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"What makes Noetzie so special is not just the castles, but its very special natural beauty, much of which is still pristine – an increasing rarity in the brash hotel-and-hamburger-stand culture that has ruined so much of South Africa’s once splendid coastline. The golden beach is surrounded by forested hills, the dark waters of the lagoon, the rugged ochre rocks, and the thundering breakers that roll in row after row from the far southern oceans. The bay has even been the site of a shipwreck, the 3-masted French schooner the “Phoenix”, in 1881, that appeared to have been abandoned, for no known reason, far out to sea before finding itself laid up on Noetzie beach. Something that caused great local excitement, and much mystification, at the time!"
"Robberg Nature Reserve
A national monument steeped in history, with prehistoric rocks and Stone Age artefacts"
Info sourced from www.capenature.co.za/rese.../robberg-nature-reserve/
Photo capture date & Location: 2020-10 Robberg
The Egyptian goose - also known as the Nil goose - is named for its place of origin (being the Nile Valley in Africa) and is a large, very distinctive waterbird with conspicuous eye patches of dark chocolate-brown. The female resembles the male, though it is smaller, often with darker markings on her beak. The genders can also be told apart by their calls, as the male makes a strong, hoarse hissing noise, while the female produces a harsh, trumpeting quack. Young Egyptian geese have a duller colour and have a grey tinge on their forewings, and their crown and neck are darker, with yellowish legs and beak.
The rock hyrax, also called Cape hyrax, rock rabbit, and (in the Bible) coney, is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Commonly referred to in South Africa as the dassie (/dasiː/). Rock hyraxes weigh between 4 kilograms (9 lb) and 5 kilograms (11 lb) and have short ears and tail. The rock hyrax is found at elevations up to 4,200 metres (13,800 ft) in habitats with rock crevices allowing it to escape from predators. Along with other hyrax species and the manatee, this species is the most closely related to the elephant.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_hyrax
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Photo capture date & Location: 2018-02 Bushtime at Mabula
Eland young are born year-round. Females with young calves come together in nursery groups. After the young are weaned at about three months, the mothers rejoin the female herds and the calves remain together in the nursery group. With year-round births, some adult females are always present in a nursery group and they defend all juveniles present, not just their own. Juveniles usually remain in the nursery groups until they are almost two years old.
As its name signifies, Bantry Bay lies perched on the rocks overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in one of the most exclusive bays on the Atlantic Seaboard. Crashing waves, magnificent sunsets and protection from the wind make Bantry Bay much sought after and, because of its position, an ideal base from which to explore Cape Town. Bantry Bay lies just outside the vibey suburb of Sea Point.
Nature's Valley is a holiday resort and small village on the Garden Route along the southern Cape coast of South Africa. Nature's Valley lies between the Salt River, the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, the Indian Ocean, and the Groot River lagoon. Nature's Valley has a balmy climate and is surrounded by the de Vasselot Nature Reserve which is part of the Tsitsikamma Park, and in turn part of the Garden Route National Park.
Info sourced from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature%27s_Valley
Photo capture date & Location: 2020-10 Tsitsikamma, R102 en-route to Storms River
The long-tailed widowbird, also known as the "Sakabula". Adult breeding males are almost entirely black with orange and white shoulders (epaulettes), long, broad tails, and a bluish-white bill. When flying, male long-tailed widowbirds are readily visible due to their extremely long tails. Between six and eight of their twelve tail feathers are approximately half a metre (about 20 inches) long. The tail during flight display is expanded vertically into a deep, long keel below the male as he flies with slow wingbeats 0.5 to 2 metres (20 to 78 inches) above his territory.
Giraffe often rest while standing up, but new research shows that they lie down more often than previously thought. When lying down, they fold their legs under their body but mostly keeping their necks held high. Giraffe have been known to continue browsing and ruminating in this resting position. Occasionally, and only for very short periods of normally not more than 5 minutes, a giraffe can sleep with their head resting back on their rump. This is an extremely exposed and vulnerable position, hence this is only seen rarely and for short periods of time. Research in zoos has shown that giraffe go into REM sleep when in this position.
Info source URL: giraffeconservation.org/facts/do-giraffe-lie-down/
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Photo capture date & Location: 2018-02 Mabula Timeshare
A large and powerful bovine, the African Buffalo reaches shoulder heights of up to 1.5 m and a mass of 750 kg. Both sexes have horns, those of the bulls are characterised by a heavy boss and upward curved horns. Buffalo herds can have a significant ecological impact on the veld. Being bulk grazers, they are responsible for converting long grasslands into short grassy environments conducive to other browsers with more selective feeding habits. When a herd member is attacked, others will rush to its defence. Collectively a number of buffalo are more than capable to stave off an attack by an entire pride of lions. A wounded buffalo bull is regarded as the most dangerous by hunters and is one of the reasons why this animal is included in the so-called "big five".
Like most other waterfowl, yellow-billed ducks undergo a molting process in which they lose all flight feathers at one time leaving them flightless for three to four weeks. This leaves them especially vulnerable to predators and makes foraging difficult. Yellow-billed ducks lose considerable (about a quarter) body mass during the first half of molting.
Red hartebeests are grass feeders, which is evidenced by their long snouts, which give the advantage of an improved cropping ability to acquire and masticate grasses more efficiently. During the rainy season in southern Africa, the grass species Andropogon is in abundance and is the main source of dietary consumption. As grazers, their diets fluctuate seasonally, as they consume higher-quality, green primary production in wet seasons, and lower-quality sheath material in the dry seasons. Hartebeests are considered less water-dependent than most, only needing to drink water when melons and tubers are inaccessible.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_hartebeest
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Photo capture date & Location: 2018-09 Rietvlei Nature Reserve
The nyala is mainly active in the early morning and the late afternoon. It generally browses during the day if temperatures are 20–30 °C (68–86 °F) and during the night in the rainy season. As a herbivore, the nyala feeds upon foliage, fruits and grasses, with sufficient fresh water. A shy animal, it prefers water holes rather than open spaces. The nyala does not show signs of territoriality, and individuals' areas can overlap. They are very cautious creatures.
Zebras are single-hoofed animals that are native to Africa. Zebras are very closely related to horses and donkeys; in fact, they are in the same genus, Equus. The most prominent feature of zebras is the bold patterns on their coats. Zebras have white stripes next to black or brown stripes, with the stripes ending at their bellies and the inner side of the legs, which are white. However, zebras have black skin under their coats. Each species of zebra has a different general pattern of stripes. The Grevy's zebra has very thin stripes. The mountain zebra has vertical stripes on its neck and torso, but horizontal stripes on its haunches. Some subspecies of plains zebras have brownish "shadow" stripes between the black stripes.
Sunset
Segaia Bush Retreat is a highly recommended property providing self-catering in Buffelsdrift for tourists visiting the Northern Gauteng region. The name rolls gently and easily off the tongue - Segaia - a name you’re not likely to forget once you’ve visited this charming lodge which is a mere 20 km from Pretoria and less than an hour from Johannesburg and O.R. Tambo International Airport. One of the jewels of northern Gauteng, Segaia Bush Retreat offers an escape to the magic of the bush that reminds of areas far more remote. It is the perfect getaway for weary, ‘traffic-jammed’ city dwellers who do not want to spend hours on the road to get to a weekend destination, but require an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity combined with fresh air.
Info source: www.sa-venues.com/visit/segaiabushretreat/
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The photo was taken during August 2018 at Segaia Bush Retreat, Buffelsdrift, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
St James is a seaside village on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, situated on the False Bay coast between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay. The suburb is situated between the rocky shore and a steep mountain, and measures about 200m by 2 km. Its name derives from the early St James Catholic Church, built circa 1880. Most of the suburb was built between 1910 and 1950 after the railway line was built connecting Cape Town to False Bay. St James beach is well known for its colorful Victorian-style bathing boxes, tidal pool, and rock pools, which are popular with children. Danger Beach, also in St James, is a well-known surf spot.
The vervet is a small, black-faced monkey, common in East Africa. There are several subspecies of vervet monkeys, but, generally, the body is a greenish-olive or silvery-grey. The face, ears, hands, feet, and tail tip are black, but a conspicuous white band on the forehead blends in with the short whiskers. The vervet is classified as a medium- to a large-sized monkey. The tail is usually held up, with the tip curving downward, and the arms and legs are approximately equal in length. Vervets living near areas inhabited by people can become pests, stealing food and other items and raiding crops. This leads to a heavy annual slaughter by poison, traps, and guns.
Beacon Island Resort, in the heart of the picturesque Garden Route region, is one of the Western Cape’s premier holiday destinations. This award-winning Plettenberg Bay hotel and resort offers natural forests, mountains, sun-kissed beaches, and the vastness of the ocean – the ideal relaxing getaway for the entire family.
Subadult hippos are often found play fighting and jumping straight out of the water, playing what can only be described as a type of ”tag”, chasing each other biting, jumping and then starting all over again or until the adults call them back towards the sleeping pod.
Info source URL: www.stluciasouthafrica.com/hippo-facts/
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The photo was taken during October 2019 at the Sabie River, Hazyview, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Aloe is a genus containing over 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most widely known species is Aloe vera, or "true aloe", so called because it is cultivated as the standard source of so-called "aloe vera" for assorted pharmaceutical purposes. Most Aloe species have a rosette of large, thick, fleshy leaves. Aloe flowers are tubular, frequently yellow, orange, pink, or red, and are borne, densely clustered and pendant, at the apex of simple or branched, leafless stems.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe
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Photo capture date: 2018-08 Segaia Bush Retreat
The Afrikaans name Drakensberg comes from the name the earliest Dutch settlers to the region gave it. They called them the Drakensbergen, or "Mountains of Dragons". Several possible reasons for this name include the pointy tops giving an appearance similar to that of the back of the mythical European dragon, old local myths of dragons roaming the mountains, and possible findings of dinosaur fossils (which would have been confused with the remains of dragons).
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drakensberg
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Photo capture date & Location: 2018-10 Drakensberg Sun Resort
African jacanas are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are about 30 cm long, but females are larger than males. They have chestnut upperparts with black wingtips, rear neck, and eyestripe. The underparts are also chestnut in the adults, only in juveniles, they are white with a chestnut belly patch. The blue bill extends up as a coot-like head shield, and the legs and long toes are grey. African jacanas feed on insects and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the surface of the water. African jacanas breed throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It is sedentary apart from seasonal dispersion. It lays four black-marked brown eggs in a floating nest. The jacana has evolved a highly unusually polyandrous mating system, meaning that one female mates with multiple males and the male alone cares for the chicks. The male African jacana has therefore evolved some remarkable adaptations for parental care, such as the ability to pick up and carry chicks underneath its wings.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_jacana
Photo capture date & Location: 2019-10 Sabi River
Graskop Gorge is more than 50 meters deep and is occupied by exquisite Afromontane forests. These forests are the natural habitat of choice for a massive variety of plant and animal species, which include the vividly-colored Knysna lourie (or turaco). Keen birders will see loads of species to add to their repertoire and should certainly bring their identification books and cameras along. Waterfalls through the gorge are dramatic and tranquil all at once. They may thunder down or trickle their way down rock faces that have slowly been worn away and softened by years of gentle erosion. There are trails through the gorge along with timber walkways and platforms at some of the best viewpoints. These are accessed via the Graskop Gorge Lift, which opened in December 2017. This glass lift transports visitors from the top right into the gorge to explore its beauty and drama up close.
Info source URL: www.sa-venues.com/attractionsmpl/graskop-gorge.php
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Photo capture date & Location: 2019-10 Graskop Gorge Lift Company
In the heart of Gauteng, Dinokeng 'a place of rivers', and Leeuwkloof Valley is a game lodge surrounded by wildlife roaming in a 400-hectare game reserve. This is KwaTHABISILE Game Lodge where Alexandra welcomes you to her Out of Africa. Wake up in the morning to game grazing peacefully under your bedroom window. Wander over to the pond or laze by the pool and enjoy sunset drinks overlooking the valley into the bush watching the animals graze. Enjoy the sounds of the birds sing in our valley, see and hear the night come to life. At KwaTHABISILE you can experience nature even though you are close to many other enriching activities such as nearby Cullinan and experience 'All of Africa in a day'.
Info source: www.safarinow.com/go/kwathabisilegamelodge/
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The photo was taken during February 2019 at KwaThabisile Bush Retreat, Dinokeng, Gauteng, South Africa.
Segaia Bush Retreat is a small charming lodge situated in the bushveld in the carefully managed 1200 ha Buffelsdrift Conservancy in northern Gauteng. Our Conservancy is well stocked with game, blessed with prolific birdlife, and is infused with that unique African magic found only in the bush. Segaia Lodge has a watering hole right in front of the lodge where wild game come to drink. Enjoy, therefore, stunning African sunsets on the deck whilst watching zebra, kudu, impala and warthog wandering the grounds of the Lodge. A lucky few may even spot the reclusive leopard. Segaia is a small lodge that can accommodate up to 24 guests. Although our units are self-catering we can provide services, including TV, upon request. Segaia Lodge's stylish and luxurious interior design reflects the fine taste of its well-travelled Swiss owner. There is an eclectic mix of Afro-chic finishes, European furniture and antiques from around the world. Each beautiful piece carries its own story, and the owner has brought them all together to create an environment filled with warmth and charm.
Plains zebras have at least 6 different vocal calls. A two-syllable call is used to alert herd members to predators while snorts indicate happiness. They also use facial expressions to communicate. When greeting each other, they will stick their ears up and push their faces forward. When feeling threatened, they will press their ears against their heads.
The sights and scenery surrounding Scarborough beach are something to be admired. The mountains stand tall around you and the vast endless ocean lying before you make this beautiful and serene beach to relax at. Stunning rock pools to explore are waiting on the shoreline and the waves welcome the surfers to challenge them. A stroll along this secluded and long white sandy beach is very pleasant. It is advisable to be cautious while swimming due to the occasional rip current just off the beach. Scarborough beach is never over crowded but can get busy in summer when the tourists flock to these gorgeous sands. Being a very spacious beach there is always space for you and your family to soak up the sun without feeling invaded by others playing ball on the beach or those flying kites on a more windy day.
The Egyptian Goose is related to the shelduck and is a cross between a duck and a goose. A shelduck is defined as being semi-terrestrial, and they are found in areas that have an abundant water supply as well as dry, safe places in which to feed, breed and nest. The Egyptian goose has vivid markings that are striking and impressive. In fact, they were considered to be holy by the Egyptians, who often included them in works of art due to their undeniable beauty. This bird is pale brown and grey, with rich brown or chestnut markings around the eyes, around the neck (resembling a collar), on a portion of the wings, and under the otherwise black tail. In stark contrast, there are crisp white markings on the wings, complemented by an intense emerald on the secondary feathers of the males. There is also a well-defined brown patch right in the centre of the chest.
Info source: www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/birds_egyptian_goose.php
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The photo was taken during October 2018 at Drakensberg Sun Resort, Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Watch the sun sink down over the ocean and explore a typically empty beach bordered by Slangkop Lighthouse on the south end and Chapman's Peak on the north end. Noordhoek Beach is one of the less popular beaches in the area, probably because its water is cold and there isn't as much development nearby, but nonetheless, it is an incredible beach to visit - in fact, it's the most unspoiled and protected beach on the Atlantic Cape coast!
The nyala is mainly active in the early morning and the late afternoon. It generally browses during the day if temperatures are 20–30 °C (68–86 °F) and during the night in the rainy season. As a herbivore, the nyala feeds upon foliage, fruits, and grasses, with sufficient fresh water. A shy animal, it prefers water holes rather than open spaces. The nyala does not show signs of territoriality, and individuals areas can overlap each other. They are very cautious creatures. Old males live alone, but single-sex or mixed family groups of up to 10 individuals can be found. These inhabit thickets within dense and dry savanna woodlands. The main predators of the nyala are lion, leopard, and Cape hunting dog, while baboons and raptorial birds hunt for the juveniles.
Info source URL: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyala
Photo capture date & Location: 2019-02 Bushtime at Mabula
The town of Plettenberg Bay lies almost on the border of the Western and Eastern Cape. Built on a hillside, most of the town is on a steep slope leading down to the sea, which means that regardless of where you find yourself accommodated, you will be treated to spectacular views of the bay and surrounding hills and mountains.
The Robberg Hiking Trail is probably one of the most popular and well-known trails in the area and also one of the most scenic. The route is a circular trail along the Robberg peninsula with two shorter variations available ranging from easy to moderate. This is not recommended for your regular Saturday afternoon stroll or when you are just bored. However, when you've done it, you'll have to agree it really is special - one of a kind. If you are interested in geology you will find it inspiring.
A day in Kalk Bay is guaranteed to be a good one. From meandering through the local stores to marvelling at the beautiful sea views, you’ll be hard-pressed to have a bad time here. Known as a sleepy fishing village, Kalk Bay has a unique history that may surprise its visitors. The name ‘Kalk Bay’ literally translates from Dutch to ‘Lime Bay’, honouring the area's vast deposits of mussel shells. Early settlers, most likely indigenous Khoi people, in the area burned these shells to produce lime they then used in construction.