Tag Archives: wildlife

Christmas Cuties

Wishing all of our friends here at de Wets Wild a blessed Christmas from Addo Elephant National Park!

Today’s sequence shows two baby elephants sharing a Christmas morning nap. The smallest of the two really struggled to get back up when it was time to start moving with the herd again. Certainly one of the cutest things we’ve ever seen in South Africa’s wild places!

Baby Elephant Naptime at Addo

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In the land of the giants

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We’ve arrived at the Addo Elephant National Park, where there is space for big and small to live side by side…

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Now this is brave!

31 Replies

While walking along the edge of the Tsitsikamma forests at Storms River Mouth Rest Camp today, Joubert and I came across a very brave Southern Boubou tangling with a deadly venomous Boomslang. The bird succeeded in driving the snake away, apparently none the worse for the encounter.

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A Warm Welcome at Bontebok

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These three Bontebok were aptly waiting to welcome us to our campsite at the next stop on our summer holidays: The Lang Elsie’s Kraal Rest Camp at the Bontebok National Park.

More on Bontebok – the antelope and the Park -soon!

Dashing in Black-and-White

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This morning we visited the colony of African Penguins breeding at Boulders Beach in Simonstown, the historic naval town located south of Cape Town on the coast of False Bay.

African Penguin at Boulders Beach

Colony of African Penguins at Boulders Beach

Of course we’ll share more about Boulders, and the African Penguin, when we return from our holiday!

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Right where it belongs

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The beautiful Gemsbok is just one of several antelope species that find sanctuary here at the Karoo National Park, and is one of the most frequently observed large mammals out on the reserve’s extensive network of drives.

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Chorister Robin-Chat

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Cossypha dichroa

The Chorister Robin-Chat occurs only in South Africa (marginally into Swaziland), where it inhabits evergreen montane and coastal forests from the Garden Route, through the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal and onto the escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Insects, other invertebrates and a variety of fruits and berries make up the biggest part of their diet. At 20cm long and a weight of up to 56g, the Chorister Robin-Chat is the biggest species of Robin-Chat in our country. They have an amazing repertoire of calls, often imitating other birds and even human whistling, dogs barking or the croaking of frogs!

Chorister Robin-Chats breed from October to December, usually in rotten holes in trees which the female lines with moss, leaves, lichens and soft grass. Clutches of 2 or 3 eggs are incubated by the female for 2-3 weeks, with chicks remaining dependent on their parents for up to 8 weeks after hatching.

The IUCN considers the Chorister Robin-Chat to be of least concern, however it also notes that the population is probably declining due to habitat destruction.

Chorister Robin-Chat

Chorister Robin-chat

Chorister Robin-Chat

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Mocking Cliff Chat

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Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Mocking Cliff Chats inhabits well-wooded rocky outcrops, bouldered mountainsides, cliffs, ravines and rocky river valleys. It would appear that they move away from high-lying areas during the harshest part of winter. It feeds mainly on insects, but does include fruit and nectar in its diet. Adults grow to 22cm in length, weighing between 46-53g, and can become quite tame and confiding around humans.

Mocking Cliff Chats often take over the nests of swallows, though they will build their own nests of twigs, other plant material and fur in rocky hollows. They breed during spring and summer. Clutches contain 2-4 eggs and are incubated by the female for about 2 weeks. Both parents care for the chicks, which fledge at 3 weeks of age. They are usually encountered in pairs or small family groups numbering up to 6.

The Mocking Cliff Chat occurs patchily over a large area of Sub-Saharan Africa, wherever suitably rocky habitat is found, with the exception of the dense equatorial forests. in South Africa it can be found from the Eastern Cape northwards, through Kwazulu-Natal and the Free State to Limpopo Province. The IUCN considers it to be of least concern.

Mocking Cliff Chat (male)

Female Mocking Cliff Chat

Mocking Cliff-chat (female)

Mocking Cliff Chat (male)

Mocking Cliff Chat (female)

Mocking Cliff Chat

Mocking Cliff Chat female

Mocking Cliff Chat

Mocking Cliff-Chat male

Mocking Cliff Chats

Mocking Cliff-Chat

Mocking Cliff Chat

Mocking Cliff Chat female

Mocking Cliff Chat

Mocking Cliff Chat (photo by Joubert)

Mocking Cliff-chat (female)

Joubert caught these two Mocking Cliff Chats in a tiff at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve.

Joubert caught these two Mocking Cliff Chats in a tiff at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Joubert caught these two Mocking Cliff Chats in a tiff at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Speckled Pigeon

15 Replies

Columba guinea

Originally an inhabitant of mountains, gorges, cliffs and rocky outcrops and ridges from which it set out to forage in adjacent flatlands, the Specked Pigeon (or African Rock Pigeon) has now also adapted very well to human habitations and exotic plantations, which aided the species to expand both its range and population. They feed primarily on seeds, and can become a serious pest to grain farmers. These are rather large pigeons, with adults weighing as much as 400g.

Speckled Pigeons breed throughout the year, with a peak in the spring and summer months. Nests are built of sticks and other plant material on inaccessible crags and caves on cliffs or ledges on buildings. Clutches usually consist of 2 (1-3) eggs and are incubated by both parents for 2 weeks. Chicks can stay in the nest for as long as 5 weeks.

Speckled Pigeons occur in two distinct parts of Africa: The first stretches in a wide band from east to west Africa, with the other in southern Africa. They can commonly be found in suitable habitat all over South Africa. It is considered to be of least concern by the IUCN. Unfortunately they do sometimes hybridize with feral populations of the exotic Eurasian Rock Dove (C. livia) in our towns and cities.

Speckled Pigeons breed in the cliffs around Glen Reenen

Speckled Pigeon

Speckled pigeon

Speckled pigeons

Speckled Pigeon

Speckled Pigeon fledgling

Speckled Pigeon

Speckled Pigeon (photo by Joubert)

Speckled Pigeon

Speckled Pigeons

Speckled Pigeon

Speckled Pigeons

Speckled Pigeon

African Barred Owlet

23 Replies

Glaucidium capense

African Barred Owlets inhabit tall, open woodlands, especially along rivers and forest edges, where they hunt from dusk to dawn (and sometimes on overcast days) for insects and small rodents and reptiles. These are small owls, with a wingspan up to 40cm and weighing only 100-140g.

Pairs of African Barred Owlets are monogamous, defend a territory and nest in holes in large trees during spring. Clutches containing 2 or 3 eggs are incubated by the female for between 4 and 5 weeks. Chicks fledge at around 6 weeks old, but can be dependent on their parents for many months thereafter still.

African Barred Owlets occurs over much of central, eastern and southern Africa, with an isolated population in Ghana and the Ivory Coast in west Africa. In South Africa they are found in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo (mostly in and around the Kruger National Park), with a small and isolated population (G.c.capense) on the coast and adjacent interior of the Eastern Cape between East London and Port Elizabeth. Genetic studies may well prove the latter population, considered locally threatened, to be a separate species. The IUCN considers the African Barred Owlet of least concern, despite noting a decrease in its population.