Tweet  

Leopard

Did you know that leopards are the most widely distributed of any of the world’s large cats? They inhabit more diverse habitats than any other mammal, with the exception of humans and certain rodents. They’re masters at camouflage — the under parts of both the body and tail are slightly lighter in colour than the upper parts, to helps with light deflection. And while they’re smaller than lions, leopards are often more feared, thanks to their exceptional hearing, good eyesight and sensitive, extra-long whiskers which help them avoid obstacles in the dark. It’s no wonder, then, that all African tribes regard the leopard as an animal that symbolises the epitome of courage, nobility and honour.

 

    Tweet  

Cederberg Wilderness Area 

Only two-and-a-half hours from Cape Town by car, the Cederberg Wilderness Area is the perfect weekend getaway for those seeking peace, quiet and outdoors activities. 

It’s a plant lover’s dream, with rare and endangered flora such as the red disa, snow protea, and Clanwilliam cedars. For a moderately-steep hike with great rewards, try the Middelberg Waterfall hike, a trail of switchbacks that leads from campsite 23 at the Algeria Forest Station to thundering falls in about one-and-a-half to two hours. Hikers can enjoy a picnic in the cool misty oasis before making their way back to camp. Other, more challenging hikes are also abundant, including the eight-hour trek to Wolfberg Arch.

 

    Tweet  

Those visiting Augrabies Falls National Park in the Northern Cape were alerted to a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience between 22 and 25 March, as heavy rains bolstered the Orange River's majestic falls. Park manager Frans van Rooyen said the river was currently flowing at about 200 cubic meters per second but would reach a peak of 820 cubic meters. Known as "Aukoerebis" — meaning "the place of great noise" — by local Khoi, Van Rooyen says the sight and sound of the water’s cascading power will not easily be forgotten. The park is located about 120 kilometres west of Upington and hosts a diverse variety of flora and fauna including quiver trees, aloe plants, Hartmann's mountain zebra, springbok, gemsbok and giraffe.

Photo: SANParks

 

    Tweet  

Elegant Tern

Bird Island is an important roosting site 100 metres off the Cape West Coast and is the world’s only publicly-accessible Cape gannet breeding site. While most visit the Cape's Bird Island National Park to see these roosting gannets, bird enthusiast Daniël Kotzé made an exciting find during a recent trip to Lambert's Bay. Kotzé encountered a vagrant elegant tern — a medium-sized tern with a shaggy crest and a long, slightly-drooping orange bill that's typically only seen along North America's Pacific Coast. His sighting of the rare elegant tern was only the sixth ever recorded in Southern Africa. 

Photo: Frans-Hendrik Joubert

 

    Tweet  

Over the summer school holidays when the Kruger National Park was fully booked for weeks on end, we managed to relax away from the crowds. Shimuwini Bush Camp lies on the Letaba River and there are just 15 chalets. An atmosphere of peace and quiet reigns. Guests watch the comings and goings of hippo and waterbuck from the stoep – the birdlife is also plentiful. Shimuwini is a camp for bush afficionados who don't need the trappings of a large resort; there's no shop, restaurant or cellphone reception (although there is hotspot under a large jackalberry if you get desperate). The camp offers guided game drives in the morning, for sunset and after dark.

 

    Tweet  

Doesn’t the Cape Agulhas lighthouse look spiffy? After almost 12 months of restoration, the lighthouse reopened to the public on 10 December.

The lighthouse began operating in 1849 in response to the many ships that sank off this rocky coastline. Today it is the second oldest lighthouse in operation in South Africa. The building’s design was inspired by the Pharos of Alexandria, a towering lighthouse that was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The red and white stripes are discernible from sea and since every lighthouse is painted in a unique pattern, sailors can use the pattern to determine where they are.

Visitors to Agulhas National Park can visit the lighthouse for a bird’s eye view of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. It is open from 09:00 to 11:30 and 12:00 to 17:00, R22 an adult and R11 for children under 12.

 

    Tweet  

Wild Card member Peter Hahn came eye to eye with a family of Southern ground hornbills in the Kruger National Park. These striking turkey-sized birds are usually found in small family groups of three to five individuals foraging on foot. When Peter stopped at the sighting, a single sub-adult bird was stalking about. Juvenile birds have yellow facial skin in contrast with the adult’s bright red. This bird was in that unfortunate in-between stage – almost like a teenager with pimples! Peter’s patience was rewarded when the rest of the family emerged from the grasses and eventually lined up along the driver’s side. Southern ground hornbills make a deep booming call that can resonate as far as three kilometres across their territory.

Picture by Peter Hahn