antelope, occurring naturally in most of the Northern and Eastern provinces and introduced widely outside its natural range on private land. The biggest population occurs in the Kruger National Park, with sizeable herds also at Ithala Game Reserve, Pilanesberg National Park and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, among the many private and public protected areas in which they can be found. It is also widespread in the rest of Africa, with the IUCN estimating a total population of around 200,000 for the continent.

Waterbuck Bull

Young Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck bull

Young Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck youngsters

Young Waterbuck rams

Waterbuck

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck calf

Waterbuck

Waterbuck with oddly shaped horns

Youngish Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck

Waterbuck on their way to Orpen Dam

Waterbuck at Nsemani Dam

Waterbuck

One of the hides at Vogelfontein in Nylsvley Nature Reserve, with waterbuck in the foreground

Waterbuck cow

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck visiting Tlopi Tented Camp

Waterbuck

Waterbuck calf

Waterbuck

Waterbuck (photo by Joubert)

Waterbuck

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck cow and calves

Grey Rhebok

21 Replies

Pelea capreolus

The Grey Rhebok is an antelope almost endemic to South Africa, with only two small populations outside our borders, in Lesotho and Swaziland.

Often confused with the mountain reedbuck, with which it shares its mountainous habitat, the grey rhebok differs in having a duller coat and overall more slender appearance. The horns of the rams are straight, not curved as in those of the mountain reedbuck. Grey rhebok stand up to 80cm high at the shoulder and weigh on average around 20kg.

Grey rhebok ram

Grey Rhebok

Grey Rhebuck

Grey Rhebok

Grey rhebok are mixed feeders, taking both grass and browse depending on the season. Unlike mountain reedbuck they are not dependant on drinking water. Rams are territorial and surprisingly aggressive, being known to have killed rival males and even sheep, goats, mountain reedbuck and dogs traversing their areas. Small herds consisting of females and their young often remain within the territory of the same ram for considerable periods of time. Most lambs are born in the wet, warm, summer months. Grey rhebok are extremely fleet-footed and agile and yet they do fall prey to predators ranging from eagles and jackals to leopards. Their life expectancy is only 8 to 10 years.