animals

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Gemsbuck

Gemsbuck (or Oryx) is native to the arid regions of southern Africa and didn't occur in the Eastern Cape naturally.  A couple of the private game reserves around Port Elizabeth have introduced Gemsbuck into their reserves though.  As Gemsbuck are mainly desert-dwelling they do not depend on drinking to supply their physiological water needs and as the reserves all have ample water supply it means that the Gemsbuck has actually adapted quite well.  These Gemsbuck were photographed at Amakhala Game…

2 Comments
12/04/2012
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Spotted cat

We are really fortunate here in Port Elizabeth to have a place like Kragga Kamma Game Park right on the edge of the city.  It gives people who doesn't always get the opportunity to visit private game reserves the chance to see a wide range of animals in their natural habitat.  Kragga Kamma's cheetahs aren't free range though, but they are in a nice big enclosed area and its quite possible to take pictures of them without a fence in sight.  

4 Comments
13/02/2012
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Life is one big buffet

Elephants need to eat about between 160 and 200kg of vegetation per day which means that they basically eat all day as they go.  For them, life is on long buffet.

2 Comments
19/01/2012
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Water monitor (aka Sundays River croc)

Some of the residents of Colchester jokingly refer to the water monitors living in the Sundays River as Sundays River Crocodiles.  The reason for this is because visitors spotting them swimming in the river often think that they are looking at a crocodile.  Crocodiles never occurred in the area naturally as it gets too cold for them during the winter.  Water monitors (or Water liguaans) can grow over 1,5 meters in length with their biggest defence being their tail which…

3 Comments
18/01/2012
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Zebra at university

After yesterday's post on the Grysbok Nature Reserve tour, Peter Betts made a comment on my Facebook page regarding the reserve.  Peter, who has a deep found love for nature, lives right on the edge of the reserve in the suburb of Summerstrand and commented on how interesting a trip it is.  He highlighted something that I didn't mention which are the Khoisan shell middens in the reserve.  He also mentioned how he loves hearing the zebras calling in the…

6 Comments
17/01/2012
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Playing with cheetah

Kragga Kamma Game Park offers visitors the awesome opportunity to interact with their two tame cheetahs.  The two brothers live right next door to the park's restaurant and although fully grown adults they are as tame as kittens.  And kittens they are.  People have the idea that big cats must be in some way different from our every day house cats, but they aren't.  As soon as you start scratching between their ears they start to purr like kittens and they just…

5 Comments
10/01/2012
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Keep moving

"Come on buddy, just keep moving. The new year is only one day away!"I'm not sure what this giraffe at Kragga Kamma Game Park outside Port Elizabeth was trying to do. Looking at the pic he was either scratching his head or trying to prod his smaller companion into moving.

4 Comments
31/12/2011
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The local waterhole

Hapoor Waterhole is the most popular water(ing) hole in Addo Elephant National Park for the locals (both males and females) to hang out at and as they don't serve alcoholic drinks the littlies are also welcome.

3 Comments
29/12/2011