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| GAZE OVER THE POTHOLES IN THE BLYDE RIVER CANYON |
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The Blyde River Canyon doesn’t compare in length to the fish, being only 30 kilometres long, but its beauty is a total contrast: rock warn down and smothered by water, and hole carved by pebbles swirling around in small pools (known as Bourke’s Luck Potholes-his ‘luck’ was apparently a rich strike in this gold-lyden region, but no one knows exactly where). From the main tourist viewpoint, God’s Window, you look out over the edge of the escarpment into the lowveld. |
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| ELEPHANTS AT SUNSET |
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They are the heaviest land mammal (up to 6000 kg) yet African Elephants can walk so quietly you don’t hear them until one poops. Watch a herd at sundown at they’re waterhole. |
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| FASTEST LAND MAMMALS |
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It’s very rare to see a cheetah, the fastest land mammal, in the wild, never mind seeing one reaching its top speed of more than 100 km per hour. Improve the odds by supporting a cheetah breeding/rescue centre. |
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| TALLEST MAMMAL |
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You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that giraffes are the tallest mammal, stretching over 5 metres. But did you know why you don’t get them in ‘what sound does this make?’ books for toddlers? It’s because the grunts and snorts giraffes make are so rarely heard that generally regarded as being voiceless. |
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| KINGS OF LAZINESS |
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Lions sleep for up to 20 hours a day. What a life! |
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| FAST FOOD OF THE WILD |
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Don’t dismiss impala’s as the fast food off the wild because they are so common. Watch the social interaction within a heard and how they allogroom (groom each other) to get rid of tics. Impala are the only hoofed mammal who do this. |
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| HORSES WITH PAJAMAS |
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Horses with different pyjamas: what’s the difference between a Burchell’s or Plains Zebra, and a mountain Zebra? Burchell’s is the most common and its stripes fade on the lower legs. The mountain Zebra is smaller (though it ears are larger) has a white belly and boulder stripes, but lacks shadow stripes. |
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| MOPANI WORMS |
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Just after the rains- usually February-and once the young Mopani leaves have sprouted, a wriggle of Mopani worms erupts in the North of Kruger. You will see masses of them crawling across the roads-much to the delight of Armoured ground crickets, mongooses, birds and lizards. |
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| BLUE CRANE |
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Looking all dressed up for a black tie dance, cranes are among the most elegant birds. Endemic to Southern Africa, the blue crane (Anthropoids Paradisa) is most often found in cultivated open fields in the Overberg where it eats insects, seeds and small reptiles. Its distinctive ‘kraaaaahrrk’ can be heard for kilometres. It is also South Africa’s national bird. |
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| SPRINGBOK |
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On any open semi arid of land from Kimberley to the Kalahari, you are most likely to see Springbok. Named after their distinctive jumping display or ‘pronk’ when alerted to danger, the Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is also the emblem of the National rugby team. |
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| KING PROTEA |
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Walk any mountain trail in the Boland or South Western Cape and you’ll likely to encounter the King Sugar Bush or Protea (Protea cynaroides). Named after the artichoke like appearance of the flower (synara ‘means artichoke’) it’s unmistakable with its large inflorescence (flower head) and paddle shaped leave borne on the stems. |
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| GOD'S WINDOW |
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From God’s Window in the Blyde River Canyon East towards the three sisters. That’s the shot. Best taken around mid afternoon. Try a polarising filter in summer to bring out the greens in the landscape. |
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