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The bridge across the Crocodile River, visible from the rest camp, once formed part of the Selati railway line that wound its way through the Park to Skukuza. Construction of the bridge started in 1894 and was completed just before the end of the 19th century. The bridge continues despite being damaged in severe floods during February 2000. When the Sabie Reserve (a forerunner of the Kruger National Park) was proclaimed in the late 19th century, Crocodile Bridge was one of the first 4 ranger posts.
Ostriches are omnivores and eat a diverse array of roots, flowers, bulbs, grasses, grains and fruits, as well as insects, lizards and small rodents. An adult ostrich typically needs around 1kg to 1.8kg of food every day, which means they’ll generally eat anything available to them. They do lean towards being vegetarians, however. Whilst ostriches are omnivores, more than 50% of their diet is made up of plant matter. 20% is made up of stones, sand and grit, which ostriches use to grind up food in their gizzards - a specialised muscular stomach. This helps them digest pretty much anything they can swallow.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
Lions are non-seasonal breeders, yet females of a pride often synchronize births. After a gestation period of 110 days, one to four cubs are born. Cubs start taking meat after ten weeks. Females suckle their own and one another's cubs for up to six months. After birth, lion cubs are hidden for six weeks after which mothers bring them to the pride's crèche. The young remain dependent on the organizational success of the pride for up to three years.
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
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.