DOCSLIB.ORG

South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 A Tropical Birding set departure tour South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger Main Tour: 10th – 24th January 2020 Eastern Endemics and Drakensberg Extension: 24th January – 1st February 2020 Tour Leader: Emma Juxon All photographs in this report were taken by Emma Juxon, species depicted in photographs are named in BOLD RED Gurney’s Sugarbird seen on our day exploring the Sani Pass during the Drakensberg Extension www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 Introduction South Africa has it all, from mind-blowing wildlife to incredible scenery to fantastic people and cultures, not to mention the delicious food! This tour really gives clients a wonderful insight into life in this fantastic and varied country. We cover a huge area of the country, taking us through many different habitats and thus allowing us the opportunity to enjoy large species numbers. This tour follows our tried and tested route through the rugged Western Cape and along the south coast into the Garden Route. From there we move inland to the arid landscapes of the Karoo and Tankwa Karoo before hopping across country via airplane to Johannesburg and exploring the world-famous Kruger National Park. Then back to Johannesburg before winding our way through the mid-altitude grasslands of Wakkerstroom to Zululand, visiting Mkhuze Game Reserve, the St. Lucia estuary, the montane forests of Eshowe and oNgoye and the agricultural lands of Howick and Underberg. A final adventurous ascent takes us into the striking high- altitude vistas of Lesotho before winding our way back down to the tropical Indian Ocean shores of Durban. This particular tour was very much treated as a custom tour due to there being just two participants, so there were times where we took things a little easier than on a hard-core birding trip. This along with the weather being against us for most of the tour, extremely strong winds most days and also heavy rains, meant that at times birding was challenging. Our trip numbers show that pure enthusiasm and perseverance prevailed and we encountered a brilliant 479 species of bird, 60 mammal species and 23 herptile species throughout the whole trip, making it a truly unforgettable tour. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 Fairest Cape to Kruger January 10 – Arrival, Cape Peninsula Today was supposed to be the arrival day, where we would usually kick-off the tour with an evening meal, but both of the participants had arrived a day early which allowed us to start as we meant to go on – birding! After a great breakfast at a very reasonable hour, we began our sojourn of the Cape Town area, first visiting the world-famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Situated at the eastern foot of the majestic Table Mountain, the botanical gardens make home for some fantastic species for participants to start checking off their lifers. A short woodland trail gave us fantastic views straight off the bat of Lemon Dove, almost at our feet! Walking further around the gardens we enjoyed our first views of Cape Batis, Speckled Pigeon, Red-eyed Dove, Southern Boubou, Karoo Prinia, Sombre Greenbull, Cape Bulbul, Cape White- www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 eye, Southern Double-collared Sunbird and Olive Thrush. As we neared the Protea area of the gardens, we found our most wanted endemics, Cape Sugarbird (previous page) and the glorious Orange-breasted Sunbird. As we admired these protea specialists, we were also captivated by soaring Yellow-billed Kite, Black Sawwing and White-necked Raven. A family of Cape Francolin comically foraged in the undergrowth joined by Cape Robin-Chat, as African Dusky Flycatcher perched above. Some of our favorites of the morning included the very sweet Swee and Common Waxbill, the chunky Brimstone Canaries and localized introduced Common Chaffinch. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 With lunch time growing near, we made our way to the coast and one of my favorite restaurants overlooking False Bay. Here we enjoyed some fantastic seafood as we watched Kelp and Hartlaub’s Gull, African Oystercathcer and Cape Wagtail. After lunch we headed for the very tip of the Cape peninsula, Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Greeted by the infamous Cape Point Southern Chacma Baboons we also caught sight of some very brief Cape Siskin, patrolling Peregrine Falcon, Cape Bunting and skeins of Cape Gannet out to sea. At the sea level of the Cape of Good Hope, the plentiful rocks made great places for Crowned, White-breasted and Cape Cormorant to dry their wings, whilst Great Crested and Sandwich Terns rested alongside them. The afternoon was drawing to an end but there was just one more stop to make on our way back to our delightful guesthouse. As we pulled into the carpark of Boulder’s Beach the participants could immediately see why we were here, African Penguins! Everyone loves penguins and once we’d had our fill of them bizarrely hanging out near the cars, we took the boardwalk to the colony, adding Amethyst Sunbird to our growing list. Here we had exceptional views and were able to observe their sometimes-comical behavior; we were also treated to Cape Fur Seal and Rock Hyrax amongst the penguins. It had been a fantastic first day of the tour and we finished off with a great meal at a local restaurant to our guesthouse. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 January 11 – Cape Peninsula We started our day bright and early with a packed breakfast over-looking Zeekoe vlei, a large lake just outside of Cape Town. Treated to Greater Flamingo and Great White Pelican fly-bys as we ate, amongst many others, we were keen to start our mornings birding proper, at the Strandfontein Sewer Works. This fantastic wetland is second to none in the area had some brilliant sightings throughout the morning. The first lakes we came across had several duck species including, White-faced Whistling Duck, South African Shelduck, Cape Shoveler, African Black, Yellow-billed and Red-billed Duck. Other smaller lakes gave us cracking views of Sothern Pochard, a single White-backed Duck and stunning Hottentot Teal. Little and Eared Grebes dotted the waters as Southern Masked-Weaver, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Lesser Swamp- Warbler, Little Rush-Warbler and Cape Weaver worked the reeds. The shores of the various ponds and waterways were lined with species such as Blacksmith Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Water Thick-knee and beautifully patterned Three-banded Plover. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 Once we had had a fill of Strandfontein, we headed over to the other side of Cape Town where we found the urban oasis of Intaka Island. This small series of wetlands amidst the built-up area of Century City is a fantastic little spot to get up-close and personal with some great species. Straight away, we were enjoying Purple, Grey and Black-headed Herons as well as Blacksmith Lapwing (next page), Eurasian Moorhen, Red-knobbed Coot and African Swamphen. The reeds were filled with female and immature male Southern Red Bishops, but we didn’t have to walk far before the participants were treated to the absolutely stunning males in full breeding plumage. Both Cape and Forest Canary foraged in the shrubs and small trees alongside common, but equally attractive, Cape Sparrow and a gorgeous male Pin-tailed Whydah. A structure in the middle of the www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 water was adorned with African Sacred, Glossy and Hadada Ibis, Long-tailed Cormorant and African Darter. We were soon distracted by movement in the reeds right beside us and after some bending and twisting to get a view, we had ourselves a very colorful Little Bittern! Taking shade in one of the hides, we had our first brilliant views of Pied Kingfisher as a pair perched beautifully in front of us. We also had a fleeting glimpse of Malachite Kingfisher as it returned to its nest site in the opposite bank. With the heat rising and our tummies rumbling, we made our way to a local restaurant for lunch. The participants had decided that they were happy with the birds that they had seen during the morning and with jetlag and general tiredness setting in, we headed back to our lovely guesthouse where they took the rest of the afternoon off to relax and enjoy the garden birds. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 January 12 – West Coast We left Cape Town behind us today and took a trip to the scenic West Coast National Park. With a packed breakfast in hand we stopped at spot known for its Southern Black Korhaan or Black Bustard as they are also known. Within moments of turning the corner we had one! A stunning male. Almost immediately after we found ourselves surrounded by our endemic targets, Black Harrier worked the grasslands, Protea Canary fed on their namesake, a family of elegant Blue Crane walked the pastures and Jackal Buzzards watched from their posts.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Mega Birding Tour III 2016
    South Africa Mega Birding Tour III 16th January to 9th February 2016 (29 days) Jackal Buzzard by Greg de Klerk Trip report compiled by tour leader: Greg de Klerk Top 10 birds as voted for by participants: 1. Secretarybird 6. Bokmakierie 2. Green Twinspot 7. Blue Crane 3. Martial Eagle 8. Gurney’s Sugarbird 4. Hamerkop 9. African Penguin 5. Cape Rockjumper 10. Drakensburg Rockjumper Top 5 mammals: 1. Cheetah 5. Meerkat 2. White Rhinoceros 3. Plains Zebra 4. African Wild Dog Trip Report – RBT SA Mega III 2016 2 Tour summary The Rockjumper South Africa Mega tour aims to find as many of the country’s endemic birds and special species as possible over the duration of three and a half weeks, while traversing most of the country’s diverse habitats. We travelled a whopping 6854 kilometres from our starting point in Johannesburg. During our travels we visited seven of South Africa’s nine provinces from Polokwane in Limpopo, Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga, the dramatic Sani Pass in KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town in the Western Cape, Port Nolloth in the far reaches of the Northern Cape and finally back to Johannesburg Green Twinspot by Markus Lilje in Gauteng. Although the tour was done at a brisk pace, we were still able to enjoy an excellent and fulfilling time in the areas visited, while covering all the habitats that this incredibly diverse country has to offer. We recorded 470 species of birds on the main tour. Add to this, a remarkable selection of mammal species and reptilian encounters, and it all contributed to this being an excellent tour! Beginning at our comfortable accomodation in Johannesburg, we were thrown into the deep end of introductory birding in South Africa, observing stunning flocks of Red-headed Finch, Southern Red Bishop and Red-billed Quelea, while Speckled Pigeon, Red-eyed, Laughing and Ring-necked Dove fed side by side, allowing us to easily observe their identification pointers.
    [Show full text]
  • Freshwater Fishes
    WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE state oF BIODIVERSITY 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction 2 Chapter 2 Methods 17 Chapter 3 Freshwater fishes 18 Chapter 4 Amphibians 36 Chapter 5 Reptiles 55 Chapter 6 Mammals 75 Chapter 7 Avifauna 89 Chapter 8 Flora & Vegetation 112 Chapter 9 Land and Protected Areas 139 Chapter 10 Status of River Health 159 Cover page photographs by Andrew Turner (CapeNature), Roger Bills (SAIAB) & Wicus Leeuwner. ISBN 978-0-620-39289-1 SCIENTIFIC SERVICES 2 Western Cape Province State of Biodiversity 2007 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Andrew Turner [email protected] 1 “We live at a historic moment, a time in which the world’s biological diversity is being rapidly destroyed. The present geological period has more species than any other, yet the current rate of extinction of species is greater now than at any time in the past. Ecosystems and communities are being degraded and destroyed, and species are being driven to extinction. The species that persist are losing genetic variation as the number of individuals in populations shrinks, unique populations and subspecies are destroyed, and remaining populations become increasingly isolated from one another. The cause of this loss of biological diversity at all levels is the range of human activity that alters and destroys natural habitats to suit human needs.” (Primack, 2002). CapeNature launched its State of Biodiversity Programme (SoBP) to assess and monitor the state of biodiversity in the Western Cape in 1999. This programme delivered its first report in 2002 and these reports are updated every five years. The current report (2007) reports on the changes to the state of vertebrate biodiversity and land under conservation usage.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa Mega Birding Tour I
    South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 15th February to 8th March 2022 (22 days) Cape Rockjumper by Adam Riley South Africa has the highest number of endemic and near-endemic bird species of any country on the African continent. Some of these special birds such as Drakensberg Rockjumper and Blue Crane – are beautiful and charismatic; while others, including the endangered Rudd’s and Botha’s Larks, are less striking but incredibly range-restricted. To boot, South Africa is also home to two very impressive endemic families, the striking Rockjumpers and Sugarbirds. The focus of this 22 day endemics mega-birding tour is to see as many of these South African endemic, breeding endemic and near-endemic species as possible. Every single one of the 99 birds falling into this category as well as most of the 78 species falling into the category of endemic or near-endemic to the southern African sub-region are targeted during the tour (and are listed in bold in the itinerary below.) RBT South Africa Mega Birding Itinerary 2 Furthermore, we will seek out many other special and sought-after African species; and, in the course of this tour, we have the potential to rack up a very impressive bird list in terms of species numbers, rarities and great sightings. Mammals will likewise form a major focus of our attention, and we can expect to also find an incredible diversity of reptiles, amphibians and other wildlife. We invite you to join us on this exciting celebration of our endemic treasures during this ultimate South African mega-birding adventure! THE TOUR
    [Show full text]
  • PO Box 1401, Wilgeheuwel, Johannesburg, 1736
    4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd 21860 – Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 October 2020 21860_Ecol_1 Prism EMS | P.O. Box 1401, Wilgeheuwel, Johannesburg, 1736 | Tel: 087 985 0951 | E-Mail: [email protected] Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report October 2020 21860 –Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd DOCUMENT CONTROL Project Name Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 Report Title Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report Authority Reference GAUT 002/20-21/E2591 Number Report Status Final Applicant Name 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Name Signature Date Document Mr. A.E. van Wyk (B.Sc. Env. &Bio. Sci.) Compilation 2020/09 Ecologist Field Assessment Mr. A.E. van Wyk (B.Sc. Env. &Bio. Sci.) 2020/09/18 Ecologist Report Review Mr. D. Botha (M.A. Env.Man.) (PHED) Wetland Specialist | Pr.Sci.Nat. 2020/09 Mrs. V. Stippel (MSc. Ecol., Env. and Cons.) (Pr.Sci.Nat) 2020/10 Approval Mr. D. Botha (M.A. Env.Man.) (PHED) Wetland 2020/10 Specialist | Pr.Sci.Nat. PRISM EMS 1 Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report October 2020 21860 –Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd DOCUMENT PROGRESS Distribution List Report Reference Document Date Number of Copies Number Distribution 30/09/20 21860_Ecol_0 Internal Word Doc Amendments on Document Description of Date Report Reference Number Amendment 30/09/20 21860_Ecol_0 21860_Ecol_00 Minor Changes PRISM EMS 2 Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report October 2020 21860 –Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Specialist Name Mr. A.E.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa: Magoebaskloof and Kruger National Park Custom Tour Trip Report
    SOUTH AFRICA: MAGOEBASKLOOF AND KRUGER NATIONAL PARK CUSTOM TOUR TRIP REPORT 24 February – 2 March 2019 By Jason Boyce This Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl showed nicely one late afternoon, puffing up his throat and neck when calling www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 2 | TRIP REPORT South Africa: Magoebaskloof and Kruger National Park February 2019 Overview It’s common knowledge that South Africa has very much to offer as a birding destination, and the memory of this trip echoes those sentiments. With an itinerary set in one of South Africa’s premier birding provinces, the Limpopo Province, we were getting ready for a birding extravaganza. The forests of Magoebaskloof would be our first stop, spending a day and a half in the area and targeting forest special after forest special as well as tricky range-restricted species such as Short-clawed Lark and Gurney’s Sugarbird. Afterwards we would descend the eastern escarpment and head into Kruger National Park, where we would make our way to the northern sections. These included Punda Maria, Pafuri, and the Makuleke Concession – a mouthwatering birding itinerary that was sure to deliver. A pair of Woodland Kingfishers in the fever tree forest along the Limpopo River Detailed Report Day 1, 24th February 2019 – Transfer to Magoebaskloof We set out from Johannesburg after breakfast on a clear Sunday morning. The drive to Polokwane took us just over three hours. A number of birds along the way started our trip list; these included Hadada Ibis, Yellow-billed Kite, Southern Black Flycatcher, Village Weaver, and a few brilliant European Bee-eaters.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6Th to 30Th January 2018 (25 Days) Trip Report
    South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6th to 30th January 2018 (25 days) Trip Report Aardvark by Mike Bacon Trip report compiled by Tour Leader: Wayne Jones Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Mega I 2018 2 Tour Summary The beauty of South Africa lies in its richness of habitats, from the coastal forests in the east, through subalpine mountain ranges and the arid Karoo to fynbos in the south. We explored all of these and more during our 25-day adventure across the country. Highlights were many and included Orange River Francolin, thousands of Cape Gannets, multiple Secretarybirds, stunning Knysna Turaco, Ground Woodpecker, Botha’s Lark, Bush Blackcap, Cape Parrot, Aardvark, Aardwolf, Caracal, Oribi and Giant Bullfrog, along with spectacular scenery, great food and excellent accommodation throughout. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Despite havoc-wreaking weather that delayed flights on the other side of the world, everyone managed to arrive (just!) in South Africa for the start of our keenly-awaited tour. We began our 25-day cross-country exploration with a drive along Zaagkuildrift Road. This unassuming stretch of dirt road is well-known in local birding circles and can offer up a wide range of species thanks to its variety of habitats – which include open grassland, acacia woodland, wetlands and a seasonal floodplain. After locating a handsome male Northern Black Korhaan and African Wattled Lapwings, a Northern Black Korhaan by Glen Valentine
    [Show full text]
  • DISTRIBUTION and POPULATION STRUCTURE of Avicennia Marina (FORSSK.) VIERH in RELATION to the ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENT ALONG the RED SEA COAST of EGYPT
    Ekológia (Bratislava) - Journal of the Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 48–53, 2021 doi:10.2478/eko-2021-0006 DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF Avicennia marina (FORSSK.) VIERH IN RELATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENT ALONG THE RED SEA COAST OF EGYPT RAMADAN A. SHAWKY Plant Ecology and Ranges Department, Desert Research Center; 1 Mathaf El-Matariya st., Cairo, Egypt; e-mail: [email protected] Received: 22 August 2020 / Accepted: 4 November 2020 Abstract Shawky R.A.: Distribution and population structure of Avicennia marina (Forssk.) vierh in relation to the environmental gradient along the Red Sea Coast of Egypt. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 48–53, 2021. This paper presents an assessment of changes in Avicennia marina population along the Egyptian coasts of the Red Sea. A retrospective analysis of the mangrove cover and distribution was carried out. The populations in Sharm El-Bahary and wadi El-Gimal lack at least one or more volume class stages, while all volume classes are represented in the last two populations occurring in wadi Al-Qu’lan and Sharm El-Madfa’a. The relationships between the individual diameter and canopy volume of A. marina population are simply linear. Strong correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.92) for the population of Sharm El-Bahry and the weak correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.63) for the population of wadi El-Gimal. On the other hand, the relationships between the individual heights and canopy volume of A. marina population are simply linear. Strong correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.72) for the population of Sharm El-Bahry and the weak correlation coefficients are obtained (r2=0.46) for the population of wadi El-Gimal.
    [Show full text]
  • Avifaunal Impact Assesment Based on 12 Month Pre- Construction Monitoring to Inform the Basic Assessment
    AVIFAUNAL IMPACT ASSESMENT BASED ON 12 MONTH PRE- CONSTRUCTION MONITORING TO INFORM THE BASIC ASSESSMENT: Basic Assessment for the Proposed Development of the 325MW Kudusberg Wind Energy Facility and associated infrastructure, between Matjiesfontein and Sutherland in the Western and Northern Cape Provinces: BA REPORT Report prepared for: Report prepared by: CSIR – Environmental Management Services Bioinsight (Pty) Ltd. P O Box 320 Unit 306, Warwick Place Stellenbosch, 7599 Grand National Boulevard, Milnerton 7441 South Africa South Africa 26th October 2018 Basic Assessment for the Proposed Development of the 325MW Kudusberg Wind Energy Facility and associated infrastructure, between Matjiesfontein and Sutherland in the Western and Northern Cape Provinces SPECIALIST EXPERTISE The Avifaunal Specialist, Miguel Mascarenhas (Pri.Sci.Nat), serves as an independent specialist and is professionally registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Registration: Professional in Ecological Sciences, 400168/14). His short CV detailing a portion of his recent work and publications in 2018 is presented below. A full CV can be provided upon request. pg 1 Basic Assessment for the Proposed Development of the 325MW Kudusberg Wind Energy Facility and associated infrastructure, between Matjiesfontein and Sutherland in the Western and Northern Cape Provinces pg 2 Basic Assessment for the Proposed Development of the 325MW Kudusberg Wind Energy Facility and associated infrastructure, between Matjiesfontein and Sutherland in the Western and Northern Cape Provinces SPECIALIST DECLARATION I, Miguel Rodolfo Teixeira de Mascarenhas, as the appointed independent specialist, in terms of the 2014 EIA Regulations, hereby declare that I: . I act as the independent specialist in this application; . I perform the work relating to the application in an objective manner, even if this results in views and findings that are not favourable to the applicant; .
    [Show full text]
  • Know Your National Parks
    KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS 1 KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS Our Parks, Our Heritage Table of contents Minister’s Foreword 4 CEO’s Foreword 5 Northern Region 8 Marakele National Park 8 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 10 Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage site 11 Arid Region 12 Augrabies Falls National Park 12 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 13 Mokala National Park 14 Namaqua National Park 15 /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park 16 Cape Region 18 Table Mountain National Park 18 Bontebok National Park 19 Agulhas National Park 20 West Coast National Park 21 Tankwa-Karoo National Park 22 Frontier Region 23 Addo Elephant National Park 23 Karoo National Park 24 DID YOU Camdeboo National Park 25 KNOW? Mountain Zebra National Park 26 Marakele National Park is Garden Route National Park 27 found in the heart of Waterberg Mountains.The name Marakele Kruger National Park 28 is a Tswana name, which Vision means a ‘place of sanctuary’. A sustainable National Park System connecting society Fun and games 29 About SA National Parks Week 31 Mission To develop, expand, manage and promote a system of sustainable national parks that represent biodiversity and heritage assets, through innovation and best practice for the just and equitable benefit of current and future generation. 2 3 KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS Minister’s Foreword CEO’s Foreword We are blessed to live in a country like ours, which has areas by all should be encouraged through a variety of The staging of SA National Parks Week first took place been hailed as a miracle in respect of our transition to a programmes.
    [Show full text]
  • Mtunzini Conservancy Newsletter December 2015
    Mtunzini Conservancy Newsletter December 2015 https://www.facebook.com/MtunziniConservancy/ Dear Members and Supporters, Many thanks to Jim Chedzey for compiling another lovely newsletter and for all the contributions that make up the 5th edition of the year. As 2015 melts away and 2016 dawns it is with excitement and some trepidation that we welcome the holidays and anticipate what the New Year holds! Most weather models are predicting the continuation of a strong El- Nino episode during the summer season with the expectation for it to start gradually decaying during late autumn and the early winter seasons. Thus the rain that we have recently experienced along the coast and inland towards Hluhluwe- Imfolozi has been most welcome as the continuation of dry conditions towards the mid- and late-summer season is forecast. Let’s all do our bit to conserve water by using it sparingly and installing water collection and recycling systems in our homes and businesses. The Conservancy held its year end function on Friday the 4th December at Twinstreams and it turned out to be a most enjoyable and entertaining evening. Special thanks to Kim and Wayne for sharing your Karoo expedition with us – the presentation was artistic and energetic and we would recommend anyone who would like their photos and videos put into a similar dynamic format contact Kim Steinberg on 0799832641. Many thanks also to our gracious host Steve Untiedt who always make us feel at home – and staff Nomusa and Khululiwe and Nonhlanhla for preparing the salads and Ray, Matthew, Ntokhoza and Kevin for the firewood.
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity Sector Plan for the Zululand District Municipality, Kwazulu-Natal
    EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE Biodiversity Sector Plan for the Zululand District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Technical Report February 2010 The Project Team Thorn-Ex cc (Environmental Services) PO Box 800, Hilton, 3245 Pietermaritzbur South Africa Tel: (033) 3431814 Fax: (033) 3431819 Mobile: 084 5014665 [email protected] Marita Thornhill (Project Management & Coordination) AFZELIA Environmental Consultants cc KwaZulu-Natal Western Cape PO Box 95 PO Box 3397 Hilton 3245 Cape Town 8000 Tel: 033 3432931/32 Tel: 072 3900686 Fax: 033 3432033 or Fax: 086 5132112 086 5170900 Mobile: 084 6756052 [email protected] [email protected] Wolfgang Kanz (Biodiversity Specialist Coordinator) John Richardson (GIS) Monde Nembula (Social Facilitation) Tim O’Connor & Associates P.O.Box 379 Hilton 3245 South Africa Tel/ Fax: 27-(0)33-3433491 [email protected] Tim O’Connor (Biodiversity Expert Advice) Zululand Biodiversity Sector Plan (February 2010) 1 Executive Summary The Biodiversity Act introduced several legislated planning tools to assist with the management and conservation of South Africa’s biological diversity. These include the declaration of “Bioregions” and the publication of “Bioregional Plans”. Bioregional plans are usually an output of a systematic spatial conservation assessment of a region. They identify areas of conservation priority, and constraints and opportunities for implementation of the plan. The precursor to a Bioregional Plan is a Biodiversity Sector Plan (BSP), which is the official reference for biodiversity priorities to be taken into account in land-use planning and decision-making by all sectors within the District Municipality. The overall aim is to avoid the loss of natural habitat in Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) and prevent the degradation of Ecological Support Areas (ESAs), while encouraging sustainable development in Other Natural Areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Ongoye Forest Nature Reserve Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
    OONNGGOOYYEE FFOORREESSTT NNAATTUURREE RREESSEERVERVE MMAANNAAGGEEMMEENTNT PPLLANAN 20200099 -- 20201313 Ongoye Forest Nature Reserve KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Integrated Management Plan: 2009-2013 Reviewed and edited by Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Management Planning Unit Based on the Draft Integrated Management Plan (2008 – 2013) by David Totman and Associates Photograph-credits: Sharon Louw, Hugh Chittenden, Guy Upfold. Citation Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. 2009. Integrated Management Plan: Ongoye Forest Nature Reserve, South Africa. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Pietermaritzburg. 85pp. and 5 maps (4 x A4 and 1 x A3) Ongoye Forest Nature Reserve i Integrated Management Plan: 2009-2013. (Version 1.0) Ongoye Forest Nature Reserve i Integrated Management Plan: 2009-2013. (Version 1.0) Circulate to: TITLE NAME SIGNATURE AND DATE Chairperson: Portfolio Environment & Conservation Committee Review Date: 2013 Ongoye Forest Nature Reserve iii Integrated Management Plan: 2009-2013. (Version 1.0) Table of Contents Authorisation..............................................................................................................................................................ii Table of Contents......................................................................................................................................................iv List of Maps..............................................................................................................................................................vii List of Figures...........................................................................................................................................................vii
    [Show full text]