South Africa - Kruger National Park
African fish eagle
Schreiseeadler
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.
To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").
The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.
(Wikipedia)
The African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), or to distinguish it from the true fish eagles (Ichthyophaga), the African sea eagle, is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is the national bird of Namibia and Zambia. As a result of its large range, it is known in many languages. Examples of names include: nkwazi in Chewa, aigle pêcheur in French, hungwe in Shona, inkwazi in isiZulu, and 'ntšhu' (pronounced "ntjhu") in Northern Sotho. This species may resemble the bald eagle in appearance; though related, each species occurs on different continents, with the bald eagle being resident in North America.
The African fish eagle is a species placed in the genus Haliaeetus (sea eagles). Its closest relative appears to be the critically endangered Madagascar fish eagle (H. vociferoides). Like all sea eagle species pairs, this one consists of a white-headed species (the African fish eagle) and a tan-headed one (Madagascar fish eagle). These are an ancient lineage of sea eagles, and as such, have dark talons, beaks, and eyes Both species have at least partially white tails even as juveniles. The scientific name is derived from Haliaeetus, New Latin for "sea eagle" (from the Ancient Greek haliaetos), and vocifer is derived from its original genus name, so named by the French naturalist François Levaillant, who called it 'the vociferous one'.
The African fish eagle is a large bird, and the female, at 3.2–3.6 kg (7.1–7.9 lb) is larger than the male, at 2.0–2.5 kg (4.4–5.5 lb). This is typical sexual dimorphism in birds of prey. Males usually have wingspans around 2 m (6.6 ft), while females have wingspans of 2.4 m (7.9 ft). The body length is 63–75 cm (25–29.5 in). The adult is very distinctive in appearance with a mostly brown body with a white head like the bald eagle and large, powerful, black wings. The head, breast, and tail of African fish eagles are snow white, with the exception of the featherless face, which is yellow. The eyes are dark brown in colour. The hook-shaped beak, ideal for a carnivorous lifestyle, is yellow with a black tip. The plumage of the juvenile is brown in colour, and the eyes are paler compared to the adult. The feet have rough soles and are equipped with powerful talons to enable the eagle to grasp slippery aquatic prey. While this species mainly subsists on fish, it is opportunistic and may take a wider variety of prey such as waterbirds. Its distinctive cry is, for many, evocative of the spirit or essence of Africa. The call, shriller when uttered by males, is a weee-ah, hyo-hyo or a heee-ah, heeah-heeah.
This species is still quite common near freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, although they can sometimes be found near the coast at the mouths of rivers or lagoons. African fish eagles are indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa, ranging over most of continental Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Several examples of places where they may be resident include the Orange River in South Africa and Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and Lake Malawi bordering Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The African fish eagle is thought to occur in substantial numbers around the locations of Lake Victoria and other large lakes in central Africa, particularly the Rift Valley lakes. This is a generalist species, requiring only open water with sufficient prey and a good perch, as evidenced by the number of habitat types in which this species may be found, including grassland, swamps, marshes, tropical rainforest, fynbos, and even desert-bordering coastlines, such as that of Namibia. The African fish eagle is absent from arid areas with little surface water.
African fish eagles breed during the dry season, when water levels are low. They are believed to mate for life. Pairs often maintain two or more nests, which they frequently reuse. Because nests are reused and built upon over the years, they can grow quite large, some reaching 2 m (6.0 ft) across and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) deep. The nests are placed in a large tree and are built mostly of sticks and other pieces of wood.
The female lays one to three eggs, which are primarily white with a few reddish speckles. Incubation is mostly done by the female, but the male incubates when the female leaves to hunt. Incubation lasts for 42 to 45 days before the chicks hatch. Siblicide does not normally occur in this taxon, and the parents often successfully rear two or three chicks. Chicks fledge around 70 to 75 days old. Postfledgling dependence lasts up to three months, whereafter the juveniles become nomadic, and may congregate in groups away from territorial adults. Those that survive their first year have a life expectancy of some 12 to 24 years.
The African fish eagle feeds mainly on fish, which it swoops down upon from a perch in a tree, snatching the prey from the water with its large, clawed talons. The eagle then flies back to its perch to eat its catch.
Like other sea eagles, the African fish eagle has structures on its toes called spiricules that allow it to grasp fish and other slippery prey. The osprey, a winter visitor to Africa, also has this adaptation. Should the African fish eagle catch prey over ten times their own body weight, it is too heavy to allow the eagle to get lift, so it instead drags the fish across the surface of the water until it reaches the shore. If it catches a fish too heavy to allow the eagle to sustain flight, it will drop into the water and paddle to the nearest shore with its wings. The African fish eagle is known to steal the catch of other bird species (such as goliath herons) in a behaviour known as kleptoparasitism. It also feeds on birds especially waterbirds such as ducks, greater and lesser flamingos, small turtles and terrapins, baby crocodiles, lizards, frogs, and carrion. Occasionally, it may even carry off mammalian prey, such as hyraxes and monkeys. It has also been observed feeding on domestic fowl (chickens).
This species is listed as least concern by the IUCN. The estimated population size is about 300,000 individuals with a distribution area of 18,300,000 km2.
In the form of the Zimbabwe Bird, it is the national bird of Zimbabwe and appears on the Zimbabwean flag. The bird also figures in the coat of arms of Namibia, Zambia, and South Sudan, and on the Zambian flag.
(Wikipedia)
Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.
Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.
(Wikipedia)
Der Schreiseeadler (Haliaeetus vocifer) ist ein afrikanischer Greifvogel aus der Familie der Habichtartigen (Accipitridae).
Mit 63 bis 75 cm Körperlänge und einer Spannweite von 175 bis 210 cm sind Schreiseeadler mittelgroße Seeadler. Die Weibchen sind etwas größer als die Männchen. Männchen wiegen 2,0–2,5 kg, Weibchen 3,2–3,6 kg. Ihr Erscheinungsbild ist unverwechselbar, so sind Kopf, Hals, obere Teile von Brust und Rücken und der Schwanz schneeweiß, der Rest des Körpers ist rotbraun über kastanienbraun bis grau. Die Schwingen sind schwarz. Der Schnabel ist gelb mit einer schwarzen Spitze. Wachshaut und Beine sind hellgelb. Schreiseeadler haben zwei verschiedene, unverwechselbare Rufe. Nahe dem Nest kann man ein „Quock“ vernehmen. Ansonsten sind die Revierrufe in Afrika unverkennbar und werden auch „die Stimme Afrikas“ genannt. Meist ruft ein Paar im Duett, beim Weibchen klingen die Rufe etwas schriller. Typisch für Schreiseeadler ist, dass sie beim Rufen im Sitzen wie auch im Flug den Kopf nach hinten legen.
Schreiseeadler sitzen meist in den Kronen hoher Bäume, von wo aus sie ihr Territorium, den Flusslauf, das Seeufer oder die Küstenlinie sehr gut beobachten können.
Schreiseeadler sind in Afrika südlich der Sahara bis in 1.000 m Meereshöhe verbreitet. Sie kommen an Flüssen, Seen und Küsten vor.
Schreiseeadler fressen überwiegend Fisch, seltener jagen sie auch Zwergflamingos, Ibisse, Störche und andere Wasservögel. Gelegentlich werden auch kleine Schildkröten, kleine Krokodile, Frösche, Seeschlangen und Aas genutzt. Schreiseeadler sind äußerst geschickte Flieger und stehlen häufig die Beute anderer Vögel. Auf einer Warte in einem hohen Baum harren sie aus, bis sie einen Beutefisch an der Wasseroberfläche entdecken. Dann stürzen sie hinab, greifen die Beute und fliegen zurück zur Warte, um sie zu fressen. Ab einem Gewicht von ca. 1,5 kg können sie die Beute nicht mehr tragen, dann schwimmen sie ans Ufer und fressen den Beutefisch dort.
hr Nest legen sie auf hohen Bäumen, in Büschen oder auf Klippen in Wassernähe an. Das Weibchen legt im Abstand von zwei bis vier Tagen ein bis drei weiße Eier mit einigen rötlichen Flecken, die in etwa sechs Wochen zum größten Teil vom Weibchen ausgebrütet werden. Nach neun bis zehn Wochen sind die Küken flügge und nach weiteren acht Wochen sind sie in der Lage, ihre Nahrung selbst zu schlagen. Mit einem Alter von vier Jahren sind Schreiseeadler geschlechtsreif.
Der Weltbestand wird auf 100.000 bis 200.000 Paare geschätzt, somit sind sie laut IUCN momentan nicht gefährdet.
Der Schreiseeadler ist eines der Wappentiere Namibias und das Wappentier des Südsudans.
(Wikipedia)
South Africa - Kruger National Park
African fish eagle
Schreiseeadler
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.
To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").
The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.
(Wikipedia)
The African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), or to distinguish it from the true fish eagles (Ichthyophaga), the African sea eagle, is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is the national bird of Namibia and Zambia. As a result of its large range, it is known in many languages. Examples of names include: nkwazi in Chewa, aigle pêcheur in French, hungwe in Shona, inkwazi in isiZulu, and 'ntšhu' (pronounced "ntjhu") in Northern Sotho. This species may resemble the bald eagle in appearance; though related, each species occurs on different continents, with the bald eagle being resident in North America.
The African fish eagle is a species placed in the genus Haliaeetus (sea eagles). Its closest relative appears to be the critically endangered Madagascar fish eagle (H. vociferoides). Like all sea eagle species pairs, this one consists of a white-headed species (the African fish eagle) and a tan-headed one (Madagascar fish eagle). These are an ancient lineage of sea eagles, and as such, have dark talons, beaks, and eyes Both species have at least partially white tails even as juveniles. The scientific name is derived from Haliaeetus, New Latin for "sea eagle" (from the Ancient Greek haliaetos), and vocifer is derived from its original genus name, so named by the French naturalist François Levaillant, who called it 'the vociferous one'.
The African fish eagle is a large bird, and the female, at 3.2–3.6 kg (7.1–7.9 lb) is larger than the male, at 2.0–2.5 kg (4.4–5.5 lb). This is typical sexual dimorphism in birds of prey. Males usually have wingspans around 2 m (6.6 ft), while females have wingspans of 2.4 m (7.9 ft). The body length is 63–75 cm (25–29.5 in). The adult is very distinctive in appearance with a mostly brown body with a white head like the bald eagle and large, powerful, black wings. The head, breast, and tail of African fish eagles are snow white, with the exception of the featherless face, which is yellow. The eyes are dark brown in colour. The hook-shaped beak, ideal for a carnivorous lifestyle, is yellow with a black tip. The plumage of the juvenile is brown in colour, and the eyes are paler compared to the adult. The feet have rough soles and are equipped with powerful talons to enable the eagle to grasp slippery aquatic prey. While this species mainly subsists on fish, it is opportunistic and may take a wider variety of prey such as waterbirds. Its distinctive cry is, for many, evocative of the spirit or essence of Africa. The call, shriller when uttered by males, is a weee-ah, hyo-hyo or a heee-ah, heeah-heeah.
This species is still quite common near freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, although they can sometimes be found near the coast at the mouths of rivers or lagoons. African fish eagles are indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa, ranging over most of continental Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Several examples of places where they may be resident include the Orange River in South Africa and Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and Lake Malawi bordering Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The African fish eagle is thought to occur in substantial numbers around the locations of Lake Victoria and other large lakes in central Africa, particularly the Rift Valley lakes. This is a generalist species, requiring only open water with sufficient prey and a good perch, as evidenced by the number of habitat types in which this species may be found, including grassland, swamps, marshes, tropical rainforest, fynbos, and even desert-bordering coastlines, such as that of Namibia. The African fish eagle is absent from arid areas with little surface water.
African fish eagles breed during the dry season, when water levels are low. They are believed to mate for life. Pairs often maintain two or more nests, which they frequently reuse. Because nests are reused and built upon over the years, they can grow quite large, some reaching 2 m (6.0 ft) across and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) deep. The nests are placed in a large tree and are built mostly of sticks and other pieces of wood.
The female lays one to three eggs, which are primarily white with a few reddish speckles. Incubation is mostly done by the female, but the male incubates when the female leaves to hunt. Incubation lasts for 42 to 45 days before the chicks hatch. Siblicide does not normally occur in this taxon, and the parents often successfully rear two or three chicks. Chicks fledge around 70 to 75 days old. Postfledgling dependence lasts up to three months, whereafter the juveniles become nomadic, and may congregate in groups away from territorial adults. Those that survive their first year have a life expectancy of some 12 to 24 years.
The African fish eagle feeds mainly on fish, which it swoops down upon from a perch in a tree, snatching the prey from the water with its large, clawed talons. The eagle then flies back to its perch to eat its catch.
Like other sea eagles, the African fish eagle has structures on its toes called spiricules that allow it to grasp fish and other slippery prey. The osprey, a winter visitor to Africa, also has this adaptation. Should the African fish eagle catch prey over ten times their own body weight, it is too heavy to allow the eagle to get lift, so it instead drags the fish across the surface of the water until it reaches the shore. If it catches a fish too heavy to allow the eagle to sustain flight, it will drop into the water and paddle to the nearest shore with its wings. The African fish eagle is known to steal the catch of other bird species (such as goliath herons) in a behaviour known as kleptoparasitism. It also feeds on birds especially waterbirds such as ducks, greater and lesser flamingos, small turtles and terrapins, baby crocodiles, lizards, frogs, and carrion. Occasionally, it may even carry off mammalian prey, such as hyraxes and monkeys. It has also been observed feeding on domestic fowl (chickens).
This species is listed as least concern by the IUCN. The estimated population size is about 300,000 individuals with a distribution area of 18,300,000 km2.
In the form of the Zimbabwe Bird, it is the national bird of Zimbabwe and appears on the Zimbabwean flag. The bird also figures in the coat of arms of Namibia, Zambia, and South Sudan, and on the Zambian flag.
(Wikipedia)
Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.
Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.
(Wikipedia)
Der Schreiseeadler (Haliaeetus vocifer) ist ein afrikanischer Greifvogel aus der Familie der Habichtartigen (Accipitridae).
Mit 63 bis 75 cm Körperlänge und einer Spannweite von 175 bis 210 cm sind Schreiseeadler mittelgroße Seeadler. Die Weibchen sind etwas größer als die Männchen. Männchen wiegen 2,0–2,5 kg, Weibchen 3,2–3,6 kg. Ihr Erscheinungsbild ist unverwechselbar, so sind Kopf, Hals, obere Teile von Brust und Rücken und der Schwanz schneeweiß, der Rest des Körpers ist rotbraun über kastanienbraun bis grau. Die Schwingen sind schwarz. Der Schnabel ist gelb mit einer schwarzen Spitze. Wachshaut und Beine sind hellgelb. Schreiseeadler haben zwei verschiedene, unverwechselbare Rufe. Nahe dem Nest kann man ein „Quock“ vernehmen. Ansonsten sind die Revierrufe in Afrika unverkennbar und werden auch „die Stimme Afrikas“ genannt. Meist ruft ein Paar im Duett, beim Weibchen klingen die Rufe etwas schriller. Typisch für Schreiseeadler ist, dass sie beim Rufen im Sitzen wie auch im Flug den Kopf nach hinten legen.
Schreiseeadler sitzen meist in den Kronen hoher Bäume, von wo aus sie ihr Territorium, den Flusslauf, das Seeufer oder die Küstenlinie sehr gut beobachten können.
Schreiseeadler sind in Afrika südlich der Sahara bis in 1.000 m Meereshöhe verbreitet. Sie kommen an Flüssen, Seen und Küsten vor.
Schreiseeadler fressen überwiegend Fisch, seltener jagen sie auch Zwergflamingos, Ibisse, Störche und andere Wasservögel. Gelegentlich werden auch kleine Schildkröten, kleine Krokodile, Frösche, Seeschlangen und Aas genutzt. Schreiseeadler sind äußerst geschickte Flieger und stehlen häufig die Beute anderer Vögel. Auf einer Warte in einem hohen Baum harren sie aus, bis sie einen Beutefisch an der Wasseroberfläche entdecken. Dann stürzen sie hinab, greifen die Beute und fliegen zurück zur Warte, um sie zu fressen. Ab einem Gewicht von ca. 1,5 kg können sie die Beute nicht mehr tragen, dann schwimmen sie ans Ufer und fressen den Beutefisch dort.
hr Nest legen sie auf hohen Bäumen, in Büschen oder auf Klippen in Wassernähe an. Das Weibchen legt im Abstand von zwei bis vier Tagen ein bis drei weiße Eier mit einigen rötlichen Flecken, die in etwa sechs Wochen zum größten Teil vom Weibchen ausgebrütet werden. Nach neun bis zehn Wochen sind die Küken flügge und nach weiteren acht Wochen sind sie in der Lage, ihre Nahrung selbst zu schlagen. Mit einem Alter von vier Jahren sind Schreiseeadler geschlechtsreif.
Der Weltbestand wird auf 100.000 bis 200.000 Paare geschätzt, somit sind sie laut IUCN momentan nicht gefährdet.
Der Schreiseeadler ist eines der Wappentiere Namibias und das Wappentier des Südsudans.
(Wikipedia)