DOCSLIB.ORG

SOUTH AFRICA: FAIREST CAPE to KRUGER 4-20 October 2015 TOUR LEADER: JOSH ENGEL Photos by Josh Engel

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
SOUTH AFRICA: FAIREST CAPE to KRUGER 4-20 October 2015 TOUR LEADER: JOSH ENGEL Photos by Josh Engel Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: October 2015 A Tropical Birding CUSTOM tour SOUTH AFRICA: FAIREST CAPE TO KRUGER 4-20 October 2015 TOUR LEADER: JOSH ENGEL Photos by Josh Engel Seeing Knysna Turaco up close is always a highlight of this tour. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page 1 Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: October 2015 INTRODUCTION South Africa is without question one of the world’s great birding and natural history destinations. With its long list of endemic birds, animal-filled national parks, and world class infrastructure, it’s a must-do for traveling birders. This itinerary followed a sort of “highlights” route, hitting some of the top birding spots, most scenic landscapes, and best national park the country has to offer. We started in the Cape, the most endemic-rich part of the country, and we found most of them. This included great looks at Cape Rockjumper, Protea Canary, and Black Harrier. We started in Cape Town itself, before heading east to the lush Garden Route and arid Karoo. From there we flew across to the east, where we birded the beautiful high-altitude grasslands of Wakkerstroom and ended the trip with three days in Kruger National Park, with its unparalleled density of large animals. In Wakkerstroom we had incredible looks at the endangered endemics that it is famous for: Rudd’s and Botha’s Lark, Blue Korhaan, and Yellow-breasted Pipit. Kruger was better than I’ve ever seen it, and for the first time on a trip I guided we found the “super seven”: Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Cheetah, and Wild Dog. The birding is outstanding there as well, and we found many of the key Kruger birds, species like Brown-headed Parrot, Southern Ground-Hornbill, all of the vultures, Saddle-billed Stork, and more. All this while staying in wonderful hotels, eating delicious food, and generally having a great experience. A leopard, the second that we saw, about to jump down twenty feet out of the tree. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page 2 Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: October 2015 TOUR REPORT Everyone arrived smoothly in Cape Town. After dropping our bags at the guest house and eating lunch at a lovely local café, we made a trip to the nearby Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, surely one of the world’s most beautiful botanical gardens. Birds are easy to see here and we quickly picked up the first birds for the trip, starting with a Spotted Eagle-owl watching over the entrance gate and later adding Cape Sugarbird, Cape Robin-chat, Cape White-eye, and many Southern Double-collared Sunbirds. For our first full day of birding the following day, we headed north from Cape Town up the Atlantic coast. We spent much of the morning in West Coast National Park, where highlights included Malachite Sunbird, many Karoo Scrub- Robins, a very cooperative Karoo Lark, and a showy pair of Gray-winged Francolins. Many shorebirds, waders, and terns were at one of the park’s excellent hides, including Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Black Oystercatcher. For lunch we had the company of many Cape Weavers and Yellow Bishops. After lunch, we visited salt pans near Veldriff, where we quickly found our target Chestnut-banded Plover. We also had outstanding scope views of a perfectly lit European Bee-eater. Starting our second full day in the Cape, we took a long walk through the botanical gardens. It was a beautiful morning. We had wonderful looks at the endemic Swee Waxbill and Forest Canary, and had prolonged views of several Cape Sugarbirds feeding on a flowering protea. As it always the case there, we had excellent looks at Olive Thrush, Cape www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page 3 Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: October 2015 Robin-chat, Cape Francolin, and other typical garden birds. After lunch we went into the city to visit the District Six Museum, which tells the story of forced removals of people from the area in the 1970s, much of it from the perspective of those who were forced to move. We still had plenty of time left in the day, so we ended our day at Strandfontein, Cape Town’s famous (among birders, at least) sewage ponds. They were full of birds. Greater Flamingoes were everywhere, and we quickly found Southern Pochard, Maccoa Duck, African Swamphen, and Little Rush- and Lesser Swamp-Warblers. For our last day from Cape Town, we started on the Atlantic side of the Cape Penninsula at Kommetjie. We quickly found the cormorants we were searching after, the endangered Bank, Crowned, and Cape. A few Cape Gannets flew past offshore and we had a good time comparing the various terns that were perched on the rocks. We continued down to Cape Point, enjoying the stunning scenery along the way, as well as a few Orange-breasted Sunbirds. After a walk at the point, we headed back north to the famous penguin colony of Simonstown. We enjoyed the antics of the many African Penguins, afterwards commencing our eastward journey. We spent the afternoon along the rocky coast near Rooi Els. Very quickly we found what we were looking for, a beautiful Cape Rockjumper doing just as its name says—jumping among the rocks. We also quickly found another beautiful rock-loving South African endemic, Cape Rock Thrush. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page 4 Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: October 2015 The next morning we started back at Rooi Els, where the rockjumpers put on an even better show than the previous afternoon. After a nice walk there, we continued eastward, stopping in at Hermanus, where we found two distant Southern Right Whales, but none close to shore, unfortunately. After stopping for lunch at a nice café, we birded our way through the wheat fields and renosterveld of the Agulhas Plain. We had great views of the locally endemic Agulhas Long-billed Lark along with many other goodies, including the endangered Cape Griffon, Cloud Cisticola, flocks of Blue Cranes, and a family of Karoo Korhaans. We had spectacular looks at Malachite Sunbird and saw a few Yellow Mongoose scurrying across the fields. We finished the day at our hotel on a farmstead near Swellendam. Our hotel was adjacent to Bontebok National Park, where we started our next morning. We quickly found displaying Cape (Agulhas) Clapper Larks, clapping their wings together in flight display as they do. A Rameron Pigeon sat up cooperatively for us, where we could see its yellow bill, eyering, and legs. Best of all was a pair of Black Harriers; as we watched the male flying towards us carrying a rodent in his talons, the female flew up from the ground, the prey was exchanged mid-air, and the female landed on the road to eat it. It was stunning behavior to see, from a beautiful, declining, endemic species. From there, we headed to the Garden Route, picking up lunch to eat on the balcony of our next B&B, its gardens full of birds. It didn’t take long to have Knysna Turacos just feet from our faces, along with Chorister Robin-chat and many others. After taking in the feeder birds, we visited some nearby wetlands. White-backed www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page 5 Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: October 2015 Ducks were plentiful as were Southern Pochard, an African Darter sat for us at close range in perfect light, and we watched a Pied Kingfisher smash a fish on a branch many times before swallowing it whole. We also tried calling out a Red-chested Flufftail, but despite calling back it wouldn’t come out of the reeds. We ended the day in a national park campground, where a pair of African (Blue-mantled) Crested Flycatchers put on a nice show. Our next day was spent in the environs of Wilderness National Park. We started before breakfast with stunning views of a singing Olive Bush-shrike, but despite having a Knysna Warbler singing its head off just feet away, we couldn’t lay eyes on the little skulker. Breakfast back at the B&B was for the birds: the feeders just off the balcony where we ate were full of Swee Waxbill, Forest Canary, Southern Boubou, Knysna Turaco, and many others. After breakfast we took a walk in the forest, first enjoying one of South Africa’s largest remaining yellowwood trees, then enjoying the Green Woodhoopoes, Cape Batis, Olive Woodpecker, and other forest birds. After a nice rest and more feeder-watching, we returned to the forest for the afternoon, but the wind was strong and birds were hard to come by. It was time to bid goodbye to the garden o’ birds after one final breakfast with the turacos. From there we headed north through the Little Karoo and over the beautiful Swartberg Pass. A very responsive Protea Canary greeted us as we began our ascent up the pass, this rare bird showing itself perfectly, but despite several singing back to us, Victorin’s Warblers wouldn’t come out. We did find a beautiful male Sentinal Rock Thrush and a Cape Rockjumper greeted us at the pass www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page 6 Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: October 2015 itself. We descended into the Great Karoo, stopping for an afternoon snack at a local café en route. Arriving at Karoo National Park, we took a drive through the plains.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 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 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]
  • Bontebok Birds
    Birds recorded in the Bontebok National Park 8 Little Grebe 446 European Roller 55 White-breasted Cormorant 451 African Hoopoe 58 Reed Cormorant 465 Acacia Pied Barbet 60 African Darter 469 Red-fronted Tinkerbird * 62 Grey Heron 474 Greater Honeyguide 63 Black-headed Heron 476 Lesser Honeyguide 65 Purple Heron 480 Ground Woodpecker 66 Great Egret 486 Cardinal Woodpecker 68 Yellow-billed Egret 488 Olive Woodpecker 71 Cattle Egret 494 Rufous-naped Lark * 81 Hamerkop 495 Cape Clapper Lark 83 White Stork n/a Agulhas Longbilled Lark 84 Black Stork 502 Karoo Lark 91 African Sacred Ibis 504 Red Lark * 94 Hadeda Ibis 506 Spike-heeled Lark 95 African Spoonbill 507 Red-capped Lark 102 Egyptian Goose 512 Thick-billed Lark 103 South African Shelduck 518 Barn Swallow 104 Yellow-billed Duck 520 White-throated Swallow 105 African Black Duck 523 Pearl-breasted Swallow 106 Cape Teal 526 Greater Striped Swallow 108 Red-billed Teal 529 Rock Martin 112 Cape Shoveler 530 Common House-Martin 113 Southern Pochard 533 Brown-throated Martin 116 Spur-winged Goose 534 Banded Martin 118 Secretarybird 536 Black Sawwing 122 Cape Vulture 541 Fork-tailed Drongo 126 Black (Yellow-billed) Kite 547 Cape Crow 127 Black-shouldered Kite 548 Pied Crow 131 Verreauxs' Eagle 550 White-necked Raven 136 Booted Eagle 551 Grey Tit 140 Martial Eagle 557 Cape Penduline-Tit 148 African Fish-Eagle 566 Cape Bulbul 149 Steppe Buzzard 572 Sombre Greenbul 152 Jackal Buzzard 577 Olive Thrush 155 Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk 582 Sentinel Rock-Thrush 158 Black Sparrowhawk 587 Capped Wheatear
    [Show full text]
  • Birds of the Agulhas Plain
    Birds of the Agulhas Plain www.blackoystercatcher.co.za Birds of the Agulhas Plain – how to see them “Whether you love bird-watching or not, a trip to the Black Oystercatcher will always include a vast array of bird life en route.” www.blackoystercatcher.co.za The Black Oystercatcher Wine farm is based on (and is a member of) the Nuwejaars Wetland Special Management Area. It’s a conservation agricultural area home to some of the most endangered bird, plant and animal species in the world. That makes the region perfect for bird lovers – whether you’re an experienced bird-watcher, or are just starting to record your sightings for the first time. So if you’re new to bird-watching, or new to the area, here are a couple of tips to record bird species you may not have seen before: REMEMBER TO BRING YOU BINOCULARS. Loads of DON’T ASSUME ANYTHING. You may think the raptor birds sit along the fence posts on the journey to the sitting on the fence is a Common Buzzard. But don’t Black Oystercatcher. But they usually don’t hang discount the possibility that it may be something more around if you stop. So a pair of binoculars will help you exotic and more rare. Some of the bird species spotted on check their colour, shape and size, even when they take or close to the Black Oystercatcher include the Long to the skies. Crested Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier and Blue-cheeked Bee- HAVE YOUR BIRD GUIDE READY. Whether it be Sasol, eater – species not known to frequent the Agulhas Plain.
    [Show full text]
  • Gear for a Big Year
    APPENDIX 1 GEAR FOR A BIG YEAR 40-liter REI Vagabond Tour 40 Two passports Travel Pack Wallet Tumi luggage tag Two notebooks Leica 10x42 Ultravid HD-Plus Two Sharpie pens binoculars Oakley sunglasses Leica 65 mm Televid spotting scope with tripod Fossil watch Leica V-Lux camera Asics GEL-Enduro 7 trail running shoes GoPro Hero3 video camera with selfie stick Four Mountain Hardwear Wicked Lite short-sleeved T-shirts 11” MacBook Air laptop Columbia Sportswear rain shell iPhone 6 (and iPhone 4) with an international phone plan Marmot down jacket iPod nano and headphones Two pairs of ExOfficio field pants SureFire Fury LED flashlight Three pairs of ExOfficio Give- with rechargeable batteries N-Go boxer underwear Green laser pointer Two long-sleeved ExOfficio BugsAway insect-repelling Yalumi LED headlamp shirts with sun protection Sea to Summit silk sleeping bag Two pairs of SmartWool socks liner Two pairs of cotton Balega socks Set of adapter plugs for the world Birding Without Borders_F.indd 264 7/14/17 10:49 AM Gear for a Big Year • 265 Wildy Adventure anti-leech Antimalarial pills socks First-aid kit Two bandanas Assorted toiletries (comb, Plain black baseball cap lip balm, eye drops, toenail clippers, tweezers, toothbrush, REI Campware spoon toothpaste, floss, aspirin, Israeli water-purification tablets Imodium, sunscreen) Birding Without Borders_F.indd 265 7/14/17 10:49 AM APPENDIX 2 BIG YEAR SNAPSHOT New Unique per per % % Country Days Total New Unique Day Day New Unique Antarctica / Falklands 8 54 54 30 7 4 100% 56% Argentina 12 435
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa Mega Birding III 5Th to 27Th October 2019 (23 Days) Trip Report
    South Africa Mega Birding III 5th to 27th October 2019 (23 days) Trip Report The near-endemic Gorgeous Bushshrike by Daniel Keith Danckwerts Tour leader: Daniel Keith Danckwerts Trip Report – RBT South Africa – Mega Birding III 2019 2 Tour Summary South Africa supports the highest number of endemic species of any African country and is therefore of obvious appeal to birders. This South Africa mega tour covered virtually the entire country in little over a month – amounting to an estimated 10 000km – and targeted every single endemic and near-endemic species! We were successful in finding virtually all of the targets and some of our highlights included a pair of mythical Hottentot Buttonquails, the critically endangered Rudd’s Lark, both Cape, and Drakensburg Rockjumpers, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Pink-throated Twinspot, Southern Tchagra, the scarce Knysna Woodpecker, both Northern and Southern Black Korhaans, and Bush Blackcap. We additionally enjoyed better-than-ever sightings of the tricky Barratt’s Warbler, aptly named Gorgeous Bushshrike, Crested Guineafowl, and Eastern Nicator to just name a few. Any trip to South Africa would be incomplete without mammals and our tally of 60 species included such difficult animals as the Aardvark, Aardwolf, Southern African Hedgehog, Bat-eared Fox, Smith’s Red Rock Hare and both Sable and Roan Antelopes. This really was a trip like no other! ____________________________________________________________________________________ Tour in Detail Our first full day of the tour began with a short walk through the gardens of our quaint guesthouse in Johannesburg. Here we enjoyed sightings of the delightful Red-headed Finch, small numbers of Southern Red Bishops including several males that were busy moulting into their summer breeding plumage, the near-endemic Karoo Thrush, Cape White-eye, Grey-headed Gull, Hadada Ibis, Southern Masked Weaver, Speckled Mousebird, African Palm Swift and the Laughing, Ring-necked and Red-eyed Doves.
    [Show full text]
  • Golden Valley I Wind Farm
    Golden Valley I Wind Farm Biodiversity Action Plan Draft August 2019 1 Contents 1. The Project ...................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Priority biodiversity features .......................................................................................................... 3 2.1. Natural Habitat ....................................................................................................................... 3 2.2. Critical Habitat ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.3. Protected and Internationally Recognised Areas ................................................................... 3 2.4. Bird species of concern ........................................................................................................... 3 3. Potential impacts ............................................................................................................................ 4 4. Impact mitigation ............................................................................................................................ 5 4.1. Avoidance measures already implemented ........................................................................... 5 4.2. Destruction/alteration of vegetation ...................................................................................... 5 4.3. Displacement of birds from site & disturbance of birds ........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Noetzie Bird Check List
    CHECK LIST OF THE BIRDS OF NOETZIE Noetzie township is part of the Farm Noetzie 394, situated about 10 km east of Knysna at 34 0 5' S and 23 0 8' E in grid square 3423AA Knysna. We bought our cottage there in 1976 when the rest of the Farm was largely under pine plantations, except for the indigenous forest on the east side along the Noetzie River and some coastal fynbos on the steep slopes just above Noetzie. We spent an annual holiday there most years until 1993 when I retired; later we moved to Cape Town from Johannesburg, so we were able to visit more frequently. Over the last thirty years my wife and I have made lists of the birds we have recorded at Noetzie. Our cottage is in indigenous forest overlooking the lagoon, with a view east through the canopy up the Noetzie River. All we can see is the river and the indigenous forest opposite of the Sinclair Nature Reserve ("Sinclair") and that of the Noetzie Farm on our left. The view from our balcony is the picture 'Dune Forests and Lagoons' on page 30 of the 8th Edition of Newman's Birds, 2002 ("Newman"). Because of the situation of our cottage, in the forest canopy with restricted views of the river and of the sky, birds of the forest and forest margin are well represented but birds of the fynbos, beach and sea and species such as swifts, swallows and raptors tend to be under recorded. On each visit I usually make several canoe trips up the river and walk in the indigenous forest along its banks in the Sinclair Nature Reserve.
    [Show full text]
  • The Best of SOUTH AFRICA October 15-31 2018
    TRIP REPORT: The Best of SOUTH AFRICA October 15-31 2018 The Best of SOUTH AFRICA Birding Safari October 15-31, 2018 Tour leaders: Josh Engel and David Nkosi Click here for the trip photo gallery Next trip: October 10-26, 2020 South Africa never fails to amaze. From the spectacular scenery and endemic birds of the Cape to the megafauna-filled wilderness of Kruger National Park, every single day brings something new, surprising, and awe-inspiring. This trip exceeded expectations—over 400 species of birds and an incredible 60 species of mammals, all seen while staying in interesting, varied, and excellent accommodations, eating delicious food, and thoroughly enjoying all aspects of traveling in South Africa. It’s hard to know where to start with bird and animal highlights. There are, of course, the most sought-after birds, like Protea Canary, Cape Rockjumper, Black Harrier, Rudd’s Lark, Black-eared Sparrowlark, Southern Black Korhaan, and Blue Korhaan. There were also the incredible bird experiences—the Shy Albatrosses surrounding our pelagic boat, the Cape Sugarbird singing from atop of king protea flower, the nest-building Knysna Turacos, the Water Thick-knees trying to chase a Water Monitor away from their nest. Mammals take a front seat in South Africa, too. We had incredible sightings of Leopard and Lion in Kruger, numerous White and a single Black Rhinoceros, along with many encounters with Elephant, Giraffes, and other iconic African animals. But we also saw many awesome small mammals, including Meerkat, Large- and Small- spotted Genet, White-tailed Mongoose, and a Cape Clawless Otter munching on a fish.
    [Show full text]
  • Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas of South Africa
    IMPORTANT BIRD AND BIODIVERSITY AREAS of South Africa INTRODUCTION 101 Recommended citation: Marnewick MD, Retief EF, Theron NT, Wright DR, Anderson TA. 2015. Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas of South Africa. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa. First published 1998 Second edition 2015 BirdLife South Africa’s Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas Programme acknowledges the huge contribution that the first IBA directory (1998) made to this revision of the South African IBA network. The editor and co-author Keith Barnes and the co-authors of the various chapters – David Johnson, Rick Nuttall, Warwick Tarboton, Barry Taylor, Brian Colahan and Mark Anderson – are acknowledged for their work in laying the foundation for this revision. The Animal Demography Unit is also acknowledged for championing the publication of the monumental first edition. Copyright: © 2015 BirdLife South Africa The intellectual property rights of this publication belong to BirdLife South Africa. All rights reserved. BirdLife South Africa is a registered non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works to conserve wild birds, their habitats and wider biodiversity in South Africa, through research, monitoring, lobbying, conservation and awareness-raising actions. It was formed in 1996 when the IMPORTANT South African Ornithological Society became a country partner of BirdLife International. BirdLife South Africa is the national Partner of BirdLife BIRD AND International, a global Partnership of nature conservation organisations working in more than 100 countries worldwide. BirdLife South Africa, Private Bag X5000, Parklands, 2121, South Africa BIODIVERSITY Website: www.birdlife.org.za • E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: +27 11 789 1122 • Fax: +27 11 789 5188 AREAS Publisher: BirdLife South Africa Texts: Daniel Marnewick, Ernst Retief, Nicholas Theron, Dale Wright and Tania Anderson of South Africa Mapping: Ernst Retief and Bryony van Wyk Copy editing: Leni Martin Design: Bryony van Wyk Print management: Loveprint (Pty) Ltd Mitsui & Co.
    [Show full text]
  • Resource Use in Indigenous Forests of the Eastern Cape, South Africa and Its Effects on Bird Communities
    Resource use in indigenous forests of the Eastern Cape, South Africa and its effects on bird communities by Jessica Leaver Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University Promoter: Prof. M.I. Cherry March 2020 i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Copyright © 2020 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract Indigenous forest represents South Africa’s most limited and fragmented biome, but supports disproportionality high levels of biodiversity. Furthermore, forests provide a range of resources for people, particularly the rural poor, and are thus of high socio-economic value. This is particularly true in the Eastern Cape, which harbours 46% of South Africa’s remaining indigenous forest cover, and some of the country’s most economically impoverished populace. Forest management in this region is thus required to balance the needs of resource users with the conservation of forest biodiversity through sustainable use. However, de facto open-access systems of resource use prevail, and there is concern that unregulated harvesting of forest products is driving forest degradation. Supporting this, a recent study found forest bird ranges to have declined in the region over the past 20 years, despite no loss of forest cover over the same time period.
    [Show full text]
  • Management Plan
    Garden Route National Park Park Management Plan For the period 2020 - 2029 1 Acknowledgement This plan was prepared by Mr Len du Plessis and Mr André Spies, with significant input and help from Me Maretha Alant, Mr Clement Arendse, Mr Johan Baard, Me Marie Baard, Me Elzette Bester, Mr Nicholas Cole, Me Melanie de Morney, Mr Graham Durrheim, Dr Stef Freitag-Ronaldson, Me Jessica Hayes, Me Nobulumko Gantsho, Mr Derec Giles, Me Jayshree Govender, Mr Paddy Gordon, Mr Thabo Kgomommu, Me Nondumiso Mgwenya, Dr Mohlamatsane Mokhatla, Me Lizette Moolman, Mr Andile Namntu, Me Phumla Nyathikazi, Mr André Riley, Dr Dirk Roux, Dr Ian Russell, Me Thabang Sibiya, Mr Kyle Smith, Dr Sandra Taljaard, Me Megan Taplin and various stakeholders. Suggested citation: SANParks, 2020. Garden Route National Park Management Plan. SANParks. Pretoria. Photo by: Knysna Tourism Garden Route National Park Management Plan 2020 – 2029 2 Section 1: Authorisation This management plan is hereby internally accepted and authorised as required for managing the Garden Route National Park and World Heritage Site in terms of Sections 39, 40 and 41 of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act [(Act No. 57 of 2003) (NEM: PAA)] and chapter 4 of the World Heritage Convention Act (Act No. 49 of 1999). Mr P. Gordon Park Manager: Garden Route National Park Date: 01 June 2019 T PLAN N Mr A.H. Engelbrecht General Manager: Frontier Region Date: 01 June 2019 MANAGEME – Mr. P.S. Mokoena Managing Executive: Parks Date: 01 June 2019 NATIONAL PARK NATIONAL Mr F.G. Mketeni Chief Executive: SANParks Date: 20 November 2019 GARDEN ROUTE Ms J.
    [Show full text]