ROCK DASSIE (Procavia capensis)
 Small
build, no tail and small rounded ears. Their general colour is yellow-fawn
to dark-brown, under parts slightly paler and has fawn-buff patch above
the eyes and at ear-base. The Rock dassie is wide spread in southern Africa.
They generally favour drier areas but are also found in higher rainfall
areas. They may sometimes be found living in holes. Feeding usually takes
place on ground but they will climb trees to feed on leaves and fruit. Feeding
is done in the morning and late afternoon. Groups usually number from 3
- 8 but much larger numbers may live together. Each group has a dominant
male and female. While the group basks in the sun an adult, either male
or female, keeps watches for predators. If disturbed they gives a sharp
cry and the rest of the group scuttle for cover amongst the rocks. There
birth season varies in different regions. |
BUSHPIG (Potamochoerus porcus)
 Very
common in South Africa, generally living in the thickly bushed areas in
the eastern part of the country. Bushpig are a gregarious species living
in sounders of usually 5 to 10 animals, which are controlled by a dominant
boar and sow. Bushpig are seldom seen in daytime, even where plentiful.
Their diet consists of just about anything, they dig and root around for
bulbs and roots, they eat reptiles, birds, birds eggs, insects, snake and
anything else that they can kill, or come across. They are often found near
human settlements living off the rubbish heaps. Their canine teeth are razor
sharp as a result of the constant friction between the upper and lower canines,
and they use these teeth to full effect when attacked or wounded, often
inflicting grievous wounds. |
RED HARTEBEEST (Alcelaphus buselaphus)
 One
of the fastest runners in Africa, capable of reaching speeds of up to 65
km/h and they are capable of keeping this speed up for a considerable distance,
in similar fashion to their cousin, the Tssesebe, the fastest antelope in
Africa. They are found in north west South Africa, central and northern
Namibia and southern Botswana. They are grazers and do not take a browse
material. Red Hartebeest can also go completely without water, gaining all
the moisture that they need from the food that they eat. In fright the rocking-horse
motion is comically exaggerated by the up and down bobbing of the long,
rather lugubrious face. They are very inquisitive often stopping to take
stock of the situation. These are gregarious animals, forming herds of usually
20 but can be a lot more. The males are very territorial in habit and will
defend their territories against other males. In the absence of a dominant
male, leadership may be temporarily assumed by an adult female. |
GREY DUIKER (Sylvicapra grimmia)
 One
of the most adaptable antelope in South Africa and can survive where most
other antelope cannot. They can be found in any habitat suited to them all
over southern Africa. They eat fruit, flowers, dry leaves, bark, dig for
tubers, chicks of ground nesting birds and mopane caterpillars. They are
mainly found in woodland Savannah but can live anywhere provided that they
find enough food and cover. They are mainly active in late afternoon and
at night or early morning. The males and females are territorial chasing
away others of the same sex. They all have pedal as well as facial glands.
Male and female tend to share territories but only come together for mating
purposes. They are probably the most successful bovine species in Africa. |
ELAND (Taurotragus oryx)
 The
largest antelope in South Africa. They can be found in South Africa, Namibia,
Botswana and Zimbabwe. They are mainly browsers but will occasionally feed
on fresh grass shoots. They can be found in open grassland, in semi desert
as well as in montane grassland. They generally live in small herds of mixed
males and females with a dominant bull. Both males and females have horns.
They have glands found in the tuft of the forehead. They are generally territorial.
They do make puffing and grunting sounds while feeding. They can jump better
than any other related animals, and will often break game fences to get
out. They will push out strange calves that do not belong to the herd. |
BLACK WILDEBEEST (Connochaetes
gnou)
 Endemic
to South Africa, found almost exclusively in the highveld areas of the country
and in a small part of Lesotho. They usually form herds of between 10 and
50 individuals consisting of adult males, females and juveniles. They actively
graze in the early morning and late afternoon. Males are very aggressive
during mating season. In the past, the Black Wildebeest migrated to the
Karoo region of South Africa during the rainy season. Today virtually all
Black Wildebeest are fenced in, fragmented in hundreds of isolated groups.
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BLESBUCK (Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi)
 One
of the antelope that are endemic to South Africa, thus found naturally nowhere
else in the world. They are primarily grassland animals and are very common
in the highveld of South Africa and occur in all regions of Namibia, through
introduction. Large herds of Blesbuck are common and during winter they
can form herds of hundreds of animals. The males do not keep their territories
throughout the year, only from the end of summer, just before the rut, until
the beginning of spring when the mating season is over. The Blesbuck is
a grazer that prefers short grass, drink regularly, sometimes twice a day,
thus making it difficult to stalk them as they are almost always found in
short grass on open grass plains. Blesbuck are generally bright brown in
colour, glossed with a purple sheen which changes into a reddish to yellowish
brown on shoulders and back. Adult bucks are generally darker in colour.
Their white face marking extends from the horns to the nose being broken
by the brown band just above the eyes. White blaze on the forehead. Pale-white
buttock patch, tail white at the base, white under parts. Both sexes carry
similar horns but those of the doe are smaller and lighter. |
ORIBI (Ourebia ourebi)
 Common
in the open plains of South Africa, where their requirements of short open
grasslands or flood plains are met. They are usually found in pairs, although
they sometimes form larger groups that are temporary. They have a very characteristic
black tipped tail which is held out while running away when startled. They
are very curious, and will often stop and look back when startled to see
what startled them. Red data species. |
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