Elephant Scrimshaw
Scrimshaw is the intricate engraving artwork done by whalers on bone or tooth. I was just in the sacred Fever Tree Forest n the far north of South Africa. And here I saw the intricate and exquisite 'artwork' done in the bark of these trees by elephants. If you ever get the opportunity to visit this magnificent forest, do not hesitate....
Moving north
The flowers were truly magnificent last week but I really needed some bush time, so I had to move north. I was very fortunate to spend some more time at Umlani Bush Camp, where the game viewing was as superb as it always is and the walking was even better. I head up to the legendary Lake Fundudzi and walking on the Limpopo next, so please watch this spot....
Riots spread south
Everything was calm at Skilpad nature reserve, until we noticed advancing colours - And soon it was another riot of colour . . . To be honest it was mostly orange. A riot of orange . . . This dominance by a single species is a result of the land having been disturbed by agriculture in the past. These orange Ursinias are pioneering species and will dominate the spring landscape for a while as the ecology recovers and diversifies. Nonetheless the sight of a brilliant living, orange carpet stretching into the distant hills is...
Riot in Namaqualand
The annual flower display in Namaqualand is famous, however it is an extremely unpredictable phenomenon. Not only is the extent of the flower bloom dependant on the rains in the preceding season but the display varies from day to day depending on temperature and sunlight. So even in an exceptional year, it is possible to see almost no open flowers. Furthermore if a warm wind blows, the flowers will disappear within days. I have been chasing the flowers for years and finally this year I have been rewarded with an exceptional...
Weird & wonderful
We are definitely on the nicer side of the equinox. Days are longer, spring flowers are blooming . . . and there are more insects around. On a champagne day this week I saw this bizarre Cerambycid (Longhorn Beetle) on a Protea. Members of this large insect family usually feed on dead wood but this one seemed quite tempted by the succulent Protea. I have never seen this species before and have not yet identified it but I really enjoyed seeing it. No wonder science fiction bores me. Our natural...
Supermoons, Superplants & Superstudents
As you probably noticed - I've been battling technical problems that prevented me from posting news of my various adventures over the past weeks! I apologise. I promise that it was not for want of trying to send news. Anyway, I think the gremlins have been banished and I have just returned from another sojourn in "The Klein Karoo". My stay coincided with the appearance of the Supermoon, which is a period when the full moon is at its closest to planet earth and appears enormous and vivid - especially in...
The Painted Wolves
On a cold mist morning on a recent safari we came across a Hunting Dog den. In 1820 these animals were originally named Hyaena picta – the painted hyaena. When it was realized that they are not Hyaenas they were reclassified as Lycaon pictus. In Greek mythology Lycaon was a peasant who was transformed by the god Zeus, into a wolf and so these beautiful colourful animals are now often referred to as “The Painted Wolves”. This is a more descriptive name for these tenacious hunters than the original Cape Hunting...
The time of the Impala Lily
This is a very special time in the lowveld, because it is now that the beautiful Impala Lily flowers. For most of the year these plants are devoid of both leaves and flowers. This assists in reducing water loss in the harsh arid environment in which these plants survive. As an added adaptation to survive the harsh dessicating environment these plants store water in their stems and have a cylindrical shape - which minimises surface area (over which the plant loses water) relative to its volume....
What a start to a fantastic safari
Every safari is wonderful and each is unique but where else in the world can one be fly -fishing at sunrise and watching lions devouring a buffalo at sunset? That is exactly what we did on the first day of my recent safari with Jacqueline & Grant Day. We were landing ( & releasing) four and five lb trout as the eastern horizon turned red. And when the sun set on the same glorious day we were watching a pride of fourteen lions feeding on a buffalo. When I sort-out video editing, I'll...
The story of Blitz & Chippie
I have posted about Cape Fur Seals before but this post is different and deals with a controversial character and his relationship with some seals. Seals are large animals with adult females weighing about 120 kg and males weighing between 200kg & 300kg. They possess large sharp teeth used for capturing and grasping their prey as well as for defence. Blitz is a heavily tattooed, cantankerous, scary-looking character who is often to be found at a local harbour. Over the years he has developed a relationship with the wild seals that frequent...